Hawk 250 Rear Shock TT250

[CmdrSmushy]

Does anyone know if the TT250 rear shock will fit the Hawk 250?

[JerryHawk250]

It seams like it would. May be a TT250 owner will measure there's up for you. The Hawk is 320mm from eye to eye. $189 seems a little steep. I'm currently looking myself. Closest I have found so far is 315 mm which is close enough for me and under $50. Someone else on here put a 295 mm and worked out perfect for him. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074K56B75...v_ov_lig_dp_it Aliexpress looks to have a good selection. I'm still looking and will post on what I order.

[ChrisWNY]

I used a 295mm rear monoshock that I found on eBay, cost $81 shipped and worked great. You need to use spacers however on the area where the bushings mount to the frame. Washers work fine for this (3/8"). The overall seat height is maybe 1/2" lower but the difference in the suspension/shock absorption is substantial. I can hardly feel bumps with the new shock installed, and it sags MUCH less than the stock rear shock. On the stock shock, it felt like I was going to get tossed off the seat on rough terrain. I was also able to bottom out the shock (and I'm only ~175 lbs) just by bouncing on it.

I took the aftermarket rear shock into a motorcycle shop to have it charged with nitrogen gas (only cost me $10)...the guy at the shop was impressed with the seals and build which was surprising considering it was an $80 Chinese eBay monoshock. Just make sure the spring has a preload adjustment (which you may or may not need to adjust depending on your size/weight) and a Schrader valve for charging the shock w/gas. Posted link below for the exact shock I purchased.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/1200LBS-DNM...53.m2749.l2649

[JerryHawk250]

If the stock shock had a pre-load adjustment it wouldn't be so bad. I'm about 180 lbs. and it just to much sag. I'm okay with the 1/2" lower seat height. It's how much it sags after I put my big butt on it I don't like. lol I may just go with that one. Amazon has it right at $60.

[CmdrSmushy]

Originally Posted by ChrisWNY

I used a 295mm rear monoshock that I found on eBay, cost $81 shipped and worked great. You need to use spacers however on the area where the bushings mount to the frame. Washers work fine for this (3/8"). The overall seat height is maybe 1/2" lower but the difference in the suspension/shock absorption is substantial. I can hardly feel bumps with the new shock installed, and it sags MUCH less than the stock rear shock. On the stock shock, it felt like I was going to get tossed off the seat on rough terrain. I was also able to bottom out the shock (and I'm only ~175 lbs) just by bouncing on it.

I took the aftermarket rear shock into a motorcycle shop to have it charged with nitrogen gas (only cost me $10)...the guy at the shop was impressed with the seals and build which was surprising considering it was an $80 Chinese eBay monoshock. Just make sure the spring has a preload adjustment (which you may or may not need to adjust depending on your size/weight) and a Schrader valve for charging the shock w/gas. Posted link below for the exact shock I purchased.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/1200LBS-DNM...53.m2749.l2649

Thanks for the input!

[Tashka]

my rear sags a bit, and a bit more with a passenger, but I've never had mine bottom out, even when doing 10 foot jumps(alone of course, lol) I would like if it were adjustable though.

[CmdrSmushy]

Anyone know pressure an aftermarket shock should be pressurized to?

[Tashka]

I'm sure my hawks rear suspension is shorter now thsn it was stock. i rode a friend's hawk and I noted thst it was alot higher and i had to stand on my tippy toes again(just like when I first got my hawk).

looking from the back it looks a little shorter than his

[ChipToothy]

Originally Posted by ChrisWNY

I used a 295mm rear monoshock that I found on eBay, cost $81 shipped and worked great. You need to use spacers however on the area where the bushings mount to the frame. Washers work fine for this (3/8"). The overall seat height is maybe 1/2" lower but the difference in the suspension/shock absorption is substantial. I can hardly feel bumps with the new shock installed, and it sags MUCH less than the stock rear shock. On the stock shock, it felt like I was going to get tossed off the seat on rough terrain. I was also able to bottom out the shock (and I'm only ~175 lbs) just by bouncing on it.

I took the aftermarket rear shock into a motorcycle shop to have it charged with nitrogen gas (only cost me $10)...the guy at the shop was impressed with the seals and build which was surprising considering it was an $80 Chinese eBay monoshock. Just make sure the spring has a preload adjustment (which you may or may not need to adjust depending on your size/weight) and a Schrader valve for charging the shock w/gas. Posted link below for the exact shock I purchased.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/1200LBS-DNM...53.m2749.l2649

With your shock how do you handle the F/S dial? I'm wondering which speed is better for pavement and which is better for trail. I have it set more to the slow side and it feels very bouncy after going over speed tables, boing boing boing. Seems very dangerous at 40+ mph.


The shock does seem to be a quality shock, I can hardly feel things in the road and don't feel manholes at at all.

[pete]

Originally Posted by CmdrSmushy

Anyone know pressure an aftermarket shock should be pressurized to?

in the area of 140psi....
but a Chinese shock.. who would ever know..

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by ChipToothy

With your shock how do you handle the F/S dial? I'm wondering which speed is better for pavement and which is better for trail. I have it set more to the slow side and it feels very bouncy after going over speed tables, boing boing boing. Seems very dangerous at 40+ mph.


The shock does seem to be a quality shock, I can hardly feel things in the road and don't feel manholes at at all.

I think your rebound damping was mislabled if it says F <--> S Generally damping adjustments the F would be an H for Hard, and then the S for Soft. Unless they went with F for Firm, which would work.

In the case of rebound adjustment, Soft = low damping rate (faster to extend), Hard = high damping rate (slower to extend). If you feel the shock is too pogo-stick like, then you need to increase rebound dampening by turning it toward the H (or F). This will increase the damping by increasing resistance through the valve.

My Keoghs shock with the dial set very strongly in the H end of the scale is effective enough that it is not a pogo stick ride, but I would personally like even more damping.

[pete]

F and S is common now....
F = extends Fast.. "less rebound damping"
S = extends Slow.. "More rebound damping"


..

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by pete

F and S is common now....
F = extends Fast.. "less rebound damping"
S = extends Slow.. "More rebound damping"


..

I have yet to see F and S on a set of forks or rear shock from an mainstream manufacturer. Doesn't mean it might not exist, but I haven't seen it. All the way up to the most recent 2018 models I have looked at, all of the damping adjusters have an H <-> S marking at the adjusters.

In the case of the rear shock he and I both have, it should look exactly like this.

[pete]

your point is ?....
I used the word common... not mandatory
My point was to explain what F & S meant
on shocks that are marked with it..




..

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by pete

your point is ?....
I used the word common... not mandatory
My point was to explain what F & S meant...


..

My point was the word "common." To me, it isn't a very common thing to see from my own experience. There is nothing mandatory about the fact that manufacturers of suspension parts for motorcycles use H and S. It is prevalent in the industry from most manufacturers. Prevalent meaning common.

I grasp what the idea behind Fast and Slow is. For most people it actually makes more sense to use those words instead of Hard and Soft, especially with rebound dampening.

In any case, this is debating nothing too helpful at this point and not very relevant until we know exactly what is printed/stamped on his shock. I am simply trying to share my own experience with the same style of shock as the OP, and help him try to sort out the pogo ride. Since my longer version of the same shock has the H and S, I am interested to see what his actually has on it, because my rear shock with the rebound turned mostly toward the H rides fairly decently. If it does indeed say F and S, I would almost bet my hat that it stands for Firm and Soft.