Rear Suspension/Bottoming Out/Rear Shock

ANy Advise Out There!!!!

I purchased my 02 Midnight Venture about 3 years ago with 100 miles. Basically, new but had been sitting for a 2 plus years. From day one the biike has been bottoming out. I had the rear shock checked by two dealer and both said the shock was fine and not leaking.

Well afetr two years of fighting with Yamaha I finally got them to replace the shock. Had the shock installed and wouldn't you know it ....my first time out with two up we bottom out. I must admit that the bike didnt bottom out as much but it did and I couldn't believe it. When ridding two up our total weight does not exceed 380 pounds.

Can it be something else? Is there any other setting that can be adjusted to get the tire more clearance from the rear fender? What I have read so far seems to suggest that most rsv shock problems have to do with oil leakage ....that hasn't been the case here.......any suggestions?

Thanks

Probably a stupid question but:

Have you tried putting air in the shock? Little cap on the right side (sitting on the bike) just behind the drivers seat. Don't use a gas station pump on it but you could use a bicycle tire pump (preferably a progressive pump or a good hand pump from a motorcycle shop). Max pressure 50 PSI.

How much air have you got in the shock. And have you tried pumping that up to around 40lbs or so?

Thanks for checking out my post.

Both the new and the old were up to 45-50 psi. I just had the new put in last week and the dealer let me know that he the shock pumped to 45 psi. So, I was floored when we bottomed out.

Only thing I might suggest are the leveling links from Diamond R. That would raise the rear up some. Unless your vertically challenged and then you might not like that idea.

Oh, and you might want to stop taking those high speed jumps too.

Like what kind of bumps or pot holes are you hitting to bottom out on?

Even with the shocks I replaced due to leaking, never bottomed out.

Agree with what's being said. My shock has crapped out on my 2003 and am waiting on the new one to get in. That being said the wife and I rode 300 mile on Friday over some pretty bad IL roads and never once bottomed out. Bumps felt hard, but not a bottom out feeling.

Do you know whether the bike was lowered prior to you getting it? Maybe its starting out lower than ours

I purchased the bike with only 100 miles so I really don't think that the bike was lowered. The bottoming out seem to happen more with simple road depressions. It also happen with larger/deep bumps but the more with road depressions. Very Odd.........

Is it possible that the bottoming out that you are refering to is something other than that? Maybe something else is loose causing that feeling / sound.

Sounds like the bike needs a good once over.

Just a thought,

Steve

I hate to say it guys...but it almost sounds like somethings broke....or not put together right.... certainly not normal.

I hate to say it guys...but it almost sounds like somethings broke....or not put together right.... certainly not normal.

You think they would have caught something like that when they changed the shock out. Is there another shop nearby, that you could take it to and have it checked out?

There is certainly something wrong but I have no idea what. This is the first I've heard of these bikes bottoming out. Even with much less air pressure in the shock, I've never had that problem. Something is wrong and they need to figure out what it is.

I wanted thank everyone for their input regarding my rear suspension and shock problem. I also wanted to update you on the latest?

I bought my bike to a third Yamaha dealer to have it check out yet again. Well, the dealer tested the new shock and not surmising found it to be fine. Other than putting more air in the shock they came up with nothing. They did say that this has been is an issue with Venture which I was surprised to hear because most of the problems I've heard about has to do with the shock failing, leaking but never bottoming out. Worse than that the dealer had no real fix.

Needless to say, this has to be most frustrating thing I've ever had to deal with. Unbelievable!!!!!!

Are you 100% positive that you're actually bottoming out. I weigh 380 lbs and I dont bottom the shock out. You should find a member who lives in your area and have him test ride your bike and you ride his to feel the differences.

OK, let's go about this a different way. As many others have already said, this is NOT typical. Your combined weight is not out of line - I weigh 250, my wife is probably about 125, and we have toured extensively with heavy load besides and never bottomed out in 36,000 miles.

What specifically are you feeling or hearing when it bottoms out? Do you hear the tire rubbing? Is it a hard bump? Clunk? Have you ever ridden a different RSV to verify it does not do the same thing you are talking about?

You said you bought the bike with only 100 miles on it, so you doubt it was modified. Are you sure? Did you buy it from a dealer new, or prior owner? Any chance it was wrecked and the indicated miles is not correct? Have you verified the size of the tire?

I'd suggest you stand the bike straight up and measure the distance from the bottom edge of the rear fender to the ground and post this information with the exact shock pressure at the same time - someone here will be able to confirm if that matches their bike under the same conditions (I have leveling links on my bike, so probably not me, but I'll compare it too).

Next, at the same shock pressure, sit on the bike. Give it a little bounce to make sure it settles at the typical height, and have someone repeat the measurement at the rear fender tip. Post that information with your weight solo. Again, I'm sure we will find someone here who is close enough to you to give you a comparison measurement. If you are my weight, then I can compare the two measurements and see if my bike sags the same amount, as the links should not affect this.

I feel certain there is something either wrong or modified on your bike causing this issue, as it is extremely unlikely that you would have the exact problem with two shocks if that was the cause. By doing these measurements, we might be able to zero in on where to look. Of course, if you know anyone near you who has an RSV, you could do these same measurements side-by-side with that bike and use them to compare for differences.

Goose

I'm agraid so...thankfully not all the times but there were times when you could smell the rubber. With both rider we total about 410lbs. I tried the dealer to ride two up....but they wouldn't.

Something just isn't right. Wish I lived closer to you so I could take a look also. I'll actually by in New York next week but I just looked and you are a LONG way from where I'll be. I'll be in Rochester...too bad. Could you MOVE?

Hey Goose....I like your idea and will post those measurements over the weekend since I don't get bike till Sat.

I have never ridden any other RSV and given the 100 I really doubt the bike was lowered or in some kind of accident. Also, wouldn't the dealer have noticed if the bike was lowered?

Any chance there could be a problem with frame (cracked???) Like you I feel it must be something other than the shock plus this has been going since day one.

Anyway, I'll give those measurements a try.

I'm agraid so...thankfully not all the times but there were times when you could smell the rubber. With both rider we total about 410lbs. I tried the dealer to ride two up....but they wouldn't.

OK, you have given a bit more information. First, 410 lbs is quite a bit more than the 380 you previously stated. Which is it? Even at 410 lbs, however, it still should not be giving you the problem.

Secondly, you stated you could smell the rubber, so in the absence of more specific information, I'll assume that your "bottom out" means the rear tire hits something. This is probably the key (along with the other measurements I previously asked for).

Specifically, what part of the tire is hitting what part of the bike? You should definitely be able to see a skid mark on both the tire and the bike. Is it the center of the tire on the top middle of the rear fender? Is it the widest part of the tire on the edge of the tread? If it is not the center, is it the same on both sides, or is just one side hitting something?

Goose

A bike that old with that few miles on it makes me ask if there is a large wasp nest or dead animal in the fender........Dont laugh, I have seen it.....

The 410 was the total including luggage and stuff. I'm not sure about the part of the tire the maybe hitting the fender. I just put new tires on last month plus I ride solo 90 % of the time so I'm not so sure how much the tire will show at this point. Thankfully, the rubber smell dosen't happen all the time and it tends to happen more freuquently with simple road depressions at higher speeds.

Hey Freebird....I'm actually going to be in Geneseo on Sat. with my daughter visiting some colleges. I should think about taking my bike so you can take a look at. Though I don't think my daughter would go fro it. LOL:080402gudl_prv:

Take the bike out for a ride and make it hit. Pull over as soon as possible and look at the tire - you will be able to see where it hit. If you have trouble seeing it, try stopping with the front brake only, or try finding some light-colored dust/dirt to roll through before you go out and make it hit. Of course, this means you should already know of a place where you can easily duplicate the problem, so you don't have to ride too far before or after the test.

Goose

Hey Freebird....I'm actually going to be in Geneseo on Sat. with my daughter visiting some colleges. I should think about taking my bike so you can take a look at. Though I don't think my daughter would go fro it. LOL:080402gudl_prv:

Yea, that is probably not exactly what she has in mind for the day. I'll only be there Monday - Thursday anyway.

How about your front shocks, are they at proper pressure? Do you have anything loose in the bags that could move roll when bouncing, that would make aloud noise. Mine is lowered front and rear and I find with 5# in the front and 30# rear I get smoothest ride I go 180# with just a few articles in bags.