"Feeling the Road"

[k7nutN7nut]

So I've logged in over 4K miles on my '00 V XII now and I was wondering if any others with V XII's can "feel" ever bump or pavement difference in the road?
As I travel down the road, I can feel the changes, dimples and even the "tar" lines in the road, right through my foot pegs and even through the seat, not so pronounced in the seat, but still there!?
Can you others with V XII's feel the road?
I have found a "blown" seal in the Starboard rear shock, changed to the "newer" set, solved that problem. I changed the Port side fork seal, it was leaking really bad, but could not get the upper inner ring out of the Starboard fork to change the fork oil when I was working on the forks. But after that, the ride was smoother and more "predictable", but I can feel ever bump and pebble?
Is this "normal" for the Voyager XII?

Oh yay, I also got new tires...Stock front tire from the "wrecked" '00 and a Shinko 230 Tour Master on the rear.

[jn1200]

Kaw never upgraded anything on this bike over the years. You can buy Progressive suspension springs & shocks that help, but it's still not a very good suspension compared to modern touring bikes. I'd say what you're saying is normal.

[k7nutN7nut]

I'd say what you're saying is normal.

OK, just wanted to check...I can "live" with it being "normal", but I'm used to my KLR 650 and I really don't care about bumps or Cattle Guards on it!

I have had a rear flat on the way to work on the KLR, so when I feel these bumps, I start getting that "uneasy feeling" again!?

[HMB Don]

I lived with my 1200 for to many years with the same problem. To save money I change fork oil to 10wt and just 6 lbs of air in the forks. I then changed the oil in the stock rear shocks. The rear shocks with fresh oil are so much better then what you have now and the cost for oil will be either $5.00 to $12.00, go to the NorCal Voyagers Club website and buy the DVD on changing the rear shock oil.

If you want to spend money on the front forks, you can get them as nice as any touring motorcycle. You can go Chev, Buick or Cadillac. I went with the Cadillac fork kit, which is the Race Tech, fork springs and the gold valve kit (emulaters). This will give you the ride you wish, KLR650 for bumps and like a Ninga for control.

Don Medina
President
NorCal Voyagers Club
AVA boardmember