Shocks...Rough Ride!!

[ShuttleBug]

My S8 rides like a hay wagon meaning rough.... Has anyone changed shocks or the fork springs to get a better softer ride?  I think the factory set up is for 2 200 lb riders......

How do the TaoTao, Vento or other Chinese 150s ride?  I would buy shocks or one of them if it was smoother.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Probably too simple an answer....
But when I brought my Kymco home the dealer had significantly over inflated the tires and the shock adjuster ring was set at its stiffest. I adjusted both tires and shock settings and improved my ride considerably!

[Hotcakes]

Ditto mine was rough, adjusted the shocks to the middle setting... not quite the softest.. a lot better

[ShuttleBug]

Done both of those things still rough!!  Cnt find anyone who has different fork springs, Looks like experiment time for the shocks........

[ginger cat]

Btw , i find mine quite stiff. At least i feel every bump i hit quite hard. How do you adjust rear forks , you just screw them or ?

[ophelia]

What tire pressures are you running, ShuttleBug?

ginger cat, the rear shocks have a toothed collar that you turn to adjust preload to get the suspension working optimally for the weight of the rider. There might be a shock adjustment tool that came with your scooter. The details are also in the owner's manual.

[ginger cat]

Just went through my manual , doesnt have anything about suspension.

I got a red one Super 8 50/125 , wouldn't be impressed if its like 2 years old.

Here is my fork , cant see any adjuster on it.

[ophelia]

The adjuster is the toothed collar just under the spring. You are using the second softest setting.

[Stig / Major Tom]

It is chrome, It's at the bottom of the shock, below the spring, above the up-side-down U-Shaped mount w/bolt.
Some Kymcos have 5 stiffness settings, mine has 3. To soften the ride you turn the notched collar to lengthen the space the spring is compressed in.  Turning it the other way shorten the space for the spring & adds more compression to the spring = firmer ride as the spring/shock now feels stiffer.

[ginger cat]

How the tool is called to move that adjuster , so i can buy one.
Thanks.

[Hotcakes]

I used a hammer and blade screw driver and just hit it till it went to the looser setting, took me about a minute to do

[tjupille]

How the tool is called to move that adjuster , so i can buy one.

  I used "channel-lock" pliers (some people call them "water pump pliers") with a bit of rubber tape on the jaws to avoid scratching the chrome.

[CosmoKorny]

This is easier said than done, but try relaxing your grip on the bars.  Cheapest fix for a crappy suspension I've ever found.

[Vivo]

My new tires improved the ride of my Super 8. 

[ShuttleBug]

Vivo, what brand of tire are you using? The stock cst tires on mine are crap....way out of round and balance!!  Im running 20 lbs of air still rough.  Found a pair of Shinkos, for 100 shipped.  I have used Shinkos on a couple of motorcycles with good results.

I might try a pair of TaoTao shocks to see if the ride is better......

Changing the springs in front forks will give a far better ride, I have used progressive fork springs in several motorcycles.