Rear suspension question from new owner

[sucotronic]

Hi everyone! I'm a proud new owner of a Forza 300 (from 2013). Just bough with 36k km and happy with overall use coming from a Honda Vision 110

I've only one gripe with the bike, and is that the rear suspension is breaking by back, in only 3 days of use! I've been riding an Honda Vision 110 (cheapest Honda scooter) for the last 5 years, and never felt any problem with bumps or holes in city driving. But the Forza.... is like riding a non suspension bike with small tires :S I can feel in lo lower back every irregularity of the street In the highway there's no problem but I've about 50/50 of city/highway driving in my conmute.

My question is, is this the way is designed the rear suspension for the Forza? I'm about 82kg in weight, and maybe the designers choose a hard suspension for heavier riders.. I don't know.

Also have notices a weird thing that didn't happen with the cheaper scooter; in the road, if I leave up the two hand from the handlebar, it start to wobbling A LOT, never seen that in any previous bike. So sad about this and the suspension, the engine and body are perfect

[cnikonpete]

Not sure if the stock Forza shocks are adjustable,they might be set up for a more weighty load,the wobble could be the screen you have. If you are worried, I would get a garage to check.

[davenowherejones]

My 2014 I suspect came from the factory with very little oil in the forks. It would bottom out on the smallest bumps.

It was dropped in a parking lot and suffered minor cosmetic damage. The insurance company wrote off the nearly new Forza. I thought it was a lousy scooter when I first got the "rebuilt Wreck". Eventually I had more oil put in the forks and it became rideable.

I played around with the rear suspension until I found a setting I liked. The Honda factory tool for changing the rear spring setting is dangerous. I put a large screwdriver through the spring and pry on the tire. The adjuster can now be turned easily with the fingers. Start at one and try it. Adjust up and try each notch. Find the one you like.

89312 km now after a 500 km trip from Hope to Logan Lake to Kamloops to Cache Creek to Spuzzum to Home. Some of the potholes were hit at 130 kmph. The mountain sheep challenged me at Spences Bridge but the might Forza stared them down. I stopped to clear someone's Christmas decorations off of the 4 lane Coquihalla. What a mess. Bungee cords are not your friend at 130 kmph.

Also check your tire air pressure. I have mine at the factory settings as printed on the scooter (NOT the tire).

My fork clamp bolts were a little loose also. The factory torque setting seems very low.

We both weigh about the same. I get strange handling if I overload my top box a lot. I think it is only rated for 5 kg and I have put double that at times.

[sucotronic]

Not sure if the stock Forza shocks are adjustable,they might be set up for a more weighty load,the wobble could be the screen you have. If you are worried, I would get a garage to check.

I've tried them in the 5 positions, and even lowering a bit the recommended pressure for the rear wheel. None of them make a difference for me

[davenowherejones]

tighten all the bolts?

[Jge64]

I'd get everything checked however honda oem shocks in general are pretty poor. Especially on anything except their performance bikes. Look into a set of YSS shocks, a good value and available at most of the aftermarket vendors.

[GeorgeSK]

Unless your roads are particularly abysmal, something is wrong. I use the official shock adjusting tool and find it just fine, but a fair buck for a bit of bent flat stock. I have mine set at the firmest, but I'm pretty much always riding two up (and a fair bit above the 400 lb alleged max). Unless we hit a poorly done road repair, we are more or less OK. New cushier seat also helped, but what you are describing sounds off.

[davenowherejones]

Sounds as off as mine was when I got it. Any oil in the forks?

[E. Foster Salsbury]

That's the fun of the Forza, you have to dodge the road imperfections. If you can't dodge them you should have your feet under you so you can lift your bum off the seat and use the bend in your knees as shock absorbers.

[SteveP]

Hi everyone! I'm a proud new owner of a Forza 300 (from 2013). Just bough with 36k km and happy with overall use coming from a Honda Vision 110

I've only one gripe with the bike, and is that the rear suspension is breaking by back, in only 3 days of use! I've been riding an Honda Vision 110 (cheapest Honda scooter) for the last 5 years, and never felt any problem with bumps or holes in city driving. But the Forza.... is like riding a non suspension bike with small tires :S I can feel in lo lower back every irregularity of the street In the highway there's no problem but I've about 50/50 of city/highway driving in my conmute.

My question is, is this the way is designed the rear suspension for the Forza? I'm about 82kg in weight, and maybe the designers choose a hard suspension for heavier riders.. I don't know.

Also have notices a weird thing that didn't happen with the cheaper scooter; in the road, if I leave up the two hand from the handlebar, it start to wobbling A LOT, never seen that in any previous bike. So sad about this and the suspension, the engine and body are perfect

Rough ride is my only complaint with my 2014 Forza. I weigh about 63 kg (140 pounds) so I "work" the suspension less then you. I have mine set on the lowest preload setting and it's still to hard...especially on sharp bumps like pavement expansion joints. Have you bounced up & down on the scooter to make sure the springs/shocks aren't seized up for some reason? I just bought off eBay these YSS shocks from a dealer in Britain...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-NSS300-F ... 2749.l2649

They claim they come with springs for people weighing over 12 stone (168 pounds) but will replace the springs with lighter ones for lighter riders (I'm at 10 stone). Unfortunately they only list one pair of these...but maybe they can get more if anyone is interested. Will report back how they do once I get them...hopefully before the snow flies!

[davenowherejones]

How quaint that the British us "stone" as their personal unit of weight.

Is the stone made of coal or granite?

But some of them still wear kilts but what is under them?

Too bad they couldn't keep Concorde flying.

They almost conquered the world and then lost it all.

God Save the Queen.

[Lafree]

Hi Dave your name sounds as if your ancestors came from Wales you may be part Taft ,when we get out of the EU we will regain our identity again, stones may have been coal from Taffland, Lafree.

[davenowherejones]

Hi Dave your name sounds as if your ancestors came from Wales you may be part Taft ,when we get out of the EU we will regain our identity again, stones may have been coal from Taffland, Lafree.

I used to be called Ralph Edward Williams but I was stolen by the Anglican Church at birth in Toronto, Canada. I was sold to a Mr & Mrs Jones formerly of Cardiff and Liverpool.

But now I ride a 2014 Honda Forza 300 scooter and every where I go the RCMP are nearby. I was out walking today and the red & blue lights came past me heading towards my house. They turned around, turned off the lights and headed towards the donut shop. Coincidences only. I recently headed for the river beside the marijuana factory and the police were there also but so was a guy peeing beside his truck. The places a Forza goes.

I also had a KLX250 that was too tall for my short little body. I had it lowered at a Kawasaki shop by a mechanic. I was given the motorcycle with the suspension bolts only finger tight. The rear mono shock jammed up and I fell over in downtown Maple Ridge. A guy stopped and pulled the motorcycle off of me. No injuries but I am still annoyed 7 years later. Check everything.

[sucotronic]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've checked that the bolts are properly tighten.

My main problem are this kind of potholes:





As for aftermarket shocks, I know that there exists mainly this brands: bitubo, ohlins, yss and malossi. I've an official ohlins dealer around, so perhaps will ask them for an opinion (or even a test if they offer ).

Anyway, coming from a 16"/14" scooter wheels, to a 14"/13" could be an explanation...

Speaking with the dealership where I bought it (Honda official), they've offered to change it after a week if I'm not satisfied, so I'll keep riding and testing it.

[gbru2505]

I moved from a Vision 110 to the PCX and thought the extra expense would mean a smoother ride. I was wrong. The Vision wasn't great as the roads around here are lousy. I do think that tyres soften over time - and that I'm lazy about keeping them fully pressured. I know that it will increase wear, but the roads are getting worse every year. I don't really mind as my daily commute is so routine that i know each and every bump. My main problem is if I go for a ride around the local country lanes and I can't relax as much as I'd like because I'm watching the road surface closely.

[GeorgeSK]

Until you sort it out mechanically (Ohlins would be sweet, but $$$$), maybe you could let a little more space develop in front of you in traffic and try to slalom around the manholes and such. I too find sharp road imperfections pretty unpleasant - my best defense is a strong evasive offence.

So long as I don't get stopped for OUI....

[sucotronic]

I moved from a Vision 110 to the PCX and thought the extra expense would mean a smoother ride. I was wrong. The Vision wasn't great as the roads around here are lousy. I do think that tyres soften over time - and that I'm lazy about keeping them fully pressured. I know that it will increase wear, but the roads are getting worse every year. I don't really mind as my daily commute is so routine that i know each and every bump. My main problem is if I go for a ride around the local country lanes and I can't relax as much as I'd like because I'm watching the road surface closely.

Yeah, the Vision and the PCX are for city driving, mostly because of the low power The forza 300 is great in the roads, and I've no problem with imperfections as far as I'm going faster thant 80km/h (~50mph), but in the city, it kills my back :S

Until you sort it out mechanically (Ohlins would be sweet, but $$$$), maybe you could let a little more space develop in front of you in traffic and try to slalom around the manholes and such. I too find sharp road imperfections pretty unpleasant - my best defense is a strong evasive offence.

So long as I don't get stopped for OUI....

Time ago I had an Honda TwoFifty, and one day, near home, I was "surfing" side to side (in my lane) because of slow traffic and boredom; suddenly I bike patrol saw me and stopped questioning because of my behaviour I explained to them that it was my last ride with that bike (was true), as I was selling it; as they were also bikers, just told me to not do that again, and enjoy the ride to home

[erisaman]

Hi Dave your name sounds as if your ancestors came from Wales you may be part Taft ,when we get out of the EU we will regain our identity again, stones may have been coal from Taffland, Lafree.

My name is also David Jones and I am indeed from (and still resident in) Wales. The Taffland coal mines have long gone, the black waste tips removed and replaced with greenery with rocky outcrops rather than stones in view. Nice riding areas close by - Gower in one direction and the 'old' Top Gear favoured-road-trip in the other (plus many more).

Of course, our roads now have pot-holes everywhere so I'm interested in the OP's opinion on the new shocks. Good luck.

[sucotronic]

Thanks to all for the replies, but the last week I switched the Forza by a Beverly. Here is the last photo of her:



And the newcomer to the family:



The engine is way worse than the Honda, but with the 16" front wheel you're able to handle any hole on the road

[SteveP]

IMG_1433.JPG (52.99 KiB) Viewed 4463 times

Hi everyone! I'm a proud new owner of a Forza 300 (from 2013). Just bough with 36k km and happy with overall use coming from a Honda Vision 110

I've only one gripe with the bike, and is that the rear suspension is breaking by back, in only 3 days of use! I've been riding an Honda Vision 110 (cheapest Honda scooter) for the last 5 years, and never felt any problem with bumps or holes in city driving. But the Forza.... is like riding a non suspension bike with small tires :S I can feel in lo lower back every irregularity of the street In the highway there's no problem but I've about 50/50 of city/highway driving in my conmute.

My question is, is this the way is designed the rear suspension for the Forza? I'm about 82kg in weight, and maybe the designers choose a hard suspension for heavier riders.. I don't know.

Also have notices a weird thing that didn't happen with the cheaper scooter; in the road, if I leave up the two hand from the handlebar, it start to wobbling A LOT, never seen that in any previous bike. So sad about this and the suspension, the engine and body are perfect

Rough ride is my only complaint with my 2014 Forza. I weigh about 63 kg (140 pounds) so I "work" the suspension less then you. I have mine set on the lowest preload setting and it's still to hard...especially on sharp bumps like pavement expansion joints. Have you bounced up & down on the scooter to make sure the springs/shocks aren't seized up for some reason? I just bought off eBay these YSS shocks from a dealer in Britain...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-NSS300-F ... 2749.l2649

They claim they come with springs for people weighing over 12 stone (168 pounds) but will replace the springs with lighter ones for lighter riders (I'm at 10 stone). Unfortunately they only list one pair of these...but maybe they can get more if anyone is interested. Will report back how they do once I get them...hopefully before the snow flies!

The shocks came this week, just in time to make a comparison ride between originals and these new YSS shocks. These shocks are YSS TC302-400TL-030-85-x, fitted with slightly lighter springs for may 140 pound riding weight. They have a screw adjustment for spring preload but no adjustment for damping. With the preload on the bench set at "0", I found the ride somewhat better then the originals...that is, the ride seemed less "jarring" to my back and rear end over sharp bumps. Not a big improvement, but on a parr with my 1986 Elite 250...which is pretty much what I was hoping for. I did encounter one deep bump where these shocks bottomed out...something the originals never felt like they did. Will try increasing the spring preload a bit (it's a screw adjustment, so you can make, easily, small changes) to see if that prevents bottoming, That will have to wait a bit, as we got some rain & snow showers today, with temps not predicted to warm up much the next few days. So...are they worth the price...Maybe. There does seem to be an improvement in ride as hoped, but not a big change.I like to "fiddle" with my toys and make improvements, so from that view it's been at least enjoyable.