Captain 80s

I think you can put some voltage to the meter and check for movement...

The Duplicolor Wheel Coating is great general purpose, durable stay and bracket paint that I use a lot. Shoots easy and dries pretty fast for general handling. Available in Gloss and Matte, I would go Gloss for a factory look. The Duplicolor Caliper paint is great too. Has a very unique, factory like finish for items like that too, but is harder to shoot. It is thinner and runs easily, but dries to a hard, durable finish. I used it on the 1992 VFR lower cowl brackets I made.

Cool. My first real Enduro / Trail bike was an '86 TT350. Loved that bike and the dual overhead cam engine revved out real good.

Ok. One thing I'll add is that when I was measuring 86 / 87 VFR shocks at home I was convinced I had them right. Using bolts thru the eyelets and then measuring. I took them to work and put them on my rock with a height gage and indicator... I was WAY off. I'm not so sure it's possible your two stock shocks actually are the exact same length. And if they are, that your method of setting your shocks produced the same lengths. I don't see how the 00 set shorter than the 98, can have WAY more ride height if the stock shocks are the same length.

I am still VERY confused. Why are you worried about getting more shock length (or worried about why you couldn't install @ 330mm, I guess) when your ride height is already way more than you want? Why aren't you just adjusting the length down to get where you want? If when the stock shock is installed and Honda was ok with the linkage to exhaust clearance, won't shortening your shock to get the ride height you desire, also improve the linkage to exhaust clearance? "Because at 330mm (same a '98) the aSS end is way up there, part(s) have to be different." So some part of the rear on a 2000 is different than the 98. Adjust the shock length down to achieve the ride height you want and be done. I don't see what is preventing you from doing that. On that note, what do the two stock shocks you removed measure at? Before I thought you weren't able to get enough length, because everything was maxed out, to get the rear up where you wanted. And then when I re-read and realized it was the opposite, I'm not sure what the road block is. I must be missing, or misinterpreting, a very big chunk of info.

Yep. Seems like I do. Even pissed at myself.

Holy shit. I am so sorry. I have been interpreting the problem completely backwards and am guilty of not realizing what I'm reading. I need to take my own advice and slow down before responding. I'm an ASS. So you are complaining about realizing too much ride height with a shock length setting that is too long to be easily installed? I am REALLY confused now, and I don't have anything to offer. I have muddied the waters too much, and again I apologize. Captain 80s out.

It's not sarcasm... it is genuine confusion. I'd swear you're gaslighting me at this point. The stock shock doesn't have to be shorter at all to still install in the same space because Honda is not trying to install a 330 mm shock! The bikes are different... somewhere. You seem to have finally realized it. Find out where that goddam swingarm hits and prevents the same full extension distance as the 98 and see if there is something you can do about it to install the shock pre-set at 330. Nothing else on that bike has been changed geometry wise between the years. Different shock part numbers don't have to mean anything more than a valving change or a change to a finish color one one stupid, inconsequential part.

Previously he stated that he could not install the shock in the 00 @ 330mm like the 98, and that's when he started verifying the linkage configuration. And then the shock got fucked up trying to add shock length after install, which was really just pre-loading the spring more. If it is/was such a f-ing bitch to get in after repair and set at 330mm, I think there is a good chance he is actually having to compress the shock to get it in because the swingarm is bottomed against something, is then losing installed shock length and subsequently the ride height he thinks he should have realized. So bmart... can you install the 330mm shock in the 00 by just sliding the mounting bolts in? You should actually have to lift the swingarm a tad to get the last bolt in if you truly have enough swingarm travel.

You as well... how many posts of this thread have you actually read? He is trying to install a custom shock set to the same length as the custom shock on his 98, but the 00 swingarm won't extend far enough to take that length. But is unable, or unwilling, to find out what two parts are hitting each other. All the stock components have been verified as correct and correctly installed. Exhausts on the two bikes are stock and appear undamaged.

That doesn't make any sense. What the fuck is the swingarm hitting when it stops moving without a shock attached to it? Or... What two parts are contacting each other when the swingarm stops moving? That is precisely the thing to "find". Just say it if you know it. There is a difference between your two bikes, and seems it is likely due to the changes from model year 99 to 00. Somebody else's measurements isn't going to change that. Maybe there is something that can be addressed to get what you want, even if there is nothing "technically" wrong with the 00. But you first have to identify what parts are hitting each other and how. Then you can see if you can / want to make some modification(s) to get some more swingarm travel to put the shock at the length you want.

Anything but actually find out why you can't get the rear ride height you want, and have on the 98.

Have you read any more than the current page of posts?

Maybe the Volts are Metric and are supposed to be white, like km/h?

I would just look for one out of the GL1100 Gold Wing

Find a miniatures enthusiast, you know the ones that paint faces and eyelashes on their Civil War or Railroad figurines, and have them paint over the graphics in orange. Seriously is the ONLY thing I can think of for this particular scenario.

So with the shock out the swingarm will drop and hit the floor?! No, it stops against SOMETHING. Something is in the way... before it gets extended as far as the 98. What is it? You've already been chasing ghosts for a year by not seeing where each swingarm hits and comparing what that is and how is it different. So if someone else says, "Mine's the same.", you're gonna be all of a sudden OK with it? Nope, doesn't sound like it. Either yours is the same or different. It doesn't change your situation between YOUR two bikes... one you like, one you don't. What is the difference? What can be done about it?

What I was thinking close to a year ago. The swingarm seems to be hitting SOMETHING earlier than a 98.

Take the wheel off, disconnect the lower shock mount and find out where that swingarm is hitting something. Lift the swingarm slightly and let it come down to "contact". Keep tracing the knock sound and find the interference. As I stated previously, maybe there is something different between the years (that is not a suspension piece) that is preventing the same extension, but it didn't matter to Honda cuz they weren't trying to install a longer than 98 stock shock in a 00.

I didnt really do anything, except to tell you to put down the hose clamp and back away slowly.. Like I said before, a unique and cool mod. Good idea and execution.

Maybe put DOWN the lighter. You want to work with the drugs, not against them.

Size likely. Turn down the quality a bit. I got tired of resizing for posting so I just adjusted my camera quality. Still plenty big with good resolution if I happen to snap a killer pic I want to blow up.

I would take another hit with that lighter, chill out with a finger of bourbon and look at my killer bike with it's new custom Volt Meter.

You're gonna throw a little paint on that bracket tho... riiiiiiiiiight?

That's pretty cool. Nice job. Def unique.