I have just purchased my beautiful blue 3 year old V7 special. The previous seller had taken his wife on it so had cranked up the suspension but I do not know by how much. I would like to soften it but am concerned if I go too far I will damage the suspension unit. Does anyone know if I go back too far will it come to a stop or can I go to far? Great forum, after suspension is the evap delete 
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Just wind the suspension off a little and then try it for comfort, everyone has a slightly different experience with suspension settings.
Thank you for your quick reply, can I unwind it too much though, I don’t know how much it has been done up?
As long as you are not bionic and have no idea how much strength you have, you should be able to find the stops at each end of the winder.
Thank you, i wil be gentle but good to know there is a stop so you cannot go too far when unwinding the spring preload ring.
if it is similar to the v85 there are a set number of steps in a spiral and you can’t go past min/max at either end 
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Do not confuse with other models - V7 850 Special (and Stone) is a 5-step castellated ring type of preload. You should have a ‘C’ spanner to go with it. Unless the PO has ‘kept / lost’ it.
As A guide I used to use the minimum preload for solo, this seemed perfectly adequate, but I don’t weight much.
Then for putting a sidecar on, it was max.d up to the top. It has subsequently transpired that this was too much, so has been reduced to halfway, position 3, which added more lean-out (which is what I needed).
I’m assuming of course your rear shocks are the bog standard OEM.
Yes, i have a 2021 V7 special edition (chrome wheels, 2 analogue clocks) so i think i have the older type of strut. I also have a Honda Transalp and in the manual it categorically states not to unwind too much. I have to soften it a bit, its brutal at the moment especially with the shocking state of the roads around me!!
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If it’s the stock 5-way adjuster, there’s definitely end stops. Do you have the adjuster spanner that came with the bike? It might be under the seat somewhere. Will be in like a flat cloth pouch, a rectangular thing. If not you will have to find a hook spanner or ‘C’ spanner that will fit. It has to fit well else possible risk of injury if it slips off.
Thank you Mike, yes I have the spanner in its natty red flat bag. Thank you for your reassurance, I am going soften the suspension as much as possible.
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I recently sold my 2022 V7 Special. I’m around 175lbs and only rode it solo. I always had the suspension on the softest setting but still found it to be very harsh compared to my other bikes. The suggestion to improve it was to change the rear shocks to Hagons. Good luck with your bike 
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Yes it has been said elsewhere the suspension is a bit on the ‘hard’ side.
Guys. Apologies for the basic question but my V7 Stone needs it softening. At the moment there is no visible thread at the top of the suspension either side . Does that mean it’s at its hardest or softest please? Cheers.
At a guess I say that’s the preload backed-off, so softest setting, screwing it down should surely compress the spring and hence apply preload.
Mine has Hagon Shocks (fitted by the previous owner) which were set to the max preload, but I’ve backed right off.
Still however, whether solo or two-up, the back end is blummin hard, (and I ain’t exactly a ‘skinny’ lad).
Bounces the missus feet off the pegs if we hit owt of note, (to the accompanying audio of ‘f-k’in ell… ).
My ten year old Glee, (Vstrom 650) is a much comfier tool all round, especially two-up.
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Haha cheers. I guess it’s something I need to get used to. The roads in wales weren’t the best so maybe some cycling shorts 
. Cheers.
Have to say I’m confused, I looked at pictures of V7 Stone (850) and it appears to have exact same units as my Special, just the 5-step preload ring at the bottom, no ‘threads’. 
(Only difference is Stone’s springs are black and Special’s are silver / plated.)
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Excuse the dirty bike. Was raining yesterday and not had a chat to clean it yet.
I have these on mine. Silver at the top, black at the bottom.
I want a softer ride. 
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If you look at the bottom of the shock you can see that it is set hard. Use a c spanner on the ring below the spring and turn it anti clockwise, when you reach the stop you will be at the softest setting.
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Stumpy that’s great thank you. I’m a delicate soul and need a soft setting. EBay c spanner here I come:grinning:
What dirt?
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