Title says it all, what was done to shorten the travel on the '09?

 

119 mm links instead of 117 mm

 

The fork springs are slightly shorter and stiffer also... I think overall the bike is somewhere between 1 and 2 inches shorter than the "S" model.

 

The length of the dog bones (links) only affect the ride height and not the travel. Since the shocks are the same on both generations I think on the 09+ the rear swing arm pivot point for the dog bones are placed slightly rearward. This gives a little less wheel travel but makes it a little stiffer also. And that would make sence about the dog bones being a littler longer, becasue of the distance the pivot is moved back. If someone can verify the distance between the swing arm pivot at the frame and where the dog bones attach on 06-07 we then can compare the 2.

For the front I am not so sure. I think it might have to do with the inner tubes are longer to reduce the travel, they bottom out sooner??? And on SF the inner tube is even longer, but they use stiffer springs. This is all just a guess.

 

Thinairflyer,
I have both an '07 and an '09 shock in my possession, there are 4 differences:
1) the 07 has a oil fill hole on the top by the upper shock mount, the 09 has none.
2) the 07 has a nice schreader valve for the air reservoir, the 09 has the little rubber belly button thing.
3) the 07 piston rod is about 1/4" longer than the 09.
4) the rebound adjuster rod inside the above piston rod is also about 1/4" inch longer.

That's it, no other differences.

 

Thanks much Ice Bike Dave that is the info I wanted. Can I assume the piston is the same diameter in the '09 and '07 rear shock? Sounds like it must be.

 

Thinairflyer,
The piston and shim stack are the same for an 07 and an 09.

 

So you are saying the shock has a longer stroke? Why are the part numbers the same? So if I would take a 07 shock and bolt it up to my 09 I would have 11 inches of travel? I personally don’t think that is the case. I still say it is in the swing arm pivot points. Since you have both maybe you could swap them out and verify the travel?

 

cmott,
The shock has a longer stroke. The part numbers are different.
My stock stroke of the axel was measured at 8.75 inches, spring and bump stop rubber removed. I think it increased about an inch with the 07 shock installed.
The swing arm pivots and such could be different.
My comment was only about the shock itself.
The extra travel made the bike too high, so I got lowering links. Now I have more travel and no ride hight increase.
Aluminum 1 inch lowering links $27.85 delivered. burkhartcycle.com

 

Links may make a difference in travel. It is part of the leverage factor and as with any lever there is a difference in travel. I don't know which way it will go though, since I really never laid out the set up for the Uni-Trak system to see. You'd have to do the math.

A semi-educated guess would be that it might make travel shorter because the shorter links I think also make the suspension stiffer - indicating a shorter "lever" and shorter travel for the work done.