2 things, tire selection and shock adjustment help
 

i just got ripped a new one for a rear tire because i thought itd be easier to go to a chopper shop (closest to me) and get it. almost 300 to buy it and install rear only. i still need the front tire, and i have a few questions. can i run a tubeless, or because of the spokes is that out? and on bike bandit, i have a good selection, but no idea whats good. i know i dont need dual sport or high performance tires, but what will be a cheap and good tire for around town? id love to go vinatge look, since thats where im going with this, especially if theyre white walls.

second, i need to adjust the shocks, but dont have the orginal tool any suggestions on how to? i tried looking on here, but no luck, and neither in the manual. thanks all. ill post pics of my new tail light and all as soon as i can!

Re: 2 things, tire selection and shock adjustment help
 

I just use a pair of vice-grips or channel-locks that are wide enough to hold onto the adjustment ring. Make sure you use a good cloth or preferably piece of leather between the jaws so you don't scratch the very malleable metal.

I just stuck a punch in the hole and gave it a turn. It was pretty easy.

a punch?
 

whats that? the hole i see is only about 1/4 inch deep, nothing i have would turn anything in it. i tried to lift the bike and turn it by hand, but no luck there either. :??:

Just use a really short-handled screwdriver; that's how I do mine. Since I usually ride with my girlfriend, I keep it on 4 (5 for long trips), but if I plan on a long period of riding by myself, I set it to 1 or 2.

ok, so what would be a good setting then?
 

ive already thought about changing it to a hardtail, seeing as how i dont do any highway riding at all ( i have a moped plate on it...hehe). im about 235 and 6ft tall, and when i get on it she goes halfway down. i can lightly bounce on her and the rear will bottom out, as it does when i come off one of the nice new speed humps theyre installing everywhere now.

i know that 5 is hard (fine with me) but will it help with the bottoming thing?

thanks alot guys. i love this forum.

does anyone of you by chance know how big the pipes off the headers are? i want to cut off the old muffler and do up a fishtail one, but i dunno what the diameter is so i can order the right muffler. thanks again!

Re: ok, so what would be a good setting then?
 

Yes. Depending on what it is now, it should put an end to that. I keep mine on 4 right now. I had it on 5 for a while though, and noticed more vibration in the seat and grips.

See this post for a large selection of tire options.

http://www.gz250bike.com/viewtopic.php?t=911

You'll have to scroll down a bit but it's on the first page. You can't miss it. It's titled "Tires"

Re: a punch?
 

Try a hex (allen) wrench. If you select a size that fits in the hole snuggly, it should work fine. One with a long shank works even better. Taking the weight off the back wheel should help too.

Tubeless tires: Nope. Can't do that with spokes.
You are kind of in a bind now with tires. The "conventional wisdom" says to do them together as a set. Deviating too much from stock and/or having different tred patterns on front and rear sometimes causes handling problems. If you can't match what you put on the back then ??????

With regard to the shocks, I also used a punch in the hole. Took my left and and pulled up on the spring to compress it a little and take some pressure off the collar and then rotated it with the punch using my right hand. Worked like a charm.