Motorcycle Repair: shock size, replacement shock, foreward

Question
Hi, when purchasing shocks do you go by the length of the shock to determine the correct size or is there another criteria? Thanks

Answer
Hi Jack.
 The length of the shock is critical.  If you put a shock that is too long or too short on the bike, it changes the bike's geometry, raising or lowering the rear of the bike.

 While this is not as important as it sounds, remember that if the rear is lowered too far, you can bottom out the suspension a lot easier.  If the suspension is too long, you could create a situation where the rear end may feel lighter in turns making it, in the extreme cases, more dangerous to ride because it moves the bike's CG foreward and up.

 An inch either way won't make a huge difference, but two or more inches can make all the difference in the world when it comes to replacement shock length.

Good luck.
FALCON