I'm a bit confused about adjusting my rear shocks on a guzzi v9. Should the springs be made longer or shorter for a softer ride? And how does one adjust the dampers for a softer Ride?

Check the rear shock absorber and spring. Some bikes have preset 'notches' to raise and lower the ride height. You will need to raise the bike on a SAFE centre lift to take the weight off the rear suspension arm to adjust it. Most bikes have it set to the middle notch as standard. If the shock assembly is still too high you might need to replace the shock And spring to a shorter, stiffer set.

You Raise the Center of the Bike, so the Rear Wheel is OFF the ground and then there is a Collar that screws up and down on the Spring/Shock. Increase length softer Ride, Shorten Length for a Firmer Ride.

no the bike is not fitted with a ride height adjuster you can only stiffen or soften the rear shock absorber preload on the spring or drop the fork through the yokes.you can on the other hand buy either shorter or longer dog bone links for the rear suspension linkage to lower or lift the rear suspension

adjusting the spring tension makes the ride harder and mite hold you up slightly ! is the adjuster on the top of the shock and rotates by hand coz thats the oil reaction responce , or is it below the spring which you need a tool to adjust ? if suspension is nearly full compressed after all these then fit longer shocks ! Dial a ride air shocks are good as you can select the height , not cheep though ! P...

Replace the spring with a heavier duty should do the job.
Have you tried adjustments in the spring load to stiffen it up.
The rear shock on your Yamaha V-Star 1100 motorcycle assures that the rear wheel is always in contact with the ground and makes your ride much more comfortable by absorbing road vibration and shock while you ride.

But your shock needs to be adjusted for different riding styles, so depending on whether you ride fast or cruise slowly and how quickly you take turns, you may want to adjust the shock to get the most out of your ride.

1

Remove the passenger seat by loosening and removing the rear passenger seat mounting bolt with a socket wrench.
With the passenger seat removed, you should see two larger rider's seat mounting bolts.
Remove these bolts and pull the rider's seat off of the bike to expose the internals of the motorcycle. 2

Detach the quick-release clips of the ignitor unit found just beneath the seat using a screwdriver. Pull the ignitor unit up and to the right of the bike to move it out of your way.

Remove the mudguard quick-release clips in the same fashion, then pull the mudguard out of the bike to expose the rear shock adjuster. 3

Look for the small numbers on the rear shock adjuster.
On most 2002 V-Stars you should see the numbers 1 to 9 printed on the shock adjuster.

These numbers give you an idea of the current setting of the shock.
The higher the number, the stiffer the adjustment. 4

Loosen the shock by turning the shock adjuster counterclockwise to a smaller number using a spanner wrench.

This makes the shock softer and more forgiving when riding over bumps and uneven pavement, but will feel slower in turns and accelerations.

Tighten the shock by turning it clockwise to a higher number.
This makes the shock stiffer, increasing road response in turns and giving you a better feel of road conditions at the expense of comfort. 5

Replace the mudguard, ignitor unit, rider's seat and mounting bolts, and the passenger seat and mounting bolts.

Take your bike for a ride to feel the difference a turn of the shock adjuster makes.

Hello, Most all motorcycles with Shocks have an Adjustment on the "Bottom" of the Shock which makes the Shock "Firmer or Softer". By making the Shock "Softer" (Lowering it) will Lower the Bike when you sit on it. Making it "Firmer" (raising it) will make it Higher. The Firmest/Tallest Position on the Shock is usually best for riding Two Adults so that the Weight doesn't let the Rear Fender drop onto the Rotating Rear Tire. You can also Measure the Length of your Shock (Measured from Center to Center of the Mounting Bolts) and go to your Local Motorcycle Salvage Yard and buy a Pair of Shocks that will be 1"-2" Shorter and Make Sure that they are from a Bike that is Similar in Weight and Size! (You don't want to put a set of 125cc Shocks on a 900cc bike) but Please check your Rear Fender Cleareance First and make sure that you can lower the bike this much!!! Most of the Motorcycles that I Lower, I Never go more than 2" unless I am Positive that I have the "Clearence"!!! Thanks Azharleybob

should have a big spring nut to tighten the spring or to loosen it.how ever you want it the tighter the stiffer the shock gets loosen it softer it gets

it seems that the bike has the wrong set installed. to short and too stiff, this is also a bit unsafe as you mentioned the bike looks a bit low in the front. remove legs and replace with proper springs.