i got looking at my 86 lt250r, and i realized them are some short shocks. then i looked at the honda's, and them are lots longer. you think there'd be a way to get say a 250R shock and shock mounts on my 86? it just doesn't look right with them tiny front shocks. maybe its just me but i think that they should be longer for more travel.

 

Do you have any numbers to compare wheel travel?
The length of the shock does not matter tht much. It is the position on the A-arms that does. If you put the shock out towards the wheel more, you get less wheel travel. If you put it in towards the frame, you get more travel, but your shocks will work harder due to the greater leverage.

 

The problem with the suzuki front end feeling so stiff is because of the frame. Look at the front of the frame where the a-arms bolt on. The frame is flat and on Honda and Yamaha their frames are turned up. The flat front end of the suzuki makes it when you hit a bump the shocks travel straight up and the Honda and Yamaha shocks travel up at an angle which would take sharper jolts and bumps better. In the future their will be a kit that you weld on a complete new front end for the LT and it would be a lot like the protax front end and will have 12" of suspension travel. The rest of the LT frame is a very good well built frame, on if they would of turned the front of the frame up a little and it would of been really good. Aftermarket a-arms and shocks set up for your weight and riding style and ability will be like night and day compared to the stock shocks and arms of the LT. The front shocks on the 85-86 are around 3" shorter than the 87-92 front shocks.