350x supension questions

[p26575r16]

I have had my '86 350x for about 7 years now and I have always thought it rode very rough (I am talking suspension). This is the only 350x I have ever ridden so I have nothing to compare it to, but I used to have an '86 200x and an '83 250r, both of those rode pretty good. I used to live near St. Louis MO where the terrain is relatively forgiving, and I never really paid much attention to how rough it was. I now live in Reno NV, where the terrain is hard, rocky and very unforgiving. I tried taking it out several times here on some trail rides, but I am always really sore the next few day's, so I usually leave it at home and take my sportsman 500 when we go trail riding. I would rather be on the trike, simply because I like riding it better, but after breaking my back, I just cant handle the pain anymore. I pretty much made the decision to only ride it in the sand, where it does ok. I just got back from a trip to sand mountain and I rode the 350x all day (had a blast). Sand mountain was uncommonly rough due to a large number of people out there and I got beat up pretty bad. I let one of my buddy's ride it a little and after 5 minutes he was done with it. He said it was too rough. Am I doomed to ride this thing forever like this? Is it normal for it to be so rough? I have not done any suspension work too it since I've had it, is there anything I can do to soften the ride up? On a side note: It has the original forks on it that were rebuilt about 10 years ago, it also has the original rear shock and spring on it that was also rebuilt about 10 years ago. I let the air out of the front shocks before every ride also. I really miss tackling trails with the 350x and any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Dirtcrasher]

You can bid on some crappy 83/84 250R front forks, use the damper rod and experiment with oil viscositys and it is suppose to mimic the "Terry Fork kit" from back in the day. SOMEONE has to have the article but I credit Bill from TPC Trikes for that tip.

For the rear; I am currently swapping over (actually building another trike) all 450R rear components. If that shock is stiff, I'll mess with geometry and or other shocks until I get it right. It will also have a 250R front end, all freshened up........

Bill talked about a rear shock valving kit, a few hundred bucks but he said it was excellent to work with and far easier than these conversions that always affect something/somehow........

[Mosh]

Tire selection and air pressure makes a huge difference.

Also one of the biggest downfalls of the 350X is the poor ass shotty seat design on them.
I have talked to many people that put the Desert Foam from Hi Flite on there, and they love it..It makes all the difference in the world from what they say.
That 25 year old, 2 inch thick foam, is the hardest poorest squish factor seat I have ever seen on an ATV IMHO. (And I have some experience with seats and modifying them)

Other than that, you can always loosen up the rear spring tension, if that shock is bumping you too hard. But you will loose any jumping clearance/absortion in that process.
But you having a bad back, I doubt you are a jumper anyway.

You could also have someone lengthen your swinger.. This will change the pivot point and geometry load of the trike, and relax the pressure piont from "under" your back side, soften the shock ride and actually make the trike float a little better over the hard terrian.
But all my opinions are soley based on the fact that your suspension is in factory spec and working condition.
Obviously, if your shock or forks are not up to snuff, it is going to hit hard.

Or like DC said..Just redesign the whole ass end..