1100 shock options

[(RIP) DitchWater]

Well, so much for ParcelFarce's 24Hr Express Delivery. Anyway, the shock arrived today and is now fitted so the bike is just about ready for it's MOT tomorrow save for the sticky front brake switch. I hope to get away with a notification.

It comes in a very useful box with adjustment tools, a neckwarmer and some literature on the build spec's and some stuff about safety and fitting.

The contents relvealed...

Somebody earlier asked if I would show a picture of it fitted so here goes...

Enjoy.

 

[MattW]

Excellent

So...
Is it possible to adjust the shock (preload and / or damping) with it fitted?

Good luck with the MOT.

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

I've always thought of Ohlins as overpriced and highly strung - ie high maintainance and liable to fall apart.

I thought wilburs were better but it seems not

Not sure what happened to White Power ( WP ), but i had one once and it was shite.

Koni's are now IKON and don't make one for the 11100 when i asked

Hyperpro have always had good reports and would be my choice now.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Is that a developing crack on 4 o'clock corner?

If yes, have it welded and reinforced ("fish-skin" style with plates) ASAP, otherwise you end up like me alone in the middle of Lake Turkana stock route in Africa, one of the remotest places in Africa - a collapsed rear subframe and a damaged shock because of the frame fallthrough

Nice Hyperpro btw, my 3Ds ("piggyback" version) have been stellar in terms of reliability and funcion both front & back, I just wish I had them in the beginning instead of listening the forums hype about Öhlins and Wilbers (live and learn!). Keep us updated how their emulsion shocks works out

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

Excellent

So...
Is it possible to adjust the shock (preload and / or damping) with it fitted?

Good luck with the MOT.

It is possible to adjust the rebound damping but not the preload. Nevertheless I don't expect to have to do that too often and I tend not to analyse, or test, a GS's suspension like I did on RSV's etc. When I've ridden the bike for a while I'll form an opinion then do some measurements and possibly read the manual.

The MOT maybe off now: See below.

Is that a developing crack on 4 o'clock corner?

If yes, have it welded and reinforced ("fish-skin" style with plates) ASAP, otherwise you end up like me alone in the middle of Lake Turkana stock route in Africa, one of the remotest places in Africa - a collapsed rear subframe and a damaged shock because of the frame fallthrough

Keep us updated how their emulsion shocks works out

Thanks Margus. Well spotted. I remember your travels well and that was one of your more testing times.

I didn't notice anything and I've been in there several times recently before installing the shock.

I'll go and have a look, and will let you know how I get on.

Oh. Here's the real picture of the shock installed...

 

[Aidan1150]

have them refurbished - with hyper pro springs and there you go.

That's the route that I went Matt. Had my 75k mile rear shock serviced and fitted with a Hyperpro spring. A recommended path to take in my opinion.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

The MOT maybe off now: See below.


shock installed...

Lookin' good, the design is similar the same as the shocks I have.

Don't worry about the MOT, it will go through - I reckon those blokes rarely see such stuff as small cracks, just be more concerned about your bike.

So...
Is it possible to adjust the shock (preload and / or damping) with it fitted?

Emulsion shocks are almost always less adjustable, when the oil & gas are separated then it's already more expensive shock and then they give you a more adjustability for the money too. More adjustability doesn't neccesarily mean they're better shocks though since most people don't know how to properly adjust 'em, but when you learn the art it's well worh it.

Those are the 3D models for R1100GS (left-rear, righ-front):

See the two knobs on the piggyback - purple is high-speed damping adjuster, golden is slow speed damping ajuster, and on the bottom of the shock the golden ring is the rebound adjustment (on emulsion shocks the same screw is for damping only)

That's the route that I went Matt. Had my 75k mile rear shock serviced and fitted with a Hyperpro spring. A recommended path to take in my opinion.

Yep, I'd also opt for this route. In fact I don't have the preload adjuster for the Hyperpro rear and it's got a massive 200-300Nm/mm spring for two-up full gear travelling mode exclusevly so at home for communiting I still run stock shock that's been good for some 60 000 miles already of crap Eastern-European roads, it's a noteworthy statment for the R1100GS'es OEM Showa's realiability IMHO, I've rarely seen R1150GS OEM shocks go so much on crap road conditions. I keep the Hyperpro rear for travels.

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

I've had a look at the bike and thankfully for me the Rocket Scientist was, for the first time, wrong. It was dried out piece of vegetation.

Thanks again Margus. You had me worried for a minute there.

I do have one question though. I noticed there is an O-Ring on the shaft, is that a witness ring to show the user how much travel is being used?

 

[MattW]

That's the route that I went Matt. Had my 75k mile rear shock serviced and fitted with a Hyperpro spring. A recommended path to take in my opinion.

I did consider this but I think my rear shock would need a new remote reservoir hose and it's damping adjuster is terminally seized. I don't thnk it's possible to free off the damping adjuster and by the time the hose and spring had been replaced (and possibly the rod if required) then I guess I wouldn't be far off the cost of a new shock. Or at least close enough in cost to make it not worth while

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Good to hear it was just some piece of rubbish on the picture

e one question though. I noticed there is an O-Ring on the shaft, is that a witness ring to show the user how much travel is being used?

Yes, it's a bushing for the shock and indeed gives you some clue how much abuse the shock's has received through time. It's two thick o-rings on both sides to give you additional dampening and save the frame from "sharp" kicks by the shock. You can't believe how much it moves from there - a good few millimeters in all directions when the shock works with all the bike's load on it. I found Hyperpro's have a lot more tolerance on bushings than than Wilbers or Öhlins - maybe that's one of the secrets why their shocks are more reliable and resist more abuse.

They're pretty much maintenance free though. I think all you can do is just to visually check those bushing's o-rings for cracks and ware every couple of years or so. If you ever send your shocks for service & overhaul I reckon they'll replace those bushings as a standard procedure since they're consumable items, or at least I assume they do.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

I've had a look at the bike and thankfully for me the Rocket Scientist was, for the first time, wrong. It was dried out piece of vegetation.

Thanks again Margus. You had me worried for a minute there.

I do have one question though. I noticed there is an O-Ring on the shaft, is that a witness ring to show the user how much travel is being used?

Wait... On a second though you mean the ring on the main shaft, not on the top of the shock

Yes, I think this ring acts like a measurement tool for finding the static and dynamic sag - i.e. 1/3 law when setting up the shock for the first time and testing the bike out on different road/trail conditions.

Also you can see when you've bottomed out - gives you indication of increasing dampening and/or preload.

But I think it's only for finding your initial settings when you've bought the shock brand new since after a lot of abuse this small o-ring will crack (you can't believe how hot the shock will go riding proper offroad - over +100C easy) and come off or dissapear into that big bottom damper, been there done that

 

[Aidan1150]

I did consider this but I think my rear shock would need a new remote reservoir hose and it's damping adjuster is terminally seized. I don't thnk it's possible to free off the damping adjuster and by the time the hose and spring had been replaced (and possibly the rod if required) then I guess I wouldn't be far off the cost of a new shock. Or at least close enough in cost to make it not worth while

I do take your point Matt, but if you can get a good, decent, low mileage 1150 shock on here then have a Hyperpro spring fitted you have the best of both worlds at handy enough money that will give you many more years/miles of service. Assuming that the 1150 shock will fit the 1100 of course.

 

[MattW]

I do take your point Matt, but if you can get a good, decent, low mileage 1150 shock on here then have a Hyperpro spring fitted you have the best of both worlds at handy enough money that will give you many more years/miles of service. Assuming that the 1150 shock will fit the 1100 of course.

Unfortunately the 1150 rears don't fit the 1100 Aidan (different bottom mount). However, I'm getting hold of a good used 1150 front (which do fit)

 

[Aidan1150]

Bugger.

Sorry Matt, but you can see where I was trying to get to there.........

 

[MattW]

Bugger.

Sorry Matt, but you can see where I was trying to get to there.........

Absolutely Aidan - thanks for the input

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

Wait... On a second though you mean the ring on the main shaft, not on the top of the shock

Yes, I think this ring acts like a measurement tool for finding the static and dynamic sag - i.e. 1/3 law when setting up the shock for the first time and testing the bike out on different road/trail conditions.

Also you can see when you've bottomed out - gives you indication of increasing dampening and/or preload.

But I think it's only for finding your initial settings when you've bought the shock brand new since after a lot of abuse this small o-ring will crack (you can't believe how hot the shock will go riding proper offroad - over +100C easy) and come off or dissapear into that big bottom damper, been there done that

Yes, that's the one.

I just wanted to check that it hadn't popped out of the cylinder.

Cheers.

PS. Passed the MOT. Just.

 

[MattW]

So....

Any ideas of the best place to buy a HyperPro rear for my 1100? I've found one place that actually quotes prices and things like a non-standard progressive spring all add to the price.

I'm pretty certain that an uprated progressive spring would be a good idea as I ride two up loaded a fair bit but I don't want to get the wrong spring...

 

[(RIP) DitchWater]

I went to the obvious West Yorkshire 3rd party BMW supplier at the top of the page.

I did have a look around but it all seems to be about the same cost everywhere.

If you make an order it will be specified to your bike and the additional load (don't tell Her I said that) you carry.

Mine's a good job and I'm glad I made the change. I may consider adjusting the rebound damping after I've checked the sag properly.

 

[MattW]

I went to the obvious West Yorkshire 3rd party BMW supplier at the top of the page.

I did have a look around but it all seems to be about the same cost everywhere.

If you make an order it will be specified to your bike and the additional load (don't tell Her I said that) you carry.

Mine's a good job and I'm glad I made the change. I may consider adjusting the rebound damping after I've checked the sag properly.

Ta

 

[motobiker]

So....
I'm pretty certain that an uprated progressive spring would be a good idea as I ride two up loaded a fair bit but I don't want to get the wrong spring...

And Im pretty sure Ive read the exact opposite - on this very site. people who have had their original shocks refurbed have.. during the course of this procedure had the springs 'checked' and found to be well within tolerances - so no work was necessary on the springs. in short - its all about the internals.

Perhaps you would be better off talking to these people who have had this work done to confirm this. its been going on for years - since some company had the bright idea of brazing on a valve to make refurbing the hitherto disposable shocks possible.

I don't doubt replacing the springs is a good idea in some cases - but it seems to me an unnecessary expense if the original spring is still up to the job.