1150GSA Rear shock lost damping

[tim dew]

My 32,000 GSA rear shock has gone all soft on me and now longer has the same level of damping it had a month ago.

The bike is a 2002 model.

Has the original rear shock now passed its sell by date?

If it has any suggestions on a re build or replacement unit?

Thanks in advance

Tim

 

[Rabbitson]

Some 3rd party companies can rebuild your shock (or make it rebuildable to some degree). The BMW standard shock replacement is expensive, Hyperpro from Holland are quite good value (quality quite similar to Ohlins but price much lower), wilbers also good.

Although my bikes, not an adventure, I splashed out and bought ohlins for it and the handling was like night and day compared to the standard shock (when riding hard on the road), got a good discount on the ohlins, that's why I bought it, otherwise would probably have gone for Hyperpro

This was on an 1100

HTH,

David

 

[tim dew]

Hi David

can you confirm where you got the good deal from on the ohlins shocks?

Many Thanks

Tim

 

[Nick Marshall]

I have

a mint standard R1150GSA rear shock for sale if interested. 07869 346186

 

[woody954rr]

Got a very similar issue with my 2000 std GS1150 (58k). Been quoted £1125 for Ohlins (fitted front & rear). Seems steep to me (as the bike's only worth circa £3k). Think i'll go for Wilbers as they seem a good compromise between price and performance. Anyone got any experience of fitting them? (competent, but inexperienced m/c diy'er).

 

[MikeP]

Got a very similar issue with my 2000 std GS1150 (58k). Been quoted £1125 for Ohlins (fitted front & rear). Seems steep to me (as the bike's only worth circa £3k). Think i'll go for Wilbers as they seem a good compromise between price and performance. Anyone got any experience of fitting them? (competent, but inexperienced m/c diy'er).

Just undo the obvious nuts and bolts. Don't worry, the bike won't collapse without the shocks in place.

 

[D6]

have you asked someone like steptoe i f theres a rebuild service for standard shocks?there must be,?? i changed the springs myself, oil could have been done at same time, not sure about whats inside further , or rather how to get inside(if anyone does,,, post some pics )

 

[trotsky]

Think i'll go for Wilbers as they seem a good compromise between price and performance. Anyone got any experience of fitting them? (competent, but inexperienced m/c diy'er).

Do a search - there are a couple of threads on here (I know I posted something on one of them). If I wasn't lazy I'd have tracked them down for you, but a search for "wilbers" will find all sort of useful stuf. It isn't hard but there are a set of useful tips around like "strap your front wheel to the centre stand" and "prop up your rear drive so it doesn't bounce off the floor when you take out the shock".

I did it in my front garden in an afternoon. Bit of a fiddle with the rear - loosening the lower end bolt mainly - but the front was no problem at all.

 

[guzzimag]

Just undo the obvious nuts and bolts. Don't worry, the bike won't collapse without the shocks in place.

It will if it's on the sidestand - but then no ones that daft right

Just make sure you have no load on the shock you're undoing and ensure the bike is stable. A friend of mine had both wheels out for new tyres and it fell off the centrestand. Oh how we laughed at the huge bill......

 

[Steptoe]

have you asked someone like steptoe i f theres a rebuild service for standard shocks?there must be,??

Yes there is. But it's a standard shock, so it'll still be crap.

 

[trotsky]

Yes there is. But it's a standard shock, so it'll still be crap.

I have to say that's a good point and well made...

You don't realise quite how bad they are till you don't have them any more.

 

[Mzokk]

I have to say that's a good point and well made...

You don't realise quite how bad they are till you don't have them any more.

+ 1

 

[mpjbiker]

Hi, your shock will probably be transformed if you refill the remote preload reservoir with fresh oil-you don't even need to remove the shock to do it. If you do a search on the yank bmwrt site, you'll get detailed instructions. I did it to my old R1100RT shock that had done 60k-amazing difference. Can't remember exact method, but it involved backing off the preload, unbolting the reservoir, removing the pipe, pushing the piston back, then refilling with oil. I'd actually replaced my RT shock with an Ohlins, thinking the original was shagged, and was not impressed. However, when I sold the RT, I took the Ohlins off to sell separately, and refitted the original, having refilled the preload reservoir with oil. When I delivered it to the buyer, I really didn't want to let it go, it was just so much better. Well worth a try!