2004 1200 GS Suspension

[iangough]

Hi there. In fear of being hurled huge abuse about fat fighters, i have plucked up the courage to ask what is essentially basic question.
I have a 1200GS. I weight 16st and the Mrs weighs 12st. That's 28 lardy stone of weight. With the office top box and paniers packed i assume another 4st. total 32st.
The rear suspension cant cope even with settings at hardest.
I love the bike solo, so dont really want to do anything to change the solo handling characteristics.
Please help. Do i need a harder spring, if so what how ?
Can i put a spacer in the shock as a quick and dirty way of making the ride height the same when i am 2 up with luggage?
Please dont suggest trading the mrs with a russian gymnast, cos i have tried, and she does not like the idea one bit.
Joking aside, as very serious question, as i'm due to go to portugal this summer.
Please help....

Ian.

 

[plasins]

I will be getting a 12 in five weeks. Your weight combination is the same as mine. On the 1150, I could wind up the preload and adjust the damping, I take it that you have tried this and failed. It should be possible to fit a spring with an increased spring rate. That way, you can have the the spring matched for you i.e. the softest setting could be the current mid setting. That way, the bike should behave the way it is now. That would be the cheapest option. Another would be replace the complete shock with a quality rebuildable item such as Ohlins. Please could you let me know how you got on and what you decide.

Vic P.

 

[Dave Price]

Are you sure you're winding up the rear preload as high as possible? My addition of wife is not quite as much as yours, however,even with full luggage, I didn't have to adjust it to max and that was for the roads of Rep of Ireland.
I find solo that the bike is slightly over sprung and I have to reduce the preload from standard, almost to fully out.

 

[iangough]

Thanks for your replies!

When i ride solo i have my preload wound in 10 hand turns in from hardest. probably about 3 complete 360 degree rotations.
I like it like this as the bike turns quicker and is balanced with the front. i.e. the front and back wheels feel they are going over the same grade of bump in the road.
I am curious about a new spring (Rear and possibly front) but i assume i will not be able to fit it myself.

When i am 2 up withj no luggage i have scrapped the centre stand whilst 'making progress' on dry roads and good bends, so i definately need something. And that was with a 2 day old bike !!

When i test rode a 12gs with the suspension at the standard settings (ie. normal, not hard, not soft) , it felt as my current gs does when it is wound in to the above mentioned settings.
So maybe my first port of call, once the roads get a little less salty is to go back to the dealer.

My post was to find out if someone has made the mods, already and what the outcome was.
Are there companies that do extra stuff for 12gs's (from the tuning and suspension perspective ?) I know of touratech.
Being an ex fireblade rider, i am a bit in the dark when it comes to tweaking BM's...

 

[Bert]

Get Ohlins fitted, TELL them your Max. All Up Weight and they will taylor-make one of their units for you. Not cheap but durable.

Hi there. In fear of being hurled huge abuse about fat fighters, i have plucked up the courage to ask what is essentially basic question.
I have a 1200GS. I weight 16st and the Mrs weighs 12st. That's 28 lardy stone of weight. With the office top box and paniers packed i assume another 4st. total 32st.
The rear suspension cant cope even with settings at hardest.
I love the bike solo, so dont really want to do anything to change the solo handling characteristics.
Please help. Do i need a harder spring, if so what how ?
Can i put a spacer in the shock as a quick and dirty way of making the ride height the same when i am 2 up with luggage?
Please dont suggest trading the mrs with a russian gymnast, cos i have tried, and she does not like the idea one bit.
Joking aside, as very serious question, as i'm due to go to portugal this summer.
Please help....

Ian.

 

[Mouse]

Don't spend loads of money on an Ohlins before you check with your delaer that you don't have a defective shock. I regularly carry about the same amount of weight on my bike as you do and I've never scraped the stand with that set up.

I did scrape it once with my brother on the back seat though

 

[JayGee]

Good point Mouse, especially as some of the earlier bikes had didgy rear shocks, there has been more than one person on this forum saying they've had them replaced under warranty.
The bike does seem a little softly sprung and I find I need the rebound damping nearly on max and then just alter the preload according to weight. I'm about 12.5 stone, her indoors about 9.5 and when fully laden with two panniers (but no top box) I need almost full preload but even so I'd get the dealer to check it as Ohlins are good but VERY expensive.

 

[iangough]

Guys, thanks very much for your input. Will update accordingly