650 GS Twin - Factory lowering?

[ShakeyGS]

Hi,
I'm new in these parts and I ride an R1200R but I hope we can still be friends

My wife has a Factory Lowered 2011 F650 GS which I'm looking to set up with an Ohlins BM801 rear shock. The existing Shock measures approx 410mm and the Ohlins unit is said to be 413mm.

Whats puzzling me is that if the standard replacement is the same length as the factory shock and there are no wishbones that I can see on the bike; Just how the heck do BMW lower the rear of the bike?

Can anybody enlighten me please?

 

[earwig]

Dont really know, but as it is a factory only alteration when the bike is built, they may have repositioned the suspension mounting points. Just a guess, but might be worth checking.

 

[Smythson]

Not sure about all the figures but as i recall from previous threads the main difference is that lowered rear shock (other things are stand etc) there is no mention of different mounting points or anything of the like (definitely none on the swingarm, don't recall seeing anything suitable on the frame end either. Front forks have same part no. as standard height version.

I'm not sure why the Ohlins has such a close measurement to the lowered version though...

 

[ShakeyGS]

I have trawled the net and found that BMW fit a spring 1 cm shorter than the stock unit. I'll have to let my imagination figure out how that drops the bike 2 inches and also assume that the front springs must be commensurately shorter too.

 

[tosh23]

Why don't you ring up a BMW dealer and ask what is entailed...


OOPPPS, didn't read the first post, the spring maybe the same length but the spring is softer sprung, as in its easier to compress than a standard spring, OR the spring maybe the same but the whole unit might have a smaller over all length....I haven't looked but is there any dog legs IE kuba links type thing...
The front forks will have shorter non progressive springs and maybe lighter oil....Im just thinking outloud, Hey what do I know...sweet fa.............Tosh

Just out of curiosity, why would you put a very expensive aftermarket suspension set up on a lowered bike ?

 

[ShakeyGS]

...
Just out of curiosity, why would you put a very expensive aftermarket suspension set up on a lowered bike ?

To be blunt - because the stock gear is crap. Well OK that may be a bit strong but the static sag at 75% preload has to be seen to be believed and the front springs are known to be too soft (comment from a very well thought of suspension specialist in Suffolk).

... and because she wants to

 

[chas820]

and because she wants to

Thats all you needed to write

 

[ShakeyGS]

Why don't you ring up a BMW dealer and ask what is entailed...

HA! d'you think they'd know?

Despite a bit of history that would suggest they wouldn't, I took a ride into the local dealership today. They didn't know for sure but a trawl of the parts data revealed that there are two distinct shock / spring combinations depending on whether you have the standard or lowered bike but to my surprise, there is only one set of front springs etc. listed.
This makes me think that BMW has simply reduced the oil level or reduced the preload to get th front to match the back.

One of the first things we did when she had first ridden the bike was to slide the firm tubes 10mm through the yokes to improve turn-in so this tends to support that theory - shame on you BMW