Another suspension thread

[dancata]

Hi all,

I have reached the conclusion that both my front and rear shocks are bad and need to be changed. So, the OEM part is way too expensive, and so are Ohlins. I don't want to invest 1500 eur+ in a 3000 eur bike ('95 1100 GS, 120k km).

I saw that wilbers make suspension kits for my bike, about 340eur front + 340eur rear. Now, what other companies do I have to choose from? I have 115 kg + my GF 80 kg + some luggage (20 kg), What other cheap but new shocks alternatives do I have in Europe?

Also, I really don't trust second hand suspensions, so that's not an option.

Thanks.

 

[Paul Young]

Another option would be to get your OEM units rebuilt. Here in the UK, there are engineering firms with the skills to do this for around £100 each. You could even get the springs recoated in yellow/purple/blue/etc & get the damping rates set up for you. If I hadn't been lucky & found a pair of really cheap hyperpro's, I'd have gone for this option.

 

[dancata]

The thing is that I don't know if the shocks can be rebuilt... If I press only the rear brake, the front goes way down, and if I hit a hole in the road, the rear wheel acts like it stays in place and does not follow the hole depth in the road, the engine revs itself as the wheel actually stays in the air. Also, the rear of the bike is much lower now than when I bought it, 40 k km ago.

I will send an email to the rebuild shop and see what they can do.

 

[kanhulk13]

These guys are mentioned in BIKE magazine and various other magazines. They will tailor make a shock for you according to bike, weight, riding style, tires etc.

http://www.maxton.netspinners.co.uk/

 

[DutchBryn]

I used to live near Maxton Engineering and they did a great job in rebuilding the shock from my EXUP. (Many moons ago).
So, I asked them what they could 'do' with standard units and they sent me a pdf back, as below.
I'm sure it'd be life-changing experience, fitting their kit etc. but too rich for my pocket and I was only really asking about a re-furb / poss heavier spring at the back. I just carried-on, as was.


BMW 1150GS


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



FRONT

There are no conventional forks on this bike, the front is controlled with a suspension unit. The unit is a very poor quality unit. There are no damper controls that can be adjusted on it. The spring rate is approxamatley correct. It not possible to improve on this unit, we can only offer a replacement unit. We replace it with a Maxton high pressure gas shim stack type of unit. The Maxton unit costs £405.00 plus VAT. It is adjustable for rebound and compression damping and preload.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



REAR

The standard rear unit is again not the best quality but not that bad either, for general road use the unit is O.K but if you tour with the bike, carry a lot of weight on the back of the bike or ride the bike hard you may find the rear a little on the soft side. The spring is not too far out for the average rider weight, it is the shock that is under damped which makes the rear feel soft. We supply a replacement unit for this bike which is an Alloy bodied high pressure gas unit and is fully adjustable via a shim stack system, the unit is built to order so is sprung and valved to suit your rider weight and what you use the bike for. The unit costs £405.00 + V.A.T.

We also supply Hydraulic preload adjuster for this model of BMW. The hydraulic preload adjuster will only fit the Maxton unit. This costs an extra £200.00 + V.A.T.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I used to live near Maxton Engineering and they did a great job in rebuilding the shock from my EXUP. (Many moons ago).
So, I asked them what they could 'do' with standard units and they sent me a pdf back, as below.
I'm sure it'd be life-changing experience, fitting their kit etc. but too rich for my pocket and I was only really asking about a re-furb / poss heavier spring at the back. I just carried-on, as was.


BMW 1150GS


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



FRONT

There are no conventional forks on this bike, the front is controlled with a suspension unit. The unit is a very poor quality unit. There are no damper controls that can be adjusted on it. The spring rate is approxamatley correct. It not possible to improve on this unit, we can only offer a replacement unit. We replace it with a Maxton high pressure gas shim stack type of unit. The Maxton unit costs £405.00 plus VAT. It is adjustable for rebound and compression damping and preload.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



REAR

The standard rear unit is again not the best quality but not that bad either, for general road use the unit is O.K but if you tour with the bike, carry a lot of weight on the back of the bike or ride the bike hard you may find the rear a little on the soft side. The spring is not too far out for the average rider weight, it is the shock that is under damped which makes the rear feel soft. We supply a replacement unit for this bike which is an Alloy bodied high pressure gas unit and is fully adjustable via a shim stack system, the unit is built to order so is sprung and valved to suit your rider weight and what you use the bike for. The unit costs £405.00 + V.A.T.

We also supply Hydraulic preload adjuster for this model of BMW. The hydraulic preload adjuster will only fit the Maxton unit. This costs an extra £200.00 + V.A.T.

Sums up my thoughts on the stock GS supension........................the difference when changing to any half decent aftermarket stuff is like night and day

I always wonder why people spend money on exhausts/headers/power commanders and chips................but do nothing to the stock suspension

 

[elevensies]

JB, you are so right

it really makes me laugh when people buy ''loud exhausts'' because its the norm on the bikes they came from, typically sportsbikes, without thinking what will actually make the bike faster, which is

QUALITY SUSPENSION, SET UP CORRECTLY

anyhooo

get hyperpro top quality dutch suspension.


harry

 

[Grim Rider]

Somehow I am not surprised that a company like Maxton should denigrate the standard shocks, after all what have they to gain While I am sure spending large wads of cash on the suspension will improve the GS, I cannot say I have had any major issues with the standard set up.

If you are reasonably happy with the standard shocks (mine lasted 60k before needing changing), it is worth getting the rear shock rebuilt - I had mine done by MCT in Stowmarket, charged me £80 plus £10 p&p, including looking at the front shock for e and sending it back. They concluded it could not be rebuilt, although I believe some may be able to be. Cheapest new option I found was to buy OEM from local BMW dealers - £165 a year ago, so may be worth looking into.

 

[elevensies]

get MTC to rebuild the shock, and while they are on with it get them to stick a hyperpro spring on for you.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Somehow I am not surprised that a company like Maxton should denigrate the standard shocks, after all what have they to gain While I am sure spending large wads of cash on the suspension will improve the GS, I cannot say I have had any major issues with the standard set up.

Have you ridden a GS or any other with specifically set-up aftermarket pair of shocks, like Ohlins/WP/Wilbers?

I can tell the difference riding with Ohlins and I have 2 other BMWs with the stock Showa stuff and whilst it's ok................it is just not the same

 

[dancata]

Somehow I am not surprised that a company like Maxton should denigrate the standard shocks, after all what have they to gain While I am sure spending large wads of cash on the suspension will improve the GS, I cannot say I have had any major issues with the standard set up.

If you are reasonably happy with the standard shocks (mine lasted 60k before needing changing), it is worth getting the rear shock rebuilt - I had mine done by MCT in Stowmarket, charged me £80 plus £10 p&p, including looking at the front shock for e and sending it back. They concluded it could not be rebuilt, although I believe some may be able to be. Cheapest new option I found was to buy OEM from local BMW dealers - £165 a year ago, so may be worth looking into.

But local BMW stealer ask for 1000+$ for the rear and 400 something $ front.

For that kind of money, I will chose OHLINS. Or wilbers, the cheapest set is 340 eur a piece(wilbers). I think that's what I am going to buy.

 

[Grey Sickle]

whence would be a good place to get a Wilbers shock?

 

[DrFarkoff]

I dunno But If mny GS had the this amount of suspension it would be doing well!