Front Suspension a bit rigid

[Sootyvandriver]

Hi,
Fairly new to my R1200gs (2012) and with it being that time of year I have not ridden out much yet.
I am finding the front suspension a bit firm with the bike slamming into even medium sized pot holes.
Last autumn I tried riding a cobbled street and it was horrendous, double vision and rattling like hell.
I cant imagine any kind of excursion off road set like this, Except on my arse.
Preload is set minimum.
Should I be expecting a magic carpet ride or is this normal? Before I tear the front end down I would appreciate your opinions.

Cheers all

 

[UturnTony]

Hi,
Fairly new to my R1200gs (2012) and with it being that time of year I have not ridden out much yet.
I am finding the front suspension a bit firm with the bike slamming into even medium sized pot holes.
Last autumn I tried riding a cobbled street and it was horrendous, double vision and rattling like hell.
I cant imagine any kind of excursion off road set like this, Except on my arse.
Preload is set minimum.
Should I be expecting a magic carpet ride or is this normal? Before I tear the front end down I would appreciate your opinions.

Cheers all

In my experience, no and yes.

I'm assuming that the front end is just stiff and the vibration isn't caused by the front shock losing all it's damping
properties and is allowing the wheel/suspension to bounce up and down without any control.

 

[Sootyvandriver]

In my experience, no and yes.

I'm assuming that the front end is just stiff and the vibration isn't caused by the front shock losing all it's damping
properties and is allowing the wheel/suspension to bounce up and down without any control.

No, it's just stiff. best accept this is normal then.
Thanks for your input.

 

[ozcruiser]

My 2005 GS was like this when I brought her turned out to be the shock had blown a seal and leaked most of it's oil. I fitted the longer Wilbers adventure shock and it works great on and off road.
If you decide to replace the shocks Wilbers or Ohlins is the way to go there not cheap but well worth the money.

 

[Greenman14]

My 2012 GS was fine. I wouldn’t describe the front suspension as stiff at all. I think you have a problem somewhere, does yours have ESA?

 

[Slipperyeel]

My new to me 2011 gsa is not as you describe. I regularly adjust the damping to negotiate civic vandalism in my home area (some people call it traffic calming).

I notice a big difference when I adjust it.

Based on your comments it suggests there's no damping adjustments?

I've made the assumption you have esa...



Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[Sootyvandriver]

No its not got ESA.
I am assuming there are no other adjustments on the front other than preload.
The rear floats quite nicely over rough roads (plenty of them here) The front feels like its a different bike.
Admitted the front tele lever suspension is different, but it does feel rigid. I recon I need to get the spanners out in the morning if its not to cold in the man cave.
Please don't tell me there's damping adjustment hidden away somewhere

 

[UturnTony]

Nope, no hidden adjuster that's going to transform it into a magic carpet. How it feels depends on where you have come from. If you had a nice comfy tele fork set up then it's going to feel harsh. The ride can be improved by after market shocks...at a price.

 

[Sootyvandriver]

Nope, no hidden adjuster that's going to transform it into a magic carpet. How it feels depends on where you have come from. If you had a nice comfy tele fork set up then it's going to feel harsh. The ride can be improved by after market shocks...at a price.

Yeh, been doing a bit of reading this evening, found this on another site.

'Freeway expansion joints were jarring with my stock suspension set up correctly'. They are not jarring with my after market Ohlins set up correctly (but I can still feel them).

Thanks everyone.

 

[Bendy toy]

It’s probably the undamped spring bouncing back just as you hit the next bump.

My front ESA was like a jack hammer and it caused a front tyre to wear into a very strange pattern. There were no leaks but damping had gone. It had done some daft mileage so not complaining.

The back was also kicking-back but only noticed on rough roads.

I fitted OEM non ESA shocks both ends. Solid feeling front end was gone immediately though the overall ride is harder than the ESAs.

 

[milleplod]

If you're thinking you might have to swap to a new front unit, you don't have to spend a fortune. I've just bought Shock Factory units for my 1200ST - a front (adjustable for preload only) is £200 delivered. There are some good reviews knocking around - worth considering.

http://www.shock-factory.co.uk/
https://www.marksmotorcycleparts.co.uk/

Pete

 

[Bobbin-Man]

Stiffen the rear ....

 

[Bendy toy]

Telelever forks don't dive on the brakes so can feel harder than normal forks. The bike is almost impossible to get into a frame wobble - it just rocks up & down but none of the squirm common with "normal" forks.