GS v GSA shock lengths/springs/sag

[Gizmo*]

I've just moved from a GS to GSA, my GS had a Wilbers rear shock sprung for me and the missus so had a reasonably high rear ride height solo, really enjoyed the handling and difference over stock suspension was notiecable. surprisingly I now find that the GSA isn't that different height wise , springs must be a lot softer as theres quite a bit of sag at 60mm (free sag 35mm) and its wallowy. I didn't measure my GS before selling :

I'm now looking at best way forward, I know the Wilbers GS shock I have will be shorter eye to eye than the GSA but by how much? if I use that I'd probably need to look at swapping the front out to a GS length Wilbers with slightly stiffer springs = more money
I'd also lose a small amount of travel but get a lower bike which might be better on road a the expense of ground clearance off.


T'other option is to go down the F and R Wilbers GSA shock length route but I'm then concerned that bike will be a lot taller solo as I wont have the sag. I'm only 5'8 with short 30" leg and GSA is just manageable as is (with TT low seat) plus its even more money although I could sell the Wilbers GS length shock.


Doh, anyone been here and got any advice to offer?

 

[Pukmeister]

Spring swap worth considering ??

Like yourself, I had Wilbers on my old GS.

I've just acquired some 40mm lower, progressively wound springs for my 2008 model GSA with ESA, made by Hyperpro. A cost-effective solution at £160 a pair brand new for those of us who are either vertically challenged or short of trouser length.

I haven't got time to fit the springs at present, but expect them to be an improvement for my 30" instep and hopefully a better ride to boot.

Not sure how the sag will be, being a progressive spring rate, but I hope it will be good enough for fast road use and touring. It's no sportsbike after all.

 

[Rasher]

Wilburs can built to spec, talk to MCT or Revs and I am sure they will be able to offer good advice. Sag is always a bit tricky for off-road bikes as they do not have "set-in-stone" standards like sportsbikes do. I run about 28mm static sag on my GS with Wilburs which gives a sporty, fast turning feel, reducing it any more makes it actually "feel" high at the back and a bit bouncy, but by 30-31mm it is feeling low and soggy.

As the GSA is supposed to be more off-road orientated I would expect them to have a more saggy feel to them, the main reason I avoided even looking at GSA's was I wanted good road handling and knew the GSA would not offer me anything over a stock GS (Except tank range)

In fact if I was ever tempted by a GSA I would just throw my GS Wilburs on the thing (and then have my hybrid long range GS - but as my arse aches before the tank runs out this is unlikely to happen)

Good luck getting it sorted.

 

[ianran]

Like yourself, I had Wilbers on my old GS.

I've just acquired some 40mm lower, progressively wound springs for my 2008 model GSA with ESA, made by Hyperpro. A cost-effective solution at £160 a pair brand new for those of us who are either vertically challenged or short of trouser length.

I haven't got time to fit the springs at present, but expect them to be an improvement for my 30" instep and hopefully a better ride to boot.

Not sure how the sag will be, being a progressive spring rate, but I hope it will be good enough for fast road use and touring. It's no sportsbike after all.

Ive got Hyperpro's, a teeny bit lower and the ride quality after 18K still is good, better than original? not convinced! As for sag, it is a soft roader, ive found the extra movement is useful going up the kerb in Knightsbridge!!

 

[Gizmo*]

thans folks, i would like to know shock length difference as sag is just a percentage of available travel and I should be able to get the same feel no matter what the shock length, the only difference will come down to COG and how high it is off the ground at standstill. I did prefer the increased rear ride height on the wilbers on my gs with at stiffer spring so simply swapping shock and putting a shorter front shock in to match would get me back to that but I'd really like to see just how much higher a similarly set up GSA length would feel, an expensive mistake if i get it wrong

 

[Gizmo*]

well, I took the gsa rear shock off today and tried the wilbers in place. It looks like the rear shock is about 10mm shorter eye to eye and might have 63mm stroke not 70 (I'm going to check with Revs tomorrow). Wilbers uses a different spring length and is heavier weight, its a much shorter spring than GS or GSA, not sure I'd of gone this way as you usually want the longest spring you can get in, be interested to here Revs/Wilbers thinking on that one!. when installed the rear ride height was 10mm lower than OEM GSA shock unloaded, on its wheels (static sag position) it was 5mm lower, with me on board its exactly the same sagged height as the OEM GSA, still on my tip toes.

Might just get GS length front now and have it sprung for a heavier weight like the rear

 

[Mark Hooton]

IMHO

I lowered my 2010 GSA by 40mm using revs/wilbers.

Yes, I have taken some stick for it off the purists (do you need castors to go round corners? ) and quite rightly so as I have taken a fantastic bike designed for off road and dragged it`s high ground clearance ass nearer the planets` surface.

But......................... it`s the best thing I ever did - I enjoy the bike even MORE now

And I`m not intelligent enough to know about sag/off road stuff anyway.................

Mark
www.cymarcbikeparts.co.uk

 

[Gizmo*]

thats what is interesting Mark, doing it the way i have, I've got a stiffer spring so can carry load, same ride height solo and what I've lost is 20mm of rear wheel travel (7mm x approx 3 leverage ratio) BUT as the shock will now need less preload for a given load/ride height the shaft has almost got te same available stroke to use so it should be able to get almost the same positive travel but the downside will be you lose out on negative travel (extension) not too much of a problem, if that beast tops out fully loaded I'd be amazed at myself. I wont get chance to fully test it until the week end after next, rode fully loaded yesterday and was not impressed with bm oem shock, its been fine solo.

 

[Mark Hooton]

thats what is interesting Mark, doing it the way i have, I've got a stiffer spring so can carry load, same ride height solo and what I've lost is 20mm of rear wheel travel (7mm x approx 3 leverage ratio) BUT as the shock will now need less preload for a given load/ride height the shaft has almost got te same available stroke to use so it should be able to get almost the same positive travel but the downside will be you lose out on negative travel (extension) not too much of a problem, if that beast tops out fully loaded I'd be amazed at myself. I wont get chance to fully test it until the week end after next, rode fully loaded yesterday and was not impressed with bm oem shock, its been fine solo.

Yep, I was bothered about mine bottoming out when under load with camping kit and fat pillion but it seems ok...............

Good yet obvious idea with the stiffer spring mate I hope it works for ya.