Low/Standard Suspension

[ChazzyB]

The original R1150R had Telelever:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW_motorcycles#/media/File:Telelever04.jpg

As has every boxer twin since the last of the airheads. The LC R and RS are the first with teles since then.

 

[beaver]

I’ve just returned a tb with lowered setup and just got normal height so here’s an informed answer to op question
The differences are as follows :- shorter length front forks, esa set up different for rear end to lower it. Different side stand and centre stand. That’s it. On full load it DOES ride lower and can occasionally cause centre stand to hit the ground on very uneven surfaces such as found sometimes in the Dales / Lake District etc Having said that, you have to be going seriously quick for that to happen

Hi.. just reading this post... I'm in the same place.. getting a lowered GS but want it std height... but is the above correct... when I asked the local dealer he said its just shocks.. did not mention the folks as quoted here (2014 GS )... so are the folks a differant length also??????

 

[fred_jb]

I don't think the forks are any different, but just that the front and rear suspension units are 20 mm shorter. This means that front and rear both lose 20 mm of travel and the bikes sit 20 mm lower. I believe the springs are stronger on the lowered bikes to compensate for being shorter.

 

[Ash700]

Hi.. just reading this post... I'm in the same place.. getting a lowered GS but want it std height... but is the above correct... when I asked the local dealer he said its just shocks.. did not mention the folks as quoted here (2014 GS )... so are the folks a differant length also??????

Yes, the forks are shorter in the lowered bike. If you measure the gap between the top of the front mudguard and the beak you’ll see the difference between a standard and lowered bike.

 

[beaver]

Yes, the forks are shorter in the lowered bike. If you measure the gap between the top of the front mudguard and the beak you’ll see the difference between a standard and lowered bike.

isnt this due to the shocks being shorter and it sitting lower?... or are the actual folks shorter?... is there a part number thing anywhere I can check this... see if there are two sizes of stanchion?

Are the shocks actualy 20mm shorter?... or is the end result that the bike sits 20mm lower?... as such I'd expect the shocks to be say 10mm shorter due to their position on both back and front arms??...

 

[Ash700]

Hi.. just reading this post... I'm in the same place.. getting a lowered GS but want it std height... but is the above correct... when I asked the local dealer he said its just shocks.. did not mention the folks as quoted here (2014 GS )... so are the folks a differant length also??????

As Fred says, yes it could just be shorter spring at front, but it does sit lower at the front as well as the rear.

 

[beaver]

yes.. I know it sits lower... but are the stanchions shorter as suggested above (shorter folks)

 

[fred_jb]

I very much doubt that the actual stanchions are any different - the shorter shock just allows the lower legs to start from a position higher up the stanchions, and I'm pretty sure I have read that the suspension travel is reduced equally (by 20 mm) at front and rear. This does not necessarily mean that the shock is literally 20 mm shorter, which might have been implied by my earlier comment. Because of the length of the wishbone, 20 mm less travel at the axle will amount to a smaller proportional reduction in the shock length.

 

[fred_jb]

As Fred says, yes it could just be shorter spring at front, but it does sit lower at the front as well as the rear.

There are figures quoted online for suspension travel front and rear, and I am sure these are both reduced for the lowered bike, as it would no longer be level if they were different. If I can find the web page I will link it here.

 

[ChazzyB]

I don't think the forks are any different, but just that the front and rear suspension units are 20 mm shorter. This means that front and rear both lose 20 mm of travel and the bikes sit 20 mm lower. I believe the springs are stronger on the lowered bikes to compensate for being shorter.

Or possibly the springs are weaker to compensate for being shorter? If you take a spring and chop it in half, you'll find each half is MUCH stiffer then the original.

 

[beaver]

I very much doubt that the actual stanchions are any different - the shorter shock just allows the lower legs to start from a position higher up the stanchions, and I'm pretty sure I have read that the suspension travel is reduced equally (by 20 mm) at front and rear. This does not necessarily mean that the shock is literally 20 mm shorter, which might have been implied by my earlier comment. Because of the length of the wishbone, 20 mm less travel at the axle will amount to a smaller proportional reduction in the shock length.

Agreed.... they will be say 8mm shorter in reality... yes.. I'm sure you are right with 20mm for the bike sitting lower... the springs will be stronger so both bikes finish in the same position IYKWIM.
But.. are the stanchions shorter.. this would prevent me doing the swap.... is there a parts finder thing on here I can check to see if they do two sizes?

also whats the ESA suspension sensor all about?... and where does it fix to.. if its to the shock, then it may be positioned to account for short / normal shocks... if not, is there differant software for both ??..

 

[dean0n0]

Or possibly the springs are weaker to compensate for being shorter? If you take a spring and chop it in half, you'll find each half is MUCH stiffer then the original.

Since when did cutting a spring in half increase its rate?

 

[ChazzyB]

Since when did cutting a spring in half increase its rate?

Try it. Or Google it.

 

[dean0n0]

If it's progressively wound there would obviously be a difference, if it's linear it will remain so.

 

[ChazzyB]

I didn't mention anything about progressively wound springs or spring rate . If you have a normally wound spring and shorten it, it will be stiffer. A coil spring is just a length of metal rod wound into a compact shape. Make a rod shorter, it gets stiffer.

 

[Karlos]

Or possibly the springs are weaker to compensate for being shorter? If you take a spring and chop it in half, you'll find each half is MUCH stiffer then the original.

I don’t know what you’re smoking, but you are talking absolute rubbish.


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[Karlos]

Try it. Or Google it.

Ah, you added Google, therefore it must be an absolute fact.


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[Mr Bean]

I didn't mention anything about progressively wound springs or spring rate . If you have a normally wound spring and shorten it, it will be stiffer. A coil spring is just a length of metal rod wound into a compact shape. Make a rod shorter, it gets stiffer.

Not as I understand it.

If you shorten the spring by moving the coils closer together it will be softer?

 

[beaver]

Stop..... can anyone answer my questions at all?

But.. are the stanchions shorter.. this would prevent me doing the swap.... is there a parts finder thing on here I can check to see if they do two sizes?

also whats the ESA suspension sensor all about?... and where does it fix to.. if its to the shock, then it may be positioned to account for short / normal shocks... if not, is there differant software for both ??..

 

[Karlos]

I didn't mention anything about progressively wound springs or spring rate . If you have a normally wound spring and shorten it, it will be stiffer. A coil spring is just a length of metal rod wound into a compact shape. Make a rod shorter, it gets stiffer.

No it doesn’t. You cannot change the physical properties of metal by cutting it.

The reason a metal rod seems to become stiffer when you shorten it is because you have less leverage to flex it.

A spring’s Spring Rate is the amount of weight required to deflect a spring a given distance.

In a linear spring, the spring rate remains constant , regardless of how many coils there are.


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