Nitron shocks on order

[Flipfly]

Ok, I've pulled the plug on these.

I have asked for the seat height to be dropped by 10mm but have the option once they have bedded in to get them back to standard height.

This will be the first time I have had a bespoke set of shocks on a road bike so when they turn up I will do a full review.

My GSA has been suffering from a slight vagueness on turn in. It's not disconcerting in any way, but it does mean that you have to trust the bike rather than the bike making you feel like you trust it iykwim. I have been chatting to Johnathan from rugged roads for the last week and he's a great guy to chew the fat with. He understands what you want, is very accommodating in trying to get you what you want and also suffers the mad ramblings of a kid in a sweet shop like a true professional

Should be here by mid March

 

[knucklemoto]

I'll be following your sucrose / saccrine fuelled ramblings with interest mr flip... a new set of shocks is on my wish list, in the top 5 actually, and I'm sifting through every review of every type / manufacturer I can find. Through I'll probably go with either hyper pro or wilbers...

Anyways please don't be shy with your choices and dimensions / settings etc... and a photo is always fun for us 'hard of concentrating on text' and a short attention span.

As a base line, what age / mileage is your gas and are you on the standard shocks? Have they been rebuilt / replaced?

 

[Slipperyeel]

Interested to get your feedback. What you describe of the handling it's exactly what started me off on getting my suspension sorted. I've got a Wilbers turning up for the front. Rear rebuild with new Hyperpro Spring. I'm intrigued to get it all back together (when everything turns up that is!).





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[Blackal]

Ok, I've pulled the plug on these.

Should be here by mid March

Pulled the "pin", would be the one.........

Al

 

[Slipperyeel]

I was thinking the same ;-)

 

[Popell]

I have a Nitron on the rear of my 2005 GS. Seems pretty good but I miss the hydraulic preload adjuster so would recommend getting one of these at the same time.

Have to say that I struggled to notice a massive difference but then I am a member of the 'wooden-butt club' and the original only had perhaps 17k on it.

 

[Flipfly]

Pulled the "pin", would be the one.........

Al

Doh! At least it shows you are listening

I have a Nitron on the rear of my 2005 GS. Seems pretty good but I miss the hydraulic preload adjuster so would recommend getting one of these at the same time.

Have to say that I struggled to notice a massive difference but then I am a member of the 'wooden-butt club' and the original only had perhaps 17k on it.

I've gone for the base model with hpa on the rear. I couldn't live without a preload adjuster now, my knees won't take the pain of manual adjustment.

Mine has 36k on. I figured I'd treat myself and after a rebuild and springs I'd be into almost half the cost of new shocks anyway.

 

[Fanum]

They do them for someone YOUR weight?

 

[Flipfly]

They do them for someone YOUR weight?

Apparently the weight of testicles has a low centre of gravity so it's an aid to bike handling

 

[Fanum]

Apparently the weight of testicles has a low centre of gravity so it's an aid to bike handling

True dat

 

[Flipfly]

True dat

Unfortunately he has more hair than me

 

[alex77]

Mine arrived yesterday for my 1100gs got both front and rear with preload adjuster on the rear. Had nitron on my old bike really liked them.

 

[Nick591]

Mine arrived yesterday for my 1100gs got both front and rear with preload adjuster on the rear. Had nitron on my old bike really liked them.

I bought used (3K miles) Hyperpro shocks for my 1100GS (44K miles) from MattW of this parish and just got around to fitting them. Not enough road miles yet to fully understand the difference but they are certainly smoother and better damped. Have fiddled with the spring preload and am running 10mm more static sag front and rear than Hyperrpo recommmend because I prefer a softer ride on the whole and Tony Archer added some more padding to my seat so I need the bike to ride a bit lower overall. The progressive springs will certainly help with ride quality. I am expecting a big improvement with pillion and luggage.

Cheers, Nick

 

[chad]

Heehee I'm sure your going to love them mate.

However peeps seem to have a short memory . In the dim distant past wasn't there a quite amusing thread about suspension upgrades that you added your eloquence to

Ok, I've pulled the plug on these.

I have asked for the seat height to be dropped by 10mm but have the option once they have bedded in to get them back to standard height.

This will be the first time I have had a bespoke set of shocks on a road bike so when they turn up I will do a full review.

My GSA has been suffering from a slight vagueness on turn in. It's not disconcerting in any way, but it does mean that you have to trust the bike rather than the bike making you feel like you trust it iykwim. I have been chatting to Johnathan from rugged roads for the last week and he's a great guy to chew the fat with. He understands what you want, is very accommodating in trying to get you what you want and also suffers the mad ramblings of a kid in a sweet shop like a true professional

Should be here by mid March

 

[Flipfly]

Heehee I'm sure your going to love them mate.

However peeps seem to have a short memory . In the dim distant past wasn't there a quite amusing thread about suspension upgrades that you added your eloquence to

I know

I have never seen the need for them and still don't think I need them per say, but as this bike is my 'keeper' I figured I'd give em a go.

I've had the same conversation with Johnathon from rugged roads and laughed. He said that he looks forward to me eating a large slice of some kind of pie, and I'm sure it's not the hairy type

I suppose the fact that this bikes value is higher, they are now only 1/4 of the value of the bike

Let's see what happens, I hope to be a convert, but I don't need them to ride quickly. Interestingly, I've always preferred the standard GS as a riders bike. Both 1150 GSA and 1200 GSA I have ridden have been vague compared to the vanilla bike, maybe it's this that has spurred on the change of shocks?

 

[Fanum]

I know

I have never seen the need for them and still don't think I need them per say, but as this bike is my 'keeper' I figured I'd give em a go.

Do a two hour circuit of your favourite road combinations, then change for the new shockers and repeat

Keep an eye on your speedo though, or you'll get nicked even if the seat of the pants dyno is set at the same level.

PS you may need to tune them in to your style, but once you do, you will have as much of a grin on your face as you probably did when you tuned into a GS on real world roads as compared to anything other than a well set up KTM that you may have ridden before

 

[Flipfly]

Do a two hour circuit of your favourite road combinations, then change for the new shockers and repeat

Keep an eye on your speedo though, or you'll get nicked even if the seat of the pants dyno is set at the same level.

PS you may need to tune them in to your style, but once you do, you will have as much of a grin on your face as you probably did when you tuned into a GS on real world roads as compared to anything other than a well set up KTM that you may have ridden before

That's my point really, I could get nicked for speeding already on the standard shocks. I'm not a fast rider IMHO, my brother, my dad, Vern, Mutley...there are plenty of other riders who I have ridden with or heard tale of their heroism in the saddle who are far quicker than me. Having said that, it isn't something I aspire to. I feel that I am quick enough and I'm not spoiling anyone's ride if I join them if ya catch my drift.
I prefer to ride alone anyhow, so not that it would bother me.

I do try to ride well though, always trying to smarten up my riding and be smooth and consistent. The vagueness in the GSA handling has introduced a level of hesitation almost. It's hard to describe, but Beryl the yella peril was so planted in comparison.
I remember an incident on Beryl when I went into a tight left at more than I would normally consider 'comfortable'. I'd just overtaken another vehicle and turned in and had that 'oops' feeling you get when you think you may have overcooked it. Normally the GS thinks for you and seems to go where you want it without too much effort, but in this case I had to give the left bar a pretty firm push to get round the bend. She just hoofed over further and went exactly where I wanted.
That's the difference, the GSA doesn't have that confidence inspiring feel. It's fine at my normal pace, but when you read something wrong, there's shit all over the road and you want to change line or you hit a big bump as you turn in etc etc it lacks clarity in what it is feeding back.

If they are good they will show pretty quickly I think. I've always had the ability to get in a car or get on a bike and know within a short distance whether it's going to make me smile or frown.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

That's the difference between GS & GSA Phil, the extra inch or so raises the centre of gravity a bit & makes it not seem to handle as well

My GS 's used to handle a lot better

 

[Titto]

Good purchase. I had a nitron shock with a hyperpro spring on my r1000s and it simply transformed the bike. Nice one!

 

[metropolis2k]

I have a pair of Nitrons on my GS and am happy. I've got the HPA for the rear but not on the front because it never needs adjusting. I fitted mine in a hurry last year before sending the bike down to Italy to ride back and it made a noticeable difference. I've got Ohlins on my other bike and have ridden it stock so know the difference they can make. They're probably not quite as good as the Ohlins but the GS isn't exactly a sports bike so I don't mind.