I put ohlins into my 1200 this week and tomorrow is my first run out on them so i'll be interested to see the difference.
Ohlins or Wilbers???
- Thread starter Urban Rider
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Paji
Guest
I face to the same problem with 1150GSA suspension. My original rear Showa was totaly broken on my last Albania moutain trip and it is not chance to repair it.
I have three options now:
- To buy original Showa (on ebay,..) and to repare it. Cost cca 100-200 EUR
- To buy new Wilbers (very likely both front and rear - model 630 and 641). Cost cca 1000EUR
- To buy new Ohlins (very likely both front and rear - model OHBM 216 and OHBM 215). Cost cca 1400EUR
Wilbers is chaper and the frequent annuall and costly reparations are not required. But the quality for my offroad long trips (Albania, Morocco,..) is discutable.
Ohlins is more recommended for my stile of riding but the total cca 30 ths miles live time cost are significantly higher.
I am not looking for superior racing parameters. The most improtant is reliability with good performance.
Are there anybody with real experiences with Wilbers and/or Ohlins suspensions used for long trips in desert, moutines etc,...?
I have three options now:
- To buy original Showa (on ebay,..) and to repare it. Cost cca 100-200 EUR
- To buy new Wilbers (very likely both front and rear - model 630 and 641). Cost cca 1000EUR
- To buy new Ohlins (very likely both front and rear - model OHBM 216 and OHBM 215). Cost cca 1400EUR
Wilbers is chaper and the frequent annuall and costly reparations are not required. But the quality for my offroad long trips (Albania, Morocco,..) is discutable.
Ohlins is more recommended for my stile of riding but the total cca 30 ths miles live time cost are significantly higher.
I am not looking for superior racing parameters. The most improtant is reliability with good performance.
Are there anybody with real experiences with Wilbers and/or Ohlins suspensions used for long trips in desert, moutines etc,...?
I'm happy with my Wilbers. The quality looks good to me but obviously I've not taken them apart to check the internals.
I think any suspension unit can fail if given a hard enough life.
Didn't Charlie and Ewan have multiple failures with the Ohlins on LWD?
I think any suspension unit can fail if given a hard enough life.
Didn't Charlie and Ewan have multiple failures with the Ohlins on LWD?
They did but I'd guess they were standard out of the box units with too light a spring
IIRC, only Ewan and Claudio had problems and it was down to completely incorrect adjustment.
Their LWR bikes had Ohlins, they arguably faced much worse conditions on that trip and there were no reported failures.
IIRC, only Ewan and Claudio had problems and it was down to completely incorrect adjustment.
Their LWR bikes had Ohlins, they arguably faced much worse conditions on that trip and there were no reported failures.
Ah! The dreaded 1200 strikes again.
Another solution (one which I'm researching at the moment but looking good).
http://www.nitron.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_96_278&products_id=616
If you fancy a group buy post up, I reckon a discount could be in order.
http://www.nitron.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_96_278&products_id=616
If you fancy a group buy post up, I reckon a discount could be in order.
I got Wilbers on the back and Ohlins on the front they work a treat together and much easier to source than a pair of each if your prepared to wait for a second hand set as I did
Paji
Guest
Another solution (one which I'm researching at the moment but looking good).
http://www.nitron.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_96_278&products_id=616
If you fancy a group buy post up, I reckon a discount could be in order.
It is not solution I afraid. The shocks are for 1150GS only according to me. Not for 1150GSA which required longer size.
I had the same decision recently – i.e. Wilbers or Ohlins for my latest project 1150. I’ve had Ohlins on my last 2 x 1150’s and have never had a problem despite riding well above the suggested 12,000 mile rebuild interval. The handling improvement of the Ohlins has been substantial – especially when riding offroad.
I was all set for a going for wilbers until a mate pointed out the following:
• Ohlins look better
• If you bought Wilbers you’d always be thinking “maybe I should have bought Ohlins”
• If you buy Ohlins you won’t ever think “maybe I should have gone for Wilbers”
• You don’t see Wilbers in Moto GP
I went for Ohlins – again. YMMV.
I was all set for a going for wilbers until a mate pointed out the following:
• Ohlins look better
• If you bought Wilbers you’d always be thinking “maybe I should have bought Ohlins”
• If you buy Ohlins you won’t ever think “maybe I should have gone for Wilbers”
• You don’t see Wilbers in Moto GP
I went for Ohlins – again. YMMV.
They do both - ring them. Also, shocks are adjustable in length like WP shocks. Wilbers are not (extra cost for this option).
I'd thought about this long and hard for my trip across Mongolia and Central Asia this year. The suspension will take a real pounding, I very nearly stuck with standard units but with uprated springs but in the end I Concluded that Ohlins with a stiffer rear spring would be the best (although broke the bank) option.
I guess I'll just have to see, but feel if the Ohlins do fail that the Wilbers certainly would also.
Ohlins do look better, but they are both hardly visable are they.
I have wilbers front and rear, plus I have an Ohlins on the shelf,
its true the rear shock is more substantial, with a thicker shaft, and more substantial body, but most riders dont go off road.
If you buy either and have them set up properly, then they are that much better than a worn out standard shock, that you dont really care wether they are Ohlins or Wilbers, unless you plan on riding round the world or something simmilar, then ultimate reliability, service and spares availability becomes an issue.
moto GP credentials is hardly applicable to the Gs range
Paji
Guest
Good comparism 
For my long trips to the exotic destinations is not important if the sting is yellow of blue
It is a normal live. But the shocks can be changed easily than ma-in-law.
But message is clear. Ohlins can be better choice (does not matter than yellow string or more visiable brand).
For my long trips to the exotic destinations is not important if the sting is yellow of blue
It is a normal live. But the shocks can be changed easily than ma-in-law.
I do not see 1150GSA on Moto GP as well.
But message is clear. Ohlins can be better choice (does not matter than yellow string or more visiable brand).
Interesting thread to re-read
I shall have to see which is best - Ohlins on one and (soon to be) Wilburs on another of my GSA's
I shall have to see which is best - Ohlins on one and (soon to be) Wilburs on another of my GSA's
So far I really like my Wilburs, the top of the range wilburs with both Hi and Low Speed damping adjustment at the rear (plus remote pre-load & rebound of course) work out about the same as the rebound only Ohlins kit.
To get Compression damping (and not the Hi / Low top end stuff) with Ohlins you will spend £1800 on the pair, compared to the £1100 for top end Wilburs, that is a big difference, in the past I have had a few Ohlins units, and if it was a 10% difference I may have gone for them, but 50% premium for "lesser" spec is just too much IMHO.
Also for a bike like the GS the chassis / wheel sizes / type of use etc. does not really cry out for Ohlins TTX technology, the Wilburs look well made and come with a 5 year gaurantee, sure if I was crossing the planet perhaps spares availability would be an issue, but 99% of riders I cannot see this being a reason not to fit Wilburs. Lastly all Wilburs are built to order and sprung / damped for your exact needs, with Ohlins they come in one setup and if you need to alter them you have to then pay extra to get them re-sprung / re-shimmed for your needs - in my case probably taking the cost to double that of the Wilburs as I do a lot of two-up touring and I suspect the Ohlins are set for one-up use.
I wanted a better quality setup that rides bumps better and can be adjusted to handle wonderfully both solo, and when fully loaded with two-people and I think the Wilburs have done that for me.
To get Compression damping (and not the Hi / Low top end stuff) with Ohlins you will spend £1800 on the pair, compared to the £1100 for top end Wilburs, that is a big difference, in the past I have had a few Ohlins units, and if it was a 10% difference I may have gone for them, but 50% premium for "lesser" spec is just too much IMHO.
Also for a bike like the GS the chassis / wheel sizes / type of use etc. does not really cry out for Ohlins TTX technology, the Wilburs look well made and come with a 5 year gaurantee, sure if I was crossing the planet perhaps spares availability would be an issue, but 99% of riders I cannot see this being a reason not to fit Wilburs. Lastly all Wilburs are built to order and sprung / damped for your exact needs, with Ohlins they come in one setup and if you need to alter them you have to then pay extra to get them re-sprung / re-shimmed for your needs - in my case probably taking the cost to double that of the Wilburs as I do a lot of two-up touring and I suspect the Ohlins are set for one-up use.
I wanted a better quality setup that rides bumps better and can be adjusted to handle wonderfully both solo, and when fully loaded with two-people and I think the Wilburs have done that for me.
Isn't there some stipulation that you have to get them serviced every year to maintain your 5 year warranty?
No, it is every two years or 25,000 miles, the servicng is pretty cheap, but the real pain in the arse is the removal of the shocks to do it.
I thik the fact the offer a 5 year warranty implies they are pretty confident of the kit being good to begin with, so even if you don't bother with the servicing it is nice to know the manufacturer has engineered them to last (take note BMW)
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