Removing shocks from

[Smokey]

Hi guys, im thinking of fitting hyperpro lower springs to my 2014 r1200gs to get more of a footing on the floor (short legs) at the moment I'm on tiptoes (which I'm ok with 90% of the time) but looking to do more touring on the bike so want to feel more comfortable when on uneven ground etc.., have tried a bmw lowered seat which was terrible and a Sargent low seat which although was comfortable made it no lower due to the extra width.


Anyway, has anyone got a guide on how to remove the front and rear shock? Can find a few guides for older oil cooled gs but would be nice to know whats different before I start stripping it down...



Cheers,
Keith

 

[DRAIN MAN]

Rear shock is quite easy, did one in the with a very basic tool kit at the side of the road in Almaty.
Remove rear wheel, remove the small alloy heel guards, 1 each side, put a support under the swinging arm to stop it dropping down, remove bottom shock bolt, it will be bloody tight!!! remove bottom sub frame bolts and loosen top ones. If you have got esa suspension there is a small bar which goes from the swinging arm to the shock which needs to be removed on the connection to the shock. Not sure if this is on non esa bikes.
you will have had to remove the seat and the ecu unit to get at the top shock bolt, also under the ecu is the wiring connections if it is a esa unit
Once all this is done you can lift the rear sub frame up all the way until it will go no further, make sure you can support it with a chock or have a second pair of hands to hold it for you.
You should then be able to remove the rear shock!!!!
Not wrecked the front one yet so cannot comment on how to remove.
Took me under 3 hrs to remove and replace with new shock

 

[dave hendy]

I have done 3 European tours using the BMW low seat of between 2-3k miles with up to 470 miles in a day and I find the low seat to be fine, imo!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[tanneman]

Rear shock torque setting. Upper and lower bolt is 100Nm.

 

[Shunt]

Bolts are most likely loctited in so a bit of heat on the bolts would be a good idea

 

[pistole]

i have done front and rear a couple of times (watercooled GS).

rear is easy.

front is a bitch (really) , requires moving the airbox as far up/rear as you can to free up space for the top of the shock to come up giving you clearance to get past the A Arm

 

[Smokey]

Ive just downloaded the bmw service manual from a US site and tobe honest looks like a major faff...

I've got the space and the tools but not sure I want to strip the bike down this far so early in its life.
I'm still tempted as I want to keep this bike for a long while so if I can get it to suit me better it will be worth the work in the long run...




Btw I found the bmw low seat gave me no room to move and pushed me into the tank more than I like. I rode with it for the first 6months before even trying the standard seat which was soo much better, in that you can move around and the foam was more comfortable, the Sargent seat was better than both for comfort once you got used to the new position but I could hardy get both toes down at a level stop so that was returned. Think I either go for it or buy some high heels.....

 

[pistole]

and getting the spring off the shock requires a press (of some sort) , or a clever combination of C Clamps/coil spring compressors.

not beyond a modest DIY mechanic. Just needs patience and trying not to break things.

 

[CPJS]

Just sell the bike and buy a lowered suspension one .
By the time you have bought new springs and gone to the trouble of fitting them then realised that the bike will fall off it's side stand because it is now too long and makes the bike stand upright, you will the struggle to put the bike on the centre stand because that is now too long. You will have to replace both stands.
When you come to sell the bike you will have to put it back to standard as no-one wants to buy anything else.
The factory lowered bike comes with all the above done for less money than the cost of you buying the bits and is easy to resell.

 

[Smokey]

Selling the bike is not an option, the springs are £170, I would lose a hell of a lot more in swapping to a factory low bike. Also Have already done a bit of research on the low springs/stand question already and hyperpro said because the springs are progressive and are the same size as standard the bike does not actually sit any lower to need a different sidestand etc...
It's only when you add load onto the bike it drops it the extra 20mm.

 

[tanneman]

I forgot to add, Locktite 270 on the threads before assembly.

 

[CPJS]

Selling the bike is not an option, the springs are £170, I would lose a hell of a lot more in swapping to a factory low bike. Also Have already done a bit of research on the low springs/stand question already and hyperpro said because the springs are progressive and are the same size as standard the bike does not actually sit any lower to need a different sidestand etc...
It's only when you add load onto the bike it drops it the extra 20mm.

Sell privately, buy privately same year/mileage etc the price is the same and you still keep the warranty, you may even get someone to swap.