Visit to Holland

[mhsnowy]

Went to Holland last weekend for a bit of a jolly up, but the main reason was to pay Bas a visit at HyperPro to get my rear shock set up for me and a hydraulic pre-load adjuster added.

What a perfectionist Bas is and it seems that a much better job can be done with the shock on the bike.

The shock was stripped and cleaned with some shims and jets changed for my weight and the correct spring fitted. It was lowered by 2cm but the bump stop reduced in size to retain the full travel of the shock. It was refitted to the bike and various tests done. It was then removed and stripped again a jet changed and some shims changed, re-built and re-fitted. After a few bounces and a re-test it was decided that the shock was ready for further adjustment.

Now he started to adjust and fine tune the compression and rebound adjustments. I sat on the bike and felt the sag. To me it felt too soft but as it turns out when riding it the damping and the way the shock works is just amazing!

On the way back to the Hotel there was a straight bit of road with speed bumps at regular intervals which I duly used to test the shock at different speeds. Well I think I realise now what is meant by the term 'plush'. It was really smooth over the bumps. Just need to get it off road now to give it a proper test.

When I was fully loaded with my luggage I just turned the hydraulic preload adjuster to raise the bike up to its working height and I was ready to go.

Also while there I popped in to to see Erik from Hot Rod Welding to see what was new on the X-challenge front. At the moment he he designing one of his fairing kits to fit the Xcountry and it looks absolutely fantastic. He is also almost ready to sell his footrest lowering kits for those that put a low seat on to able to reach the ground but then find that the seat to foot peg height is too short when riding distance. The other advantage is that when standing on the pegs you don't need to raise the bars up high to make it comfortable while standing. They also have protection built in to protect the side stand switch.

The downside of my trip was that while out there my oil warning light came on but went off. The first time I was riding quite hard but as soon as I slowed down it went out and didn't come back on until the next day when it stayed on longer. I did an oil and filter change and could find very little wrong other than the oil filter being possibly a bit dirty.

After leaving to ride home after about 100kms of riding at 65-70 mph the light came on again. I stopped for 10 minutes and restarted where it hasn't came back on again! We rode for 150 kms at a time at similar speeds with short breaks and no signs of the oil light again.


There were no abnormal engine noises at all when the light was showing or not. It has not used any oil and the water level is as it was. I have ordered a new oil pressure switch as a precaution in case it is faulty but without it showing up it is difficult to know what the problem is.

Thanks to Erik for running me to the local BMW dealer to pick up the oil and filter and the use of his workshop to change it. Nice to see you again Mikecbrxx and the offer of your spare filter. (I haven't forgotten about the 'P' clip).

Anyone got any ideas??

 

[Losttheplot]

When you changed the oil, was there much swarf on the oil plug magnet?

Did it have plenty of oil in it?

How many miles has your bike done?

 

[mhsnowy]

Plenty of oil.
Yes some swarf on the plug magnet.
14,000 miles.

 

[casperghst42]

Heard about your visit yesterday... unfortunately I had other things going on last weekend, otherwise we would have meet...

It's always interesting to watch Bas and David take shocks to pieces and rebuild them, sometimes multiple times to get it right. They know their stuff.



Casper

 

[levis]

mhsnowy,
What type of hyperpro shock did you get?

 

[mikecbrxx]

Hi Mark. Good to see you again. We did the same on my bike last weekend....first time it was off the bike since Kazakhstan. We found some firsts for Bas/David even. See photos below.

Damaged bump stop....the shock had bottomed out that hard and frequently that the plate was even concave, which they had never seen before. I am sure this, and the other damage, was done on the 'road' between Aktobe and Atyrau.

I also had a crack across one of the UJ's...again, never seen before.

And the internals

with the new bump stop fitted

 

[magno]

Oil Light

Went to Holland last weekend for a bit of a jolly up, but the main reason was to pay Bas a visit at HyperPro to get my rear shock set up for me and a hydraulic pre-load adjuster added.

What a perfectionist Bas is and it seems that a much better job can be done with the shock on the bike.

The shock was stripped and cleaned with some shims and jets changed for my weight and the correct spring fitted. It was lowered by 2cm but the bump stop reduced in size to retain the full travel of the shock. It was refitted to the bike and various tests done. It was then removed and stripped again a jet changed and some shims changed, re-built and re-fitted. After a few bounces and a re-test it was decided that the shock was ready for further adjustment.

Now he started to adjust and fine tune the compression and rebound adjustments. I sat on the bike and felt the sag. To me it felt too soft but as it turns out when riding it the damping and the way the shock works is just amazing!

On the way back to the Hotel there was a straight bit of road with speed bumps at regular intervals which I duly used to test the shock at different speeds. Well I think I realise now what is meant by the term 'plush'. It was really smooth over the bumps. Just need to get it off road now to give it a proper test.

When I was fully loaded with my luggage I just turned the hydraulic preload adjuster to raise the bike up to its working height and I was ready to go.

Also while there I popped in to to see Erik from Hot Rod Welding to see what was new on the X-challenge front. At the moment he he designing one of his fairing kits to fit the Xcountry and it looks absolutely fantastic. He is also almost ready to sell his footrest lowering kits for those that put a low seat on to able to reach the ground but then find that the seat to foot peg height is too short when riding distance. The other advantage is that when standing on the pegs you don't need to raise the bars up high to make it comfortable while standing. They also have protection built in to protect the side stand switch.

The downside of my trip was that while out there my oil warning light came on but went off. The first time I was riding quite hard but as soon as I slowed down it went out and didn't come back on until the next day when it stayed on longer. I did an oil and filter change and could find very little wrong other than the oil filter being possibly a bit dirty.

After leaving to ride home after about 100kms of riding at 65-70 mph the light came on again. I stopped for 10 minutes and restarted where it hasn't came back on again! We rode for 150 kms at a time at similar speeds with short breaks and no signs of the oil light again.


There were no abnormal engine noises at all when the light was showing or not. It has not used any oil and the water level is as it was. I have ordered a new oil pressure switch as a precaution in case it is faulty but without it showing up it is difficult to know what the problem is.

Thanks to Erik for running me to the local BMW dealer to pick up the oil and filter and the use of his workshop to change it. Nice to see you again Mikecbrxx and the offer of your spare filter. (I haven't forgotten about the 'P' clip).

Anyone got any ideas??

I experienced this last summer when riding the BAM. Wasn't my bike but another XC I was travelling with. We stopped to check all levels but everything was OK. Engine wasn't making any untoward sounds and oil level, condition and coolant was all good. The light continued to come on and off for the next few days but sorted itself out after that. The only thing we could come up with was water ingress earthing the switch out and causing the light to illuminate.

Just in the process of sending my shock back to Bas for a service. The more we use him the better he gets at setting them up. I have to say mine has been faultless after he revised the settings last year. For me, one of the keys to an enjoyable long distance trip is the suspension setup. Get it right and even a very average rider like me can concentrate on the experience and not fighting the bike over every obstacle. The confidence a good setup inspires means that 400km+ days are achievable without excessive fatigue.

 

[mhsnowy]

I experienced this last summer when riding the BAM. Wasn't my bike but another XC I was travelling with. We stopped to check all levels but everything was OK. Engine wasn't making any untoward sounds and oil level, condition and coolant was all good. The light continued to come on and off for the next few days but sorted itself out after that. The only thing we could come up with was water ingress earthing the switch out and causing the light to illuminate.

Just in the process of sending my shock back to Bas for a service. The more we use him the better he gets at setting them up. I have to say mine has been faultless after he revised the settings last year. For me, one of the keys to an enjoyable long distance trip is the suspension setup. Get it right and even a very average rider like me can concentrate on the experience and not fighting the bike over every obstacle. The confidence a good setup inspires means that 400km+ days are achievable without excessive fatigue.

Yes I agree totally.....however with the shock on the bike when he sets it up the service is even better!

Well worth a visit if you have a couple of days spare.

 

[mhsnowy]

mhsnowy,
What type of hyperpro shock did you get?

I already had a Hyperpro rear shock which was on the bike when I bought it. It is the one with the remote reservoir.
Because I do a bit of touring and off road riding I had the hydraulic pre-load adjuster added so I can stiffen up the rear end to cope with carrying the extra weight of the luggage. Also it was re-valved for my weight at the same time.

 

[IJGser]

I already had a Hyperpro rear shock which was on the bike when I bought it. It is the one with the remote reservoir.
Because I do a bit of touring and off road riding I had the hydraulic pre-load adjuster added so I can stiffen up the rear end to cope with carrying the extra weight of the luggage.

Ditto, Loving the sound of a preload adjuster for my Hyperpro, just can't see me having time to visit holland before my next trip.

Do you know if its possible to buy the bits to retrofit this myself? And out of interest how much did the conversion and set up cost? Did it include setting up the front end?

Thanks

 

[levis]

As a matter of fact I'm also having Bas our suspension guru setting up a new 461 for me and I was also about thinking if I should go for this preload adjuster.
well, It seems it worth the peny...
mhsnowy , do you know the ref of the spring he chooses for you?

 

[Losttheplot]

Ditto, Loving the sound of a preload adjuster for my Hyperpro, just can't see me having time to visit holland before my next trip.

Do you know if its possible to buy the bits to retrofit this myself? And out of interest how much did the conversion and set up cost? Did it include setting up the front end?

Thanks

I went through rugged roads, and including return shipping the hydraulic preload adjuster cost around £220.

I did ask about a parts only option so i could fit them myself, but hyperpro weren't keen to do this.

Sorry if i'm butting in on Mr Snowy's post

 

[Losttheplot]

As a matter of fact I'm also having Bas our suspension guru setting up a new 461 for me and I was also about thinking if I should go for this preload adjuster.
well, It seems it worth the peny...

It is worth every penny! it's such a bastard trying to adjust the shock with a standard C spanner, the only way to get the spanner on any sense is to remove the rear sub frame and fuel tank.

I tried to get around this while on a trip last summer, and wrecked the spanner and preload collar.

Not my finest moment....

 

[mhsnowy]

I paid 300 euros for the shock service and buying and fitting of the pre-load adjuster. This included removing from the bike and re-fitting to the bike.

 

[mhsnowy]

As a follow up to my oil light problem, I have been given something to try from a German company called Team Pami Racing who race the rotax 650 engines.

He has said that the problem is the pressure relief valve that sits behind the oil filter and is accessible by removing the oil filter. Remove it and replace the rubber washer and apparently that will cure the problem.

I'll let you know just in case anybody else has a similar problem.

 

[Chris S]

Also just came back from getting the Bas and Erik treatment (see website for write ups). Got a lot of good tips from those two, and that Bas knows his suspension!

On Bas's recommendation I just bought a set of DRZ forks for my Xco for later.

Talking of which, can anyone recommend a place to get the OE Sachs rebuilt? Did a search but nothing came up.

Also, OT but while I'm on. Anyone got an OE Country can join spare? Can be as bashed as you like. Ta

Ch

 

[mhsnowy]

Hi Chris

Your website makes for some great reading.......what part of the country are you from?

 

[Chris S]

Thanks. In London for the time being.
Looking forward to loading down my newly sprung mule to the Touratech event next weekend, then heading up north to get away from all this sunshine.

Ch

 

[Bliss]

Goddam this talk is making me want a hyperpro!!!

For you guys who got it through a distributor rather than in person with Bas - is there any difference in terms of valving, hose lengths etc?

---

mhsnowy, magno, you mentioned how effortlessly and quickly the shocks were stripped and built - would you say it is possible to service Hyperpro's yourself?
What sort of special equipment was needed and what did he do about the high pressure nitrogen?

thanks!

 

[Losttheplot]

Goddam this talk is making me want a hyperpro!!!

For you guys who got it through a distributor rather than in person with Bas - is there any difference in terms of valving, hose lengths etc?

---

mhsnowy, magno, you mentioned how effortlessly and quickly the shocks were stripped and built - would you say it is possible to service Hyperpro's yourself?
What sort of special equipment was needed and what did he do about the high pressure nitrogen?

thanks!

If you go through a distributor, you may well get a phone call from Baz anyway to ask about how you have your bike set up, especially if you go for the hydraulic preload adjuster