"Which Rear Shock"/ Or rebuild?

[bikerider007]

On the 3rd day of a trip around the alps the rear shock went south
anyway carried on riding had it check by 2 different dealers just to make sure that is was safe. which it seems to have been as i am still here and 3500miles later.
Now the question is can the shock be rebuilt??
or get a new one,if so which brand i know ohlins(best name)(biggest price)etc
or maybe a maxton/hagon/hyperpro?
its for a 1200 GSA

 

[Wapping]

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250347

And lots of other threads very similar, most of which are lists of possible replacements and advice on whom to contact.

its for a 1200 GSA

... We'll at least you are in the right place.

One tiny question, though. Conventional suspension or the fancy electronic malarkey? Useful to know before bods start suggesting, perhaps?


PS After 3,500 successful miles since your alpine adventure, what do you think is wrong with it.... other than it going south?

 

[Rasher]

I think your out of luck on rebuids, MCT suspension in Stowmarket can do many OEM units but when I enquired about modding the GS shocks they said there is not much that can be done.

Ohlins are about £1350 for a pair, Wilburs £1000, if it is just a rear your after Nitron may be worth a look

http://www.nitron.co.uk/index.htm

They have 3 offerings for the GS starting with a basic one-way (like the OEM) unit at £300, rising to a fully adjustable with high and low speed damping model at around £500.

I would have thought even the £300 one would perform at least as well (probably better) than the OEM unit - and it can be rebuilt.

http://www.nitron.co.uk/nitron09/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_96_278

I have asked Nitron if they plan to do a front unit as I want to improve the suspension and don't have Ohlins funds available, they are also only a mile from me so if they need a machine to test they can have mone for the next month or so while I ain't using it.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Don't worry about changing both shocks. The front will last half a lifetime because it doesn't really do much.

I have Hyperpro rears on my 1200GSA and 1100 and they are top notch and great value. Wilburs get great reviews as well.

Well worth the investment IMHO.

 

[alistairl]

I think your out of luck on rebuids, MCT suspension in Stowmarket can do many OEM units but when I enquired about modding the GS shocks they said there is not much that can be done.

I wonder if it is model related, Kevin Raymond at RiDE magazine just got MCT to modify GS shocks to put on his R1100RS - http://www.bikersoracle.com/rs/forum/showthread.php?t=4886&highlight=suspension

That's for the old R1100 units of course, not 1200.

Regards

Alistair.

 

[bikerider007]

PS After 3,500 successful miles since your alpine adventure, what do you think is wrong with it.... other than it going south?

well the oil leaked out and it dropped an inch in height
the rebound is really bad now very bouncy(oil all gone probably running on just the spring)me thinks

the Austrian dealer i spoke to said bmw shocks are appalling in build quailty
(he runs an off road race team and a s1000rr race team)

my shock is non ESA also
cheers

 

[IainMac]

The stock 1150gsa shocks are shiete as std. My old un shat it's preload after 6k miles and the warranty replacement didn't really feel much better. Frontwas declared fit but when swapped out also felt like it had no damping. Ended up fitting ohlins front and rear but they were a lot cheaper back in 2002, downside back then was stock online rear was a bit undersprung for 2up . These days I'd go nitron or wp.

 

[Sparky]

Locally you have, MCT Suspension, in Stowmarket and FTR Suspension, Bury St. Edmunds, both recommended on this site to rebuild OEM suspension as well as supply good alternative options Ohlins etc.
Further afield you have the likes of Nitron suspension and Revs suspension for Wilbers.

Hope to be of use Sparky

 

[peter-k]

I think your out of luck on rebuids, MCT suspension in Stowmarket can do many OEM units but when I enquired about modding the GS shocks they said there is not much that can be done.

They can be rebuilt. For example HH-Racetech in Germany rebuilds them to a standard in the same class as Wilbers or Oehlins. A total rebuilt incl. new spring costs around Euro 350. If they are the 04 - 05 from WP then also WP rebuilds them.

Hyperpro uses progressive springs. As good as progressives are on the front of many motorcycles, for the rear I'd avoid this, and for the GS's front dito.

 

[diversion74]

Just to confirm that the 1200GS rear shock can be rebuilt.

Mine went a couple of years ago and I was told just to get it replaced as it wasn't serviceable.

I double checked with Firefox racing near Keighley who did a full rebuild for £85. Offered to set my suspension up if needed once I'd refitted it as well.
Top blokes who I'd use again.
They do offer postal service too.

http://www.firefoxracing.co.uk

Might be worth sending them an email or giving them a call for some advice.

They knew that they had to use short valve? for when the shock was regassed? due to how it fits in the frame so they have obviously done GS shocks before.

Hope this helps in some way.

If not please ignore my ramblings.

Andy