Wilbers suspension...first ride proper

[Funners]

Well, after the rush of fitting and squeezing in a short test ride the day I went on my Holidays for two weeks, I finally got to ride my new Wilbers suspension units today...and I'm convinvced someone swapped bikes whilst I was away !

First of all, as per the short ride I managed, the impression you get is that the whole bike is Tauter than stock, less "Wallowy"
after warming it and the tyres up I started to ride more normally and TBH I had to re adjust as the tip in is faster, the turn is quicker and I was turning in too early for the first few corners...
once I'd got that sussed, the difference mid corner is quite noticable, no more vagueness, just lots of nice feedback and feeling like you could ride over anything that gets in your way !
I rode a good mix of fast open roads, tighter B roads and real bumpy single track
the fast stuff feels as per the above, the B roads seem smoother, the bumps are smoothed out without feeling loose, and as for the single track , again like chalk and cheese, no more does it seem to grip/slip on rippled corners, no longer do you crash thru pot holes and speed bumps are now a laugh to ride over instead of wincing as you hit them.
I Managed around 60 miles and can't fault them, plush yet firm at the same time...
Now don't get me wrong, I believe that the stock rear shock was on it's last legs(max pre-load and 1/4 from Max damping) and that contributes to the Euphoria
Also there is boubd to be a small amount of "new clothes" syndrome, BUT I sincerely believe that this IS how the GS(a) should be from the off, not the wallowing under damped thing it actually is:eyesdown.
So , all in all, I'm very pleased with my spend, worth every penny and those of you in the group buy should be well pleased with yours when they turn up

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Well, after the rush of fitting and squeezing in a short test ride the day I went on my Holidays for two weeks, I finally got to ride my new Wilbers suspension units today...and I'm convinvced someone swapped bikes whilst I was away !

First of all, as per the short ride I managed, the impression you get is that the whole bike is Tauter than stock, less "Wallowy"
after warming it and the tyres up I started to ride more normally and TBH I had to re adjust as the tip in is faster, the turn is quicker and I was turning in too early for the first few corners...
once I'd got that sussed, the difference mid corner is quite noticable, no more vagueness, just lots of nice feedback and feeling like you could ride over anything that gets in your way !
I rode a good mix of fast open roads, tighter B roads and real bumpy single track
the fast stuff feels as per the above, the B roads seem smoother, the bumps are smoothed out without feeling loose, and as for the single track , again like chalk and cheese, no more does it seem to grip/slip on rippled corners, no longer do you crash thru pot holes and speed bumps are now a laugh to ride over instead of wincing as you hit them.
I Managed around 60 miles and can't fault them, plush yet firm at the same time...
Now don't get me wrong, I believe that the stock rear shock was on it's last legs(max pre-load and 1/4 from Max damping) and that contributes to the Euphoria
Also there is boubd to be a small amount of "new clothes" syndrome, BUT I sincerely believe that this IS how the GS(a) should be from the off, not the wallowing under damped thing it actually is:eyesdown.
So , all in all, I'm very pleased with my spend, worth every penny and those of you in the group buy should be well pleased with yours when they turn up

Sounds good. I get the feeling my suspension isn't quite what is once was (3 yrs and 26,000 miles). If you don't mind me asking, where did you get it from, how much was it, and did they set it up according to your load and use requirements?

 

[Funners]

Sounds good. I get the feeling my suspension isn't quite what is once was (3 yrs and 26,000 miles). If you don't mind me asking, where did you get it from, how much was it, and did they set it up according to your load and use requirements?

I used Every Accessory, top lads and know their stuff, 10% off for being a member here as per OE thread on fitting them, around £340 for the front and £640 for the rear...rear bering the all singing all dancing...
with hydraulic pre-load..
set up for my weight, plus riding style and come with a complete set up sheet from the factory

 

[Tartan Terror]

Nice one! Next you'll be fitting a slipper clutch and cut slicks

 

[bumpy]

I have done a search on Wilbers on here and the story seems to be that success is variable. Are they difficult to specify when new or are they difficult to set up?

Also I am happy with the rear suspension but would like to take a bit of the sting out of the front which tends to put jolts through the handlebars when hitting (say) pot holes at speed. So my second question is 'can one fit the front Wilber alone, or must they be fitted in pairs'.

 

[cookie]

I have done a search on Wilbers on here and the story seems to be that success is variable. Are they difficult to specify when new or are they difficult to set up?

Also I am happy with the rear suspension but would like to take a bit of the sting out of the front which tends to put jolts through the handlebars when hitting (say) pot holes at speed. So my second question is 'can one fit the front Wilber alone, or must they be fitted in pairs'.

you can just fit a rear, or even just a front, but i wouldn't bother doing just the front.

mine still jolts the front over potholes with wilburs fitted both ends. i'd say it's inevitable. ohlins did it on my 1150 too.
the gain is the control the suspension exercises over the wheel travel. much tighter, less wallowy.
i'd say the OEM struts are more comfy, but the bike just floats about anywhere it wants. rapid geometry changes causing all sorts of havoc with the handling.
aftermarket shocks should sort that out.

it's all a bit of a compromise. you pays yer money.......

 

[bumpy]

you can just fit a rear, or even just a front, but i wouldn't bother doing just the front.

mine still jolts the front over potholes with wilburs fitted both ends. i'd say it's inevitable. ohlins did it on my 1150 too.
the gain is the control the suspension exercises over the wheel travel. much tighter, less wallowy.
i'd say the OEM struts are more comfy, but the bike just floats about anywhere it wants. rapid geometry changes causing all sorts of havoc with the handling.
aftermarket shocks should sort that out.

it's all a bit of a compromise. you pays yer money.......

Emmm that seems a bit at odds with what was described above - "no longer do you crash thru pot holes and speed bumps are now a laugh to ride over instead of wincing as you hit them."

Is this all about the set up?

 

[Funners]

the stock front has adjustable (stepped) pre-load..the new one has stepless pre-load and adustable damping...and is set for ME with spring weight
the stock rear has adjustable pre-load and damping..the new one has adjustable pre-load, high and low speed compression damping AND re-bound all adjustable seperately if needed again set up for ME... this can only be a good thing and the difference in ride quality over stock is very pronounced.
My Last bike was an Aprilia RSVR Factory with Ohlins suspension and the ride quality is similar to this now, with that elusive firm yet compliant feel...
I've been out again tonight and there is a massive improvement over bumps and holes and no sign of the compression dip "touch down" which prompted me to buy new units...
My opinion on this, is that it's even comfier with the Wilbers than stock as you don't get sea sick on it... and certainly MY experience so far is that it handles speed bumps and pot holes with far greater aplomb than as std...

Bumpy

as for your question regarding set up....Every Accessory/Wilbers want to know various things such as weight with kit, pillion or not and riding style, you can also spec shorter/longer than stock units as well if you want.
The unit is then built for YOU, sprung and damped for YOU and then set up as a good base line for YOU, from this you can twiddle to your hearts content if you so desire...
so far, I'm still running the base settings..

 

[spock]

this is something that I have been thinking about doing to my bike,it's a 05,1200gs,with just under 30k,and I find that I have to have the rear wound right up when 2up,and with panniers ,I have given the front about 3 or4 turns,and this has made the front a bit harder,but I do find that when I get the bike going into fast corners,you know where you can get round/through 90+ the bike kind'a flex,and more so if you have to go from left to right very quickly,and I sometimes get the back step out,but only by about 6in.or so,would a good suspension sort this out,or maybe I ort'a ride slower.
It's just taking that step to spend near on a grand,and would this setup last longer than 30k miles

 

[Funners]

this is something that I have been thinking about doing to my bike,it's a 05,1200gs,with just under 30k,and I find that I have to have the rear wound right up when 2up,and with panniers ,I have given the front about 3 or4 turns,and this has made the front a bit harder,but I do find that when I get the bike going into fast corners,you know where you can get round/through 90+ the bike kind'a flex,and more so if you have to go from left to right very quickly,and I sometimes get the back step out,but only by about 6in.or so,would a good suspension sort this out,or maybe I ort'a ride slower.
It's just taking that step to spend near on a grand,and would this setup last longer than 30k miles

for me, the bike touching down hard with my Mrs on the back and nearly spitting me off was the decider, BMW reckon the std shock is OK, but to my mind theres no way it should be on Max pre-load and damping and be OK..
but as in my above write up, I've lost that grip.slide feeling in rippled corners I had on the std shock and have more adjustablity thatn I'll ever really need.
was it worth it ?
only time will tell, again with the longevity only time but I sincerely hope that they'll last longet than the stock items 3000 miles !
also theres the matter of the full 5 year warranty on them... thats more than you get with BM....

 

[AdamA]

also theres the matter of the full 5 year warranty on them... thats more than you get with BM....

Transferable to the new owner?


(ME, when I rob em off ya. )

 

[Funners]

Transferable to the new owner?


(ME, when I rob em off ya. )

I'd actuallu pass you the spanners for the pleasure of watching you struggle to get em out fella !

 

[AdamA]

I'd actuallu pass you the spanners for the pleasure of watching you struggle to get em out fella !

Can't be much different from the ohlins I fitted on the 1150 and I managed them just fine.

 

[spock]

I'd actuallu pass you the spanners for the pleasure of watching you struggle to get em out fella !

they look an easy job to fit,it's getting the setting up spot on I guess?
anyway,I will see how the funds are after xmas.....xmas!I never said anything about xmas,it's still summ'a

 

[Funners]

they look an easy job to fit,it's getting the setting up spot on I guess?
anyway,I will see how the funds are after xmas.....xmas!I never said anything about xmas,it's still summ'a

to be fair the worst part was re-fitting the filler cap.took as long as the rest of the job put together !
Setting up was the easiest part...I've left em alone as Wilbers set em up for me...

 

[harry]

to be fair the worst part was re-fitting the filler cap.took as long as the rest of the job put together !
Setting up was the easiest part...I've left em alone as Wilbers set em up for me...

There's no need to give yourself all that grief with the filler cap.....much easier to move the tank back an inch or two

 

[cookie]

Emmm that seems a bit at odds with what was described above - "no longer do you crash thru pot holes and speed bumps are now a laugh to ride over instead of wincing as you hit them."

Is this all about the set up?

i think it's just the way the bike is. if you think you can hit speed bumps or potholes at 30mph and just glide over without feeling them, i think you will be dissapointed.
as Funners said, You don't get sea sick. "firm yet compliant feel..." is pretty much how i'd describe them, but perhaps not that compliant.

 

[bumpy]

if you think you can hit speed bumps or potholes at 30mph and just glide over without feeling them, i think you will be dissapointed.
QUOTE]

Does this sort of bike exist, as I haven't found it in the last 20 years?