Wilburs fitment.

[Delboy777]

This is usually taken as an insult (none intended) but raised boots would be a whole lot less money. Even 1/2" can make a big difference.
Easy enough to try with some old boots.

BMW missed a trick not delivering ride height adjustment on the fly as the old Citroens used to do. It's not like the technology was untested.

Yeah I thought about that Bendy. I'm 5' 8" but I've got short legs 28" unseen. I can't even wear any bike gear that's not made to measure. My only concern is the ride height and my last bike was a factory lowered GS. It was ok and off course the GSA is huge in comparison. I've not fallen off yet but I'm sure it will happen sooner than later. So im planning ahead so i might avoid disaster.


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[Alan R]

I can't comment on the lowering aspect of what you are proposing but fitting ESA Wilber is fairly straight forward. Talk to John or Nick at Revs Racing about what you require with regards to your riding style, weight etc.
You then remove the body work, petrol tank, rear wheel and exhaust can. Photograph the connectors and run of the leads to each ESA module on the shock absorber so that you can refit them correctly when your new Wilbers arrive. Then remove the shocks and parcel them up and send them to Revs. They will remove the ESA modules and refit them to your new Wilbers and send them together with your old shocks and springs back to you. Reassemble in reverse order.

None of the above is difficult but you will need a breaker bar and a source of heat to undo the rear shock bottom bolt. I use an old hair drier for about 20 minutes to allow the heat to soak into metal: seems to be hot enough and won't blister the paint.
If you don't have the space, tools (a bike lift bench is desirable) or confidence to do it yourself, the Revs will do it for you.
Alan R

 

[spm0912]

I lowered my GSA by 50mm about 25k miles ago. I didn't really have a problem with the standard height until I fitted a Corbin seat. I then found 2 up + luggage paddling a real challenge and though I never dropped it I was convinced I would. The oem shocks had done 35k miles so thought I'd change em out. When I saw the bike my first thought was Fuck, what have I done!!! However jumping on the bike with the wife to ride home I was much more comfortable with the height. The Corbin seat is wide and at 5'10 I can still only just get 1 foot flat on the floor. Revs will shorten the side stand and that is included in the cost. The centre stand just doesn't work. Yep I made up some blocks but it was a faff. Bought a paddock stand off here until a lowered second hand main stand came up on eBay which fits fine. If you keep the oem centre stand on it will ground out on corners.

You can raise the ride height by about 10 mm using high mountain on the ESA. This was plenty for the Dalton and various other semi off roady bits in Alaska and Canada. I'm used to the look now and wouldn't go back as I ride in London and the reduced height makes stop start riding easier. Because both the front and back are lowered the same amount the geometry is the same so no effect on handling. I've no regrets doing it and now have imho my perfect bike which I have no intention of getting rid of any time soon.
If you're not comfortable with the height of a standard GSA but want the extra fuel and weather protection of the GSA tank this is a good option. You also get the benefit of quality rebuildable shocks that hold a line in bumpy corners far better than stock.

The 1200 GSA is imho not a particularly good looking bike to start with so I don't see how lowering it makes it look strange. And anyway who wants a bike that looks like everyone elses

 

[Delboy777]

I lowered my GSA by 50mm about 25k miles ago. I didn't really have a problem with the standard height until I fitted a Corbin seat. I then found 2 up + luggage paddling a real challenge and though I never dropped it I was convinced I would. The oem shocks had done 35k miles so thought I'd change em out. When I saw the bike my first thought was Fuck, what have I done!!! However jumping on the bike with the wife to ride home I was much more comfortable with the height. The Corbin seat is wide and at 5'10 I can still only just get 1 foot flat on the floor. Revs will shorten the side stand and that is included in the cost. The centre stand just doesn't work. Yep I made up some blocks but it was a faff. Bought a paddock stand off here until a lowered second hand main stand came up on eBay which fits fine. If you keep the oem centre stand on it will ground out on corners.

You can raise the ride height by about 10 mm using high mountain on the ESA. This was plenty for the Dalton and various other semi off roady bits in Alaska and Canada. I'm used to the look now and wouldn't go back as I ride in London and the reduced height makes stop start riding easier. Because both the front and back are lowered the same amount the geometry is the same so no effect on handling. I've no regrets doing it and now have imho my perfect bike which I have no intention of getting rid of any time soon.
If you're not comfortable with the height of a standard GSA but want the extra fuel and weather protection of the GSA tank this is a good option. You also get the benefit of quality rebuildable shocks that hold a line in bumpy corners far better than stock.

The 1200 GSA is imho not a particularly good looking bike to start with so I don't see how lowering it makes it look strange. And anyway who wants a bike that looks like everyone elses

All noted and very helpful. I will have to see if i can find the dimensions of a lowered centre stand and do that work myself. I'm now thinking i will take the time off and just take the trip down to Halesowen and have the guys there do it for me, a lot easier and no faff. My legs are so short i couldn't lift the side stand and had to weld a nut onto it so that i could fit a long bolt to act as a leaver so my foot could reach it. I've now taken the low seat off it because although lower, it still spread my legs wide making the lack of length worse.I've fitted a standard GS seat that i got from a member of this parish, so i need to get the bike dropped a little.

 

[spm0912]

Looks alright to me!!

 

[Mistacat]

I purchased a pair of previously enjoyed wibers WESA shocks from this forum from a 2009 showa GS and fitted them to my 2012 GS (WP).
These wibers shocks are approx 35 mm shorter, I machined and fitted 4mm spacer for the rear to increase the pre-load to give me a seat height of 820mm in the one helmet position.
The calibration of the pre-load is a little out in the one helmet plus luggage position but everything else is spot on.
I shortened the center stand by 40mm it is now a lot easier to put on the center stand than stock, still have 20mm under the rear tyre.
I Increased the bend in the side stand to compensate for the lean angle, also helps it clear the shortened center stand, ( have a large shaped 6mm plate bolted to the bottom of the side stand.
The seat height is now the same as it was with the sagging stock rear spring. the wilbers are stronger so it no longer bottoms out 2 up with luggage.
I also find the rebound damping on the wilbers to be firmer which is a good thing.
Swapping over the units on the bike is easy enough, If you need your ESA units fitting to the wilbers shocks, they are easy to remove but you have to remove the bottom eye on the wibers to fit the ESA unit.
It is recomended that the units are de-gassed for this as the needle in the rebound damping unit can get damaged. ( Probably best to send them to Firefox etc to swap over the ESA units).
I was lucky mine came complete with ESA units fitted so it gives me a spare set of complete shocks to drop on should the need arise.

 

[Bendy toy]

I've had my Showa shocks off the bike. It's all spannering and easy enough if you work carefully. The front is very well tucked away so needs a lot of dismantling to gain access. The rear is easy to remove.
I've not separated the ESA gubbins from the shocks themselves. It looked to me that the hydraulic preload system is pressurised and I don't have the kit to pump it up again.

For time the job demands I think Revs charge a reasonable price for ride in - ride out.

When the ESA equipment fails there is another option with WESA-X but it's seriously not low cost.

 

[Delboy777]

I've had my Showa shocks off the bike. It's all spannering though the front is very well tucked away so needs a lot of dismantling to gain access.
I've not separated the ESA gubbins from the shocks themselves. It looked to me that the hydraulic preload system is pressurised and I don't have the kit to pump it up again.


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I have spoken to Jon at Revs and it looks like my best option is to take the bike down and have it done. I have had a very kind offer from a fellow tosser to stay for a night and I think that's the way to go. I will see if I can borrow a trailor and take the bike down, it's too far for me in one hit my hips won't take it if I ride bike down. Much more comfy in the car.


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[Mistacat]

Bendy
The Esa units separate from the stock showa shocks without de-pressurizing.
Just undo the little grub screw compress the spring and remove the wire clip.
Unfortunately you cannot remove or install the Esa units on the wilbers without de-pressurizing as the bottom eye has to be removed.
But easiest thing is to take the units off and take them along or post them to Revs.

 

[Greenman14]

I had mine done at Revs a few months ago, it took about 5 hours. I wanted to lower the bike by 15mm but John said they they couldn't do less than 35mm. There many be an even lower option. I stuck with standard but there's a few mm less sag with the Wilbers so the bike is effectively a bit higher which wasn't what I wanted but at least I can use the solo setting whereas before I was using rider + luggage. Anyway, my bike is loads better and although it not a cheap mod it's cheaper than a BMW or Ohlins fix and IMHO worth it.

 

[Delboy777]

I had mine done at Revs a few months ago, it took about 5 hours. I wanted to lower the bike by 15mm but John said they they couldn't do less than 35mm. There many be an even lower option. I stuck with standard but there's a few mm less sag with the Wilbers so the bike is effectively a bit higher which wasn't what I wanted but at least I can use the solo setting whereas before I was using rider + luggage. Anyway, my bike is loads better and although it not a cheap mod it's cheaper than a BMW or Ohlins fix and IMHO worth it.

I think they can go as far as 80mm lower if required. Although im not sure what that would do to the handling, if anything. Id like it to be as low as possible because i wont be selling this bike its my last and a keeper.

 

[spm0912]

I really wouldn't advise going as low as 80mm. I think you'll find 50mm and a low Sargent seat will be fine.

You could always just remove the whole seat and tape a pushbike seat above the battery like a very short legged Japanese rider did on the AlCan. Much cheaper than Wilbers

 

[Delboy777]

I really wouldn't advise going as low as 80mm. I think you'll find 50mm and a low Sargent seat will be fine.

You could always just remove the whole seat and tape a pushbike seat above the battery like a very short legged Japanese rider did on the AlCan. Much cheaper than Wilbers

Had Sergent seat fitted, sold it and put on standard GS seat, much more comfy but it does make the short arse thing worse, but the sergent did my head in and made my hips even worse because of the width. I think i will be looking at 50mm lower its better than nothing. Oh and i will have a set of OEM shocks to flog on here, only 8k on em.

 

[Bendy toy]

I also could not get on with Sargent seat. I'm 5' 8" with 31 inside leg. I like the Kahedo (Touratech) standard height. Tried the low low but it made the bars feel like apehangers. Renthal Mcgrath bend fatbars will fit and lower the bar rise. The issue then would be windscreen too high.


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[Bendy toy]

Bendy
The Esa units separate from the stock showa shocks without de-pressurizing.
Just undo the little grub screw compress the spring and remove the wire clip.
Unfortunately you cannot remove or install the Esa units on the wilbers without de-pressurizing as the bottom eye has to be removed.
But easiest thing is to take the units off and take them along or post them to Revs.

I e bought some low miles none ESA to use while Revs do their stuff with the shocks.

Ride height on GSA is higher than GS so worth asking Revs to detail exactly what they offer.

I wonder if anyone has an air ride option. Fast height adjustments with possibility of dropping the height on the move - low at at low speed/ town and higher once rolling on.

 

[Davey Bee]

These guys come with my highest recommendation, they messed up in a small way, they didn't try to BS their way out of it, they put it right. I then found a problem with pre load, (nothing to do with them) that needed servicing. With Christmas holidays and my impending trip due to start in January, Nick under promised and over delivered. Basically I posted the offending part last Monday, it was waiting for me when I got home on Thursday, good to go.
I don't think service gets much better than that.


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[Delboy777]

These guys come with my highest recommendation, they messed up in a small way, they didn't try to BS their way out of it, they put it right. I then found a problem with pre load, (nothing to do with them) that needed servicing. With Christmas holidays and my impending trip due to start in January, Nick under promised and over delivered. Basically I posted the offending part last Monday, it was waiting for me when I got home on Thursday, good to go.
I don't think service gets much better than that.


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Service at its finest indeed.