Removing 1250 GS shocks
- Thread starter BDG
- Start date
Look at utube for a Jim Von Baden video on how to take off the bodywork, he shows how to undo some hidden body fasteners on a 1200 GSA. The same fasteners are found on the 1250.
Decide where you are going to put down each part before you take it off not when you’re wandering round the garage with it in your hand.
Take copious photographs as you strip each part off so you can refer to them when you come to reassemble. Especially note cable routing and how each cable connector comes apart - some are quite perplexing and different to the one you’ve just done.
Where possible screw fasteners back into their locations as you go so they don’t get mixed up (different height shoulders etc).
Anticipate where the final drive unit and the front telelever will move to when unbolted from the suspension - pack and jack before unbolting so that movement is minimalised. Tape a pad of cardboard onto the top of the front of the engine where the telelever wishbone will contact when lowered on release from the suspension unit.
Heat up (with a hair dryer), the lower rear suspension bolt before attempting to loosen it. Remember (write down) how you fed the front suspension unit out from its location ie bottom back, top out first or top back, bottom out first. It will only go back the same way, no doubt reassembly will be sometime later when you’ve forgotten how it came out.
Not comprehensive but a few tips from experience.
Alan R
Decide where you are going to put down each part before you take it off not when you’re wandering round the garage with it in your hand.
Take copious photographs as you strip each part off so you can refer to them when you come to reassemble. Especially note cable routing and how each cable connector comes apart - some are quite perplexing and different to the one you’ve just done.
Where possible screw fasteners back into their locations as you go so they don’t get mixed up (different height shoulders etc).
Anticipate where the final drive unit and the front telelever will move to when unbolted from the suspension - pack and jack before unbolting so that movement is minimalised. Tape a pad of cardboard onto the top of the front of the engine where the telelever wishbone will contact when lowered on release from the suspension unit.
Heat up (with a hair dryer), the lower rear suspension bolt before attempting to loosen it. Remember (write down) how you fed the front suspension unit out from its location ie bottom back, top out first or top back, bottom out first. It will only go back the same way, no doubt reassembly will be sometime later when you’ve forgotten how it came out.
Not comprehensive but a few tips from experience.
Alan R
There are a few on here that have swapped the shocks on their GS/GSA. It’s not a difficult job, it might seem daunting to start with but as you get into it, it just seems to flow. Some good advice from Alan R. I did my 2015 GS a couple of years ago, and enjoyed doing it.....Good luck.
Is your bike D-ESA?
Is your new shock a new BMW shock? If so check what the preload and damping is set at eg ROAD mode, ROAD damping, MAX preload.
Before starting work set the preload and damping on your bike match. If you don't do this it will mess up the calibration.
Is your new shock a new BMW shock? If so check what the preload and damping is set at eg ROAD mode, ROAD damping, MAX preload.
Before starting work set the preload and damping on your bike match. If you don't do this it will mess up the calibration.
Great advice, many thanks Alan
I’m replacing the standard shocks with Touratech/Tractive shocks but interesting point you’ve made.
To get access to the rear shock, hinge the rear end out of the way! Remove the bottom frame bolts, loosen the top bolts, disconnect the ecu and other local wiring connectors and secure with a ratchet strap. Here are a couple of photographs of my 1200 GSA but the principle is the same for the 1250gs
Good luck
Alan R
Good luck
Alan R
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Do them one at a time, the rear takes a few hours .
The front takes longer although it is a bit easier on a GS as the tank is lighter, try to do it with a nearly empty tank and double check the fasteners to make sure they go back in the right place.
Plenty of heat from a hot air gun on the shock fixing bolts to get them moving, clean the remains of the thread lock compound off them and use new stuff on refitting.
The LC models make what was a less than 2 hour job on an oilhead or hexhead a bit of a marathon
The front takes longer although it is a bit easier on a GS as the tank is lighter, try to do it with a nearly empty tank and double check the fasteners to make sure they go back in the right place.
Plenty of heat from a hot air gun on the shock fixing bolts to get them moving, clean the remains of the thread lock compound off them and use new stuff on refitting.
The LC models make what was a less than 2 hour job on an oilhead or hexhead a bit of a marathon
My dealer fitted my TT rear shock when the bike was in for a service, it was only £100 extra on the service. Drop my bike off, ride round on a demo of my choice for half a day then collect my bike. Nice and easy.
The front TT shock was fitted by a local mechanic who is getting into working on GSs, that was £150.00.
For the time it would have taken me to do it myself it worked out cheaper to get an expert to do it.
The front TT shock was fitted by a local mechanic who is getting into working on GSs, that was £150.00.
For the time it would have taken me to do it myself it worked out cheaper to get an expert to do it.
Are you sure as i did that and it screwed eveything up , its Road MIN setting not MAX . Internet instructions.
https://shop.touratech.com/media/manuals/09-045-5885-0.pdf
Sorry to point out some thing that may not have been clear , that’s why I posted the link due to the issue I had , and felt your eg could be misleading and a pain to rectify. If you get it wrong it’s a right mare
Wow, many thanks for this Denz0, that’s great,
After talking it through with Nick at Touratech, they suggested one up from standard due to my weight etc. They’ve gone up one from standard on the springs. Can’t remember what that is off the top of my head.
After talking it through with Nick at Touratech, they suggested one up from standard due to my weight etc. They’ve gone up one from standard on the springs. Can’t remember what that is off the top of my head.
Just removed the front one from my 2018 gsa this afternoon to adjust the ride height via the top eye , bear in mind I was up to speed on the job having just fitted it a month or so back it took me about 3 1/2 hours from start to finish
The TT instructions are very good - plenty of pictures, and what settings to use prior to changeover.
Interestingly on the rear I chose to remove the wheel as this gave better access to the shock - in and out without much of a prob, and swingarm wiggley wiggley quite easy.
As for the front, I was determined not to remove the airbox as it all looked so complicated - just levered it back enough to just get in there. And as Neul W says, it takes ages!
I don't remove the airbox on most of occasions. After removing two screws and inlet pipes there is just enough space to get to the bolt with an extra-long extension.
And for people that work on RT removing and installation takes double the time so I've stopped complaining about GS...
Also I have some nice upgrades for GS shocks just to make them perform a little bit better.
Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk
And for people that work on RT removing and installation takes double the time so I've stopped complaining about GS...
Also I have some nice upgrades for GS shocks just to make them perform a little bit better.
Sent from my SM-G780G using Tapatalk
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