BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I know, tiresome subject. I searched and didn't find quite the discussion I was looking for though. So if you don't mind, is there anything better or equal to Ohlins for the RR? And who's great to buy from service-wise? I've had a good and not so good experience with Ohlins in the past. I am interested bump handling for performance but particularly for comfort.

Ted Porter's shop in Cali. Call him and he will give you all the info you want or need.
and Wilber's shocks as an alternative. There are others and they are all about the same price

That's a question I've been pondering recently -

But just what is there to gain from going to aftermarket units?
Worth the $?

I'm just a cruising rider, no high performance. Too old.

As I understand, our bikes handle quite well for stockers,
not that there isn't always room for improvement, but
specifically what and how much is to be gained for the $?

Thanks!

Ted Porter's shop in Cali. Call him and he will give you all the info you want or need.
and Wilber's shocks as an alternative. There are others and they are all about the same price

Dr. Strangelove has good advice, give Ted a call. The Wilbers are a little cheaper then Ohlins, and they are rebuildable. They also set them up custom for you. When they arrive at your door, you just need to install them, they will be adjusted properly right out of the box. That is as long as you gave them the proper information when you order them.

I bought a set of Ohlins for my R1150R a few years ago...

I will say that they are a huge improvement and alot more comfortable than the stock setup (and I'm not a racer!).

worth the money in my opinion.

It's my understanding that as long as your stock shocks are in good condition and not worn out - there is little to gain in jumping to aftermarket. However, the stock shocks were designed for a 150 lb rider and some of us equal 2 of those resulting in premature failure or poor sag. If you're a heavy like me - it seems that the aftermarket mfg's will place a shock designed for your weight and riding style.

Not to mention the stock shock has a relative short life (YMMV) and is not rebuild-able.

When my rear lost the secure handling feeling at speed in the curves at about 25K, I put an Ohlin on and all was good again. At about 50K, I had the Ohlin rebuilt.

My front went south (in my opinion) much later. I had a custom one done, utilizing an Ohlin spring. Everything is back to the good handling of the stock, with more adjustability! Unfortunately, the custom one will probably be a one-off. He said it was more expensive to do than just buying an Ohlin!

For a normal rider, I see no reason to replace the stocker until it gives up the ghost. But be sure you replace it with something that has adjustability and can be rebuilt.

Dr Strangelove, thanks for the word on Ted Porter. I'll contact him. As to the question brought up a couple of times about the reasonability of pricey aftermarket shocks, I guess I don't think most bike choices are reasonable. I like the shocks because with their added comfort value I have been able to push my riding pleasures now to three score and ten years. That's a big plus. But even before age was a factor I appreciated that they kept the bike on the road better, gave me more confidence pushing my limits, made me a better, safer rider. Riding with a good front shock you can glance down the fork tube and see the front fork moving constantly up and down the tube and feel nothing with the bars. Entertaining cycle trivia, I guess, and not worth paying the big bucks for! I wouldn't say the Ohlins, etc., are necessary, but I've always enjoyed that they made riding more fun.

wncbmw wrote:I don't think most bike choices are reasonable. I like the shocks because with their added comfort value I have been able to push my riding pleasures now to three score and ten years. That's a big plus.

Agree that bikes, at least in this category, are not primarily economical transportation when all the maintenance
costs are figured in.

Being only a scant few years behind your admirable longevity on bikes, I'm interested in your opinion.
What you say makes good sense and justifies the expense.

Thanks!

macx - that's not my quote but I agree!