New Shocks

[toolinalong]

My latest desire is to change out my shock absorbers. The rear is feeling a bit used up. I would love it if anyone has any experience with this and could share their thoughts with me.

Thanks in advance.

[toner87]

I would also like to know some of the warning signs that new shocks might be needed... Shocks go so gradually that you don't notice that your ride has seriously deteriorated, unless, of course, you know what to look for...
T.

[iowabeakster]

It seems to me that many of us have some confusion about motorcycle suspension. I read about guys who are setting the damper adjustment to "hard" as if it will help cornering. Another thing I read about is heavier guys setting the damper "hard", as if the damper is what supports the weight of the bike and rider, when the weight is supported by the spring.

Motorcycles do not have "body roll" like a 4 wheeled car. (when the weight is shifted to the 2 outside wheels when turning a car) All of the weight is supported on two wheels, all of the time, on a motorcycle.

Heavier guys i thought should be looking for a "heavier" spring if their bikes are riding near the suspension "bottom."

I started off my shocks "soft". I will adjust them "harder" as the shock wears normally. After it is set as "hard" as it gets, and the suspension is not properly dampened (bouncy). It is time for new ones.

Setting the shocks "hard" inappropiately, will cause the shock to wear prematurely. Hitting a curb, pot hole, etc with it set "hard" and heavily loaded could cause instantaneous failure (blown damper).

We want our suspension to move. This keeps the bump energy from being transferred to the rider (happy rider). Over dampening the shock will stress the shock damper and the rider. On the other hand, we do not want the suspension to "float" too freely or we would bounce down the road a while after hitting a bump. The damper is to restrict bounciness and stabilize the bike and rider.

Enough of my laymans blathering. The real motorcycle wrenches should now speak up and give us the real story.

[wncbmw]

I knew my rear was going when I lost that nice secure feeling the bike used to have when it hit a bump while leaning hard through a curve. Some "high pucker factor" moments while riding hard caused me to suck it up and put a Ohlin on the back.

The front will be replaced my Christmas, just so the colors don't clash!

[beemerphile]

I put Wilbers shocks on mine. I am quite well satisfied. They are less expensive than Ohlins, but the general rap is that they are a bit better. I've never had Ohlins so I couldn't compare them.

[single650]

I had a twitchy rear end - until I changed the tyres.

The metzler sportec tyres were just too flexible.

Go for the cheap option before changing shocks

[R4R&R]

Tires can definitely make a difference in handling - I love the feel of new tires. The bike turns so much easier, and is more predictable.

As for shocks, I think I need a new pair but it's not THAT obvious. Having about 42k miles on the bike, I'm sure they need replacement but I can't say that I notice any adverse handling characteristics.

Since a pair of shocks are not cheap, I would like to know the biggest difference between the brands. They all seem to be close in pricing.

[Beemeridian]

786

[Samiam]

Good question and one I've wondered about as well. Hard to believe there is no "automotive" shock, i.e. Koni, KYB, etc., that could be used. Has anyone ever tried?

[wncbmw]

I had a twitchy rear end - until I changed the tyres.

Not the tires for me. Had some issues with the Z6s and Stadas. I know the difference. If fact, I made the shock change shortly after the new Pirellis went on and felt the difference immediately.

Of course, if you have crappy tires on the bike, you need to change them first anyway.

[r1150rider]

I put off replacing my stock shocks until about 45k miles, by that time even I realized it was well past time. It is, of course, a very subjective thing- some like a soft cushy ride and some prefer a firmer set-up for better handling. I opted for the Ohlins, they weren't much more expensive than what the dealer wanted for new stock ones. I'm at 60k now, I can honestly say that was the best money I've ever spent on the 'R. Replaced the cat and stock silencer with a Remus y-pipe and "can" at the same time, lightened the bike by 17lbs and between that and the Ohlins it felt almost like a completely different bike! The really neat thing about the Ohlins is their adjustability, you can pretty much dial in whatever you want- and they're rebuildable! I can't recommend them highly enough, pricey but worth it (in my opinion). Let me put it this way- I have a deposit on a 1200R, if the Ohlins on the 1150 will fit on it (which I seriously doubt) then I will swap them. If not, I will replace the stock ones on the 1200 as soon as Ohlins are available for it... yes, it makes that big of a difference, and I'm not a particularly fast rider and therefore not really sensitive to the subleties of suspension.

[daslimpet]

Car shocks.... I picked up two for my S10 last month. Total price $56

What the &^%$ is up with moto-cycle shocks?!?!?!?! $1,000 There oughta be a law against that sort of robbery.

[socalrob]

Ed,

I'm pretty serious about getting an R1200R too. I'm figuring / hoping for the early spring of 2007.

My big question on the R1200R is if it would be better to get Ohlins front & rear instead of spending $$ on the Electronic Adjustable Suspension option. The ESA can fail, at least on the BMW Sport Touring board they have talked about some glitch that can leave you with zero preload, I one guy told of a pretty nasty ride back from Vegas way with the shock at bottom. At least if I bough the Ohlins I could use the stock shocks when the Ohlins need rebuilding.

How are the Ohlins on LA freeway expansion joints? I'm looking for a smoother ride instead of the pogoing I've been getting lately.

I'm thinking of holding out for one of the pin striped black beauties. How about you?

[wncbmw]

The Ohlins, and most good shocks, have adjustability so you can get whatever ride quality you want. My own desire was an ability to stay planted on a rough road while leaned over in the twisties. I ride a lot of those. It took me a month of fooling around with the settings before I got serious and dialed it all the way down to where I knew it was wrong, then back to where my test ride on a very twisted and very rough road near my house revealed I had achieved what I wanted.

Now all I have to do is twist the pre-load a couple of times when I load up the saddlebags and camping gear and I am set.

You can also change the ride to deal with expansion cracks but will probably give away some ability to ride harder without changing the settings again. Fortunately, on the Ohlins, changes are easy and require no tools.

[MattPie]

Car shocks.... I picked up two for my S10 last month. Total price $56

What the &^%$ is up with moto-cycle shocks?!?!?!?! $1,000 There oughta be a law against that sort of robbery.

I suspect those are just the shocks, not the coil-over shock and spring combo.

For your S10:
http://www.performancesuspension.com/QA1.html
I assume the Ohlins for the R1150R are at least 2-way adjustable (rebound, preload, and damping?) but I'm no expert on these things.

[iowabeakster]

I suspect that car shocks are so much cheaper because of VOLUME. How many s10's out there on the road? how many ranger's and mazda's, and nissan's and Many other models for Many years all use the same shock? Auto manufacturers also are buying these shocks in massive volumes as original equipment. The point is that common auto parts may be manufactured contiuously for years, or even decades.

Our motorcycles are very few, and very few of those recieve replacement shocks.

A manufacturer of shocks might expect to sell millions of a commonly used shock size for say generic mid-size sedans, or light trucks. A manufacturer of shocks for an R1150R, may expect to sell a couple thousand.

Production costs are spread only over a very few select customers, us lucky motorcycle riders.

[r1150rider]

Rob- one of the really neat things about the Ohlins is that they do a great job on the freeway expansion joints! Like wncbmw, it took some time to arrive at the settings that suit me best- mine are prob'ly set a tad "softer" than what would be optimum for really aggressive riding. But I've found a nice compromise that isn't "cushy" but it's not harsh, either. And by simply turning a conveniently located knob, you can increase or lessen the preload on the rear. And while I think the black/pinstriped 1200R is beautiful, I'm opting for the "granite grey". But- I know that when I see it in person, I may not like that color... just hafta wait and see! Oh, regarding the ESA- not for me, I appreciate advances in technology but prefer to keep things simple, for the most part. Neat concept, but for me it's answering a question I never asked...

[Osiris]

The thing with motorcycle shocks is that they are (like before stated) coilovers. You can get the same thing for cars, which too cost oodles more than standard shocks. The reason for the price difference is that with coilovers there is the nearly infinite adjustability factor.

One of the main things that I see the most, being from a metric bike background is tha people too often set their suspensions either too soft or too hard. This can be bad at both ends of the spectrum. Too soft and you're "lofting" or floating down the road. Too hard and you're not keeping positive contact with the ground. Every person is different in their style of riding and the weight that they carry. So, keep in mind that you will always have to do some experimentation with your own bike in order to find that perfect balance or "suspension zen" if you will.