BalancePoint Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 From those who have done it in the not-to-distant past, what's a fair price on the bike and out the door for a new pair of either?
ArthurKnowles Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 Ohlins for my LT were quoted at $1300+. Wilbers were $1400+. For my RT I was quoted an intial price of $1300, so I bought a used set for $800 then $400 later on the rebuild (the front was an older model and required machining to install a new schrader valve to fill with gas). So, I spent $1200. I installed them myself. I've seen a few used Wilbers on the for sale section (since then) for $600. So you could save a few bucks over new, but honstly I wouldn't do it again. I'd just spend the $1300 out right. Do keep in mind that if your dealer installs the shocks you may pay almost double the price for all the work the selaer will have to go through to actually install them.
BalancePoint Posted July 6, 2008 Author Posted July 6, 2008 Ohlins Do keep in mind that if your dealer installs the shocks you may pay almost double the price for all the work the selaer will have to go through to actually install them. I'm lucky enough to have a real good BMW guy nearby who does great work at about 75% of the cost of the two nearby Florida dealers. He isn't as cheap as me, but he's thorough and honest. And since he spends most of his time working on KTMs and Moto Guzzis, he's grateful to turn wrenches on an oilhead. His dealership is also an Ohlins dealer, so when I get there by Fall I will probably steer it that way. Pennies in the jar 'til then...at the rate of 23 cents per mile.
jay723 Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 I paid under $1200 for my wilburs for the RT from MAX BMW this spring. If you can install them yourself, you will save some money. The Ohlins were a lot more. I have had both and the quality is about the same in my opinion.
OoPEZoO Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 I know you didn't mention Works, but I just put a pair of Works Performance Shocks on my RT this afternoon. Total cost came to $1192.10
BalancePoint Posted July 6, 2008 Author Posted July 6, 2008 I certainly would not rule them out. This is a pretty frickin big-ticket item. On a bike where big-ticket troubles lurk around any corner...
eddd Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 I have a sets of Works in the works as well. (could have used them today on NM 152 heading into Silver City). My total came to just under $1000. I got the rear from Work on ebay. It was one they had built but the deal was never finalized. You'll see a variety of shocks on ebay from Works. Worth looking into.
KingBiscuit Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 Just bought Wilbers from Ted Porters Beemer Shop this spring. Was great to deal with, got the shocks when promised. Had the dealer put them on. Paid just under $1,300 for the shocks and dealer charged me around $400 to put them on. In retrospect, would prob. install them myself next time. The shocks are great. According to Ted Porter, "custom" to Ohlins means different springs. To Wilbers, it means that the entire shock is built to your specs...valving, spring, angle of the adjustment screws, everything. Dan
jlupton Posted July 7, 2008 Posted July 7, 2008 +1 On the Wilburs. $1,400.00 plus duties ($62.00) so around $1,500.00 installation is EZ. Makes a big difference. Anybody looking for a used set of stock shocks? 36K miles.
Bob Bernstein Posted July 7, 2008 Posted July 7, 2008 Why not save a bunch and go with Works Performance? I had Wilburs on my VStrom and liked them a lot but they are now way too expensive! Works, front and rear, on my 07 RT are great.
blackyam Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Why not save a bunch and go with Works Performance? I had Wilburs on my VStrom and liked them a lot but they are now way too expensive! Works, front and rear, on my 07 RT are great. I recently got quotes for both Works Performance (direct) and Wilbers (from BeemerShop) for my '02 R1150RS. Works reply (May 23, 2008): "We can do the Street Tracker for the front for $469.00 it will feature threaded preload and adjustable rebound dampening. The rear we have a few options. We can do the Ultrasport with adjustable rebound and a hydraulic preloader for $929.00 or you can send in factory shock so we can use the factory preloader for $649.00." BeemerShop reply (June 21, 2008): "The cost for the most popular shocks would be the Wilbers front and rear at $1357.00 for the pair." (Adjustable F/R and includes a remote hydraulic spring preload adjuster R.) So, it seems that, apples to apples, Works = $1,398 vs. Wilbers = $1,357 for my bike. YMMV. I also got a quote from LE Suspension for rebuilding the stock shocks. LE (May 8, 2008): "we can do the rears, and most of the fronts. the front needs to have a seam around the perimeter of the body tube on the shaft bearing end, about 1/4"-1/2" from that end of the tube. if it is rolled smooth-no seam, or has a weld, thd are not cost effective to rebuild. On some BMW you will need to make clearance for the schraeder valve we use to put nitrogen in. see attached. rebuild to new, about $200 a shock. rebuild/revalve/respring for improved performance, about $395 a shock."
Juan_in_a_million Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 Why not save a bunch and go with Works Performance? I had Wilburs on my VStrom and liked them a lot but they are now way too expensive! Works, front and rear, on my 07 RT are great. I bought a pair of Works Performance shocks for my 96 RT two years ago. I absolutely love them. The quality and workmanship is pretty good also. I don't remember how much I paid but, I think it was around 1100 bucks. The downside is that I had to send them my rear shock for them to switch the reservoir into the new WP. If you want to adjust the preload by turning a nut, then you can skip the sending back of your rear Showa.
mefly2 Posted July 14, 2008 Posted July 14, 2008 My Wilbs - in like new condition with less than 3k miles - were $500 on this forum ...
topdal46 Posted July 14, 2008 Posted July 14, 2008 Waiting for my Works shocks right now, got a old preload adjuster from a former BMW shop in Fort Worth, they sent it in for me, $1180.00 for front and rear for my 1999 R1100RT. It would be much cheaper to find a preload adjuster from somebody's old shocks, than have Works use one of theirs, still I'm expecting a big improvement in ride quality. 63,000 on the bike, and I've had it since new, the shocks are worn out (stock), I'm heading up to Santa Fe, New Mexico the week of 21 July, wish I had the new shocks,but I'm not expecting them to show up until I return.
billy bee Posted July 15, 2008 Posted July 15, 2008 I had Works shocks on my GS and am about to buy (maybe) an RT with Wilburs. I was quite pleased with the Works. Easier to install on a GS than the RT, for sure. Used my existing pre-load adjuster and save a few hunnert $$$. And I am certain that Works customizes the shock valving and spring to your weight and riding style. They will set them up however you like. They also put too light a spring on the rear and replaced it for free. Good to deal with and stand behind what they sell. Lastly, Works Performance is a local business (in the San Fernando Valley). I'd much rather support them than a company that sells shocks in Euros...especially right now. bb
doc47 Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 At this time I wouldn't recommend Ohlins. They are a wonderful product but the company has changed hands twice and apparently their parts distribution system is in disarray. Both Wilburs and Works Performance are excellent.
blackyam Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 My Wilbs - in like new condition with less than 3k miles - were $500 on this forum ... Wow, that's great! However, I'm a little confused because I thought these shocks were custom made. If that's the case, how does one buy a used set that was made to fit another person? Can they be remade to custom fit after the fact? Thanks.
KingBiscuit Posted July 16, 2008 Posted July 16, 2008 If your specs (height, weight, riding style, bike, etc.) closely match the used wilbers that are for sale, you can take a chance and purchase them. If you don't mind working around shocks that are set up for someone of different size than you, you can purchase them too. It's all up to you and how confident you feel buying used shocks. Dan
Bruce H Posted July 18, 2008 Posted July 18, 2008 I just bought a set of ohlins for my RT. at the looks of the responses I might have paid too much. $1580.00 delivered and I installed myself. Those that have ohlins I do have a question? the rear shock has the heaviest spring they have and yet to get the sag ammount listed in the instructions I have to crank the pre-load all the way tight. my thinking is that I should tighten the spring more than the 10mm it came with. They send me a different front spring than first calculated and it seems right. commements?...
Eckhard Grohe Posted August 4, 2008 Posted August 4, 2008 Bruce H: Could you give us some numbers to work with. What is your weight??? What springs are on the shocks??? What was the number of the spring you changed? FYI. I weigh 275 in my street clothes and I also have the heaviest spring for the back, a 1093-89-210 and had a 1096-13-58 on the front. I just got the new 1096-15-62 for the front and will be installing it soon.
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