Finally! New shocks.

[Jimmy2Time]

I finally bit the bullet and got some Ohlins (with heavy duty spring) for my 99 R1100RTP. Way overdue.

Really, WAY OVERDUE...

 

New Shocks! by Jimmy2Time

 

Cheshire Motorsports is putting them in today and I'll pick it up tomorrow. My wife is excited and hopes the firm ride will make her passenger riding more comfortable. We'll see soon.

 

[Paul De]

You will be pleased with the results...and doubly POed that you did not do it as soon as you got the bike. My Ohlins transformed my '99 RT in terms of ride quality, rough road cornering hold and handling (I lengthened the rear shock by a couple of millimeters to quicken the steering).

 

I swallowed hard when I put out what I thought was stupid money for them and later realized it was one of the best modifications. After dialing them in, I never regretted that expenditure again.

 

 

[Sweendog]

Those look nice, I'm sure they'll freshen up the ride. I know on the Silverwing everyone who moved to aftermarket springs and/or shocks loved the change.

 

 

[beemerboy]

.........I swallowed hard when I put out what I thought was stupid money for them and later realized it was one of the best modifications. After dialing them in, I never regretted that expenditure again.

 

Care to elaborate on how you "dialed them in?" Seriously, inquiring minds want to know what process you used.

 

[Paul De]

Well you asked for it

 

In any suspension tuning exercise there is a high degree of riding style and personal preference that goes into your perfect settings. In terms of sport riding, all other things being equal, a super smooth style can have a preference for softer settings than a slam-bang, point and shoot style would need and prefer. A touring rider loaded to the max, or super aggressive sport rider will like a higher rate, or even a progressive rate spring, and will need more damping to control the loads from baggage in the case of a touring rider or the higher G forces from fast cornering, accelerating, and braking for the sport rider. I won’t touch the un-sprung weight influence on suspension settings as this is a fixed factor for the bike you are riding.

 

In any case, when I have set up a suspension my goal is to maximize compliance (tires on one the road) while limiting chassis movement. This will make the bike easier to ride regardless of your load or riding style. At the extremes, way too soft and the chassis boats around like a 70’s Lincoln town car with worn out shocks with wheels bouncing off the ground from a lack of damping control. Way to stiff and the ride is needlessly harsh with tires loosing contact with the road surface as it skitters over every ripple in the road. Setting the suspension is attenuating these extremes out. Perfection is somewhere between these extremes and weight, rider style and personal preference determines suspension nirvana for that person.

 

My case for suspension Nirvana went like this. When I bought my Ohlins the shop wanted my weight and riding style which is an inevitable compromise for the sport touring segment of the market. The variables are really big (solo VS two up VS loaded to the max and cushy soft touring VS taught sport riding). I took the 90/50/10 percent approach and gave the shop the 90/50 on weight and riding style. (only a few less beers will fix the weight issue and I aint give’n up my IPA just yet). My springs and preload on the threaded locking collars were good as shipped for all but two up fully loaded as this is really only 10% of my riding.

 

As I said before I had wanted to quicken the steering (reduce rake & trail) by lengthening the rear shock by 3 mm. Given the location of the shock caution is advised as the shock length gets multiplied as you get out to the axle and measure up to the seat frame rail or some other fixed location on the rear sub frame and seat area. I did not want to accomplish this by modifying lessening the sag numbers too much at the rear as this would put the front and rear shocks out of balance with each other. This gets into a grey area and I expect replies will come in with corrections to what I am saying, so let me explain a little. Although, the Ohlins only have rebound damping adjustment, I swear that there is some link to compression damping with both compression and rebound damping going up or down with that single knob…or at least that is how it feels. YOMV.

 

I started at the recommended sag and rebound clicks as suggested on the nicely done set up documentation from Ohlins. After test riding these settings, I found that my preference for sedate riding was to set the front and rear with a little less damping to improve plushness for commuting and tooling around the countryside with the wife on day trips and to use a bit more preload on the hydraulic adjuster in the rear (wished I had added that 4th or 5th mm of length to the rear shock). For 50 year old man sport riding I add 4 clicks of damping to the rear shock and add 5 to 7 clicks to the front shock. If I want to relive my youth and really get after a road I will add a few more clicks of damping front and rear as the forces acting on the suspension are greater and to be honest I tend to loose my smooth and need to compensate for a more slam-bang style.

 

[DunRTer]

So, James, tell us: how much of an improvement were they? Mine are getting a bit tired, too, the front especially. Big bikkies buying them in Oz, so am also considering having originals rebuilt.

[Selden]

.........I swallowed hard when I put out what I thought was stupid money for them and later realized it was one of the best modifications. After dialing them in, I never regretted that expenditure again.

Care to elaborate on how you "dialed them in?" Seriously, inquiring minds want to know what process you used.

Perennial questions here... I had my Öhlins serviced within the past year, and also spent a fair amount of time tweaking the suspension on my HawkGT when I first got it. Here are the basics as I understand them.

 

Static sag: Assuming the springs are the correct weight, 25%-35% of total suspension travel. If the springs are too soft or strong, no amount of fiddling can compensate. Front is easy: put a zip-tie around a fork tube and measure its displacement after you get on the bike and place your full weight on the seat. Rear is a little more difficult: I strap/tape a magic marker at some point on the swingarm corresponding to the rear axle (really easy with the newer FD design, with the big hole in the middle), then attach a yardstick or other flat thing, such that the magic marker leaves a trace. I have my RT set for 1.75" static sag at each end. For a bike with remote pre-load adjustment, I set the preload on the shock body such that I get my desired 30% static sag without saddlebags or other load, with the remote adjuster at 0 turns (actually, zero force). This leaves the entire range available to compensate for luggage and passenger. The lower shock mount on my rear shock has a threaded shaft, so that some length adjustment is possible, but this affects geometry, rather than spring preload/damping.

 

Rebound damping: Unlike static sag, which is objectively measurable, damping is subjective, using the butt meter. If you know the recommended factory recommendation, start there and (in the case of Öhlins), back off 8-10 clicks. If unknown, start at full soft. Then start applying more damping, 2 clicks at a time, until the suspension starts to feel harsh. Back off 1 click. At this point, you should be within +/- 1 or 2 clicks of the damping that you desire. I road about 1600 miles in the past week, and had the opportunity to experiment with the settings. I was really surprised that when the damping setting is correct (at least with the Öhlins) a single click makes a discernible difference. Painting a reference mark between the knurled flats on the damping adjustment knob is extremely helpful.

 

Keep written records, especially your initial (unmodified) set up! If worst comes to worst, you can always revert to your starting set up if you have recorded what it was. Without a known starting point and record of changes, it's extremely easy to lose track of the changes you have made, and end up with a mess.

[Jimmy2Time]

So, James, tell us: how much of an improvement were they? Mine are getting a bit tired, too, the front especially. Big bikkies buying them in Oz, so am also considering having originals rebuilt.

 

The weather really hasn't been cooperating at all so I've only taken it out a couple times for a short ride each time in between rain storms.

I'm still trying to dial it in but it does feel pretty good so far.

I also put a new rear tire on the bike as well and when I hit 100 miles on that, I'll feel more comfortable to take it hard into the turns to really see how this feels.

I'll keep you updated.

[MT Wallet]

How many miles did you have on the bike when you made the change?

[Jimmy2Time]

How many miles did you have on the bike when you made the change?

 

My bike just hit 77k miles.

I should have made the change years ago.

 

I took it out last Saturday, tested out the shocks and slowly dialing it in. Seems a bit bouncy when I softened it by two turns. Turned it back two turns to hard...

[Witch_Doctor]

I have been told that 30,000 is the life expectancy on the OEM shocks. Seems a bit thin, but maybe not.

[russell_bynum]

It depends on a number of factors. Mine were toast at 28k. I've ridden bikes with 40k with original shocks still working...or..working as well as the stock shocks do, anyway.

 

Certainly if your stockers are toast, you'll see a huge benefit if you switch (even to a new pair of crappy stockers.)

 

But honestly, even if you ride the bike off the showroom floor and install aftermarket shocks that same day, you'll still get a big improvement. The stock shocks just really don't do a good job, even at their best.

[AndyS]

I have been told that 30,000 is the life expectancy on the OEM shocks. Seems a bit thin, but maybe not.

 

Hi Chris, many folk consider their rear shock 'toast' and replace it. However, in truth, the fluid has vapourised from the preload resevoir and their bike is handling poorly due to that. Once the preload resevoir has been topped up, oddly the feel is miraclulous almost. Somewhat similar to the excalmations of us who fitted our Ohlins units.

One post as to how it's done can be found here: http://members.cox.net/slartidbartfast/bmwfix/shock-oil/shock-oil.htm

 

But honestly, even if you ride the bike off the showroom floor and install aftermarket shocks that same day, you'll still get a big improvement. The stock shocks just really don't do a good job, even at their best.

 

Hi Russell I was very happy with my OEM shocks for at least the first 20000miles on both of my RT's.

 

Andy

[russell_bynum]

Did you have any recent experience with good aftermarket shocks?

 

I was happy as well, but I'd never ridden a bike with good shocks. My bike before the RT was a '98 Bandit, which had an even crappier stock suspension. I got on the RT and thought I'd found nirvana. Ignorance is bliss.

 

Also, for what it is worth, my bike was still holding preload just fine. The problem was the damping went away. I know some folks have had the preload system leak, but I don't think that's the typical way that shocks die.

[dan cata]

I have been told that 30,000 is the life expectancy on the OEM shocks. Seems a bit thin, but maybe not.

 

Hi Chris, many folk consider their rear shock 'toast' and replace it. However, in truth, the fluid has vapourised from the preload resevoir and their bike is handling poorly due to that. Once the preload resevoir has been topped up, oddly the feel is miraclulous almost. Somewhat similar to the excalmations of us who fitted our Ohlins units.

One post as to how it's done can be found here: http://members.cox.net/slartidbartfast/bmwfix/shock-oil/shock-oil.htm

 

But honestly, even if you ride the bike off the showroom floor and install aftermarket shocks that same day, you'll still get a big improvement. The stock shocks just really don't do a good job, even at their best.

 

Hi Russell I was very happy with my OEM shocks for at least the first 20000miles on both of my RT's.

 

Andy

 

Andy,

 

I have 2 questions:

 

1'st is if ther is any air left inside the handle screw or the hose when installing the hose to the handle.

2'nd is what kind of oil can I use in there? I have read somewhere that regular oil + lots of air pressure may cause explosions in shocks...

 

Thanks,

Dan.

[AndyS]

Hi Dan,

Answers:

1/. With bike on centrestand and adjuster screwed fully out - no pressure - air or oil - in hose.

2/. Use hydraulic jack oil.

 

Method:

Ensure the adjuster is full screwed out, then you need to unmount the adjuster from the frame.

Not the angle and position of the hose banjo on the adjuster body.

Then remove the hydraulic hose banjo from the underside of the adjuster body.

Keeping the adjuster upside down, Push a long pin into the end - this pushes the piston back to its unscrewed position.

You then pour jack oil into the adjuster body until it is pretty much overflowing. Then carefully refit the Hydraulic hose banjo with its sealing copper washer and tighten the bolt. Refit the adjuster to the frame.

Job done.

If it is no better, you have lost nothing!

If it's good, you have just improved your ride.

Andy

[AndyS]

Did you have any recent experience with good aftermarket shocks?......

 

Yep, I use Ohlins too.

I have also used White Power, Showa and Wibers.

 

Andy

[russell_bynum]

OK, fair enough.

 

For me...it was a big difference, even compared to new stock shocks.

[oldyam]

I have 2 questions:

 

1'st is if ther is any air left inside the handle screw or the hose when installing the hose to the handle.

2'nd is what kind of oil can I use in there? I have read somewhere that regular oil + lots of air pressure may cause explosions in shocks...

 

Thanks,

Dan.

 

Dan ... To add to Andy's comments

 

First off dont use regular oil in hydraulic systems !!! it is likely to attack the hose/ seals, any good Jack oil as Andy suggests or most decent Hydraulic oils will be fine.

 

The only air left in the system is what very small amount is retained inside the banjo assembly when you put it back together.

 

This should make no difference whatsoever as it should move to the top of the adjuster when you turn it right side up.

 

I would suggest that the possibility of the shock exploding is virtually non-existant unless you decide to pressurise the system in some manner with a compressed gas cylinder and and even then you are more likely to blow the seal on the piston rod first.

[Boffin]

The oil in the preload adjuster does not go into the shock. It is a simple two-piston hydraulic circuit. One piston is under the adjuster knob, the other is a toroidal piston concentric with the shock body that compresses the spring. The only thing that matters is that the oil does not destroy the seals, and so jack oil is the cheapest solution.

 

 

Andy

[dan cata]

Got it now. I will count the number of clicks from the top most position until it starts to screw in hard and report back.

 

Dan

[garr2]

So, James, tell us: how much of an improvement were they? Mine are getting a bit tired, too, the front especially. Big bikkies buying them in Oz, so am also considering having originals rebuilt.

With the Aussie $ floating up to nearly US1.10, the GST free threshold for goods bought online overseas set at $1000 and Hardracing as a US based supplier I intend importing a pair Ohlins myself.

To stay under the A$1000 GST free threshold I will buy the front and then the back as separate transactions (and therefore separate imports) rather than both at once in the same transaction.

[DunRTer]

Garr2

 

Remember, when keeping it under $1,000, that the spring is not included in their pricing. Some zealous customs agents also consider the shipping costs in that tax-free limit.

[garr2]

I checked with Hardracing and they said that the price does include a custom set up spring. For the rear spring (Hardracing part # BM125) for a 2004 R1150RT, the price inlcudes -

* shock US$772

* postage (US Postal Global Express) US$99

* fee (for payment by credit card) US$15

TOTAL US$886

OR A$820 based on exchange rate of A$1= US$1.08

The same shock bought through a bike shop in Australia would cost around A$1150.

While purchasing directly from Hardracing wouldn't be as simple as buying

locally, the more than $300 saving makes it worthwhile considering.