R1150R Rear Shock

[willyroyale]

hi

i am new R1150R rider, had the bike 8 months. It's a 2001 with 18,000 miles on the clock. I mostly ride it with a fair load (i'm approx 100kg/220lbs and luggage 15kg/25lbs) and find it a little soft. The preload adjuster has little or no effect on the ride and the bike feels soft at speed with the suspension loaded - on the motorway in a sweeping bend and i hit a seam in the road it feels a little mushy. I have little to compare the bike to as it's my first in many years although a friend with more curent biking experience commented that the front end feels light under acceleration. I do find it quite easy to get it up under hard accel.

The research i've done suggests the preload may need oil - which i've checked and done, it didn't need much. No discernable effect. Is it likely to need a replacement shock after 18k?

I have no reason to doubt the provenance of the bike, the guy i bought it from came across as genuine and didn't oversell it but he did say that most of his 16,000 miles were touring europe with wife on the back.

Of course i am reluctant to buy a new shock at the $$$ i have seen but i'm thinking that tightening up the back end would increase my enjoyment.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Airman]

It does sound like the preload isn't working doesn't it ? I always cranked the preload down as hard a possible when the bike is loaded and that works well for me.
My `03 has 30k on it with no need for new shocks yet.

[boxermania]

The rear shock preload is quite simple, you have the master cylinder, the one with the knob one turns. This cylinder is manually operated and displaces the fluid into a pancake like slave cylinder on the upper part of the shock, between the top washer and the top of the spring.

First verify that there is expansion of the slave cylinder as the knob is turned clockwise. You might want to turn from full off to full on and see how much the slave cylinder displaces. If leaks are not present the system is good.

Another test is to turn the preload knob all the way counterclockwise, then proceed to turn it clockwise and count the turns until the knob begins to get hard, if it is more than two turns you can use more oil in the cylinder as you are not getting the full benefit of the spring preload, most of the users that have checked it, yours truly included, have found the need to add hydraulic oil. Once the oil is topped off the knob will start getting harder after one turn.

[snowprick]

The rear shock preload is quite simple, you have the master cylinder, the one with the knob one turns. This cylinder is manually operated and displaces the fluid into a pancake like slave cylinder on the upper part of the shock, between the top washer and the top of the spring.

First verify that there is expansion of the slave cylinder as the knob is turned clockwise. You might want to turn from full off to full on and see how much the slave cylinder displaces. If leaks are not present the system is good.

Another test is to turn the preload knob all the way counterclockwise, then proceed to turn it clockwise and count the turns until the knob begins to get hard, if it is more than two turns you can use more oil in the cylinder as you are not getting the full benefit of the spring preload, most of the users that have checked it, yours truly included, have found the need to add hydraulic oil. Once the oil is topped off the knob will start getting harder after one turn.

+1

[willyroyale]

i made a quick check as i don't think i can see the see the slave cylinder without removing parts (its at the top of the shock?) However from zero pre-load to max (turning in + direction i think it was clockwise) was about 18(!) turns, it doesn't really get stiff until the 16th the turn or so, though not very stiff.

+1

Snowprick - what does that mean?

[Mtnbiker1966]

Willy,

I think the stock Showas on the R1150R are actually pretty nice and quite adjustable. I would crank mine down all the way when my wife and I did trips (especially with camping equipment). I just replaced my rear shock yesterday after 62K. I do not suggest riding your shocks for that long becauase my rear shock was completely shot!

I put on an Ohlin's and it made my bike run like new.

If you decide to replace your rear shock, I would do it NOW. From what I understand, Ohlins is not making shocks for the R1150R anymore. I purchased mine from Mitches Motorcyles. When I ordered mine I think he said his distributor has a few more rear shocks left:

http://www.mitchsmotorcycles.com/

Good luck!

[boxermania]

+1 means that he agrees with the post(s) above his.

Based on your latest post:

Yes , is not easy to see the slave at the top of the sock, but it can be done with a mirror, preferably one on an extension. Likewise another check is to confirm by touch, that the spring is being compressed.

Also there are a lot of turns from off to full compressed and you should feel a strong resistance to turning early on, I gather this is not happening. The way you describe there isn't much movement of the slave......

You said you checked the oil.....how did you do that? Have you noticed any fluid leakage during your ownership?

In closing, it appears that you are not getting the full range of pre-load available.

[willyroyale]

thank for your replies.

to check i followed this:http://www.seatrider.org/techntips/rear ... reload.htm

basically - detached the adjuster, turned it upside down, removed the banjo clip, pushed the plunger right down and popped some oil in the remaining space. reassembled - had little/no effect on pre-load.

i'll have a look to see if the spring is compressing when the pre-load is increased, though by the feel of it not much is happening.

thanks

[willyroyale]

thanks for your replies.

to check i followed this:http://www.seatrider.org/techntips/rear ... reload.htm

basically - detached the adjuster, turned it upside down, removed the banjo clip, pushed the plunger right down and popped some oil in the remaining space. reassembled - had little/no effect on pre-load.

i'll have a look to see if the spring is compressing when the pre-load is increased, though by the feel of it not much is happening.

thanks

[Dr. Strangelove]

and it doesn't take much oil missing to make it sloppy in adj. 1 or 2 ccs may make a world of difference

John

[NoRRmad]

You also might want to try adjusting the damping. That's a small screw on the shock body with "H" (for hard,) and "S" (for soft,) scribed above it. Normal adjustment is screw it all the way in, then back it out a couple of turns.

[Biff's R]

I am built about the same as you, and will probably get some aftermarket shocks as soon as finances allow.

At about 20k you can start to feel that the shocks are softer than new. I sometimes reduce the preload while the bike is sitting, and then crank it back up before a ride.

[boxermania]

Darn Jeff, you were 1/3 my size when we first met, you need to quit that daily stack of pancakes or you will end rolling just like me.....

[OU812]

Darn Jeff, you were 1/3 my size when we first met, you need to quit that daily stack of pancakes or you will end rolling just like me.....

Another member of the Big Guy club?
Glad you could join us.