shock life

[StevesGS]

Sorry if this is a repeat question couldn't really find an answer. If so please point me in the correct direction. But i notice shocks seem to be like a routine maintenance thing like brake pads almost. I hear some people replace them around 20K mostly around 50K and some I hear have 100K on their bikes with original shocks. I know aftermarket shocks are available are they worth 2grand or more. I guess what i'm really curious about is what really makes them go bad? weight? off road? or just bad design? when things go bad I like to replace with better quality parts to make a stronger and/or a reliable bike. Thanks in advance for the help. Hope everyone has a great holiday. ride safe.


Oh I have a 2006 bmw r1200gs with around 14K on it I do mostly road trip street riding with maybe a gravel or dirt service road but nothing to crazy if that helps.

[marc]

"Shocks" are composed of two major components, the spring and the damping system. Depending upon the particular shock the damping system may be quite complex with both compression and rebound damping. The stock system lets you adjust rear rebound damping. Damping is often performed by restricting the flow of oil through orifices of various sizes and stacks of shims. A working shock generates lots of heat from moving that oil. The heat and constant movement of the oil causes it to break down over time. When the properties of the oil change, so does the damping. Eventually it gets so bad that the shock can no longer be adjusted to provide an appropriate amount of damping.

How long a shock lasts depends upon lots of factors. Some folks need shock rebuilds more often than others. My rear after market Ohlins can still be adjusted to provide appropriate damping at 30,000 miles, but the adjustment is approaching the end of the range of total adjustment. When new it is closer to the middle of the range. For that reason I schedule a rebuild every 30K miles.

Sometimes a shock seal will blow. When that happens you need to repair or replace the shock right away if you want decent handling.

[Willie B]

I previously owned an 1150 GS that had 93K on the clock when I sold it. I had replaced the original shocks with Ohlins front and rear. They seemed fine, and when I purchased my '09, one of the first things I did was replace the shocks. Once I get mine adjusted, I never screw with them. Replacing the shocks on the GS is the single best improvement one can spend on the bike. If you are heavier than 175lbs, the bike may wind up being a bit taller unless you specify your desired height when ordering. Spending this sort of money may seem nuts to some, but if you've ridden a bike that's had the suspension done, it winds up being a no brainer.

[gdayjr]

05 GS
94 thousand kilometers
original shocks.
rider weighs 110kg

still handles the twisties, and the rough roads ok.

Maybe i am used to them, but they still feel fine to me.

[holeshot]

On my last 3 GS's I have immediately replaced the shocks with Wilbers. They cost about a third less than Ohlins shocks and function just as well. The major manufactures save money using cheap shocks and a nice set of Ohlins or Wilbers will make a world of difference in the way your bike handles. I put Wilbers ESC shocks on my triple black and they are amazing!

[CrashTestDanny]

Interesting reading. I have a 2010 GSA due it's second birthday in a fortnight, and it went in for a rear shock replacement earlier this week...

It's an ESA unit (not sure if they are more susceptible) with 20K miles on it, almost entirely street. Noticed it leaking badly after a wash and very surprised the dealer agreed to change it under warranty before even seeing it! Now seems they're used to it...

Have to say I didn't really notice anything going wrong whilst commuting, until I got the new one... Sat a bit higher (pushing the threshold on a GSA!) and so silky smooth.

As my monthly mileage is increasing rapidly it sounds like I'd better start saving up for the self-funded next one...

[lufin]

I have a 2009 that I bought new in the fall of 2010. Now with 15k miles, the rear shock is gone and the front has a leak. The dealer has 2 new ones on order. Hope they come in tomorrow (Friday).