new shock

busy builder

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
May 6, 2013
Messages
2,963
Reaction score
126
Location
Cromarty
Getting a shock as the OEM is crap, so spoken to Mike Capon at Shock Factory about their M Shock. I told him I'm quite tall with long legs and also find the turn in on the bike a bit slow, possibly down to the heavy spoked/tubed wheels ?

This is his recommendation

Good idea to lift the rear. I'd advise the Urban GS/Scrambler unit which is 5mm longer and which will raise the rear about 15mm. Better turn in, ground clearance, line holding..
All the harshness is down to the atrocious damping on the OE shock. You can adjust the shock all you want and it will not get any better.

Anyone else changed their shock or front suspension ?

Mines a Sport model.
 
Getting a shock as the OEM is crap, so spoken to Mike Capon at Shock Factory about their M Shock. I told him I'm quite tall with long legs and also find the turn in on the bike a bit slow, possibly down to the heavy spoked/tubed wheels ?

This is his recommendation

Good idea to lift the rear. I'd advise the Urban GS/Scrambler unit which is 5mm longer and which will raise the rear about 15mm. Better turn in, ground clearance, line holding..
All the harshness is down to the atrocious damping on the OE shock. You can adjust the shock all you want and it will not get any better.

Anyone else changed their shock or front suspension ?

Mines a Sport model.

Not yet but definitely considering a Nitron replacement for the rear - I've a '15 RNT original model.
 
Getting a shock as the OEM is crap, so spoken to Mike Capon at Shock Factory about their M Shock. I told him I'm quite tall with long legs and also find the turn in on the bike a bit slow, possibly down to the heavy spoked/tubed wheels ?

This is his recommendation

Good idea to lift the rear. I'd advise the Urban GS/Scrambler unit which is 5mm longer and which will raise the rear about 15mm. Better turn in, ground clearance, line holding..
All the harshness is down to the atrocious damping on the OE shock. You can adjust the shock all you want and it will not get any better.

Anyone else changed their shock or front suspension ?

Mines a Sport model.

I am at this juncture.....My back cannot take anymore, however, I may trade it for a GSA, as I could do with a more capable all rounder right now.....But the bike is woefully suspended.
 
I put a standard length M Shock on my Pure and have done about 1500 miles on it, the difference is like night and day. A much better shock than the original.
 
Replaced the front springs with Hyperpro progressive springs yesterday - only ridden it back and forth to work so can't really say if made huge difference but front end does feel firmer. Taking rear shock to Calsport to get spring replaced.
 
Lighter tubeless wheels make a huge difference on quick steering.
A longer rearshock too.I would not put it on a 2014-16 R 9 T because it already has less trail than 17 on R 9 T,Pure,Racer.Becomes a little unstable going 100 mph + otherwise...Have Wunderlich Varioarm on my mine set at + 7 and steering was very fun at quick at cost of high speed stability.
Would put a Ohlins shock in combination with ohlins cartridge on the Racer,Pure which comes stock with a + 10 mm ride height adjuster so you can save the extra expense for the vario-arm.
 
I Have just ordered the wilbers 642 rear shock from Revs racing,
2018 r 9 t heritage,,
Reading the reviews i wasnt surprized by how harsh the oe damping is and the lack of any static sag with no pre load?
With the front having some adjustment i will see how it goes with the new rear,
Has any one got experience with a similar set up ,,
 
Replaced the front springs with Hyperpro progressive springs yesterday - only ridden it back and forth to work so can't really say if made huge difference but front end does feel firmer. Taking rear shock to Calsport to get spring replaced.

Did 800 miles in Ireland last weekend after fitting Hyperpro spring to the rear - great improvement to the bike and even made the Racer reasonably comfortable to ride over some very variable roads! The Hyperpro springs may not make as much a difference as fitting complete new shocks but for just over £200 for front and rear springs including fitting I think they are great value for money. Have had Hyperpro springs on my GS for last 80k and can't fault them.
 
Good result, the spring is too soft with excess preload from new and no static sag,
So i can imagine a correct spring for you would make a significant improvement,
And for the cost a great result,
Having had ohlins ttx on my lc gs which sadly cant be made to fit the 9 t,
I went for wilbers ,, as there is another world of composure compliance and confidence to be had with separate and multi stage damping that can be adjusted,
 
I guess I have never got on with the whole adjustment thing - in 10 years and over 110,000 miles on my GS I think I have only ever touched the shock adjuster when we went two up fully loaded abroad, not something that is likely to happen on the Racer :D
 
The gs wasnt really an issue i just bought the basic bikes over the last 13 bmw years and put aftermarket suspension on which transferred or this time will be sold,
Fair point the springs have sorted your racer, i may do the fronts if needed,
The rear on the standard 9 t seems harsh kicking me hard through the seat,
and i budgeted for a shock based on reviews which matched my experience,
I only have room for 1 bike, so the cost has more value than say a fancy, exhaust,
 
I guess I have never got on with the whole adjustment thing - in 10 years and over 110,000 miles on my GS I think I have only ever touched the shock adjuster when we went two up fully loaded abroad, not something that is likely to happen on the Racer :D

I guess if you have never had decent suspension, then you won't know what you're missing:blast
 
I’ve got an M Shock ordered to for my Turban, the stock shock is a plank that makes my old ZXR750 seem plush.

Should be here in a couple of weeks so I’ll pop some pictures up and post back on how it feels.
 
Shock Factory shock has landed, +10mm for ride height, just need to wait to fit it at the weekend, just picking it up and looking at it though, visually it seems to be a well engineered product.
db395ca733c3d478cc04ef3ed3e19f29.jpg
 
I guess if you have never had decent suspension, then you won't know what you're missing:blast

You may be right JB - even when I raced Suzukis in the 80s I couldn’t afford expensive suspension upgrades. Somehow have managed to ride bikes for 30 years without it so guess I am fine with what I have. :D
 
I’m tempted by the Wilbers 640 +30mm Seat height with the +15mm height adjustment to give me nearly 2” in old money seat height raise. Anyone else have this combo? More seat height is as attractive a proposition as better suspension.
 
I’m tempted by the Wilbers 640 +30mm Seat height with the +15mm height adjustment to give me nearly 2” in old money seat height raise. Anyone else have this combo? More seat height is as attractive a proposition as better suspension.

I've just had a look at this myself, not too bad a price from Willers with the blue line spring, 30mm height increase and 15mm adjustment all for £409
 
I've just had a look at this myself, not too bad a price from Willers with the blue line spring, 30mm height increase and 15mm adjustment all for £409
Can you post link please.
 
My M-Shock is on now, very happy with it, I should correct that I’ve got 10mm extra shock length as a custom build which gives 30mm in ride height. The standard M Shock has a single adjuster for rebound and compression damping.

It’s very plush ride wise, and I ended up buying it through their own eBay shop, with a 10% discount voucher I paid £315 in total. It comes with C Spanner’s and a hand written configuration sheet showing the stock settings, spring rate and other stuff I don’t understand

Not bad for something so well made, and with a 2 year warranty. It’s a real improvement on the Turban.

For a bit extra you can get the M Shock 2 that has separate rebound and compression adjusters, you can also spec a ride height adjuster.

It was a two week turn around for my custom build, after sending them my weight with riding gear in KG

I can’t fault it
 


Back
Top Bottom