Shock comparo

[SkooterG]

I bought a Wilbers shock during the first group buy many, many moons ago. I believe it was the 641 with hi/lo compression dampening, and remote preload adjuster. But NOT ride height adjustment. I love that shock. Installed it at about 30k, rebuilt it at 100k and changed the spring to a slightly heavier one, and just had it rebuilt again after removing it from FJR#1 when it had 226k on it. (126k miles since last rebuild) My suspension guy said he had never seen the internals of a shock so nasty and worn. He had to replace several parts. It had seemed to be working fine for me?! He told me ideally I should service it every 30-40k, but said he knew I wouldn't do that and told me to try and do it every 50k. I'll try to do that, but no guarantee.

I installed the Wilbers on FJR#2 today because the Ohlins that is on this FJR has 55-60k on it and is due for a rebuild/service though it seems fine to me. See, I am trying to be better! The Ohlins was already on the FJR when I bought it years ago with 5900 miles on the odo. It was set up for a big guy. (I'm a small guy) I never did like the shock that much - too soft for my liking. But some others who rode both bikes preferred the cushy ride of the Ohlins. Though interestingly, I thought the FJR with the Ohlins always handled better when with the extra weight of two-up riding. Finally, a few months back, I added in some rebound and compression dampening that helpled alot.

I'm no suspension guru, but there are some interesting differences in the shocks (at least interesting to me).

First, Wilbers is easy-peasy to install/remove. Ohlins is major ass-pain having to come out/in the top/side of FJR.

Second, from the photos you see below, the Ohlins has more spring travel length. From numbers on spring, Wilbers is 6" in length, Ohlins is 6.7" in length. Still, there is a bigger difference that that .7" in how they are mounted to shock. (Unfortunately I didn't measure exactly)

Third, is that though the spring rate on the Ohlins (657 lb/in) is greater than the Wilbers with Eibach spring (550 lb/in) the Wilbers feels like the stiffer shock, and actually gives me slightly increased ride height. I know this because it is much easier to get on the C-stand with the Wilbers than the Ohlins. WTF? How is it that the wimpier spring gives me increased ride height and stiffer ride?

Besides more dampening, I am guessing it has something to do with the Wilbers having more spring preload built in when the shock was set-up?

Both shocks are better than stock. I finally got the Ohlins adjusted to where I really liked it, but the Wilbers I have always loved. Nice firm ride, and excellent and quicker handling that I assume partly comes from the increased rear ride height.

BTW, the remote hydraulic pre-load adjuster on the Wilbers works better than the Ohlins. Easier to turn and with much more discernible 'clicks'.

Any suspension gurus out there with any insight?

 

[rushes]

I'm no expert, but that never stopped me before...

The one with the yellow spring an gold anodized body looks much faster....

 

[Thug]

Yeah what he said.....

 

[Good2Go]

Interesting. RT recommended a 975lb spring (Eibach) on my re-valved stocker. Almost 2x the 550 pounder on your Wilbers. Yeah, different shocks, but I don't weigh twice as much as you :huh: .

What's the gen1 stock spring rate? The gen2 is 500-615 thereabouts, so your 550 lb. spring would feel like stock on my bike.

 

[SkooterG]

Interesting. RT recommended a 975lb spring (Eibach) on my re-valved stocker. Almost 2x the 550 pounder on your Wilbers. Yeah, different shocks, but I don't weigh twice as much as you :huh: .

What's the gen1 stock spring rate? The gen2 is 500-615 thereabouts, so your 550 lb. spring would feel like stock on my bike.

Wow. 975lb is a lot. That would not be near a typical Gen I recommendation. I believe the key is that the Gen IIs have a 1" longer swingarm generally requiring stiffer springs. When I called Ohlins a few months back they told me the 657lb spring is significantly more than they would recommend, but also told me that a lot of FJR shocks they sell are specified with stiffer springs than they would typically recommend.

I'll let you take my Gen I for a spin sometime to compare. That is if you pormise not to go ice skating with it and breaking all your ribs! Warning however, once you ride a Gen I you may want to punt that POS Gen II of yours down the road. Oh, wait, you already did that!

 

[RadioHowie]

Warning however, once you ride a Gen I you may want to punt that POS Gen II of yours down the road.

MY hero!! :wub:

 

[RenoJohn]

Interesting. RT recommended a 975lb spring (Eibach)

Wow. 975lb is a lot. That would not be near a typical Gen I recommendation.

When I went to get the suspension dialed in on my superior Gen1 FJR ...I talked to all the popular suspension guru's and I got recomendations from 1100 down to 475. Which proved to me that there is more smoke-n-mirror snake-oil to these suspension guys than solid math.

Since then I've tried a few different springs on my Ohlins and believe that I finally have what works best for me. BTW it's between what the two of you are doing, but I started about what Good2Go is currently using.

Greg --Yep, installing the Ohlin's is not for the fags among us, hence --I'm surprised you got through it.

I thought I wrote a section on how I did mine --if not I studied someone else's on here as you ain't the first to prove your heterosexuality by getting through the swap..

Since doing mine I've found a better way: I get a quote from my local steeler for a shock swap (tpically about 1 hour) ask them to commit to their price and then take it down to them. LOL LOL Not sure they'll be dumb enough to do it a third time though.

I'm done with Wilbers ......Ohlins have performed much better for me.