Upgraded My Wilbers Shock Spring

[dobias]

Klaus refigured my spring needs and it's now as perfect as it can get. With just me on the bike there's ZERO preload. The solo ride is firm but compliant.

The "rides like it's on rails" cliche' takes on new meaning for me.

dobias <_<

 

[HIGHLANDER]

dobias,

did you have to ship your shock back or did they send a new spring? I'm not really happy with my spring rate when two up and fully loaded for a trip.

 

[dobias]

Highlander,

Klaus is very obliging. He offered to change the spring for me at no charge. I opted to have him ship the new one to me and had my dealer replace it for me ($37.50). I removed & reinstalled the shock. I paid the return postage & insurance on the 100 Kg spring ($9). He does ask that the one that's returned isn't scratched or blemished.

There have been FJR riders that went to his shop and had everything done to exchange the spring. He charged three hours.

I never discussed freight charges to ship the shock back to me If I were to send it to him for rework.

I'm 220 lbs plus 20 lbs. gear, my wife is 135 lbs. plus 15 lbs. gear. I was bottoming out with a trunk, saddlebags and baggage. I asked to have the spring handle a maximum bike capacity of 450 lbs.

dobias <_<

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Thanks dobias, I think I'll be calling Klaus soon. I've been following the rear shock debate for a while, I think Skyway also had a sad shock also.

I spoke to Klaus about the front springs a while back. They are soft for a bike of this weight, the spring rate is almost the same as the stock spring, Wilber adds two inches to the spring to make up for the soft rate.

I had a race shop look at the springs before and with the spring rate supplied they said it would be more suitable for a race prepped 250 rather than a 1300cc, 600lbs bike.

In fact they would not install them and put their reputation on the line. It is a bad setup according to them ( and they know their stuff ). I called Klaus and he told me " Americans set up their bike too stiff " and stood behind Wilbers factory choice in spring rate. I still have not installed them yet.

I know you have and read up on your centistokes ( sp? ) info and such stuff, and other guys seem to be happy with them, but I'm not convinced yet.

 

[madmike2]

Mine is way to soft, even for solo. Solo riding seems best with 4-5 clicks of preload in it, and that's before loading for a trip. I had it maxed out for WFO-4. I think I'll just suck it up and live with it for now, or maybe I'll order the next stiffer spring and change it out over the winter. The first trip I took with the new shock, the tire wore through the mudflap on the rear fender (Bye-bye, reflector!) Before I cranked up the pre-load, my right side Holeshot had rubbed a small blemish on the right side of the swing-arm. I don't think that means I want it set "too stiff".

I may just get the life out of this shock and go with another brand. I wouldn't recommend the settings received from Wilber's USA. Skyway is right when he says he thinks they are at least one spring size too soft. I gave them specs for riding 2-up, thankfully, I don't

 

[skyway]

Well I actually went from the .95 spring and skipped the 10.0, 10.5 and went straight to the 11.0, which when tested was really 10.7. The initial preload has been reduced by 2mm to 12mm before any remote preload. This revised setup gives me an increase of 70lb's of carrying capacity over the original Wilber’s recommendation. This shock now feels perfect for me and when 2-up and fully loaded with luggage. Even on the real bumpy stuff coming off some of the high mountains during the run to WFO, it never bottomed out even when a stock '05 riding solo did. I personally would not go with anything less than the 11.0 spring for 2-up riding, unless you are prepared to live with more initial preload on a weaker spring.

I don't buy the theory that 'mericans are setting the shocks to stiff. Before the spring change the back end of the bike felt less sprung than the stock shock and would repeatedly wallow thru corners and bottom out when 2-up.

Looking at what I received, I think that Wilber’s for some have only taken into consideration the solo riders' weight figures.

MM2 and the Highlanders, you guys are more than willing to try mine out on the Yosemite run if I can make it.

MM2 if you remember I did offer you a test ride during Peak to Peak, but I don't think we ever stopped long enough to do so.

 

[dobias]

Highlander,

I had struggled with the front Wilbers spring thinking it was too stiff. When I finally backed off the preload enough, it took on a life of it's own and rode very well. I had wound up using a tie wrap on a fork leg to get adjustments right. With hard riding, rough chuckholes & quick stops, the tie wrap doesn't touch the top (bottom out). If it did, I'd add 10 mm of additional oil level to cure that.

Maybe I like my ride to be smoother than the squids & racers do, but I find I can go much faster without effort & without getting beaten to death by the chuckholes.

I've had straight rate springs on previous bikes and, with my smooth ride settings, don't appreciate the difference.

dobias <_<