Stock Rear Shock Maintainence?

Narcissus

Narcissus

Hayabusa Immortal
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Should I get a new rear-shock assembly or aftermarket one... or is servicing the stock shock even possible?

Changing gas shocks/struts on a car is fairly straightforward and affordable, but does anyone have experience changing the rear shock on the bike? I'm assuming the rear shock gets flaccid over time just like a car shock.

The manual says the rear shock is serviceable. A new OEM shock assembly is pushing $900. I'm not sure a used Gen 1 shock off eBay would be any better than mine (bike made 5/99, so it's pushing 20 years).
 
Narcissus said:
Should I get a new rear-shock assembly or aftermarket one... or is servicing the stock shock even possible?

Changing gas shocks/struts on a car is fairly straightforward and affordable, but does anyone have experience changing the rear shock on the bike? I'm assuming the rear shock gets flaccid over time just like a car shock.

The manual says the rear shock is serviceable. A new OEM shock assembly is pushing $900. I'm not sure a used Gen 1 shock off eBay would be any better than mine (bike made 5/99, so it's pushing 20 years).
Click to expand...
I just went through this on my gen2. They are easy to work on with some basic tools. The only “special” tool you need is a needle for shock bladders so you can release the nitrogen. I bought a cheap gen2 shock to rebuild and upgrade, while I was still riding my bike with its stock shock. I didn’t upgrade spring, because the race tech site said the gen2 spring rate was correct for my weight. I received the ebay shock, released the nitrogen, pulled the C clip off so I could get the bladder out, removed the other C Clip that holds the shaft and took it all apart. Drained the oil and upgraded the stock valving with a racetech gold valve kit. Put it all back together after filling with oil and bleeding it and then just took it to a guy that charged me 5 bucks to fill bladder back up with nitrogen. My eBay shock came from a bike that only had 97miles, so I didn’t change any rubber components inside. It was great improvement compared to my stock shock, even though, my stock one only had 14k miles on my 2009 busa.
 
Mathewrussell52 said:
Wouldn’t see why not just have it serviced. Shocks on motorcycles are not throw away like cars...
Click to expand...

I've never dealt with servicing shocks. I've changed the fluids in the front forks myself, but the rear looks like a different story. Where do you usually go for shock service?

Looking at the fiche, it seems the rear shock is identical between the gens, like a lot of other parts. It's just incremented (62100-24**0). One option might be to just get a used one from a newer model, especially with assemblies under $90. :confused:
 
Narcissus said:
I've never dealt with servicing shocks. I've changed the fluids in the front forks myself, but the rear looks like a different story. Where do you usually go for shock service?

Looking at the fiche, it seems the rear shock is identical between the gens, like a lot of other parts. It's just incremented (62100-24**0). One option might be to just get a used one from a newer model, especially with assemblies under $90. :confused:
Click to expand...

The gen 2 shock is longer and has a stiffer spring than the gen1, which might be a good thing if you want the rear a little higher and need stiffer spring
 
Narcissus said:
I've never dealt with servicing shocks. I've changed the fluids in the front forks myself, but the rear looks like a different story. Where do you usually go for shock service?

Looking at the fiche, it seems the rear shock is identical between the gens, like a lot of other parts. It's just incremented (62100-24**0). One option might be to just get a used one from a newer model, especially with assemblies under $90. :confused:
Click to expand...
Motorcycle shops can do it I always have my rear serviced by a shop I trust. Which is a local. Ktm shop. They don’t like to work with thinks not ktm but will for me they have even loaned me tools to work on my bike. Front forks are easy but rear I do not feel is a DIY job usually less than $100,
 
Nice! So it can be done.... just did a search and found some guides on teh youtubes. :)

A bit stiffer/higher with the gen 2 might be good. I need to brush up on the suspension guides to see what I need for my weight... which is about 170~180 nowadays, so stiffer may or may not be better. :confused:
 
Narcissus said:
Awesome! Thanks guys. I was pretty clueless up until five minutes ago. :D
Click to expand...
Your stock shock is too weak for your weight, per the online calculator that racetech has on their site.
Stock gen1 spring =13.1kgs
Stock gen2 spring = 14.5kgs
Your ideal rate per expert’s calculator= 13.6kgs
Closest available spring at racetech = 13.4kgs

As you can see, unless you ride Two up a lot, the gen2 spring might feel too harsh for you.

As a side note: I found the rear shock easier to rebuild than doing fork seals on my bike.
 
Mathewrussell52 said:
Motorcycle shops can do it I always have my rear serviced by a shop I trust. Which is a local. Ktm shop. They don’t like to work with thinks not ktm but will for me they have even loaned me tools to work on my bike. Front forks are easy but rear I do not feel is a DIY job usually less than $100,
Click to expand...
This is an option as well. Most shops that do even dirtbike suspension, can do an oil change on a shock and recharge the nitrogen pretty cheap. You just have to take it off the bike and bring to them. It wouldn’t take them 30mins to just do an oil change and recharge it and even put a new spring if you need too. The spring has to come off for the shock to be serviced anyways.
 
Narcissus said:
Nice! So it can be done.... just did a search and found some guides on teh youtubes. :)

A bit stiffer/higher with the gen 2 might be good. I need to brush up on the suspension guides to see what I need for my weight... which is about 170~180 nowadays, so stiffer may or may not be better. :confused:
Click to expand...

At your weight, the gen2 shock will work well.
When you set it up, for preload, try starting with 3 threads visible above the upper lock ring(after it's tight).
That will get you in the ballpark, and should need little to no adjusting from that point.
 
I'm going to start looking into doing mine. I haven't setup my suspension at all and really need to. I plan on doing roll races with it, and need to set it up right. Don't want to drop thousands into it though. But at 220lbs currently, and running an original rear, I know it needs work
 
I messaged RaceTech and they want $200 to change the oil in the factory shock, another $35 if seals/bushing are needed, plus round trip shipping :confused:
 
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