time for new shocks?

[QUOTEOn my 2008 GSA the rear shock has leaked all over the swing arm at 21,000 miles. Shocks are not covered by warranty. [/QUOTE]

Wow. I'd be a little miffed I'd paid $20,000 for that bike in 2008, ridden 21,000 miles, had the rear shock start leaking all over, and then been told by BMW, "Sorry, we warrant everything on that bike but the tires, and those cheap shocks we put on the bikes. And yes, if you want some that will last more miles, you need to buy aftermarket shocks. The replacement OEMs will be just as short lived." I would think the owner of that dealership might be getting an earful.

I wonder if they are putting the same junk shocks on those $80,000 cars they sell? That's gotta hurt.

OK, some education on shocks:
ANY brand name bike will come from the factory with the LEAST expensive and lowest specification shocks the manufacturer can put on it. With the exception of a few brands and models that come with Ohlins (and the extra $$$$) to get them on the bike, no manufacturer is going to spend ANY more on shocks than they have to. Reasons:
1. Most people don't ever ride their bikes enough to wear out the shocks. How many bikes have we all seen ten years old and more, with only 20,000 miles and less on them. Why spend more $$$$ for shocks built to last more than the first few years of a bike's active life ?
2. Most people trade off or sell their bike WELL before it ever gets 20,000+ miles on it. So why put extra $$$$ into the stock bike?
3. Of the fewer people who DO put miles on their bikes and keep them long term, THOSE are the people spending $$$$ on shocks.
4. Quality shocks are MUCH more profitable on the aftermarket than on the OEM bike. How many people would buy a specific bike because it has top quality shocks?
5. It is FAR less expensive to spec shocks with heavier than needed springs and minimal damping control. It costs more to build shocks with softer springs and HIGH quality damping controls and adjustablitity.
6. Most all bike manufactuers figure bike owners know VERY little about proper suspension setup, so why spend the $$$$, when chrome and fancy paint and features make more sales than expensive shocks.

Bike manufacturers only spend as much on shocks as to get favorable ride reviews in the magazines. BMW included.

Just returned from EPM Performance in Manalapan NJ. Rode 65 miles on new Hyperpro shocks. Initial feeling well worth the change. Old shocks had 31k and did not rebound when compressed. Going to Vt. this weekend hope to have a more concise opinion on shocks. Had the shocks installed at EPM. Very professional and fair with pricing. And they do rebuilds there.

Oh, and in the past there were no shops able or willing to take apart factory stock shocks, rebuild them, modify them, tune them to a rider's specific needs. Now in the past five years it is becoming more common for specialty shops to modify previously "unserviceable" shocks. Given that, I'd consider going that route.

IF the shocks can be made serviceable, tuneable, and rebuildable, for less than half the cost of just buying the aftermarket shocks, I'd certainly consider going that route. One thing I know for sure, the feel and capability I gained on my 94 RS with Wilbers shocks, at 120,000 miles on the bike, sold me for good that spending money on quality suspension is worth every penny. I will no longer have stock crap shocks on my daily rides.

Most cars have shocks that last between 30 and 50 k miles most of us just get used to the rocking and pogoing. Even the bikes that come with Yamaha I mean Ohlins shocks are off the shelf can be rebuilt but are lower quality than you get from a suspension shop. Not set up for your weight and riding style and plastic adjuster knobs with weak internals.That's including the Duc and BMW's that you pay way extra for.

Most quality shocks recommend rebuilding every 30,000 miles too. So it's not just stock shocks that wear out at 30k.

I don't think its entirely an apples to apples comparison when you say car shocks last 30 to 50k, because a car has longer wheelbase, the loads are shared (to a degree) over a more broad area, you have the natural frequency of the car frame/body damping out some of the road shock, car seats support both the butt and the back. Plus, car shocks are just shocks, because the suspension actually carries the load independent of the shocks in a car. However, 30 to 50k for car shocks is comparable to 30k for cycle shocks for life. Just that in a car when the shocks crap out we don't feel it quite as much.

So in that I'm saying the cycle shocks have a lot more to do, to make our bikes ride as good as possible. Plus a cycle rider relies on a LOT more road and suspension feedback for control than does a car driver. Again, the shocks are doing more.

jconway607 said:

[QUOTEOn my 2008 GSA the rear shock has leaked all over the swing arm at 21,000 miles. Shocks are not covered by warranty.

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Wow. I'd be a little miffed I'd paid $20,000 for that bike in 2008, ridden 21,000 miles, had the rear shock start leaking all over, and then been told by BMW, "Sorry, we warrant everything on that bike but the tires, and those cheap shocks we put on the bikes. And yes, if you want some that will last more miles, you need to buy aftermarket shocks. The replacement OEMs will be just as short lived." I would think the owner of that dealership might be getting an earful.

I wonder if they are putting the same junk shocks on those $80,000 cars they sell? That's gotta hurt.[/QUOTE]

If you read the warranty, and the extended warranty that I paid over 1,000 for, they don't seem to cover any part that moves. I should have saved my money for shocks instead of buying extended warranty!

I can't quite understand why you think OEM shocks that last 30K are junk??? As mentioned Ohlins and other top brands recommend rebuilding at 18-25K miles, so the cheap OEM, actually last as long as the aftermarket. Yes there are people that will service them, but you still have a spring that is wrong, unless you fit the target the engineers set the spring for, lack of adjustability and inferior valving.

What make the aftermarket worth the $$ is that they are, or can be, set to YOUR riding style, can be correctly sprung for your normal load (solo or 2 up, luggage load etc), have adjustable damping, some BOTH compression and rebound, generally have superior valving and internal components, and CAN be easily serviced!

And the BIG plus, is a OEM shock with 30K on it is worthless, unless you want a paper weight, a set of 8 year old Ohlins is worth a minimum of 50% of heir original price, or is recently serviced up to 80%.

I am putting my '04 Boxer Cup back to stock to sell it, I sold the newly serviced shocks for $1000, paid $1200 9 years ago, had them serviced twice for $200, I sold the OEM sport suspension with 3k on them for about $350 in memory serves me correctly. so it cost me less than $10/year for far superior ride and handling. I call that a REAL bargain!

Bottom line is EVERYONE I know that put premium suspension on their bikes say it was the BEST $$$ they ever spent on their bike, and it is the first thing they buy for a new bike from that point on, including me.

Without a doubt. On my 94 RS, I spent the most money on that bike to fit it with Wilbers shocks, and it's the best money I ever spent on the bike. I work part time at Nick's BMW in the Green Bay area, and I am the primary demo rider. I get to ride every single new BMW, and I have to say, my 94 RS, with a ton of miles on it, with Wilbers shocks, rides as good and as accurate as the brand new R1200 chassis.

pffog said:

I can't quite understand why you think OEM shocks that last 30K are junk??? As mentioned Ohlins and other top brands recommend rebuilding at 18-25K miles, so the cheap OEM, actually last as long as the aftermarket. Yes there are people that will service them, but you still have a spring that is wrong, unless you fit the target the engineers set the spring for, lack of adjustability and inferior valving.

What make the aftermarket worth the $$ is that they are, or can be, set to YOUR riding style, can be correctly sprung for your normal load (solo or 2 up, luggage load etc), have adjustable damping, some BOTH compression and rebound, generally have superior valving and internal components, and CAN be easily serviced!

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I totally agree. My Front Ohlins began leaking oil at 20,000 miles. Sent them in for a rebuild and the ride was appreciably better than before the rebuild. Really good shocks don't last any longer than the OEM ones.

junkjohn said:

On my 2008 GSA the rear shock has leaked all over the swing arm at 21,000 miles. Shocks are not covered by warranty. Told they are not rebuildable either. Go figure.

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My '08 R1200GS blew the seals at 37,000. My Service Manager, Kent, at Schlossmann's BMW of Milwaukee, worked with the BMW rep and got me a 70% rebate on the ESA rear shock. Out of warranty by 1,000 miles and 2 years.

I couldn't be happier with the service at Schlossmann's