Wilbers delivery times?

I ordered the Wilbers 640 rear for my K1300GT today from Ted Porters Beemershop. When i spoke with him yesterday he said 6 weeks delivery time. Wow. Didn't know that. I would have ordered it a month ago if i knew. That's going to be pushing it to get it in by the BMW rally in Springfield. I'll change it out myself. Is this about right or is that just the standard time quoted? It's not that i really need it but i sure would hate to go to the BMW Rally on a Harley. I'll do the front Wilbers later this year. If it ain't broke i'm not fixing it.

I’d expect that to be a normal delivery time for any custom-ordered shock, understanding that production and shipping of a lot of products have been affected by Covid and other world events. I’ve found the Beemershop to be pretty accurate in delivery time estimates for both purchase and rebuild on Wilbers.

Changing the rear shock on the K13 requires removing the swingarm, so it’s a good opportunity to clean/inspect the rubber driveshaft boots or just plan on replacing them, and clean & lube splines. It all goes back together pretty quickly.

I take it you are not retaining the ESA functionality?

Best,
DeVern

Not retaining ESA. I don't carry a passenger as my wife has her own bike so i never use the preload feature. I figure that's one more potential problem i won't have in the future. I just never thought about them coming from Germany. I mean really, who would have ever thought a German made shock would have to come from Germany?

GTRider said:

Changing the rear shock on the K13 requires removing the swingarm, so it’s a good opportunity to clean/inspect the rubber driveshaft boots or just plan on replacing them, and clean & lube splines. It all goes back together pretty quickly.

Best,
DeVern

Click to expand...

I don't plan on changing the rubber parts($$$$) as i kept them treated with Armorall and they look really good. I do plan on taking the shock off before i get the new one in just in case i have to order a part. I already have some driveshaft lube. The bike is in excellent shape overall with 37,000 miles so i'm hoping i don't need anything else. Looks like to me the problem started when i dumped the bike on it's side on the Interstate in a downpour when we ran through about two feet of water. The shock was underwater and that seems to have started the degradation of the shock somehow. Didn't really hurt the bike or me except some scratches. I didn't land, i splashed down. My foot got caught under the bike for a few moments and i was having to hold my head up to keep it above water so i know the shock was in the water. It now rides like a Amish Buggy. The shock is completely gone.

Well it took a little over four weeks to get it. It came in the day after Memorial Day. It even came with two little German hard candies and the mounting bracket for the hydraulic preload adjuster under the shock packaging in the box.

Well an update. Not missing the ESA shock at all. The Wilbers stands head and shoulders above the original ESA shock as far as ride and performance are concerned. Now as for changing it, i took it out from the top after removing the oil tank and a whole lot of other body stuff. It's not a terribly complicated job, just time consuming because of all the parts you have to remove to get to the shock and the ESA connectors. You don't have to remove or loosen the rear subframe or swingarm to remove it from the top. If it ever has to be serviced in the future, removal looks to be about a 30 minute job on the Wilbers.