Rebuild or replace ohlins rear shock

[orangem2]

I have a 2004 v11  cafe sport 

The rear shock starting leaking.

I removed it to get rebuilt by Traxxion dynamics and replace with the proper weight spring.

Can a remote preload adjuster be added or would i just be better off with a completely new shock?

[docc]

I am curious about the need for a remote preload. The Öhlins on mySport has one, but once set I never moved it again. Yet, I don't switch back and forth solo and pillion. Plus my pannier load-out and riding gear change very little.

Perhaps a fresh rebuild and proper spring might be all you need?

[audiomick]

25 minutes ago, docc said:

... I don't switch back and forth solo and pillion. Plus my pannier load-out and riding gear change very little.

That is the point, I think.

My GTR 1000 has a pump-up pre-load adjustment. Easy enough to get to behind the right-hand sidecover. If one has one of those little pumps to hand that are used for such purposes, also easy to adjust.

I barely ride the bike, now, but in the past I regularly changed the pre-load. The bike was used to travel to jobs several hundred kilometres away, often via the Autobahn, with fully loaded luggage. On other occasions, a friend of ours was regularly on the back seat for trips of several hours. When I was on my own for a short ride in the country, there was generally practically nothing in the luggage.

I now don't do the long trips anymore, as my work situation has changed, and the friend has back problems, so she isn't up for motorcycling so much. If at all, it will likely be the Breva 750 now. She wont get on the V11 again after trying it out once. The GTR will be moving along to a new owner in the forseable future, because without the long trips I don't really have an excuse for owning it.

 

Anyway, in the light of past experience I can easily see the point of a remote pre-load adjuster. If the adjustment is easy to get to, there are circumstances under which one uses it, and it helps.

 

@orangem2 why not just ask the workshop you are intending to send the shock to if there is a remote adjuster available?

If there isn't, I gather Wilbers have something available. Quite expensive, but I have only heard good things about them.

This would be the shock, I think

https://www.wilbers.de/shop/Motorrad/Moto-Guzzi/V11-Ballabio-KT/Federbein-Typ-641-Competition.html?year=2004

that is without the optional hydraulic pre-load adjuster. To see the price with that, select "hydraulisch (Wilbers-PA)" from the drop-down under "Federvorspannung".

The optional adjuster is this one, I think

https://www.wilbers.de/produkte/federbeinprodukte/optionen-zubehoer/hyd-federvorspannung/hydraulische-federvorspannung-typ-625.html

 

On the other hand, Öhlins is pretty chic....

 

[orangem2]

Got the shock rebuilt, revalved, and re-sprung for my weight by traxxion dynamics.

Money well spent... forks are next.

[Scud]

Suspension settings and improvements are time and money well spent. Not just for the enjoyment of riding, but also for safety.