suspension adjustment

[Imran]

Hello

Any suggestions on manually adjusting the pre-load and damping on the standard rear shock/spring on a bmw r1200gs lc trophy for a 1.83m tall/85kg rider for moderate off roading? No luggage, no pillion.

[Gryshond]

Haven't seen a BMW with manual adjustment since the 1150. That had a large black knob that you turned for pre load and a screw at the bottom for rebound.

Setting was a trail and error business, ride it and if it feels soft and bottoms out increase the pre load. If it wallows increase the rebound.

I am sure BMW can help you.

[Imran]

The trophy has the black knob for pre-load and the smaller dial at the bottom of the shock/spring for damping. The manual provides a guide to adjusting. I guess, I will play a bit to get the settings correct.

Thanks again.

[mike gs]

Imran I have an 07 GSA. It has the dial up setting. I'm 90kg and ride it at about the halfway mark when on my own. All the way up with a pillion and loaded. It's petsonal choice. Trial and error

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[Imran]

Thanks.

The previous gs was an adventure model with esa. The new trophy has the manual set-up. So this is going take some getting used to!

[w@nted]

Thanks.

The previous gs was an adventure model with esa. The new trophy has the manual set-up. So this is going take some getting used to!

I have found that I mostly ride on the same setting with my LC Trophy. Play around for the optimal settings for your everyday use and then when loaded for long trips or with a pillion, just add some preload using the black dial on the right hand side of the rear suspension.

I do not miss the esa from my previous gs at all

[lecap]

General set up tips:

Find full suspension travel front and rear spec. in the manual or www.
Measure "sag" from suspension fully topped out (in case of a R1xxxGS on the centre stand) to the position where it sits with bike fuelled, on its wheels and you seated normally. Loaded with whatever you plan to take along: Wife or GF, luggage, kitchen sink

The measured "sag" should ideally be around 1/3 of the full suspension travel. It may be a bit more but should under no circumstances exceed 50% in the front. In the rear it is often not avoidable to run around 50% (with the kitchen sink strapped onto the back).

Aim for more sag if you do slower more technical riding. OK, not for the R1xxxGS


Damping: If the bike rattles badly over corrugations, the suspension feels harsh and ill responding and if the bike lacks traction on acceleration on bad tar and lacks steering precision in fast corners on poor tar your damping is likely too high.

If the bike wallows on fast tar over whoops and undulations in the road surface whilst cornering the damping is too low.


If you have separate dials for compression & rebound damping and maybe even low and high speed compression and you don't know what to do with it go and buy a friggin' suspension setup book


Always set spring preload first before you do the damper.
Never change two settings at a time (without testing results in between).
Note your starting set up to be able to return to a known ok-ish setup if you fcuk it up


Second last but not least:
Do not pussy foot when changing damper settings:
Ride the bike with damper fully closed - half open - all the way open.
Eliminate the setting which is most awful.
Continue with the remaining two settings and a third one half way in between.

This will get you to a very good setting with no more than four test cycles rather than changing tiny bits for a whole day and not noticing any difference.


Finally: Damper settings are compromise. Nothing works everywhere and under all circumstances. Learn to find a good compromise or learn to set the bike up for gravel / tar / good & bad roads.

[w@nted]

General set up tips:

Find full suspension travel front and rear spec. in the manual or www.
Measure "sag" from suspension fully topped out (in case of a R1xxxGS on the centre stand) to the position where it sits with bike fuelled, on its wheels and you seated normally. Loaded with whatever you plan to take along: Wife or GF, luggage, kitchen sink

The measured "sag" should ideally be around 1/3 of the full suspension travel. It may be a bit more but should under no circumstances exceed 50% in the front. In the rear it is often not avoidable to run around 50% (with the kitchen sink strapped onto the back).

Aim for more sag if you do slower more technical riding. OK, not for the R1xxxGS

Great reply thanks  


Damping: If the bike rattles badly over corrugations, the suspension feels harsh and ill responding and if the bike lacks traction on acceleration on bad tar and lacks steering precision in fast corners on poor tar your damping is likely too high.

If the bike wallows on fast tar over whoops and undulations in the road surface whilst cornering the damping is too low.


If you have separate dials for compression & rebound damping and maybe even low and high speed compression and you don't know what to do with it go and buy a friggin' suspension setup book


Always set spring preload first before you do the damper.
Never change two settings at a time (without testing results in between).
Note your starting set up to be able to return to a known ok-ish setup if you fcuk it up


Second last but not least:
Do not pussy foot when changing damper settings:
Ride the bike with damper fully closed - half open - all the way open.
Eliminate the setting which is most awful.
Continue with the remaining two settings and a third one half way in between.

This will get you to a very good setting with no more than four test cycles rather than changing tiny bits for a whole day and not noticing any difference.


Finally: Damper settings are compromise. Nothing works everywhere and under all circumstances. Learn to find a good compromise or learn to set the bike up for gravel / tar / good & bad roads.

Great reply Thanks 

[DavidMorrisXp]

General set up tips:

Find full suspension travel front and rear spec. in the manual or www.
Measure "sag" from suspension fully topped out (in case of a R1xxxGS on the centre stand) to the position where it sits with bike fuelled, on its wheels and you seated normally. Loaded with whatever you plan to take along: Wife or GF, luggage, kitchen sink

The measured "sag" should ideally be around 1/3 of the full suspension travel. It may be a bit more but should under no circumstances exceed 50% in the front. In the rear it is often not avoidable to run around 50% (with the kitchen sink strapped onto the back).

Aim for more sag if you do slower more technical riding. OK, not for the R1xxxGS


Damping: If the bike rattles badly over corrugations, the suspension feels harsh and ill responding and if the bike lacks traction on acceleration on bad tar and lacks steering precision in fast corners on poor tar your damping is likely too high.

If the bike wallows on fast tar over whoops and undulations in the road surface whilst cornering the damping is too low.


If you have separate dials for compression & rebound damping and maybe even low and high speed compression and you don't know what to do with it go and buy a friggin' suspension setup book


Always set spring preload first before you do the damper.
Never change two settings at a time (without testing results in between).
Note your starting set up to be able to return to a known ok-ish setup if you fcuk it up


Second last but not least:
Do not pussy foot when changing damper settings:
Ride the bike with damper fully closed - half open - all the way open.
Eliminate the setting which is most awful.
Continue with the remaining two settings and a third one half way in between.

This will get you to a very good setting with no more than four test cycles rather than changing tiny bits for a whole day and not noticing any difference.


Finally: Damper settings are compromise. Nothing works everywhere and under all circumstances. Learn to find a good compromise or learn to set the bike up for gravel / tar / good & bad roads.

Always find your replies informative Lecap

I watched Twist of the wrist and noticed this is a two or three man job.  One needs the bike off the stand to measure the sag accurately a mate measuring the sag while you sit on the bike and preferably one gently balancing the bike without influencing the weight of the rider

[LionBuell]

Thanks for the informative post Lecal

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[Imran]

Thanks

Very informative. I too, am not missing the ESA!
(Had busted the seal on the front shock/spring, $$$ to replace)

[BlingKing]

The best thing you will ever do for your trophy is chuck the rubbish shocks out and fit a set of Wilbers or TFX shocks like I did.
I love the Trophy but the suspension is very very average to kak!

[w@nted]

The best thing you will ever do for your trophy is chuck the rubbish shocks out and fit a set of Wilbers or TFX shocks like I did.
I love the Trophy but the suspension is very very average to kak!

Please give some details on the suspension upgrade?

[BlingKing]

The best is to replace both the front and the rear shocks with the Wilbers or the TFX Suspension shocks.
They are both excellent quality - they come with a five year warranty and are above Ohlins in terms of build as they are both hand built to your specs as opposed to mass produced "one size fits all"
Mine has the TFX shocks fitted and the different in the ride is phenomenal, it literally is night and day. On the track on the 22 on the road or on the dirt and I ride hard. Why the TFX instead of the WILBERS you might ask, they just look so freaking pretty.

You are looking at around R 9 750.00 per shock which is very reasonable for a high end shock! (Ohlins equivalent R 16 880.00)

[BlingKing]

The Wilbers version

[Mayhem]

Price on the Wilber compared to TFX ?

[BlingKing]

hey are both the same price I had the Wilbers on my last bike and the TFX on my new one and they are pretty much the same in terms of performance.
I guess it is simply down to looks..............