Telltale signs a shock is wearing or worn out?

[Bassmatt]

Are there any telltale signs or tests you can do to check a shock??
My ride seems to have gotten alot bumpier recently, also sometimes feels a little loose in the rear.
Tyres are fairly new and inflated to the recommended rate.
the shock is a pos oem kawasaki on a 650r.
Any help appreciated

[Maha]

.... this is going to cost you a couple of grand.
I will check in on the thread in a few days time...

[Bassmatt]

.... this is going to cost you a couple of grand.
I will check in on the thread in a few days time...

hoping to get into a shitfight with Robert and have him offer to do it for free

[Maha]

hoping to get into a shitfight with Robert and have him offer to do it for free

..one freebe per year is suffice.
I will save you the trouble..listen up, it a short story
The suspension on your bike was designed by an accountant and thus, you now have a problem, but its an easy fix...Cha-Ching!

[Bassmatt]

.
The suspension on your bike was designed by an accountant

it performs like it was

[Robert Taylor]

Are there any telltale signs or tests you can do to check a shock??
My ride seems to have gotten alot bumpier recently, also sometimes feels a little loose in the rear.
Tyres are fairly new and inflated to the recommended rate.
the shock is a pos oem kawasaki on a 650r.
Any help appreciated

$1099 gst incl for a replacement Ohlins, that is then able to be rebuilt when it is due for service at 40,000ks. Sprung and setup for you. Modular so it is able to be re-spec'd for a subsequent bike you may purchase or we trade used Ohlins for new ( providing we sold it in the first place )
With the stock shock they are noticably deteriorated in performance after 20,000ks, often less. On that model they are a sealed for life unit. There are people that will cut them open and rebuild them but that is not something we personally do or recommend.
Although the environment for a road bike is different a typical MX bike will undergo approximately 17,000 compression cycles every single lap of a typical length MX track, requiring ( ideally ) service every 20 hours max.
That shock on your bike will have as little as 125 to 150 mls of oil in it, thats a very small quantity for what its expected to do and its remarkable that shocks last as long as they do.

[pete376403]

ER6N / Ninja / call it what you will forums in the US report good success with R1 Yamaha units. Probably a lot easier over there to get good low mileage units that have either been replaced with higher spec aftermarket items or (more likely) removed from near new write-offs (average life of a sport bike in california = 6 weeks)

Also see
http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...ead.php?t=4958

[Robert Taylor]

ER6N / Ninja / call it what you will forums in the US report good success with R1 Yamaha units. Probably a lot easier over there to get good low mileage units that have either been replaced with higher spec aftermarket items or (more likely) removed from near new write-offs (average life of a sport bike in california = 6 weeks)

Also see
http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...ead.php?t=4958

There is though a huge disparity in spring rate between all model years of R1 and the ER6. What do they have to say about that and is there a sizable consensus that the R1 shock works?

[Bassmatt]

Thanks for the replys.
Robert, I'm sure the ohlins is a great shock but I'm afraid I cant justify spending that much when the bike is probably only worth $5k, and I have a family to support.
Pete, cheers for that Ill definitely look into it.

[Robert Taylor]

Thanks for the replys.
Robert, I'm sure the ohlins is a great shock but I'm afraid I cant justify spending that much when the bike is probably only worth $5k, and I have a family to support.
Pete, cheers for that Ill definitely look into it.

I understand that totally, there was an assumption that such a shock was going to be something like 2k so I was delighted of the opportunity to state that was very much not the case.
With something else that may fit it starts to become plausible when there is a wide consensus.

[pete376403]

There is though a huge disparity in spring rate between all model years of R1 and the ER6. What do they have to say about that and is there a sizable consensus that the R1 shock works?

Opinions on the R1 unit are that it DOES require a different spring and the lower (IIRC) mount needs modification and even if not in the same league as a correctly setup and sprung Ohlins, is a huge improvement when compared to the oversprung screen door closer that the Kawi comes with as standard.

R1 units of various model years are on E-Bay for around $25 - $200. That leaves a lot of headroom to experiment with springs.

[Robert Taylor]

Opinions on the R1 unit are that it DOES require a different spring and the lower (IIRC) mount needs modification and even if not in the same league as a correctly setup and sprung Ohlins, is a huge improvement when compared to the oversprung screen door closer that the Kawi comes with as standard.

R1 units of various model years are on E-Bay for around $25 - $200. That leaves a lot of headroom to experiment with springs.

Yes that all makes sense. Its not totally though that the bike is oversprung, well at least it is for lightweight riders. It has very poor low speed compression damping that allows it to too readily blow through its stroke, precompressing the spring as it fails to maintain ride height. Exacerbating that it has way too much high speed compression damping so it cannot pass enough oil to absorb the nastiest bumps.

[Shaun]

$1099 gst incl for a replacement Ohlins, that is then able to be rebuilt when it is due for service at 40,000ks. Sprung and setup for you. Modular so it is able to be re-spec'd for a subsequent bike you may purchase or we trade used Ohlins for new ( providing we sold it in the first place )
With the stock shock they are noticably deteriorated in performance after 20,000ks, often less. On that model they are a sealed for life unit. There are people that will cut them open and rebuild them but that is not something we personally do or recommend.
Although the environment for a road bike is different a typical MX bike will undergo approximately 17,000 compression cycles every single lap of a typical length MX track, requiring ( ideally ) service every 20 hours max.
That shock on your bike will have as little as 125 to 150 mls of oil in it, thats a very small quantity for what its expected to do and its remarkable that shocks last as long as they do.

These Ohlin;s shocks are BEST PRICE deal I ever seen in this country for Quality units