Rear Shock Change

Sunny

Sunny

Site Supporter
Joined
Apr 18, 2018
Messages
352
Location
NJ
Bike
NT700VA, R1150GS
Rear Shock was bouncy and I had been thinking of changing it for long, the dealer cost was insane ... $900 for shock and another $500-600 for labor, so finally me and my friend (who has a well stocked garage with tools) decided to do it in-house.

I also realized that the shock was shot when the I had bought the bike ... I also realized dealer $500 was justified .... had to take everything off.... it was a painful process and you need many tools and a buddy .. took us like ~10+hr

While we were at it cleaned and lubed up the splines tooo .. they were in good condition ...

But now the bike rides like a dream ... no more pogo stick effect ...

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DirtFlier said:
What brand/type of new shock did you install?
Click to expand...

OEM

I think the shock failure was an outlier, the original owner had babied the bike and the shock failed at <12k miles (it was gone when I had bought the bike).
 
My shock on NT#1 failed at about 90K miles, two weeks before the expiration of my extended warranty. I had ridden 10 miles to meet some other guys on our way to an automobile museum in Parker, south of Denver. When we pulled onto the interstate, the bike bounced like it never had before. By the time we got to the museum, it was bouncing more. When we came out there was shock fluid on the ground and the tire. We rode to lunch and I knew I didn't want to ride it 70 miles home. A friend who lived close took his bike home and swapped it for his car and met me at the dealer's. He brought me home and on Tuesday the dealer called me and told me that Honda considered a shock a wear item and wouldn't cover it under the warranty. The 2nd one was still good when I traded that bike away at 139K miles. Somebody on the forum sent me, unsolicited, a shock that they had taken off their bike and replaced with a Progressive. I didn't need it and gave it or sold it cheap to someone else on the Forum.

Your bike is looking good...I'm glad it's running and handling good as well.
 
mine failed too. oil all over swingarm, could feel effect of no damping. BUT I only took off the wheel and able to get in there and replace OEM shock. didn't have to take off the tank. maybe 3 hrs!!
 
Woodaddict said:
mine failed too. oil all over swingarm, could feel effect of no damping. BUT I only took off the wheel and able to get in there and replace OEM shock. didn't have to take off the tank. maybe 3 hrs!!
Click to expand...

noob vs veteran ....... :rofl1:
 
Woodaddict said:
... I only took off the wheel and able to get in there and replace OEM shock. didn't have to take off the tank. maybe 3 hrs!!
Click to expand...
Ditto (servicing the needle bearing at the bottom mount), topped up the ATF in the preload adjuster while at it (prev >7 turns till resistance, then 1.5 turns...)
 
ST1100Y said:
topped up the ATF in the preload adjuster while at it (prev >7 turns till resistance, then 1.5 turns...)
Click to expand...

Did not get it? I thought that the std was turn the pre-load to min and then turn it till you count 11 clicks...

what is this ATF?
 
Sunny said:
Did not get it? I thought that the std was turn the pre-load to min and then turn it till you count 11 clicks... ?
Click to expand...
The set had an air-bubble inside, so no resistance at all on the first turns...
Also cleaned and lubed the threads and mechanic (my GF was barely able to turn that knob at all, now all is smooth...)
ATF -> automatic transmission fluid, but I guess one could also use fork-oil...
 
ST1100Y said:
The set had an air-bubble inside, so no resistance at all on the first turns...
Also cleaned and lubed the threads and mechanic (my GF was barely able to turn that knob at all, now all is smooth...)
ATF -> automatic transmission fluid, but I guess one could also use fork-oil...
Click to expand...
That is really interesting, I always thought that the rear shock was non-serviceable ...

@Phil Tarman : Thanks

Did a multi-shop pick-up / return trip yesterday and was happy, also additional realizations:

1) for milk / grocery / buy - return shop runs, put on the top case ...

2) seat gets hot, so need to figure out. Then I remembered I had bought a mesh cover (it is supposed to keep your seat and butt cool.) long time back that was too small for NT and too big for GS. The front pointy ends of the seat were not letting it fit .... till yesteryear night, I had a light bulb moment (instead of putting front in, why not put the back in)... used various combination of shoe string tying to finalize on this setup ... the front pointy ends are not covered, but they are typically not used :)

Sat on the bike and it felt ok, there was no slip and sliding .... Test ride planned for today evening ...

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For further improvement, I want some hooks like these, any one know where I can find them cheap ... idea is to tie the covers edge piping to the hook and hook the hook to the seat edge ... I am finding these for like $2 a piece but post shipping they become like $5 per pierce ..

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Last edited:
Sunny - the OEM Showa shock is non-serviceable. The item ST1100Y mentioned is the preload adjuster knob that is a remote way to adjust the spring preload. but it doesn't affect the shock internals.
 
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