Fitting a BMW S1000RR rear shock, bushes & washers?

[ProdigalSon]

Although on a moderate paced ride yesterday the rear shock on my newly acquired Gen.1 1000 behaved itself having read the numerous posts about substituting the rear shock I couldn't quite stretch to one of Lukes R6 kits. Instead I've managed to get a BMW S1000RR rear shock and an Ohlins spring at a good price but I know I need to source a pair of washers, apparently M12 o/d 25mm and 2.65 mm thick and also an M12 bolt with a 41.5 mm shoulder for the bottom mount I believe, also the top bush either needs drilling out to 12mm.

Does anyone know where I can source the above washers and bolts in stainless steel and also would anyone happen to know of someone who could supply replacement top bushes machined to the correct bore and thickness so as not to need the washers?

[slappy]

Go to a local nut and bolt supplier, they should be able to sort you with what you need or something very close.

[ProdigalSon]

I'm assuming if I can get a new bushes machined up I won't need the washers to space it out, a friend f mine has a small engineering company so should be able to make the bushes for me cheaply so just need a hardware store with a decent selection of nuts and bolts.

[tommyardin]

Hi Prodical,
If the bushes need drilling out do it a little at a time, Ie: 9mm drill then 9.5 then a 10mm and so on and keep pouring water on the bush as you drill to act as a coolant, most suspension bushes are rubber mounted and it it get hot and starts to spin around you have pretty much Shag-ed it.
Not try to teach Granny and all that, but would be a shame if it was ruined because it got to hot.

[ProdigalSon]

Tommy, thanks for the advice, no problem taking it onboard, I'd rather people say than not when it's too late.

[ProdigalSon]

I finally got around to fitting my S1000RR rear shock today, talk about schoolboy error, all fitted up pushed it off the stand and pushed down on the bike to see how it felt and got somewhere between an inch and two inches of movement and rock solid, I thought bloody hell I didn't wind the preload up that much! It turns out I hadn't cut the new bottom mounting bold quite short enough and it was hitting the dog bone, doh!

Just as well I'd bought two bolts, off it all came again and at attempt two all was good, the spring certainly seems stiffer than the Yamaha one although I have an Ohlins spring in reserve if the BMW isn't stiff enough. Only problem was by the time I'd finished it was chucking it with rain so no idea what difference it will make or whether I have the setting anywhere near right.

[ProdigalSon]

Well for anyone thinking of going down this route rather than an R6 rear shock my initial impression after a quite spirited ride of approximately 60 miles on twisty single carriageways roads last night was that it was well worth the £103.00 it cost me. I paid a £100 for the shock (inc. p&p)and £3.00 for some stainless nuts and bolts to mount it with. A friend did the top bushes for me for the price of beer but you can use washers to space it out if you don't have a friend with a machine shop. So £172 less than I would have paid for an R6 shock and I'm fairly confident it's every bit as good, BMW owners may be dumping them for Ohlins but nothing wrong with the Sachs unit as far as I can tell. 

[watto 1]

Hi Mate any pics

[ProdigalSon]

At work at the moment but will add some over the weekend when I get chance, fairly straight forward and easy install apart from not cutting the bottom bolt short enough originally.

[ProdigalSon]

I'm not a great photo person but these are what  took,
BMW shock ready to go in

Fazer shock out

BMW shock fitted, no need to change the dog bones and cheaper than an R6 conversion

[unfazed]

All covered in this thread also http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,4976....#msg132497

[onejay]

best thing i ever did

[sirgalahad3]

I have just fitted one of these and am also impressed.
Well worth doing.