lifespan of a basic suspension...

LoneRonin

LoneRonin

Well-known member
pretty much what the title says...
is there a certain amount of km's before a suspension specifically a rear shock is worn out and needs to be replaced? My bike is nearing 60k.
 
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Friend's R1 rear shock turned into a pogo stick just short of 30,000 km.

OEM rear shock on my ZX10R still works at 71,000 km. Probably not as well as it once did, but good enough for a street bike.

Some bikes have rear shocks that are junk the moment they roll off the assembly line.

You can't put a number to this.
 
Definitely something you have to assess. Sometime's it's easy - if the shock is creaking, there's oil everywhere, chunks of the spring missing :P. How and where the bike is ridden, how much dust and dirt the suspension was subject to, etc.

At 60K, though, it couldn't hurt to have it rebuilt if it's rebuildable.
 
I change the oil in my shock every 10 or 15000 km when the damping starts to go away
, and it feels brand new again.. least to me .
 
I change the oil in my shocks and forks every year. I replace valves whenever my seals start to go and the thing has to be taken apart anyways... maybe a little overkill but suspension is one of the most important things that affect how a bike feels.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
Definitely something you have to assess. Sometime's it's easy - if the shock is creaking, there's oil everywhere, chunks of the spring missing :P. How and where the bike is ridden, how much dust and dirt the suspension was subject to, etc.

At 60K, though, it couldn't hurt to have it rebuilt if it's rebuildable.
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bike is a 09 Ninja 250...don't know if its rebuildable. Its not creaking or anything but I don't know how worn it is as I have nothing to compare it to. I've changed my fork oil once but don't know if you can do it on the rear shock..
I was looking at an Ohlins which looks awesome but I plan on getting my SS in a couple years and a grand is too much to spend on a 250 shock. If anything I think I'll find a cheap used one and get that put in.
 
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careful buying a cheap used one, net result could be the same as leaving your current one installed
 
if you can find a low km's rear shock for cheap....that would be the best route to go.
 
frekeyguy said:
if you can find a low km's rear shock for cheap....that would be the best route to go.
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+1

If you get it rebuilt/revalved for your weight it would be perfect. Contact this shop see what they can do for you, might require you sending your shock in:

www.daughertymotorsports.com

He does quality work, got a shock from him for my VFR.
 
My 99 R6 was raced on it's stock stuff till early 2012....when I replaced the shock with Ohlins, and put new oil and springs int he forks.

WAs it all tired and desperately thrashed? Heck yah.
 
HERBXX said:
I change the oil in my shock every 10 or 15000 km when the damping starts to go away
, and it feels brand new again.. least to me .
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Nothing to do with the subject but:
Are you sure this isn't overkill? I mean, every 10-15 000km, its every 2 or 3 months for a lots of riders...I test my bike suspension just like my car suspension and check for leak. Unless you are racing, this is overkill in my opinion.
 
The oil in a shock works really hard . It could be over kill but its what I do , and I enjoy doing it and it cost me about 2o bucks
 
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