I have a 2008 and last year the shock gave up the ghost. So, all winter searched out the different replacement shocks, and also read about the Busa replacement option. I found a lot on here regarding Busa shocks and B1200 but not so much regarding 1250. So, if this has been beat to death, shoot me...
Actually, I first decided against the Busa option, but that's a whole different story. The end of the story is that my bike was sitting in my driveway with NO shock, and with Memorial day coming I needed to do something about that. I went on E-bay and bought me a 08-15 Busa shock for $80, shipped USPS Priority Mail, got here Thursday before Memorial Day Weekend...
Thursday I mount the baby, and it's practically glitch free. Wow... really... Had to trim off about 1/2" of rubber off the intake snorkel at the back of the air box. I mounted the top screw first, but the bottom one was just a hair off being lined up. The bolt wouldn't slip through freely...
Well, a little more pressure to line up best I could, then screwing the screw in with a socket, then giving it a good whack once all the threads were in the bushing, and then screwing the threads out the other side, put on the nut, I was set...
Tightened everything up, pop the baby off the center stand.... hmmm... rear end didn't move much... jump on it a couple times... hmmm... moves a little but barely... stiff as a well damped board.... It was late, mosquitoes were biting, time to pick it up next day...
Did a little checking on Busa weight vs Bandit, close enough. I'm 215 so if the Busa spring is a bit stiffer, like it seemed, that should be OK.
Back at it the next day. Loosen the preload collars a HEFTY amount... SWAG... get out the tape measure, measure the sag with rider... 37mm... pfffffttttt... close enough!
. Tighten up the preload lock collar.
I check the dampening. Both compression and preload cranked all the way up to 20 clicks...
... back them down to 7 clicks instead... Take it off the center stand... Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. I felt it the moment I pushed it off the center stand. Compliant and controlled... kind of like this...
... but more controlled...
Oh yeah! Feel that movement... bounce bounce... and feel that dampening... Yes! I took it for a ride and the bike is transformed. Soaks up the bumps and dips without being harsh, doesn't pogo, doesn't wallow, and I have 13 clicks to go! Steady as a rock during high speed swerving.
Best $80 bucks I ever spent. At three times the price it would have been worth it.