Bandit Alley
MODEL SPECIFIC => SUZUKI BANDIT 650 and 1250 - WATER COOLED TECHNICAL => Topic started by: Ves on May 27, 2016, 11:44:58 PM
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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... :bigok:
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... :thumb:
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... :duh: 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... :thumb:
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! :thumb: . Tighten up the preload lock collar.
I check the dampening. Both compression and preload cranked all the way up to 20 clicks... :yikes:... 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... :bouncy: ... but more controlled... :rofl:
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. :motorsmile:
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So, been about 3000+ miles since I mounted it. A weekend trip to Quincy IL, a long weekend to SW Wisconsin, and about 1700 miles, five day loop down through North Carolina... Tail of the Dragon (haven't been there in years), route 28, Blueridge Parkway, etc...
The shock definitely raises the rear end. Not a problem for my 36" inseam. On the center stand, on flat ground my rear tire is just touching the ground. Enough so that you can't rotate the tire to lube the chain. So, have to be creative; look for a rise in the asphalt, use a piece of bark under the center stand... doesn't take much. Of course that lift also quickens up the steering. :thumb: Love it. The thing handles like it weighs 100 lbs less. I don't even have a fork brace on the. Combined with the 1.1kg/mm springs in the front the bike stays tight.
I did crank down the preload a bit more and I'm 215, so I'm thinking for a light rider you'd have to swap out the spring for a lower rate. The compression and rebound has been good where I initially set them.
:motorsmile:
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Sweet!! Now I'm looking for a 'Busa shock!