Opinions on replacement rear shock 2001 GS, stock went pffftht today

[Teek]

I'm pretty sure my 2001 GS has always had the rear shock on the stock setting of 4. With hubby's help (he turned it, I watched) we moved it to what we thought was more preload (1), but it was less, so the rear end was really solid and felt taller. With the Sonic springs up front, the bike was like riding a rock, and I didn't like the handling. So he put it all the way back the other way today while I was elsewhere, and we went for a long ride through the Malibu area canyons, came home, and it had no damping left, just spring. THEN he told me that it was leaking. He had "thought" it might be, but wasn't sure, so didn't tell me...     So I said great, I've been riding canyons with oil dripping in front of my rear tire.... fun.      (But it was a really great ride!).  Seems drastically adjusting it just blew the oil seal.

So now I need a new rear shock. I have found a little bit in search, most seem to like to upgrade to a Katana rear shock, but it supposedly raises the rear end and is also really stiff. I also don't want the bike taller, I generally can only flat foot it on one side as it is. So there's the GSX-R 600? which is bigger and needs some mods to fit and would also probably be taller? Or I've also read here that a Bandit shock will fit, which would lower the rear of the bike, which would be a plus for me. But that's an older model, right?

So who has used and liked a Bandit shock, and or who knows what year/size would fit my 2001? Or should I just get a new GS stock shock? That seems to me a waste of a good excuse to "upgrade".

Any thoughts on rear shocks and advice will be much appreciated.   

PS: Ran across a 2005 SV650 on the way home from Santa Barbara yesterday, it was gorgeous, yellow, and if money was no object and we'd had real garage space, we would have taken turns riding it home...   but I LOVE my GS!   

[darb85]

Katana 600 shock works great!

[darb85]

didnt seem to gain any hight either

[Teek]

Thanks, so much! I about had a stroke when I saw some of the prices on eBay, I can't figure out how a shock with less that 8K miles on it could fail like that.

No offense, but how much do you weigh??       You really think there was no added height? I'm 140, 5'6", add 10 pounds for gear, and the kid who owned it before me was 5'9 and not heavy either. Don't know the history of the bike before that...  just that the seat was modded for the vertically challenged.   
Maybe I shoulda bought that SV650....  But dang, I put on another 55 miles in canyons and on PCH  today, and I love her... I just may not be able to afford her at this rate.   

[Teek]

Oh, and year ranges that would fit a 2001???      Anyone know if a 2005 Katana shock would fit? Thanks!  I finally found a local riding buddy and now my bike is broken...     

[darb85]

I believe pre 2003 fits perfect, but check the wiki. (see FAQ section)

Im 6'2" and 160 on a bad day.(ya im a skinny little freak)

No noticable height increase either.  at most 1/2 inch, maybe but the shocks are exactly the same length. so....


I still have my old stock shock if you might be intrested let me know.

[Teek]

Thanks, I'll check the wiki and if I can't find something will let you know on your shock. 
My hubby is 6' and 150 soaking wet, you guys make great road bike (bicycles) riders! I think it's a very nice build on a guy myself.

[gsJack]

Thanks, I'll check the wiki and if I can't find something will let you know on your shock. 
My hubby is 6' and 150 soaking wet, you guys make great road bike (bicycles) riders! I think it's a very nice build on a guy myself.

I can relate to that build, I still have a pretty good memory.  Here's a pic I recieved recently of me and the wife carring our daughter taken by a friend almost 56 years ago.  I was about 6'2" and 155# then.  That's the friend cut off at the left.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/?action=view&current=JR1952.jpg

I'm just under 6' now and about 240# and have no current pics available.   

[Teek]

Hi Jack, that's a neat photo, yup, that's the way I like 'em.      

I can remember when I could eat 3 doughnuts every day or so in my teens and 20s and stick at 123 pounds... for years....  *sigh*

Do you have any rear shock opinions for my 2001 model, oh my guru?    

I found 1991-2005, from $20 up to $135.00. Sheesh.

[Kerry]

I'm just under 6' now and about 240# and have no current pics available.   

I seem to remember a very cool faces-only shot of you and your honey about 3 years ago.  It was in a thread called something like "Everybody post photos of your significant other".  I believe it was in the Odd & Ends forum ... but I see that no threads exist there before 2005. 

[ajaxgs]

i just picked an 03 kat600 shock off e-bay for 30$ fits perfect and little to no ride height difference ....goes in easy too !
i have my old one if you want p.m me i'll sell it cheep  only 20k km on it not leaking

[gsJack]

Do you have any rear shock opinions for my 2001 model
I found 1991-2005, from $20 up to $135.00. Sheesh.

I put 80k miles on my 97 GS500E and JP (son) who has it now has run that up to over 90k miles and put in a new (slightly used) motor but it still has the original rear shock on it.

My 02 GS500 rear shock began leaking at around 6-7k miles and got real bad quickly, they must have got some bad ones around 01-02 about the time assembly of GSs was moved to Spain.  Probably a new supplier.  I got a slightly used one from a board member who had replaced his with a Kat or Bandit shock and have had no problems with it with over 56k miles on the bike now.

I like the OEM rear shock myself, don't want any of the taller shock changes that raise the bike now that I'm shrinking.     I put about 40k miles on a set of Progressive front springs in the 97 GS and then switched them to the 02 GS and put another 50k miles on them so they're broken in just right now.  Some say they are too stiff but they work nicely with my weight.

When I more recently put on links to lower the rear only about 1 1/4" it stiffened the rear suspension a noticeable amount and feels better balanced with the stiffer front with the progressives.  I like it the way it is now.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=32734.msg363373#msg363373

Check out the shocks mentioned by ajaxgs and darb85 above, probably better than buying from a stranger on e-bay.

[gsJack]

I'm just under 6' now and about 240# and have no current pics available.   

I seem to remember a very cool faces-only shot of you and your honey about 3 years ago.  It was in a thread called something like "Everybody post photos of your significant other".  I believe it was in the Odd & Ends forum ... but I see that no threads exist there before 2005. 

You must be referring to this pic Kerry, I'll link it again since my belly doesn't show, lol:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/mer.jpg

That was a few years ago at our grandson's wedding,  here's one of me and my new favorite gal:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/meg.jpg

OK, one more of me and JP:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/jcp8832/jackjohnburp04.jpg

[Teek]

Hi Jack,

I just pm'd you, as you were posting here!     Thanks for the info on leaking shocks, it will probably get Lars off the hook, but as I told him, it's just a good excuse to try the upgrade out. I was liking the bike just fine though after I put the Sonic springs in up front, even though they are pretty stiff they give me excellent front end road feel, which I like. I did not like it after we took the preload off the rear shock though, too stiff overall, it seemed I could not "connect" with the bike. It was like riding a strange horse, LOL!

I'm concerned about height because I have no ACL in my right knee, making it sometimes a little wobbly and prone to collapse, also have a bad hip that side, and a bad back (broke some vertebrae at some point). Doesn't bother me when on the bike though. When I was young I could ride anything I could toe with confidence, now that I'm older I'd rather not be on tiptoe on it, especially as pretty much everywhere we ride is very cambered and rough pavement... that's the part of getting older that sux, losing that easy physical confidence, especially if one was athletic all through life previously. I got beat upand now it's showing. 

ajaxgs, thanks for the input! I took a chance and bought that 2005 Katana 600 shock off eBay early this am, I haven't heard from the seller but he has good fb, so hope he actually sends it. I figure we'll install it, and if it doesn't work out I will offer it for a swap back to stock, or check back with the riders here who still have their stock shock. What year is your stock??

I am interested in the lowering links however, if I can do it w/o messing up the bike, so will check those out. An inch would help me a lot, my seat is already modded and I'd like to be able to move back from the tank more. I can probably handle the stiffer suspension if the bike is lower.

Thanks everyone! Please feel free to weigh in with any further observations, I appreciate it and it all helps!

[Teek]

I just looked at gsJack's lowering links links, Pingel doesn't offer one for the GS anymore it seems, though they do for the SV. The Muzzy's for the ZX-6 are anodized gold and are $20 less than the Diamonds. Jack, do I need to worry about the Muzzy's potentially rubbing on anything on the chassis? They might be the one I'd like to try... and then should I slide my forks up a bit to compensate, anyone???  I don't want to mess up the handling. I like how stable and neutral the bike is, yet really responsive in turning. At least mine is. 

[Kerry]

You must be referring to this pic Kerry, I'll link it again since my belly doesn't show, lol:

Yep, that's the one! 

here's one of me and my new favorite gal:

Wow - nabbed yourself a(nother) cutie! 

OK, one more of me and JP:

Ah yes - that one looks familiar.  Should we read anything into the filename - some kind of contest going on? 
     [jackjohnburp04.jpg]

=========================

OK, sorry folks ... back your regularly scheduled thread. 

[Teek]

Hey Kerry,

Besides any input on the Katana 600 shock and lowering links, what do you think about my burning desire to paint my bike pearl yellow? 

PS: Good catch on the file name, and it was #4 to boot!   

[da602krew]

I just won a nice 97 katana shock on ebay for $20 (included shipping ) and a 1.5 inch lowering link for $27.75 w/shipping (for my wife) both should be here 1/22 i was planning on measuring the height as well as taking some specific bumps (ones i tend to avoid!)before and after to see the diff, ill let you know.

Dave-

[Teek]

Hi Dave,

I was going to bid on that shock, I hope it works out well for you!!!  I'm glad I didn't end up bidding against you!  LOL!  Yeah, PLEASE let me know anything you can that might help, I'm hoping to get the shock in time to put it in Sunday, there's no time before that... I figure do that first, then order the links, I can't afford to pay for them and then not use them.
I would seriously appreciate any info you come up with, thanks!   

[gsJack]

I just looked at gsJack's lowering links links, Pingel doesn't offer one for the GS anymore it seems, though they do for the SV. The Muzzy's for the ZX-6 are anodized gold and are $20 less than the Diamonds. Jack, do I need to worry about the Muzzy's potentially rubbing on anything on the chassis? They might be the one I'd like to try... and then should I slide my forks up a bit to compensate, anyone???  I don't want to mess up the handling. I like how stable and neutral the bike is, yet really responsive in turning. At least mine is. 

Pingel never made links for the GS, the ones I used were for Kawi ZX models their part #62018.  Look under Kawi models:

http://www.pingelonline.com/lowering_links.htm

I used them because they lowered my rear about 1 1/4" and the Muzzys ZX6 links lower it about 2 1/2" which was more than I wanted.  Here's a post on the Muzzy's link from someone that used them:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=7304

The Diamond links are the only ones listed for the GS and they lower it about 2" according to them.

I lowered the front about 1/2" at first but the bike was getting too vertical on the sidestand so I put it back, it's necessary to shorten the sidestand to get enough lean if you lower much more than I did.

The forks can't be slid up much without hitting the bars unless you move the bars out of the way.  I already had the GenMar risers that moved mine back and up so the forks would clear:

http://www.zianet.com/GenMar/

You can put an extra set of bar clamp caps under the bars with longer bolts if you want to lower the front without the GenMars.  Much less expensive, I did that on the 97 GS after I transferred the GenMars to the 02.  Raises the bars about 3/4".