Stock Rear Shock Interchangeability.

[slipperymongoose]

Hi guys a bit of a public service announcement here(I hope), to get me back on the road again I was kindly given a rear shock off an 89 (thanks cods) to put onto my K3 till my R6 one gets in from the states. Here's me thinking its a straight swap over........ Wrong! The bottom clevis is shorter on the 89 than my 03 one. After a bt of searching through the forum nothing has come up so thought I would share this with all so no one gets caught short. I should also mention that after perusing my haynes manual it mentions nothing of any changes to the rear suspension setup except for the rear trail from 95mm to 97mm whatever that is I cant be bothered reading into right now. Cheers

[slipperymongoose]

My shock is on the left.

[5thAve]

Have you had your bike since new?  Any chance the shock on your bike was already swapped in from a donor Katana?

[adidasguy]

The key item is the distance between the top and the bottom bolts. They appear to be the same. Slide them so the mounts match (not the adjuster) and you'll see they are the same distance.

Shock on the left with the inner plastic protector is newer. The one on the right appears to be back from around 1989 or early in the GS500 line.

I went and compared shocks in the bike cave. There is one in a box on an original 1989/90 knuckle that is like the shock on the right.

My guess is there was a change in the bottom when they went from the cast aluminum knuckle to the steel one. parts lists confirm the rear shock changed starting in 1991.

verdict: both are GS500. Left: fairly new due to the plastic dirt protector. Right: 1989 or 1990.

UPDATE! IMPORTANT!
The 1989 probably will not fit. This is due to the dimensions of the knuckle. this explains the change when the knuckle changed. The steel knuckle is larger so the shock mount had to be deeper. While you can put a newer shock on a 1989 knuckle, you should not put a 1989 shock on a newer steel knuckle. It will probably bind, hit and bend things.

Note the differences in the area where the shock mounts to the knuckle. Smaller on the aluminum knuckle. By the way, they look so sweet I am putting the 1989  knuckles on all my bikes. Aluminum knuckle is compatible with all years and shocks.

[codajastal]

Now how did I know Adidas would have the answer to this one. hehe

[slipperymongoose]

@5th no bike was stock when I bought it.

@ Adidas yeah that's the point I was making with the two shocks, except no mention of tge change was made in my Haynes and just about every change and alteration is noted.

[slipperymongoose]

There isn't much in it when I put the old shock on the newer lower suspension thingy ma jig. Hey cods can I slot it out?

[codajastal]

There isn't much in it when I put the old shock on the newer lower suspension thingy ma jig. Hey cods can I slot it out?

Will that fukitup and make it unusable on mine?

[Twisted]

There isn't much in it when I put the old shock on the newer lower suspension thingy ma jig. Hey cods can I slot it out?

Will that fukitup and make it unusable on mine?

Only when he sits on it.

[codajastal]

There isn't much in it when I put the old shock on the newer lower suspension thingy ma jig. Hey cods can I slot it out?

Will that fukitup and make it unusable on mine?

Only when he sits on it.

[slipperymongoose]

Who's triple figures here boys? He he he 

[Twisted]

Triple figures of pure muscle!

[slipperymongoose]

 

[adidasguy]

@ Adidas yeah that's the point I was making with the two shocks, except no mention of tge change was made in my Haynes and just about every change and alteration is noted.

There are many changes - some very subtle.
I do not think Haynes makes mention of many of them because they assume you're using parts from the same year or they were not aware of it or didn't think it important. Wiring changes and carb changes are important enough to mention. In '06 they added the headlight cut out when starter button pressed. While that might be mentioned, probably they don't tell you the connectors on the hand controls changed, too.

Parts fisch is good to know there is a change, though it doesn't say what the change was.

Original shock for 89-90 was 62100-01d01 and superseded by 62100-01d10 which was the 1991-2000 part.
2001 the shock changed to 62100-01d21, which superseded 62100-01d20.
(My guess here is the black plastic dirt guard was added on 01d21)