Sachs shock - what is wrong with it.

[Tonyunn]

This will get a few people going but I have to ask.

What exactly is the problem with the standard shock, before I replace it with either a Hagon (£300) or Nitron (£350) I would like to know if I will notice the difference.

Is it too hard, too soft, does it cease to work after a certain time, I will be using my bike for work in the summer and fun rides out when I have the time so as a limted rider will I need to change.

Please keep the physics down to a minimum.

[D-Rider]

They are absolutely fantastic. What's more I can save you a lot of your hard-earned cash - I'll sell you one for £150 or even better, I'll do you a pair of them for just £200.

They will make great paperweights or garden sculptures.

[Aladinsaneuk]

It was a poor unit with VERY limited ability and adjustment when new

As the shocks have aged, their performance has deteriorated so in many there is now adjustment left

Buying a new replacement is not a bad thing - fitting a refurbished Mille unit may well be cheaper and give more bang for buck....

[mangocrazy]

I'm actually in the middle of preparing a 'Life, the Universe and Everything' spiel on Falco rear suspension and options available, along with info garnered from a number of sources. This is what I'll be saying about the OE Blue spring shock in this piece:

The OE shock was not particularly awful, but it was basic, relatively unadjustable and crude in operation and fell a long way behind the general excellence of the rest of the bike. The OE Falco shock is adjustable for preload (via castellated collars and a C-spanner) and rebound damping. Compression damping is fixed (i.e. non-adjustable) and there is no provision for raising (or lowering) the ride height. Overall rear suspension action is crude and harsh, and the general opinion is that no matter what you do with the limited adjustment available, it doesn’t make an improvement. It’s a cheap unit, built down to a price, and performs accordingly. It is also (allegedly) not rebuildable.

And of the two options you list as alternatives, I'd go for the Nitron every time. The quality jump between the Hagon and the Nitron is considerable.

[blinkey501]

What exactly is the problem with the standard shock,

Please keep the physics down to a minimum.

Its pants , if you decide to have a ride on a bumpy road i have best described it to having a solid piece of bar in place.
There is no give in the origional blue shock what so ever.
Having said that i did do a track day on the falco with blue shock fitted, but has a track is smooth has silk so no issues there.
Anything is better than standard

[mangocrazy]

if you decide to have a ride on a bumpy road i have best described it to having a solid piece of bar in place.
There is no give in the origional blue shock what so ever.

That's an interesting and 'on the money' comment, in my opinion. I'm of the view that the OE Blue spring Sachs shock suffers from a spring rate that is way too high for most folks, and compression damping which is harsh and well OTT (as well as being unadjustable). A combination of the two was (quite literally) a Pain in the Arse, as both myself and my wife couldn't manage much more than about 50 miles before we had to have a rest and let our pummelled arses recover.

I realise that the above section of text will be gleefully seized upon and may even be used as a signature block by some...

With an Ohlins shock we did a round trip to the South of France with no discomfort at all (other than to our wallets...)

[wayofthedarkhand]

What would be the recommendation for two up riding and touring?

[blinkey501]

Graham in a previous post i have commented to my favourite stretch of road, Horncastle to caister and if you never had the pleasure i would be more than glad to meet up at willingham woods and have a ride out there.
I decided to have a ride up there with a friend of mine last year who has a kwack
We left the m180 and went past east midlands air port, and turned up to caister.
This was the first time i had encounted a really bumpy road about 2 miles long, and in all honesty the blue shock was unforgiving to say the least.
I can say i was less than impressed and up until then i thought the blue shock was ok, and also didn't see what the issue was with what i had read on the forum.
I know you agree from what you have posted you too don't really think the shock is that good, I think it is truely awfull. A no physics aproach...
Pants pants pants

[mangocrazy]

What would be the recommendation for two up riding and touring?

It all depends on whether you're switching a lot between solo and with pillion, or whether the bike will be used for mainly two-up riding.

If you're switching between solo and pillion, as I do, then a hydraulic preload adjuster is a wonderful thing. A few turns of the adjuster and it's dialled in. Buggering about with C-spanners on a regular basis is a king size PITA.

If the bike's used almost exclusively for either solo or two-up, then a HPA is probably unnecessary. They do add a fair bit to the cost of a new shock, but don't seem to change the price much secondhand.

Other than that, if you're very light or very heavy then standard spring rates may need changing. In my experience Ohlins shocks are supplied with very firm spring rates, but that's just my personal view and others feel differently.

[blinkey501]

What would be the recommendation for two up riding and touring?

It all depends on whether you're switching a lot between solo and with pillion, or whether the bike will be used for mainly two-up riding.

If you're switching between solo and pillion, as I do, then a hydraulic preload adjuster is a wonderful thing. A few turns of the adjuster and it's dialled in. Buggering about with C-spanners on a regular basis is a king size PITA.

If the bike's used almost exclusively for either solo or two-up, then a HPA is probably unnecessary. They do add a fair bit to the cost of a new shock, but don't seem to change the price much secondhand.

Other than that, if you're very light or very heavy then standard spring rates may need changing. In my experience Ohlins shocks are supplied with very firm spring rates, but that's just my personal view and others feel differently.

Yes willapotamous HAD the idel shock for you but ALAD beat everyone to it

[mangocrazy]

Hi Blinkey; I was just trying to appear balanced and rational in my opinion...

You're right; the blue spring Sachs shock is shit and should be ditched ASAP. I don't suffer poor suspension gladly, and my blue spring shock was replaced before the bike had done 500 miles from new. I also had the forks re-sprung and re-valved, but I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to suspension. I follow Oscar Wilde's dictum:

I'm a man of simple tastes; I'm always satisfied with the very best...

The trouble is, once you've experienced well set up suspension, nothing else will do.

As for ride outs later in the year, I'd be well up for that...

[blinkey501]

I knew we had to agree on the blue shock.
It is the first time i had ridden up that road on the falco, but i had been up there on my fazer.
The fazer was supposed to be built to a budget, but it behaved impecably. I didn't realise how bumpy the road was until a trip on the falco.
I honestly do believe my back wheel was leaving the road over the bumps.
The ohlins i have fitted has not been serviced yet, but with a service i can only imagine how much better the falco will be.
I have also been up the bumpy road since with the un serviced ohlins and the bike was %100 better

[blinkey501]

Just to add a bit more to the ohlins blue shock debate i looked on ebay and there seems to be a conflicting sale. scroll down and look at the bike
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PERFECT-APRIL ... a11fb0106e

I think this ohlins with 2500 summer miles is not expensive has it should not need a service. But with the AP code that we have discussed it should be from a tuono R

But has a twist
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APRILIA-RSV-M ... 2a16948d8d
Same bike with two different shocks fitted
Should be a firm ride

[Kwackerz]

i'd avoid them purely on the principle that theyre dishonest or lazy, or both.

[D-Rider]

Yes willapotamous HAD the idel shock for you but ALAD beat everyone to it

Actually, I had first option on that one but passed on it as I'm happy enough with the Mille-R ohlins that I already have and although I carry pillions frequently, I very much doubt that I'd often make use of the remote pre-load adjuster.


.... and on the blue springer - it's a bouncy pogo stick - awful down bumpy, twisty B-roads.
Now I know this is the opposite to what others have said about it being "solid" - it certainly is anything but in my experience. Perhaps this depends on the weight of the rider. Maybe there is a weight where it actually works!

On the occasions I've fitted it, I can feel the difference before I've got to the end of my drive.