I am thinking about getting a new rear spring from EPM (much cheaper than a whole new shock). Does anyone here know how to remove/replace the spring on the stock shock? It's not covered in the service manual.
Hi. Last year, based on feedback from many on this forumn, I first replaced my front fork springs with the " HyperPro" progressive wound spring form EPS. This was a great improvement on the front, which use to just pound my arms when hitting highway expansion joints or sharp edged bumps. Very inexpensive and easy upgrade. The only problem was now the rear spring really felt extremely stiff for my 165 pound body. I live in Minnesota so this winter I replaced the rear spring with the Ohlins spring, which many have commented on in this forumn. Wow! Now the bike really handles like a great sport touring bike. For my the dampening is good and I have set it about mid way. The rear spring change is a little bit of a challenge, especially if you don't have a bike lift so you can remove / drop the rear wheel without removing the muffler. This spring change also requires a special spring compressor. I made mine based on a design from DirtFlyer, who did a great job of documenting his design. So, for me the HyperPro was a great and inexpensive upgrade but involves a couple solid days of work if a person hasn't removed the rear shock previously. More details on the spring compressor can be found by searching this forumn for rear spring or spring compressor. If you have any more question just let us know. jimThe rear shock on this bike is killing my already bad back. It feels to me as if it is over-sprung and over-damped for my 175 pounds. I am trying to get a preliminary grasp on whether I should get a whole new shock, or just get a lighter spring. Cheaper is better for the wallet, but I am thinking if the shock seems over-damped for my weight already, then replacing just the spring with a lighter one would only make the assembly even more over-damped. Thoughts? What do various aftermarket shocks cost for this bike?