Well people, after all my griping, moaning, snivelling and generally being a pain about the Tenere's terrible rear shock, I finally put my money where my whinging is and fitted an Ohlins yesterday.

I found the job easy but time-consuming thanks to the top shock bolt requiring a bit of meccano work. Preload adjustment once the shock's fitted is difficult to say the least, but I think it will improve when I shorten the C-spanner a fair bit.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to the preloaded spring length for a 100kg rider? I figured on 205mm, but any advice would be appreciated.

I won't get a chance to ride my bike for a few days, but that's good because I'm going to change the fork oil to 15W before I go out... The original stuff has lost any damping it might have had.

Btw, I noticed the original shock is showing the first signs of a leaking seal. Only 10,000km. Nasty. My experience with Ohlins (Husky 390, TT600R, both std fitment) suggests that it, too, will leak early-ish, but once the seal is replaced it should be fine for ages. In any case, the ride quality will be great to have!

Good luck with the shock...no doubt it'll be a great improvement....by coincidence my other moto (Gas Gas) has Ohlins front and rear with no leaks from the rear shock at all in the 6 yrs I've had it....(forks are a different story though!!)

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i had a bit of a nightmare setting mine up ithad the wrong spring for me

setting up the shock ..i ts best to concentrate on the stattic sag and preload the spring until you have reached the correct ride height

originally i went with a 80nm spring im about the same weight as you
hopfully you will have better advice than me and have the 90 already

the 80nm was too soft to set the sag on the bike i had to near crank it halfway on the preload which affected the stroke ..the ride was far to harsh and kicky
i had it resprung with a 90 and all was well ...the ride quality is great
nice and compliant off road too
the only downside to the ohlins is that when you set the static sag 15/20ml and rider sag around 70 it really does affect the rideheight
as in high ..the bike doesnt sit down anywhere like with the old shock when you get on which is as it should be of course but she sure makes for a tall perch

that said it really is lovley to ride on and im now content

ifound it easier to use the yamha spanner with a axle extendion from a old bike toolkit slipped over the end to set the preload
you will notice it im sure she sure sits proud at the rear on that spring

not sure about 15w oil in the front if you have not changed to stronger springs as it will slow down the return quite a bit
please forgive me if you have stronger springs in already but if not i think it will pack down with heavy oil in ..take another bump before they return to the top if you see what i mean
that said i could be wrong
it would be intersting to see how it goes as the ohlins springs are reccomended with 10w and hypro and hagon come with 15w

this is where the preload is at with the 90 fitted [2nd pic}it was well over twice as much with the 80nm to achieve the correct sag .the red arrow is where the collers were turned to first time around with the 80s fitted in order to get the correct sag ..so the 90 spring is supporting the bike so much more

the nm rating is printed on the spring as in the 80 in the middle
annoying but all is good now

By minkyhead at 2012-01-06

By minkyhead at 2012-01-06

By minkyhead at 2012-01-06


By minkyhead at 2011-09-29

Thanks heaps for your replies.

Hmmm. Minkyhead, you make a very good point about the 90k spring. I should have asked the question before ordering the shock, but the general consensus was that the 80k spring was heavier than the stock one at 70k. Methinks you are right and people were screwing it down so that the ride became harsh. However, it might be that most riders aren't as heavy as we are... Sigh. More expense. But money well spent in the long term, as the 80k spring clearly is not heavy enough, as you say.

I think I'll give the 15W fork oil a go, and if it all turns to ****e, I'll have to buy the new springs. Simple enough to throw them in without having to drain the oil again. Your point is very valid re excessive rebound control using stock springs, and will probably prove to be correct.

The tall perch might be a bit of an issue, as I use an Airhawk cushion as well. I'm about 6ft in the old measure, but even so the ground is a fair way off even now at times! But far better to have good suspension imo.

Thanks again for your comments. I'll order a 90 spring asap. The fork springs will have to wait a while, but no doubt will be fitted eventually.

sound like you have had the same problem its a bummer but
worth it in the end
i got mine cheaper after doing a favour for somone so i cant complain too much
off the road have a scale of weights when you order from them presumably to get the spring rate right {sic]
i should add that i ride off road with me buscuit tin fitted on the back so that doent help either
anyway if you a bigger boy and take luggage a 90 spring is the one to go for chaps

Minkyhead - Just out of curiosity... What happened to your Hagon shock??

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i had it on for a few weeks and after riding off road again i was thinking of getting it respung for similar reasons i/e im to fat ..

i did some training for a guys son who works with suspension and he got me some very usful discount on the ohlins ... so i fugured id save all the hassle and put that on and sell the hagon

so the hagon is awaiting its fate hung up in the garage i havnt got round to putting a ad on ebay yet lazy barstard i know it must be three months or more then i figured i may as well wait until nearer the spring [joke]

..in hindsight i should have resprung the hagon after all the hassle setting up the ohlins as id have had to do it anyway but we live and learn
so if any one wants a nice remote preload hagon as good as new with probablythe wrong spring on unless your a lightweight drop me a line

looking at whats happened during this process it seems to me the weight of the bike ..or the triangulation of the suspension or somthing lends itself to a stronger spring nomatter what your weight as you can see above on the ohlins picture the bike requires the 90 spring just to sit somthing like properly
im no expert but trial and error have brought me to this somwhat expensive conclusion

so i may as well put a general ad in for anyone who may be interessted

i think the hagon with its remote preload would only wind down so far .15ml at a guess .and the static sag was reading around 28ml sag so it deffo needs a stronger spring if your 100k plus so i would say unless you are eight stone or somthing anyone interested would need to get another spring on it for sure thats said it 430 quids worth and near as damit new so factor in the cost of a new spring if you need to ..im open to offers but i wont give it way if you know what i mean


By minkyhead at 2011-06-27

Ta. Just curious as to whether you'd replaced it because the Hagon was a bad shock or it had failed on you. Probably a good buy for someone out there then...

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i reakon so i thiught the ohlins would cure all know ills but it was no better without the spring upgrade that is or was the problem

ive used both shocks before and both have been really good from the off
in the case of the xt they were both most deffinatly undersprung on delivery which tends to show up on the bigger more abrupt hits offroad to a point
the big clue is small washboard hits like rocky climbs as they feel abrupt as the shock packs down on a still compressed spring giving that kicky feeling

me trusty dl650 still in use is perfect from the off with the ohlins

By minkyhead at 2008-08-27

when i ordered the hagon for me dl1000 i specified two up full luggage and paid for a stronger spring ...it was perfect
so i had a fair bit of faith in both the product s.its the spring setting up thats the tough bit if thats wrong you will twiddle with your knobs forever to no avail

By minkyhead at 2008-10-28


the great part of fitting perfect suspension is that i can now do this ......




it is worth it in the lon run as it does benifit control of the rear off road and is just lush on the road ..really nice

but no substitute for talent [or lack of it ]im afraid he he

By minkyhead at 2011-11-14


By minkyhead at 2011-10-11