I'm in the middle of doing the same thing with a Busa shock(2004) as the swap. Rear shock being replaced is on my 2004 Bandit 1200S - your video is outstanding by the way - the key points, video quality, commentary and notes (torque specs - Nice!) really helped me out. It's amazing what you find doing a deep dive disassembly. Saltwater damage, seized/dry bearings,..etc have been found and corrected due to watching your video and motivating me to do the same - Great job!
Really glad it was of help Matt. All of that stuff is supposed to be checked as routine maintenance but it just doesn’t get done. Sounds like you did a great job. Well done 👍. Skal. David
Enjoyed your video, presented smartly. Currently doing the same on my 97 B12 and appreciated the reference material. Well done. Cheers from Vancouver, Canada
About to do this job on my '97 B6 as the shock is well overdue for a replacement. Have the Haynes manual on hand, but really nice to have a bit of video material as well. Thank you for a great video.
Nice and simple, easy to follow guide. Very well done! Only criticism id have is that there wasnt a list of tools/sockets used but overall a very good guide.
Thanks very much for that Tom, much appreciated. You make a very good point. I've been working on adding more detail on the parts on my recent videos, but this is still something that I'm missing, so I will give it some thought. Skal David
I love the continuity in this video. You went to hell and back with that cushion lever yet here it looks like you only popped them them out briefly and re-greased them haha
Ha! Yes, if you remember to do them regularly then it just takes a moment - and that includes getting the damned thing off the bike in the first place! Skäl David
You don't need to take all the back end off. But unless you know that the bearings in the swinging arm and suspension have been serviced recently it would be a mistake to try and take a short cut. The bearings here are the most overlooked and neglected on the bike. It's a mistake to spend a lot of money on a new shock only for it not to be able to work properly because a connected part is seized.
Hey Dave another quality job done in great detail you certainly keep your bikes in great order and they're a credit to you.. I still get a buzz when I see the tkc 80' s they're just the only tyre for that style of bike... Cheers Dave take care buddy 👍✌🖐
Thanks Paul and good luck! Changing the shock is easy enough but the bearings down there are probably some of the most overlooked parts of a bike when it comes to routine servicing. I need to pull the back end of my 650 Bandit apart in the coming weeks for just that purpose! Skäl. David
Great video one thing that worries me is my shock cusion lever has side to side play in the frame mount when nothing else is connected dog bones shock etc is this normal as diagrams show no spacers either side of cusion lever where it mounts in frame
Thanks. Not sure which part you are referring to, but in general yes, side to side rigidity comes from the whole unit being bolted in place. Skäl David
That’s tricky Rob. With suspension you get what you pay for. But it depends how you ride. I think for most riders the entry level are just fine so YSS or Hagon should be more or less the equivalent of the stock shock.
Hi just been watching your video and the bottom shock bolt has a bit of side to side play. My bandit 1200 has same shock and was worried this was to much. I rang nitron and they said they don't supply any spacers or washers for it. Do you feel any issues when riding it.
Mine bandit came with an upgraded rear shock and its kind of wobbly where it connects to the cushion. I noticed your has a little gap on sides , is it normal? Thank you very much in advance!
very nice video!!! but i want a question and maybe you can help me i need to replace the coil spring in the shock of a bandit 1200 2003 but i dont know how, any tip?
Off the top of my head I don’t know if it’s a serviceable unit. But if you can change spings then you need a spring compressor tool. Be aware that it can be dangerous so either use the right tools or don’t do it at all. With the spring compressed you would slide out the collar which holds the spring in place. Release the spring, remove and replace.
When you did this how did you bleed the rear brake...I only ask as you mentioned bleeding it and with your more recent video I wondered what method you used? ,😁😎😁
The only way I ever bleed brakes is the old fashioned way by pumping the brake lever. It works very effectively, so I've never needed anything else. If I was bleeding something like a car then I'll use pressure because otherwise you need two people, but on a bike that isn't necessary. The only time I think you need to do anything else is if you've got air trapped in the ABS pipework. lol! Skäl
Hi David, how did you find it using the nitron shocker on your bandit. Mine feels like both the shocker and forks are bottoming out each time I got a slight bump, it's dangerous on the motorway and of course while braking. I looked at nitron R1's but at nearly £500 a go it's a lot for an old bike, can you recommend any others or would you buy used etc? Ps can you suggest anything to raise and hopefully improve the front forks?
Nitron works well for me but I have the opposite issue. Because it’s lost weight at the back of the bike, the shock needs to be softened. I’m going to play with it when I’ve swapped back to road tyres and can be a bit more aggressive with it. My experience of buying used shocks is that you get what you pay for but that’s pretty much the case for new too. Unless you like fast road riding or take it on the track, I don’t see the point of paying out for things you aren’t going to put to the rest. For forks the simplest route is upgraded springs with new oil. Of course changing the oil is the first step if it’s old but if you are saying the front is lower than it should be then check the spring length. Can’t remember if these have spacer tubes in but check them too or longer ones will increase preload. Skäl. David
Only if you disconnect the line. In my view this is an opportunity to check out and regrease the suspension linkages and the swing arm, so if you have the line running through the bracket inside the swinging arm then the line gets disconnected. But bleeding the rear calliper normally only takes a couple of minutes so it isn't a big job. Skäl David
@@MotoMirius thanks for that quick reply, I needed to replace entire swing arm ..previous owner didn't screw one of the rear sprocket bolts and it gauged vid arche shaped cavity in the swingarm I was lucky noticed it before too late.. Did you also lube rear wheel shaft?
@@Sparkovi4 Lube the wheel shaft every time you remove it, that's standard practice. Make sure you pull out the adjuster bolts and lube well as they will seize in place - I replace mine with something less likely to seize like titanium.
@@MotoMirius the ride height seems to be a little low. When I take a passenger, I can feel the rear wheel touching mud guard when I got a slight bump. It was better that this
If the wheel touches the mud guard with a passenger then something is wrong with or broken on your bike - it was built to carry a passenger. If someone has lowered the bike with longer dog bones, that could be the problem but I suggest that you check over the rear shock and linkages. If you aren't sure what you are doing, take the bike to someone who is.
@@MotoMirius thanks David. But is it possible to increase the height without changing the shocks? I wonder why someone will lower the height maybe a short man
You can replace the shock without taking the swinging arm out. And that is OK if you know your swinging arm bearings have been serviced, but otherwise yeah, it's a bit of work. Tyres are great fun. Cheers
never seen those tyres on a big road bike... maybe they dont sell em commonly in the shops..most sell treadless ''sport'' tyres that cost hundreds of dollars that only work in the dry ...i bet these knobby tyres are as good in the rain as well..
You probably won't see them in the shops unless you go to a BMW dealer - they were designed for and fitted to the GS Adventure. If you Google TKC80, you will see them fitted to a lot of bikes - they are now trendy, but they were fitted to this bike a long time before they became popular. Yes, they work well in the wet and in the mud.
The bottom of your shock is still free to move left and right on the bolt that attaches the shock to the wish bone My shock is like that too... wtf seems strange... could you make sense of that? 4min20seconds
Hi Austin, I don't have an explanation, but it appears to be normal with these. My assumption is that it's to prevent the linkage locking up if there is wear in the linkage and swinging arm bearings, but that would be a guess on my part - it certainly isn't accidental. Great question though, so if you do find a suspension expert who knows the answer then I'd be very interested to hear it! Skäl David
Sadly for most bikes, like mine, lack of maintenance over the years by previous owners requires the full strip of the rear end. It’s also just a good time to do the rear end lubrication while you are in there.
Well, it was a bit ironic to be repeating the same thing on the Bandit after just doing it on the DRZ. Given they are both Suzuki, it was very familiar second time around!
I'm in the middle of doing the same thing with a Busa shock(2004) as the swap. Rear shock being replaced is on my 2004 Bandit 1200S - your video is outstanding by the way - the key points, video quality, commentary and notes (torque specs - Nice!) really helped me out. It's amazing what you find doing a deep dive disassembly. Saltwater damage, seized/dry bearings,..etc have been found and corrected due to watching your video and motivating me to do the same - Great job!
Really glad it was of help Matt. All of that stuff is supposed to be checked as routine maintenance but it just doesn’t get done. Sounds like you did a great job. Well done 👍. Skal. David
Enjoyed your video, presented smartly. Currently doing the same on my 97 B12 and appreciated the reference material. Well done. Cheers from Vancouver, Canada
Cheers Michelle, glad that you found it useful and hope it has all gone well for you.
Love the way that you go into so much detail. Thanks for a great stream .
Glad you enjoy it! Thanks
About to do this job on my '97 B6 as the shock is well overdue for a replacement. Have the Haynes manual on hand, but really nice to have a bit of video material as well. Thank you for a great video.
Best of luck with the job on your '97 B6! Glad the video could help.
@@MotoMirius Thanks! Job went well. Night and day with the new YSS shock compared to what was probably the original rear shock.
@@RBDK95 Excellent, well done!
Nice and simple, easy to follow guide. Very well done! Only criticism id have is that there wasnt a list of tools/sockets used but overall a very good guide.
Thanks very much for that Tom, much appreciated. You make a very good point. I've been working on adding more detail on the parts on my recent videos, but this is still something that I'm missing, so I will give it some thought. Skal David
I love the continuity in this video. You went to hell and back with that cushion lever yet here it looks like you only popped them them out briefly and re-greased them haha
Ha! Yes, if you remember to do them regularly then it just takes a moment - and that includes getting the damned thing off the bike in the first place! Skäl David
Very nicely presented, both by yourself and in terms of the editing. I hope you enjoy the Bandit lump even more now she rides better. Cheers.
Cheers, yes this one is a keeper, it's a versatile bike and I love riding it, even more now that the back end is sorted.
That is Delboys old bandit. Sweet.
It is indeed.
I have the stock shock on my Bandit, and I like it a lot.
Great video, thanks. I have an early hayabusa shock to replace the stock shock on my Mk2 B12 and this helps.
Thanks Wayne. Hope you get it fitted with no issues. Skäl. David
Do you need to definitely take all the back end off.
Is there a easier way.
You don't need to take all the back end off. But unless you know that the bearings in the swinging arm and suspension have been serviced recently it would be a mistake to try and take a short cut. The bearings here are the most overlooked and neglected on the bike. It's a mistake to spend a lot of money on a new shock only for it not to be able to work properly because a connected part is seized.
@@MotoMirius thanks so much for getting back to me.
And I will follow your advice.
ah this is where damage went.. very good ... nice video informative
Cheers Brian, much appreciated.
Hey Dave another quality job done in great detail you certainly keep your bikes in great order and they're a credit to you..
I still get a buzz when I see the tkc 80' s they're just the only tyre for that style of bike...
Cheers Dave take care buddy 👍✌🖐
Thanks Springy. Yeah, I've often contemplated a pure road tyre but, it just wouldn't look right!
So satisfying to watch! ❤
Nice work...remind me my old passion.
Thank you Jean Pierre. Perhaps it will reawaken! Skäl. David
I’m about to go ahead and do the same, I will use your video as a reference. Very well made, bulletpoints, not bullshit.😀
Thanks Paul and good luck! Changing the shock is easy enough but the bearings down there are probably some of the most overlooked parts of a bike when it comes to routine servicing. I need to pull the back end of my 650 Bandit apart in the coming weeks for just that purpose! Skäl. David
Great video one thing that worries me is my shock cusion lever has side to side play in the frame mount when nothing else is connected dog bones shock etc is this normal as diagrams show no spacers either side of cusion lever where it mounts in frame
Thanks. Not sure which part you are referring to, but in general yes, side to side rigidity comes from the whole unit being bolted in place. Skäl David
Thankyou it’s the wishbone knuckle the shock bolts onto
@@Everydoghasitsday259 That's what I thought. When I put the bike back together I will double check, but from memory, yes that is how it is.
Thankyou 👍
David do you have any other recommendations for B12 rear shock ..half decent and adjustable as the nitron r1's are about £500 a go.
Thanks
That’s tricky Rob. With suspension you get what you pay for. But it depends how you ride. I think for most riders the entry level are just fine so YSS or Hagon should be more or less the equivalent of the stock shock.
Look at the Bandit forums, they cover this issue. GSXR 750 K8 ?) for the Mk1 and early hayabusa for the Mk2. Both are adjustable and rebuildable.
Enjoyed summary most of all in bolt reassemble in reverse order good advice I will apply that to all my jobs I think 😊
Thanks and good luck with that!
Would you like to do mine, Suzuki 1250 bandit, won't take you long. I make a great cup of tea.
hahaha idiot
Shove it up your ass
Really nicely put together video.
GTs Garage cheers GT. Much appreciated. Good to see you out and about now.
Hi just been watching your video and the bottom shock bolt has a bit of side to side play. My bandit 1200 has same shock and was worried this was to much. I rang nitron and they said they don't supply any spacers or washers for it. Do you feel any issues when riding it.
Hi, yes, I was concerned at first, but this is the way its designed and I've had no issues with it.
@@MotoMirius thanks put my mind at rest now
Mine bandit came with an upgraded rear shock and its kind of wobbly where it connects to the cushion. I noticed your has a little gap on sides , is it normal?
Thank you very much in advance!
Seems to be normal. I can't double check as the bike is in bits at the moment. Skäl David
very nice video!!! but i want a question and maybe you can help me i need to replace the coil spring in the shock of a bandit 1200 2003 but i dont know how, any tip?
Off the top of my head I don’t know if it’s a serviceable unit. But if you can change spings then you need a spring compressor tool. Be aware that it can be dangerous so either use the right tools or don’t do it at all. With the spring compressed you would slide out the collar which holds the spring in place. Release the spring, remove and replace.
When you did this how did you bleed the rear brake...I only ask as you mentioned bleeding it and with your more recent video I wondered what method you used? ,😁😎😁
The only way I ever bleed brakes is the old fashioned way by pumping the brake lever. It works very effectively, so I've never needed anything else. If I was bleeding something like a car then I'll use pressure because otherwise you need two people, but on a bike that isn't necessary. The only time I think you need to do anything else is if you've got air trapped in the ABS pipework. lol! Skäl
Vou have a model or link this shock absorber!? I am from Brazil...
www.nitron.co.uk/buy-online/motorcycles/suzuki/gsf1200-bandit. Skäl. David
Hi David, how did you find it using the nitron shocker on your bandit. Mine feels like both the shocker and forks are bottoming out each time I got a slight bump, it's dangerous on the motorway and of course while braking.
I looked at nitron R1's but at nearly £500 a go it's a lot for an old bike, can you recommend any others or would you buy used etc?
Ps can you suggest anything to raise and hopefully improve the front forks?
Nitron works well for me but I have the opposite issue. Because it’s lost weight at the back of the bike, the shock needs to be softened. I’m going to play with it when I’ve swapped back to road tyres and can be a bit more aggressive with it.
My experience of buying used shocks is that you get what you pay for but that’s pretty much the case for new too. Unless you like fast road riding or take it on the track, I don’t see the point of paying out for things you aren’t going to put to the rest.
For forks the simplest route is upgraded springs with new oil. Of course changing the oil is the first step if it’s old but if you are saying the front is lower than it should be then check the spring length. Can’t remember if these have spacer tubes in but check them too or longer ones will increase preload. Skäl. David
Did you have to bleed the rear caliper afterwards?
Thanks
Only if you disconnect the line. In my view this is an opportunity to check out and regrease the suspension linkages and the swing arm, so if you have the line running through the bracket inside the swinging arm then the line gets disconnected. But bleeding the rear calliper normally only takes a couple of minutes so it isn't a big job. Skäl David
@@MotoMirius thanks for that quick reply, I needed to replace entire swing arm ..previous owner didn't screw one of the rear sprocket bolts and it gauged vid arche shaped cavity in the swingarm I was lucky noticed it before too late..
Did you also lube rear wheel shaft?
@@Sparkovi4 Lube the wheel shaft every time you remove it, that's standard practice. Make sure you pull out the adjuster bolts and lube well as they will seize in place - I replace mine with something less likely to seize like titanium.
Please how can I increase my rear shock on my bandit gsf750 mk1
What do you mean by increase? Skäl David
@@MotoMirius the ride height seems to be a little low.
When I take a passenger, I can feel the rear wheel touching mud guard when I got a slight bump.
It was better that this
I read that the fish bone that hold the shock can be changed to increase ride height.
But not very sure. I need technical advice
If the wheel touches the mud guard with a passenger then something is wrong with or broken on your bike - it was built to carry a passenger. If someone has lowered the bike with longer dog bones, that could be the problem but I suggest that you check over the rear shock and linkages. If you aren't sure what you are doing, take the bike to someone who is.
@@MotoMirius thanks David.
But is it possible to increase the height without changing the shocks?
I wonder why someone will lower the height maybe a short man
Hey Dave is that Delboys old Bandit ?
tonyt hi Tony. Yes it is indeed.
i thought that bike looked familiar
Is the new shock a bit longer than the old one?
Hi Milan. I’d say the old one is a bit compressed and set so a little shorter than it was new.
Привет. Подскажите, есть ли ремкомплекты заднего амортизатора? и где купить?
Many OEM shocks are not rebuildable. Sometimes you can change the spring but if the shock is leaking you need to use a specialist builder.
@@MotoMirius senk
wow replacing the shock was a lot of work.... and ive never seen such knobby rear tire on such bike
You can replace the shock without taking the swinging arm out. And that is OK if you know your swinging arm bearings have been serviced, but otherwise yeah, it's a bit of work. Tyres are great fun. Cheers
never seen those tyres on a big road bike... maybe they dont sell em commonly in the shops..most sell treadless ''sport'' tyres that cost hundreds of dollars that only work in the dry ...i bet these knobby tyres are as good in the rain as well..
You probably won't see them in the shops unless you go to a BMW dealer - they were designed for and fitted to the GS Adventure. If you Google TKC80, you will see them fitted to a lot of bikes - they are now trendy, but they were fitted to this bike a long time before they became popular. Yes, they work well in the wet and in the mud.
oh ok...thanks
The bottom of your shock is still free to move left and right on the bolt that attaches the shock to the wish bone
My shock is like that too... wtf seems strange... could you make sense of that? 4min20seconds
Hi Austin, I don't have an explanation, but it appears to be normal with these. My assumption is that it's to prevent the linkage locking up if there is wear in the linkage and swinging arm bearings, but that would be a guess on my part - it certainly isn't accidental. Great question though, so if you do find a suspension expert who knows the answer then I'd be very interested to hear it! Skäl David
Ive never before seen a 1250 Bandit set up as an off road/Mad Max bike.
Cheers Brad. It’s the surprise factor that makes it fun. 1200 though, first generation Bandit. Skäl. David
what tires are they??
Continental TKC80. Developed by Continental for BMW for the GS Adventure. Now very popular in the rat scene
Great Big Dirt Bike 😁👌😎...from which Brand Type is the Suspension Schock? Greatings from Germany
Thanks. Shock is by Nitron - a well regarded UK shock manufacturer - www.nitron.co.uk/products/motorcycles/ntr-r1-shock
Nice and useful to me !
Glad to hear that! Skäl David
I appreciate what you mean when saying you get what you pay for, but at almost £500 for the nitron it's almost a quarter of the bikes value😔
That’s the same price as OEM. Hagon are cheaper. You could try second hand but yeah, this is an issue with older, cheaper bikes.
Don't really need to remove all this to replace the shock. You can do it in 10 mins
Sadly for most bikes, like mine, lack of maintenance over the years by previous owners requires the full strip of the rear end. It’s also just a good time to do the rear end lubrication while you are in there.
The stock rear shock on a GSX650F is made of block of wood!
Stock shocks unless you are buying a premium bike are always a compromise!
Thank for for the informative video.
You are very welcome 👍. Skäl. David
I recon you could do this blindfolded mate 😀
Well, it was a bit ironic to be repeating the same thing on the Bandit after just doing it on the DRZ. Given they are both Suzuki, it was very familiar second time around!
Nitron r1 shock is expensive geeze
It is a mid range shock - not the cheapest, but by a very long way not amongst the expensive shocks! Skäl David
Dirty bike
I’m glad you noticed Adam. Isn’t it great? Skäl. David