Rear shock remove and replace

My G11 is for sale but I wanted to keep the Stelvio shock and replace it with the stock item.  Originally the shock was changed while the swingarm was off for lubrication, but I knew how to do it the easy way so I am sharing that with you.

The bike:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Stelvio shock in place:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Battery out, airbox access open:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Pretty clean in there, this is a bike with only 10K on the clock:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I pulled the snorkels off the F.I. and unplugged or unclipped any fuses, wires or hoses that got in my way.  Only a couple of each.  Once done I could tip the airbox up without actually removing it to expose the top of the shock.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Unbolt the shock from the bottom first, then undo the top and it comes right out.  The Stelvio item actually fit better!  Assembly is the reverse of disassembly except you do up the bottom of the shock first and then lift the tire and swingarm to locate the top of the shock.  Make sure all your snorkels, hoses, fuses and wires are in place and button it back up.  I estimate an hour if you know what you are doing.  It took me two...

After receiving a major shock in the mail (finally after 7 weeks waiting), I'll be trying this approach instead of the previous wheel & exhaust off method.....after changing the front brake pads & getting it MOT'd tomorrow.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Fitted using the 'airbox method' and took 1.5 hrs and next time I'll go back to 'wheel off' method where I can keep battery connected & not have to dick around with screws in plastic, rubber inlets, re-routing wires & pipes etc. Airbox is way more complicated way of avoiding doing some easy heavy lifting to remove wheel; and the only positive bit is the top nut is slightly easier and quicker with open access IMHO... anyway pics attached as was 'shocked' to see how different the Matris is vs stock sachs. Will test ride asap
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

A Matris M46K shock was waiting for me this morning so fitting will be this weekend. The shock appears set at 320mm eye to eye but has adjustment between 319mm and 329mm. Is it worth setting longer than 320mm?

Yes. Set it to max length. It will will improve the steering geometry.

Thanks Beetle - will do. Trip to Barcelona for the MotoGP Catalunya will be a fair test. Forks are currently set with 2 rings showing above top yoke. Leave as is? Or drop so top of forks are flush with yoke?

If anything, you want to go the other way. If you're happy with the way it steers now, best to leave them as is.

Thanks. Yes pleased with the way she steers and seems very stable cornering so will leave the forks as is. Will report back after the Barca trip! Hoping to remove the Sachs and fit the Matris 'out the bottom' rather than remove air box etc, I hate having to deal with clips and plastic.

Back from Barca 2131 miles in Europe avoiding motorways. Superb handling, and the grunt from low revs out of mountain hairpins is fabulous. My Ducati 999 and 1098 riding mates were very surprised how capable the GRiSO is. Havent yet fitted the Matris but will do this week. Got the revalved forks (k-tech) fitted just before leaving and they were a huge improvement but use pretty much all the travel and I think there is a risk of bottoming under any emergency braking. Will add some compresison damping and see how that is. New k-tech springs are 9Nmm and felt creamy smooth although got a bit harsh with 3 turns added preload, so I backed off to adding only 2 turns which is with 4 rings showing - 4th ring pretty much flush with top of fork body. K-tech have a 9.5Nmm available and will swap them over free of charge if required - whats the consensus out there? I am 103kgs in riding kit - 9 or 9.5Nmm

A capable rider on the GRiSO can kick some ass, no doubts.
I surprised more than one peep with mine on multiple occasions...fun.

Fitted Marris which feels very hard! Looking at the paperwork with the shock it's 135 Nmm which converts at 9.81 to Kg so 13.76 kg spring. I think it's too much for my 103kgs! Anyway have backed off compression to 16 clicks out of a total of 28 (came set at 12 out) and I'll just have to se how it goes but thinking I'll need to change the spring - which I could have done in the Sachs for far less expense!!

I had exactly same problem - Matris stiff as hell. Surprising thing is that despite me telling them my total loaded weight is 78kgs; I also got spring rate 135 N/mm.....when ordering they say "As these shocks are made for each riders requirements there is a order period of 4 weeks. Please inform us of any rquirments when ordering". Biketorque in UK placed the order and it took 7 weeks to create the 'special shock' so I'm worrying Matris just ship std stock irrespective what number we give them ????. I backed up preload to min and still too hard so playing with all other parameters at the moment.

Only upside is it appears to be riding higher and the bike is now MUCH more flickable especially at low speeds.

I'm going to ask them what is special for my weight !

I think the ordering system is set up to avoid biketorque having to fund any stock! Surprised to hear yours has the same spring for 78kgs as mine has for 103kgs. So much for the bespoke build! I'll get onto biketorque and see if they can supply a softer spring more suited to my weight. When I ordered they said I didn't need a suspension specialist to set it up as the shock is bespoke build and just plug and play......

Did this Biketorque mob actually order the right spring?

Hmmmm. As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I recently got a Wilbers rear shock/spring for my GRiSO. I'm 85kgs riding weight. My spring is a 95N. Bloody big difference between that and a 135N I would have thought!

Looking at the various GRiSO forums it seems that our American cousins favour a Spring rate of 628 lb/in - this is around 110 Nmm. A 135 Nmm spring is about 770 lbs/in! Word is that it takes an age to deal with Matris so I will take it up with BikeTorque the UK distributor but instinct is telling me to just get an Ohlins 1093 spring at around 110 Nmm which is easily available.

95N is 9.68kg spring. 135Nmm is 13.76kg! Consensus so far is that at 100kgs I need a 115N which is about 11.7kg spring. Waiting on the Matris UK Importer/Distributor to get back to me. Front Forks have 9N/0.91kg spring from K-tech with their upgarded valves and shim stack, and I will go to 9.5N/0.97kg on fork springs. Eventually I will get there!

I swapped out my shock by laying the bike on its side with a rolled up swag. Disconnect the rear brale pedal firstr and take the filter box out before laying over

I tried the airbox method, its impossible to get enough room to turn the wrench as the box doesn't pivot up enough or can't be removed without tank removal. I had to go from between the tail and SSSA without doing anything with the airbox at all. And how do I take the shock out - from top or bottom of the SSSA? Am not able to angle it enough from the top unless I release the torque arm and lower the swinger. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

As far as I remember the bolt is easy to get to at top with airbox lifted (see pic of mine with wrench on top bolt)...the shock comes out the top (at bottom you drop the dogbone & remove the main bolt)

No way the shock can come out without the LHS rearset also comes off.[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Done [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

CrazyBiker wrote:

I tried the airbox method, its impossible to get enough room to turn the wrench

I have done the impossible three times now...

Most members here prefer the wheel-off method which makes sense if you are greasing the swingarm pivots as well.

Put lift under the bike and raise it a bit.
Remove the right side plate (4 bolts) & tie it up elsewhere on the bike with the brake fluid upright.
Remove the left side plate (4 bolts) and ease it into a resting position out of the way with the gear linkages intact.
Undo the shock linkage nut.
Raise/lower the bike to find the point that the linkage nut bolt eases out.
From the right hand side access the top suspension bolt and remove it.
From the left hand side remove the rear shock.
Reverse everything with the new shock going in.

I have done this 3 times now.

GRiSO shock out -> Stelvio shock in
Stelvio shock out -> GRiSO shock in
GRiSO shock out -> Hyperpro shock in

The last time the whole process took around 30 minutes.

Whats the verdict on hyperpro vs stelvio?

FYI I also went 190/55 above and it fits. Not sure why others say it doesn't. Maybe Pirelli Angel GT profile is narrower