Looking for Feedback on Lowered GS

My wife is looking at upgrading from her F800GS to a R1200GS and it will need to be lowered. Wilbers makes a set of WESA shocks that will lower the bike 65mm. Can anyone that has done this give us some feedback on how they liked this setup? Also if you put engine protection bars on it, how did they work out as far as ground clearance in turns? Finally if anyone has a lowered R1200GS anywhere near the Panhandle of Florida, it would be great if she could throw a leg over it. (Not Ride it, just sit on it!)

As always, thanks for everyone's input.

John

I had an '06 1200GS that had been lowered for the first owner.
Reminder: you will need to alter the side stand and the center stand in addition to changing shocks.

I liked it short but always wondered if it affected handling in any significant way.
Traded for a new stock 1200 GSA and noticed an improvement in overall handling....is it subjective? '06 vs '12?
I'm still not sure, but before comitting to lowering the bike, get some very good feed back on if
the handling will be degraded or not and if it is going to be really necessary instead of just using a lower seat.

Good luck.

If you are buying new, get the OEM Low Suspension option. I have had it on my last and current GS. Very satisfactory.

UFObuster and Conrad

Thanks for the input. we are still figuring and contemplating. If I can find a dealer or someone with a factory lowered suspension or a Wilber's lowered suspension to compare the decision will be a lot easier. With Karen's F800GS we just took a lot of measurements and made our best guess and it worked out well. May be time to just roll the dice again!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.
John

Is her 800 lowered? If not, don't worry about the 1200. IMHO, the 1200 is lower and less top-heavy than the 800.

And I'd change the seat before messing with suspension - in fact, that's exactly what I did. I'm 5'7" and ride a regular-height GS with the lower factory seat. For me, it doesn't make a lot of sense buying a bike with lots of suspension travel and then ruining that by lowering it...

I've got Hagon shocks (lowered) on my '07, but I think they don't make them any more. A factory lowered suspension GS will have the side and center stand right. My isn't and they aren't. Wilbers are the bomb, though, and if you've got the coin, WESA would be the way to go. Get the stands modified and be prepared to tweak them to dial them in...

I don't like the low seat option, though, because of my weight. It's good for about 15 seconds. And forget about adding an Airhawk in that case...

I've ground a bit on the right engine guard, but I like to push the bike over...If we all wash down to Florida after Sandy, I'll be glad to let her sit on the bike...

I bought a lowered '10 1200GS a few weeks ago and I am loving it. Typically, lowered GS comes with a low seat but mine came with the regular one (got changed by the previous owner at some point). After seating on the regular GS with a low seat at the local dealer I realized that the seat height is about the same as mine. I bought a low seat the very next day and happy with the setup. The seat height is 31.1. I have to agree that low seat does not provide much of a cushion so I might opt for an aftermarket one at some point.

As far as an opinion that it makes no sense to buy an adventure bike with a lowered suspension, I respectfully disagree. For me personally (29" inseam), with this factory option, this was only a way to get on GS. It took me a while to find one but they are out there if you look long enough.

And did I mentioned that Iam loving it .

Thanks for all the input. We are trying to look at all possibilities and combinations. Has anyone tried the HyperPro or Wilbers lowering springs without changing out the shocks? The HyperPro springs will supposedly lower the bike about 1.18 inches (30mm), and in combination with a low seat might be enough. I believe the Wilbers will lower bike 1.57 inches. It goes without saying that we would like to maintain as much travel as possible. Karen is a really good sport and willing to try just about anything, but I just can't convince her to jump on the bike as she gets it rolling and jump off as she comes to a stop just to save some suspension travel. ; )

We may have more time to make a decision since we were waiting for shipping confirmation on her new bike, which may now be sitting under several feet of water at the BMW warehouse.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and input.
John

+1 HERE

My wife came off her 650 twin standard hgt and now spends time riding my standard 12 gs with the addition of a low seat. She absolutely loves it and says it feels so much more stable and maneuverable. No fears with regard to seat height at all. She is 5'-3"and a half. Coming of the 650 seat the low gs has worlds of comfort by comparison!!!!!!!

Definitely worth a shot................

Saw this today http://www.acceltechracing.com/services.htm




Lowered BMW R1200GS
A 5'2" female customer finally got to buy the BMW she always wanted, once she learned we could lower it 4" like this!

I lowered my 1150GS 1" with Wilbers shocks and it's the best thing I ever did to it. I shortened the side and center stands, which wasn't too big a deal. I have a 30" inseam and was really tired of tip-toeing at stoplights, and having no leverage trying to back it up while seated. I have had no clearance issues, in the mountains or otherwise. I live in Panama City and if you want to come by, just let me know. Herman, just south of Daytona got the shocks and did the installation. He was a very nice guy and I recommend him.
Harry

I have Wilbers on my 2010 Low Frame 1200 GS and find this to be a great set up as I bought this to be a Sport Tourer rather than an off road bike. The Wilbers gives me more suspension travel than the OEM low frame model shoccks but does raise the seat height some as well. The low seat was horrible for me so I traded for the standard seat which allows me to move around some instead of being locked into one position.

I am very happy with the handling and ride. Wilbers builds suspension componets specific for the model of bike and the weight of the rider or what ever the buyer wishes. I find them to be as good as the Ohlins I had on my RT and a much better value with longer life between rebuilds.

That really is a strange/fugly looking GSA!

I fitted the -30mm progressives to my GS shocks and it definitely lowered the bike by around the 30mm I believe. Ride is great. No downside as far as I can see apart from some reduction in ground clearance. I think this is a much better solution than a lowered seat.

My father has a 2009 1200GS lowered about 2.75" from Wilbers. He really likes being able to have his GS and still get the balls of both feet down on dirt roads and such. He has crash bars, I can't remember if they are TT or HB, but that isn't what scraps first. He hits the footpegs if he gets too aggressive on the roads.

Thanks for the additional feedback and offers from everyone. Sorry I hadn't responded, but I have been incommunicado for a week. Just got back from a ride from Milton Florida to Spencer West VA with an unexpected detour on a rollback flatbed to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Athens</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State></st1lace> when the rear shock on my 2010 GSA decided to go TU and pump oil all over the rear tire. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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The dealer in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Baton Rouge</st1lace></st1:City> emailed that Karen's bike will be in this week. I think I will plane down some boards to match the various amounts of lowering available and try a combination of different boards and different seats to see what will work the best. Primitive, but hopefully it will give us what we need to shoot for.<o></o>
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PCHarry<o></o>
Thanks for the offer to let her swing a leg over your bike. If her bike wasn't arriving this week we would gladly take you up on it. Maybe we will run into each other somewhere on the Redneck Riviera.<o></o>
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Thanks again to everyone.<o></o>
John<o></o>

I'm also interested in ordering low suspension for my 2008 GS. Does any one know how many centimeters BMW lowers the suspension ( not including the lowered seat). Also I understand replacing the center stand but it seems the side stand would still work since the standard bike leans over quite a bit on the side stand.

also can someone clarify this for me.found it from official bmw-mottorad.com
Seat height, unladen weight 850 / 870 mm (low seat* 820 / 840 mm, lowered suspension* 790 / 810 mm) *OE

so with low seat and lowered suspension is 790 or 810 mm ?

But how much is it for just the suspension?

well if the lower seat lowers by 30mm
then
with just the suspension lowered is 820/840 mm(with normal seat)

if you add the low seat is -30mm which is what the bmw-mottorad says {790 /810}

I believe its that but dont take my word on it Im only assuming. If thats what you are asking.

My question is why do they say 790 /810(I mean 2 numbers which one it is). if someone could answer that.also what the OE stands for

cheers.