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Shock Change for the Honda XR650R Motorcycle


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Just a quick question for the forum - I'm thinking of getting a used oem shock for my XR650R - the one that's on it is shot. Anyone got ideas as to where to look? I see next to nothing on eBay. I was hoping to find a bunch of them taken off new bikes and replaced by better stuff by the racing crowd...

 

Otherwise - tips on rebuilding the existing?

 

D.

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David, you can have your OEM shock rebuilt.  There are a number of shops that will rebuild and re-valve/tailor an OEM shock.  This is probably the most cost effective approach, and you can even have the shop dial-in the shock for your body weight/height and riding style/venue at Burundi.

 

With any dirt or dual-sport OEM shock, there is the impulse to replace the unit or condemn its function.  Assuming the original shock is not damaged, and yours is in this case, it really pays to follow the factory guidelines for adjusting the OEM shock.  Most often, you can find the ride, dampening, rebound and sag that work best for your riding—all within the range of the OEM shock adjustments and fluid choices.  We do this with auto/truck seats and suspension/shocks all the time, it's the same with adjustable OEM motorcycle shocks and forks.

 

As for shock rebuilders, you may even find an "exchange" unit or take-off OEM shock.  Whether you want a premier source for parts to rebuild the rear shock yourself or plan to sublet the unit for rebuilding, I suggest that you begin with Race Tech.  Here is the page for the Honda XR650R offerings, both parts and labor, for the front forks and the rear shock/spring (scroll down the listing).  I plugged in the 2001 model year, presumably 2000-2007 Honda XR650Rs are virtually the same:

 

http://racetech.com/ProductSearch/1/Honda/XR650R/2001

 

Trust this helps.  There are also other mail-order sources online for seals and rebuild kits if you don't want to ship the rear shock to the U.S.A.  Might want to disassemble the OEM shock (by the book, please, don't turn a spring loose at your home garage!) and inspect the damage.  This could be just a seal problem if the tolerances are still okay with no scoring.  If you need info on safe disassembly and rebuilding, just ask.

 

Moses

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Hi Moses,

 

Thanks for the comprehensive response. As I may have mentioned before, I've only ridden this bike a couple of miles before the engine tear-down, but I could already tell that the rear shock is way too soft and bouncy. It's surely never been opened, so that reduces the likelihood of irreparable damage (I hope).

 

I've been looking at the various resources on the web and I suspect the best course of action for me is to rebuild the shock myself with a new spring and appropriate shimming stacks for my weight and expected usage. A Racetech valve may be called for too. Nonetheless, I'll ride the bike as-is for a while until I get the motor sorted. Once that's done (and properly broken in), I'll have a better feel for the suspension. 

 

I had seen a more basic spring rate calculator on another site. It concurs with the one you posted the link for. Very useful!

 

Cheers,

 

David

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Good approach, David...I always prefer working with OEM original parts that have not been disassembled yet.  You may be able to restore this shock without a lot of fanfare.

 

How many miles or kilometers are there on this machine?  Would you rate it as "good condition" beyond the upper engine damage from poor air filtration?

 

Moses

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