BMW S1000RR 2010 TO 2012
FRONT
The forks on the S1000RR are Sachs upside down. The forks work in a conventional way and have
rebound and compression damping and springs in both legs. The springs in the forks are
approxamately correct for the average rider weight, if you are above 14 stone or brake very hard
you may find the springs a little soft. The big problem with the forks is in the damping. There is too
much low speed compression damping, so when the forks hit a small bump they ‘kick’ back at you
and make the ride a little harsh. There is also not enough high speed compression damping, so
even though the springs are ok the fork still dive a little under very heavy braking. The biggest
problem with the damping in the S1000R forks is the lack of rebound damping. This makes the front
end spring back at you very quickly just as you are about to tip into the corner. Causing the bike
to run wide out of corners and making it difficult to turn left to right in slow corners,
The forks are a new design and different to other upside down forks. The usual size of shims inside
forks is either 6mm or 8mm, BMW have chosen to use shims with a 7mm hole. The usual size of the
pistons is either 20mm or 25mm, BMW have chosen a 30mm piston. This means that we can not
revalve the forks as we have no shims or pistons to change the damping. Fitting harder springs will
stop the front end from diving as much under heavy braking, but will make the front end spring
back quicker when you let go of the brakes. Changing the grade of the oil makes very little
difference to the damping as the damping system is controlled by the pressure in the cartridge.
Because the forks can not be revalved we have to replace the fork internals to improve the
handling.
There are two options for this :
OPTION 1 – Full GP30 Cartridge Conversion
In this conversion we throw away the standard fork internals and the fork tops. We replace the
standard internals with our new GP30 cartridge. This is our own big piston fork cartridge, made and
designed in house at Maxton. The GP30 cartridge gives damping without excess pressure. This
means the action of the fork is very smooth and gives lots of ‘feel’. The extra damping means you
can run softer springs, also increasing the mid corner feel. As part of the GP30 cartridge we also
replace the forks tops to give a finer and larger range of adjustment on the rebound damping,
compression damping and preload. We build each cartridge to order so we valve and spring
them to suit your rider weight and what you use the bike for.
The new GP30 cartridges are designed to have more high speed compression damping and less
low speed compression damping than the original fork internals. This makes the forks more
compliant over small bumps and gives more support over big bumps. The GP30 cartridge has
more rebound damping than the original cartridge, making the bike more controlled at the front.
This also gives a lot more ‘feel’ from the front end and therefore more confidence.
The GP30 cartridge conversion costs £795.00 + V.A.T. To service the forks with new seals and fit the
cartridges costs £135.00 + V.A.T. All the prices are for a pair of forks.
OPTION 2 - GP30 Cartridge Internals
The GP30 cartridge conversion is quite expensive if you are only riding the bike on the road, so we
have come up with an alternative. We replace all the standard internals for GP30 internals, but we
keep the original fork tops. You then get the benefits of the improved damping system and still
have a decent range of damping and preload adjustment in the standard fork tops. To fit the
GP30 cartridge internals you need experience and a lathe to machine the original internals. This
means that they can not be sold as a kit and the forks have to be sent to us.
The GP30 cartridge conversion using the standard fork tops costs £395.00 + V.A.T. To service the forks
with new seals and fit the cartridges costs £135.00 + V.A.T. All the prices are for a pair of forks.
REAR
The standard unit on the S1000RR is also manufactured by Sachs. The shock has high and low
speed compression damping adjusters and both work a small way. The shock is also adjustable for
rebound damping and preload. The rear shock has a lot of problems. The biggest being that
there is virtually no rebound damping in the unit. So much so that when you push the back of the
bike up and down the rear of the bike springs up and down like a ‘pogostick’. This problem can
be improved a little by increasing the rebound damping adjuster on the shock, but there is a very
small range of adjustment in the rebound damping. The spring on the standard unit is to soft for
the average rider weight, which causes the bike to squat under power, causing the bike to run
wide out of corners. We can respring the standard shock which costs £80.00 + V.A.T but this only
makes the rebound damping problem twice as bad. Unfortunately due to its design we do not
revalve or service the standard shock.
To improve the handling on the rear of the bike we recommend a replacement unit. We supply
our own GP10 Maxton unit, it is a fully adjustable shock and has a spring measured to suit your rider
weight and style. The GP10 unit has high and low speed compression damping and rebound
damping. The unit also has preload adjustment and a ride height adjuster. Because we build the
unit to order we set all the damping adjusters, so you just bolt the unit to the bike. The GP10
Maxton unit costs £695.00 + V.A.T.
FRONT
The forks on the S1000RR are Sachs upside down. The forks work in a conventional way and have
rebound and compression damping and springs in both legs. The springs in the forks are
approxamately correct for the average rider weight, if you are above 14 stone or brake very hard
you may find the springs a little soft. The big problem with the forks is in the damping. There is too
much low speed compression damping, so when the forks hit a small bump they ‘kick’ back at you
and make the ride a little harsh. There is also not enough high speed compression damping, so
even though the springs are ok the fork still dive a little under very heavy braking. The biggest
problem with the damping in the S1000R forks is the lack of rebound damping. This makes the front
end spring back at you very quickly just as you are about to tip into the corner. Causing the bike
to run wide out of corners and making it difficult to turn left to right in slow corners,
The forks are a new design and different to other upside down forks. The usual size of shims inside
forks is either 6mm or 8mm, BMW have chosen to use shims with a 7mm hole. The usual size of the
pistons is either 20mm or 25mm, BMW have chosen a 30mm piston. This means that we can not
revalve the forks as we have no shims or pistons to change the damping. Fitting harder springs will
stop the front end from diving as much under heavy braking, but will make the front end spring
back quicker when you let go of the brakes. Changing the grade of the oil makes very little
difference to the damping as the damping system is controlled by the pressure in the cartridge.
Because the forks can not be revalved we have to replace the fork internals to improve the
handling.
There are two options for this :
OPTION 1 – Full GP30 Cartridge Conversion
In this conversion we throw away the standard fork internals and the fork tops. We replace the
standard internals with our new GP30 cartridge. This is our own big piston fork cartridge, made and
designed in house at Maxton. The GP30 cartridge gives damping without excess pressure. This
means the action of the fork is very smooth and gives lots of ‘feel’. The extra damping means you
can run softer springs, also increasing the mid corner feel. As part of the GP30 cartridge we also
replace the forks tops to give a finer and larger range of adjustment on the rebound damping,
compression damping and preload. We build each cartridge to order so we valve and spring
them to suit your rider weight and what you use the bike for.
The new GP30 cartridges are designed to have more high speed compression damping and less
low speed compression damping than the original fork internals. This makes the forks more
compliant over small bumps and gives more support over big bumps. The GP30 cartridge has
more rebound damping than the original cartridge, making the bike more controlled at the front.
This also gives a lot more ‘feel’ from the front end and therefore more confidence.
The GP30 cartridge conversion costs £795.00 + V.A.T. To service the forks with new seals and fit the
cartridges costs £135.00 + V.A.T. All the prices are for a pair of forks.
OPTION 2 - GP30 Cartridge Internals
The GP30 cartridge conversion is quite expensive if you are only riding the bike on the road, so we
have come up with an alternative. We replace all the standard internals for GP30 internals, but we
keep the original fork tops. You then get the benefits of the improved damping system and still
have a decent range of damping and preload adjustment in the standard fork tops. To fit the
GP30 cartridge internals you need experience and a lathe to machine the original internals. This
means that they can not be sold as a kit and the forks have to be sent to us.
The GP30 cartridge conversion using the standard fork tops costs £395.00 + V.A.T. To service the forks
with new seals and fit the cartridges costs £135.00 + V.A.T. All the prices are for a pair of forks.
REAR
The standard unit on the S1000RR is also manufactured by Sachs. The shock has high and low
speed compression damping adjusters and both work a small way. The shock is also adjustable for
rebound damping and preload. The rear shock has a lot of problems. The biggest being that
there is virtually no rebound damping in the unit. So much so that when you push the back of the
bike up and down the rear of the bike springs up and down like a ‘pogostick’. This problem can
be improved a little by increasing the rebound damping adjuster on the shock, but there is a very
small range of adjustment in the rebound damping. The spring on the standard unit is to soft for
the average rider weight, which causes the bike to squat under power, causing the bike to run
wide out of corners. We can respring the standard shock which costs £80.00 + V.A.T but this only
makes the rebound damping problem twice as bad. Unfortunately due to its design we do not
revalve or service the standard shock.
To improve the handling on the rear of the bike we recommend a replacement unit. We supply
our own GP10 Maxton unit, it is a fully adjustable shock and has a spring measured to suit your rider
weight and style. The GP10 unit has high and low speed compression damping and rebound
damping. The unit also has preload adjustment and a ride height adjuster. Because we build the
unit to order we set all the damping adjusters, so you just bolt the unit to the bike. The GP10
Maxton unit costs £695.00 + V.A.T.
