new rear shock time, can I ask for the collectives experience?

[Relevant11]

I think at 24 k miles my shock is toast, I've never been overjoyed with it but its becoming increasingly erratic. I had hoped a Hyperpro spring would calm it down as that worked wonders for the front end, sadly that wasn't the case. I like the bike a lot in all other areas
and will probably keep it for a few more years. My options are Nitron r1 adv, hyperpro or wilbers. The hyperpro is an emulsion shock and is the cheapest. the other two are similar money. I've absorbed what's been said on most of the threads and am looking for any more gems of advice, experiences etc.

[SuzukiSte]

Nitron R1 gets my vote.

[Bobmc]

What about Ohlins Have one on my K6 and it has transformed the handling

[Relevant11]

ohlins are a bit spendy for my liking !!

[Pete O Tube]

For a budget shock try YSS.

Do shocks from any other bikes fit?

[joethebike]

I have used a Hagon shock without the remote adjuster for the past 10 years and have been very happy with it.

[Relevant11]

I thought about the hagon, sadly no offerings for my model/ year.🙁
 

[Jamieboy]

The Nitron seems a beautifully made bit of kit and I'm very pleased with mine. When you adjust it the clicks just feel quality,if you know what I mean. When you order they ask for your weight etc so you get the right spring rate right off the bat. I also like the combined compression and rebound adjustment, simpler for someone like me to understand.

[porter]

Either the Nitron or the Hyperpro will be fine, whatever one you can get the best deal on and meets your needs, ie remote preload r not.
I have the Wilbers but while its a great quality shock and now works well it was delivered with to much preload added so the bike was high and hard and unstable. I removed 3 full turns off the preload but this took a bit of trial and error so I won't recommend the Wilbers. Though I bit get it for a good price, 500 quid with remote preload for the French importer off Ebay.
Ps Firefox racing can service the oe shock, sometimes I wish I'd done this and saved 400 quid!
Pss my oe shock give up at 25k also.

[Relevant11]

Thanks for the info chaps. Jamie boy did you go for the remote preload ?
That's a great price Porter are you generally happy with the wilbers now.
 I toyed with the idea of a rebuild but at best it's just just back to being a v average shock . Our tour of the Pico's was cancelled apparently there's a bug going around 😯 Any how I've saved a few quid there so I might treat myself

[porter]

Yes I'm happy with it now but it was a lot of running about to sort it. If I'd  bought it from the uk importer I would have got it sorted easier I'm sure.
Wilbers fitted 15mm of static preload, ie the amount of tension to the lose spring, but for my weight that was to much.
I got a lighter spring but the bike was still to high at rear, 2 full turns removed, OK one up but soft two up, back to harder spring, still to high, another full turn removed of preload.
That shocks been in and out more often than I have of late!

[Jamieboy]

I didn't get the remote preload adjuster. I'm not going to be taking a pillion so got it set for me and will just leave it there. I thought that if I am going to go on a tour with more than a couple of nights worth of stuff (not likely for me in the near future, sadly) and did fit panniers - then it's a 2 min job to adjust the preload manually and I'd leave it like that throughout the trip and then re-adjust when I got back. 

[Relevant11]

Yes pretty much my thoughts on the remote too .

[Valves]

I bought the Hyperpro 'street' set - Shock and fork springs and like others have said here, the issue is getting the spring rate right. Budget shocks are built for all situations so you have real compromises which, to me, far outway the reduced price - something I should have taken into account before buying the cheaper kit but in the past I have not had an issue.

The Hyperpro has been a real bugger to get set right and it still isn't really correct for me, which is very dissapointing. I have found loading the panniers really helps, which strongly suggests the spring rate is too high, I.e. meant to cope with 2-up riding, straight out-of-the-box.

I am seriously looking at getting the stock shock (which I still have) re-worked and seeing the earlier comments on this, will contact them to get some idea of the price...

[Relevant11]

Thanks again for all the info, I've just bitten the bullet and ordered a Nitron r1 adv. Any top tips for getting the rear shock out on this model? Done it on others not on this one though.

[Valves]

It does come out on the left side through the gap between the rear subframe and seat. Needs a bit of a twist to get it out.
Easier if you have a centrestand which drops the swinging arm further down as the rear wheel touches the ground when you remove the bolt holding the bottom of the shock to the linkage.

Alternative is to remove the rear wheel and splash guard off the swinging arm.

[Relevant11]

I guessed the centre stand may come into play 😄

[mr_diver]

Hyperpro or Nitron if you want the bling option with remote preload.

Hagon are a tidy option but look a bit naff usually.
Ohlins are very nice but very pricey and it's not a race spec Ducati.

I've just replaced SWMBO's twin shocks on the GSX14 with YSS ones. They are the basic option (for an XJR1300) but good quality and I've got one saved for the Varadero.

to be honest after 40k miles the Varadero shock is still good, but the Vstrom shock was soft and I put a Hyperpro spring on it and all was good again.
You could always respring it.

[porter]

I'm able to remove the shock in 5 minutes, practice makes perfect!
Pop it on centre stand, loosen off the two shock bolts and the link bolt on the swinging arm, remove shock lower bolt then top bolt, pull the shock towards the rear wheel, twist shock 90° if I remember and remove between the subframe rails on the left, clutch side, you'll see as you do it.
 No Hagon, YSS or Ohlins for the 2014 on vstrom, choice is Wilbers, Hyperpro or Nitron.
Ps cover the lower subframe rail with duck tape as its a tight close fit and the paint is thin.

[Relevant11]

Thanks all, I shall keep you posted.