Rear shock and other questions…

[Addzz]

Evening all, I picked up a very much unloved and neglected 2007 vstrom 650 with abs last week from a salvage auction, It’s been parked up for about 3 years so needs going over with a fine toothed comb.

The list of jobs so far are
Rebuild all the brake callipers, including pistons
New brake pads, rear disc is toast, front discs look OK
New chain and sprockets
Fork seals
Full service
New battery
New bars as they’re bent
Right hand switchgear is missing the start button
A few other little bits and pieces
A damn good clean
And the rear shock is doing an excellent impression of a pogo stick


I can’t really afford to spend out £300+ on a new shock on top of all the other bits and pieces that are needed to get it back into a safe rideable condition, so my question is… are the shocks from 2007 to 2011 all the same? If I can get a good second hand one to get it back on the road would be ideal, if not are they rebuildable? That option may be better than a used one but still cheaper than a new one.


Apologies for the long and rambling post 

[pichulec]

By design rear shock is not rebuildable but it can be done. Stock shock is not the greatest ever though. Just look for good condition used shock, still may be pogo stick but maybe a bit better one :D People are upgrading and getting rid of stock shocks.

[graingerblaze]

My bike is still on the stock shock and no problems at all. I agree with pichulec, find a second hand unit will be the cheapest option. Mine is 17 years old and covered 35k, so if you find one in decent condition it will be worth it.

[Gert]

From post #11 of https://www.stromtrooper.com/threads/rear-shock-is-done.435514/, the shock from a 2nd gen Glee may be another option, if you don't mind the slight increase in shock height.

[Addzz]

Quote removed

Thanks for that link, pretty much all the info I need on the rear shock

[Joe Rocket]

I wouldn't touch the fork seals if they aren't leaking. More often than not a leaking seal is only dirt between it and the shiny stanchion surface. (If you've a leak and the stanchion is scored or pitted then you'll have to decide how far to take the rebuild but I assume a new stanchion would be expensive.)

Otherwise cut a small piece if milk bottle plastic or waste 35mm camera roll film in the form of a flat hook and clean crap out. Renew the oil by all means.

Here's a link to the subject. https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=41318.0

[Addzz]

I think I have one of the seal buddy things in my toolbox somewhere, might be worth a try.
The forks are a bit pitted but I don’t think an is on the useable area if that makes sense?
New fork tubes are about £300 a pair on eBay but I could get the current ones rechromed for about £150. I don’t mind spending a bit of money on it as I’m intending on keeping it a while (I’ve had my sv650 since 2005 and the mrs bought it new in 2001!) and I got the dl very cheap
This is definitely a bit of a project bike and most of the work I’ll be doing myself, I’m no stranger to brake rebuilds, fork rebuilds etc

[Joe Rocket]

Good stuff and good luck Addzz. I won't attempt to interfere with a worthwhile project. 

Keep us posted with what you find and progress please. 

[Addzz]

Next question…

The seat on my dl seems to be different to the normal ones I see,

Blue bike is what everyone seems to have seat wise and the silver bike is my one.
Has mine got a different seat or has it just lost its shape? It does feel very soft

[Rixington43]

Looks to me like someone has fitted a taller dual sport style seat to it, definitely not standard and I don't think anything like that was ever a factory option.

[mr_diver]

That's got to be a custom seat.
I've never seen anything like that as a production line product.

Sticky Ricky did they same on his K5 Wee a few years back, but he was riding enduro bikes from a young age.

[Cartejo5]

I would imagine that's the stock seat pan with a custom raised foam insert and a recover. I think it looks pretty good.

[Rusty Nuts]

You'd need long legs to be confident stopping on uneven ground.

[Addzz]

Cheers for confirming what I was thinking, I’ll add a seat to the list of bits needed.

I’m not exactly what you’d describe as tall


Are the 650 and 1000 seats the same?

[pichulec]

Nope, they differ in height a bit.

[Gert]

The 1st gen Wee and 1st gen Vee seats are interchangeable, meaning that the seat pan or base are the same but the amount of padding differed. The stock Vee seat has slightly more padding (roughly 20mm in height) to that of the stock Wee seat.
I recall reading that at one stage there were different seat options available: stock seat / low touring seat / tall touring seat for the 1st gen V-Strom.

http://cycle-ergo.com - displays seat height to ground measurement
Wee - 32.3"  (K4-K6 is 32.2")
Vee - 33.7" (K4-L0)

[Addzz]

Cheers for the answers blokes, much appreciated

[The Doctor 46]

 Gert, you never cease to amaze me. You should change your user name to "The Oracle" 

[Gert]

   I respectfully decline, but thanks.

[Addzz]

Small update on this little project, have been stockpiling the parts I needed and I think I’m 90% there with them now.
Managed to get a couple of bargains, genuine Suzuki panniers and rack for £200, brand new hyperpro rear shock for £210 and a standard seat for just £50
Only bits not sorted are rear brake pads and the forks will need rechroming and new seals.
Swapped the leaking oil cooler hoses for some braided ones I had made up, new oil filter and oil done at the same time, rear spark plugs swapped while I had the tank off to swap the ignition lock, air filter at the same time.
After a few issues with faults codes it’s all running nicely now.
Next on the list is the brake caliper rebuild