F650GS/Dakar vs standard GS rear shock
 

Hi!
I ride a F650Gs, and my husband has a GS/Dakar. We are planning to change the rear shocks before going travelling in May. However, I've heard that the Dakar rear shock is much stronger than the standard GS and there is no need to change it. What are your views on this? Should we not bother with changing the Dakar rear shock?
If you have been travelling with a Dakar let us know how it went with the rear shock.
Thanks!

so???
 

hmm... not much responses here!
So! Should we change the rear shocks on both the F650GS AND the 650GS/Dakar, or only on the standard one as the Dakar rear shock is better?

Or no one has any views on this?????

Thanks,

I've blown the rear shock on my yr 2000 GS Dakar once in 64000 miles....bad roads, overloaded and two-up.

I reckon they're good, especially as its possible (although not easy) to get them rebuilt & refilled. Still have the same shock, just with different oil & gas these days & a 10mm spacer to increase preload.

Dakar shock
 

Hi
For what its worth, I've just come down west coast of Africa on a 2002 Dakar, factory shock, average load, plus me 12 stone. At times got a hammering partic E Gabon and Angola. Never let me down. One front fork developed leak however. Will go for neoprene gators for return up east coast.
Best of luck.
Hugh

Sorry I did not see this thread earlier. I am sure you have made your decision and moved on by now Maria but just to add to the ongoing record:

My wife and I have put 20,000 km riding 2 up and loaded on our 2004 Dakar without a problem at all. Almost all of our riding is on gravel backroads. The bike has see plenty of potholes and washboard roads.

The only recurring problem was ripping off the rear mud guard extending out from the chain guard. We lost it twice on our bike and another on a rented Dakar in South America. We gave up and went to a Touratech chain guard.

Thanks for the feedback guys!
Yes in the end we made up our mind.
We changed the rear shock on the standard GS +fitted progressive springs. On the Dakar we got adjusted the factory springs (just inserting a piece of metal so that the fork springs are more compressed) and kept the rear shock which we were told is fairly good and will do the job.

We got all done at MCTechnic:

WP Suspension UK - we sell front forks, rear shock absorbers, steering dampers for road and race and offroad motorcycles

They were friendly, are specialised on suspensions and did a very good job! My bike (the standard GS) handle great now!