Motorcycle shock absorbers

A motorcycle shock absorber controls the rear suspension spring: without it, the bike would bounce over every bump like a ball. It loses effectiveness so gradually that hardly anyone notices until they fit a new one. Here you will find rear shocks, plus some front units, for specific models and years, from a 125 scooter to a superbike or a minicross bike.

Signs your shock is worn out

• After a bump, the rear goes up and down several times before it settles.
• With a pillion or luggage it sits low, and you touch down the footpegs or the stand earlier in corners.
• On bumpy bends the bike moves around and runs wide.
• There is oil on the body or the shaft: the seal is leaking.

If several of these sound familiar, it is time to service or replace it. We cover springs and adjusters under motorcycle suspension; here, what changes from bike to bike.

What each kind of bike needs

Scooters

On a scooter the engine is part of the rear swingarm, so the shock works with a lot of unsprung weight and little travel. There are shocks for the X-ADV, TMAX 560, XMAX 300, PCX, SH Mode, NMAX or ADV 150 and 160. The Vespa is a special case: its front wheel has a shock too, and for the GTS, Primavera or Sprint you will find it as a separate part.

Adventure bikes

An adventure bike carries a pillion and luggage and heads off the tarmac, so its stock shock is usually the first thing to fall short. The Ténéré 700, Africa Twin, Transalp, Tuareg 660 or R 1200 GS have several options, and easily adjustable preload pays off, because the load changes from one trip to the next.

Naked and sports bikes

Here it is all about precision: the rear should not get out of shape when you accelerate leaned over or brake hard. On bikes that also see track days, such as the ZX-10R, CBR 1000 RR-R or YZF-R1, fine adjustment matters; on an everyday naked like the MT-07 or Z 900, the right spring counts for more.

Custom and classic bikes

Customs and many classics run twin shocks, one on each side of the wheel, and both are always replaced together: think Harley-Davidson Sportster, Dyna or Touring, Triumph Bonneville or Kawasaki W800. Check on the product page whether it is a pair or a single unit. And there are shocks for eighties and nineties classics, such as the GSX-R 1100 or R 80 GS.

Common questions

What size should it be?

What matters is the eye-to-eye length, centre to centre between the two mounts, with the shock unloaded. A longer shock than stock raises the rear and makes the steering quicker but twitchier; a shorter one lowers it and makes the steering lazy. That is why choosing by bike and year is safer than choosing by size: a shock made for your model respects its geometry or lets you fine-tune it by a few millimetres.

Why are there several part numbers for the same bike?

Because the range, the adjusters or the ride height differ, and sometimes the version of the bike: the Ténéré 700 has different shocks for the standard model and for the Extreme or World Raid, and the 2021-2025 MT-09 has three. If you cannot tell them apart, ask us on the chat.

What about the front?

A new rear shock with a tired fork leaves the bike unbalanced. Forks and cartridges complete the job, and the Öhlins shocks page covers the brand's ranges and adjusters in detail.