Description

If you’ve got a BMW F800GS, then you’ve probably heard about the upper shock bolt bending when riding the GS off-road, or under extreme conditions.  Here’s what the frame looks like when that upper stock bolt bends.

 Bring money, and lots of it.   There’s been much debate about the causes, but regardless of the reasons, it’s prudent to replace those buttery-soft 10.5 grade OEM bolts with hardened 12.9 grade industrial bolts.  They’ll easily handle the stresses of off-road use.  No more bent bolts, no more ruined frames.

We put together an upper “bolt kit” that includes the following:

1 – 12x120mm upper bolt
1 – 3mm thick washer (for the upper bolt)

This is a 12.9 grade hardened bolt with a 10mm hex socket head.  Finish is black oxide. Keep it slightly greased to prevent further oxidation.

This photo shows the long upper bolt and washer.  The short bolt is shown for reference only (it fits the lower shock eyelet).  The lower bolt is no longer supplied as part of this kit.

 

Combined with our Shock Support Bracket, you’ve got the maximum protection for your bike.

You can order the complete Shock Bolt Support Bracket here

When installing the upper bolt, place the washer on the bolt before fitting it to the bike.  The washer ensures that you achieve proper torque values before the shoulder makes contact with the round “nut”.  Grease the washer and the head of the bolt slightly so you get a good torque reading.  Don’t grease the threads.  When torqueing the upper bolt, use a value of 100 Nm.

When installing the lower bolt, grease the bolt but not the threads.  Use a high value threadlocking compound on the threads.  Some recommend “red” Loctite.  When torqueing the lower bolt, use a value of 100 Nm.  (Note:  The BMW OEM lower bolt has a special (large) head diameter so it fits snugly into the lower swing arm and creates a balanced and rigid attachment point for the lower shock eyelet.  We couldn’t get a 12.9 bolt with a head diameter that matched the BMW OEM bolt, so we discontinued that lower bolt from the kit.  We recommend you only replace the lower bolt with the BMW OEM bolt.  Those lower bolts are fully captured by the swing arm, so they don’t bend.)

Thanks to our fellow GS riders at the ADVrider Forum for info on the bolt problem.  You can learn more about F8 shocks bolts at this thread:  Shock Bolt Design Flaw

Should you get (just) the bolt, or the complete bolt-and-bracket kit?  The bolt itself improves the strength of the upper shock mounting point by about 25%.  The bolt-and-bracket kit strengthens the mounting point by over 70%.  You choose.  Remember, an upper bolt failure results in damage to your frame which will cost you thousands $$$. 

BestRest assumes no responsibility for the use of the hardened bolt on your motorcycle.  BMW’s design isn’t perfect, but until they make changes this hardened bolt is the best fix for the problem.

Fits all model years of the BMW F800GS and F800GS-A.