But are they there to stop the bike falling back? Or do they have some other use?

no it's there to support the bike when i remove the Abba stand, as the Abba use the swingarm pivot you can't use the Abba when you want to pull the swingarm spindle out.

Im rebuilding the race bike atm so maybe I should make a guide....but off the top of my head heres how I would do it.

1. Get bike in air and make sure its secure.
2. Remove wheel
3 Remove Rear bodywork
4. Remove Tank
5. Disconnect two spades from Rear Coil
6. Unbolt battery earth lead
7. Remove battery
8. Remove bolt securing undertray to frame (LHS of bike looking at it with nose facing forward)
9. Free the rear brake line from its retaining hoop on the undertray
10. (optional easy life task) Remove rear section of exhaust system
11. Unbolt Exhuast Can bracket
12. Remove the two lower bolts from attaching subframe to bike and loosen the top two
13. Flip subframe upwards so it points up in the air and tighten up bolts to keep it there
14. Remove supension linkages enough to get to bolt holding bottom of shock and get it undone
15. Undo suspension top mount and pull shock free

I didnt remove the battery or undertray either. it's not difficult to get out the way I did mine. No point in creating more work with removiing exhaust, battery, undertray etc

Ahh philfingers, if only you'd filmed or photoed it, would of been very useful

it's not rocket science really! from memory

Support bike on abba stand
remove rear wheel
remove seat unit, pretty sure i didn't remove the tank
remove the RHS footrest hanger with brake gubbins and the ex heat shield etc
remove the shock linkages
I think the shock comes out the bottom, over the top of the exhaust whilst lifting the swingarm up

I very definitely didn't remove the battery, undertray or subframe. My bike is bog stock, other than it's now fitted with an Ohlins rear dampers and RO fork kit

philfingers wrote:I didnt remove the battery or undertray either. it's not difficult to get out the way I did mine. No point in creating more work with removiing exhaust, battery, undertray etc

True it creates a little more work. The only reason the battery comes out is you dont want it falling out when you point the subframe upwards. It also allows that mudflap thing to get out your way so you can get in there easily.

Still, everyones way works.

DX4, I didn't realise you were so local to me!

Well considering my bike is already in pieces, it shouldn't be much of a problem to change the shock! Time to piss fart around with the bloody 600RR shock to get it to fit.

philfingers wrote:DX4, I didn't realise you were so local to me!