| Author | Message | ||
     Mtdan |
With the old Buell dealer being 150 miles from my home, I am wondering if other brand m/c shops would have the tools/knowledge to do the fork service? Seems like the forks are not specific to Buell?? and other brand shops ought to be familiar with and capable of doing this work? Your feedback is appreciated. Bike is a 2009 XT. | ||
| Froggy |
Most shops can do it just fine, they are Showa forks, not that much different than what you would find on a Japanese sportbike. If you take the forks off the bike, a shop would be able to do the service at a reasonable price. Bring a copy of the pages for it from the service manual, that way they have reference for things like the oil level. | ||
| Teeps |
If you like the fork action as is then be sure to bring the Buell recommended fluid. Last change, I used Honda Pro 5wt suspension fluid on my '06 Ulysses. The fork action seems much smoother on the freeway chop. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Do the maintenance yourself. | ||
| Turf_moor |
I'm sure he would do it himself, but obviously his skills are more to do with other things. The forks are standard on some Honda bikes. I got my Uly's forks serviced at my local Honda shop in Portugal. No problem whatsoever. | ||
| Tootal |
Showa makes the forks and I believe they are owned by Honda. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. So any Honda shop should be able to handle it easily. As far as 5wt. oil, I did some research when I did mine and found on Amsoils site that Showa's take 5wt. oil. So I tried it and it was a huge improvement. When I made adjustments I could actually feel the difference. If I hit some smooth twisties I can dial it in with a few clicks of the adjusters. When I'm back to potholes and frost heaves I just dial it back. For heavier riders I would add more oil which will give you less air to compress. That will firm it up for you since you really need a heavier spring but you can cheat a little with less air. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
So long as you are not actually removing and disassembling the cartridges, any shop that works on modern sport & sport touring bikes will easily be able to handle the work. For basic maintenance work, there are really only two general internal configurations and both require similar processes. The only specs that the shop may not have on hand is the oil weight to use and what height to set the oil. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
When you do things yourself you know how it was done. Not so when you give it over to someone else. | ||
| Froggy |
Yea, incorrectly. I bring it to a good shop so it doesn't get screwed up. | ||
| Skifastbadly |
When you do things yourself you know how it was done. Not so when you give it over to someone else. Precisely why I performed my own hernia operation. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
The only way you know that the maintenance was done to book is to do it yourself. I wonder how many shop mechanics have told themselves that that the motorcycle's owner will never know the difference. Things like leaving off the little plastic washers when putting the bike back together. I noticed this little thing after taking my bike in for warranty work. Besides, if you can't do your own maintenance work then you are probably unable to tell the difference anyways. If you don't get used to doing things for yourself then when the time comes you probably won't be able to do things for yourself in an emergency situation. Some folks just assume that they can't do things because they never try and end up broke from paying everyone else to do everything they should have been doing for themselves. Some things need an expert but many many things people can fix for themselves. Never forget the hours you labor at your job to pay the dealer a rate of $100/hr to fix something at a their arbitrary book rate for time it may or may not take to accomplish the fix. In other words it may take them 1 hour to fix something they charge you 2 hours for because that is what their book says to charge you. | ||
| Tootal |
Great point Ski! Will Rogers once said, "Everybody's ignorant...just in different subjects." If we all had the same talents then the world would not go around. The barter system would die and unless we were all farmers we'd starve. We all have our talents. If yours is not doing mechanical work then you find somebody who does have that talent. I can fix anything on my bike, but I don't do my own taxes! I met a bicyclist in St. John's Newfoundland. He had just completed a ride from Vancouver Island to Newfy. We were buying him a beer to celebrate his feat when he asked us if we noticed how stupid the local people were. I asked him what he meant and he said, just talk to them. They're really stupid! At that point I asked him if he knew how to sail a ship out of the harbor. Do you know where the fish are today? Once you're at sea could you get back to the harbor? His answer was, well no. Makes you pretty stupid then doesn't it! I really liked the folks in Newfy and he really pissed me off! I was really sorry I bought the ass a beer! So before we are accused of high jacking, I'd just like to say that any experienced mechanic at a motorcycle shop should be able to do the job. Look for a shop that supports a racing team, preferably dirt bikes. They should have a lot of experience. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
But more frequently it will take more than two hours but will still charge for only two. When you work in a flat-rate shop, the book rates frequently don't go your way because the pre-determined rate assumes that the work to be done is going to be done on a bike that has no damaged fasteners, is not corroded, and has not been messed up prior to you getting to it. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Great post, Tootal. I agree completely. Sorry about that wasted beer.  | ||
| Dtaylor |
Precisely why I performed my own hernia operation. Just like Leonid Rogozov! http://www.badassoftheweek.com/rogozov.html | ||
| Mtdan |
Thanks for all the great input......I seldom submit to this site, but have read it regularly for a number of years now and have learned lots. It is a great site and community. Happy holidays to all and long live Buell motorcycles, especially Ulys! |
