| Author | Message | ||
     Bluezhawg |
 Blake, thanks for the tip I'll make it through this season as the bike only has 4000 miles on it.My annual mileage is low as all my riding is split between three bikes. .I'll keep an eye on them incase they start to deteriorate.Thanks again. Steve... | ||
| Ara |
X1rated: I use a swingarm stand and a floor jack under the front of the exhaust can. It's a little tippy, so I remove the tank and use a pair of tie-down straps hooked from the frame under the tank to the overhead garage door rails. This method enables you to do fork and steering head work without impediance, and you simply can't tip the bike over. Russ | ||
| Newfie_Buell |
Gee, All this advice and for free. Anyone wanna come over and help, I will provide the beer. Thanks Bill | ||
| X1rated |
You guys are BITCHIN'! 'Nuff said  | ||
| Richieg150 |
I am thinking about getting the M2 lowering kit from WESTEK.Can anyone tell me if it will affect the handeling?Will the cornering clearances be affected?How about ride clearance height?Im getting it at a greatly reduced price,so im thinking about buying it.Thanks for any help!  | ||
| Henrik |
Richie: if you lower the rear of the bike, you'll be increasing rake and trail = slowing down the steering. To minimize this you'll need to raise the fork tubes in the triple clamps the same amount that you are lowering the rear. My guess is that Westek would include some instructions to that effect. Even if they do, make sure to do before and after measurement of un-loaded ride height. Also, make sure you don't drop the front so much that the top of the fork sliders bottom out against the bottom triple: unload the front end with front end stand. Take all preload out of the fork tube cap (if you have an adjuster) and remove the caps. Lift the front wheel up "compressing" the forks until the forks bottom out. Now measure the distance from the top of the sliders to the bottom of the bottom triple. Do not raise the fork tubes more than that distance. Hope this helps. Henrik | ||
| Richieg150 |
Henrik,the instructions say to raise the shocks .70 inches,but the kit is supposed to lower to seat hight by about 1 1\2 inches.The 2 values arent the same!?!A friend of mine,who also has a Buell,assures me that what im doing is exactly what the factory does to make the M2 low!HMMMM still confused?Im wondering if I should leave well enough alone and not put the kit in?By the way,the (KIT),just consists of a different shock mount!HMMMMMMM | ||
| Henrik |
<the instructions say to raise the shocks .70 inches,but the kit is supposed to lower to seat hight by about 1 1\2 inches.> I'm guessing you mean "raise the fork tubes"?? There may not be enough room to raise the forks more than the .70" without things starting to bump into each other? If you follow the instructions it may slow down the steering a bit, but probably not enough for you to feel it at less than 9/10th's. Henrik | ||
| Blake |
And... yes you will lose significant cornering clearance and ground clearance.  Does part of the lowering kit include a thinner seat? That would explain the difference in fork tube versus seat lowering values. | ||
| Bighead |
I have a front wheel wobble at high speeds on my '98 S1, particularly 80+ turns. Fork oil and front tire just replaced. Could it be the tire wasn't balanced properly? | ||
| Henrik |
Bighead: could be balancing? Also check tire pressure (front & rear), wheel & steering head bearings, suspension settings front & rear (not enough rebound at the rear will give an odd wobbly feeling in turns). Who did the fork oil replacement? Too much/not enough oil? Have you done any modifications to your forks? If you don't find anything wrong, loosen up front axle nut and pinch bolts - bounce the front end a few times - re-tighten to specs. This will line up things and prevent binding in the front suspension. Hope this helps - keep us posted. Henrik | ||
| Bighead |
The dealership said bring it in. I'm not mechanically inclined and their shop hasn't exactly earned my trust so I was hoping I could get some advice on what to expect and if there was anything to look out for. I took it out again and it seems like the bike doesn't start the wobble, the road does, it's just that at high speeds the wobble doesn't stop. They lubed the steering head so maybe that exposed an existing problem? Thanks again for the help. Todd | ||
| Libnosis |
Hein I noticed you are the only one that actually had a single sided swingarm on your beautiful S1 (that you no longer own). Can you give me your opinion on it (good or bad)? Are there any other makers out there besides RAM? According to their website it cost 2248 Euro dollars. I guess that's about $2000 bucks. Thanks for whatever info you can provide. I think that swingarm is "Damn Sexy"! lib | ||
| Henrik |
Todd: if they checked and lubed the steering head bearings, that would be the first place I'd suggest looking. They may not have gotten the torque on the right on the steering stem bolt? Henrik | ||
| Ccryder |
Alright it's time for our collective knowledge to come together. I'm having my 20K service done this week and was wondering if I should increase the weight of my fork oil. From what I can glean stock oil is 5wt. I have 2 liters of 7.5wt. Sould I go to the slightly heavier weight? With my svelt figure  at 220# I thought maybe the heavier oil might be better. So what's the collective thought???????  TIA Neil S. | ||
| Henrik |
Neil: you must know my "speach" by heart by now Get the correct spring rate first. Then contact Traxxion and get their recommendations for oil weight with stock valving. They'll have the right springs for you as well. Race Tech most likely will not have high enough spring rate for you. Henrik | ||
| Bighead |
I have asked a couple questions about a front wheel wobble at high speeds. The mechanic says this is common on the S1 and not uncommon on other bikes due to the short wheel base and angle of the forks. He also says that a steering stabilizer will correct this. This is my first performance bike but it seems odd that a bike made with the purpose of going fast would have this problem. Todd | ||
| Blake |
Todd: What that mechanic is really saying: "I'm either lazy, incompetent, or a liar, and I don't give a shit about your problem, so go away and leave me alone." Suggest you find another mechanic. I've ridden quite a few different Buells. Not one ever showed signs of a wobbly or even head shaking front end. | ||
| X1rated |
Just got off the phone with the dealership and Buell has denied my request for the new 2001 shock to replace the SRP'd shock I have now. Is there something I missed? They said that it was denied because the SRP kit was not broken. Call Buell customer service? Phone number? Thanks, Justin  | ||
| Aaron |
Yes, call Buell customer service! Still have a copy of your recall letter? It's right there, a written promise to replace your SRP'ed shock with a new shock, if you object to the appearance of the SRP. Repeat after me: the SRP is ugly, the SRP is ugly, the SRP is ugly | ||
| Henrik |
Todd: I agree with Blake. Your bike shouldn't have a wobble. Did the mechanic even bother to look over the stuff I suggested earlier ? Find another shop - and let us know which dealer you were dealing with - just as a warning to other customers. Henrik | ||
| Court |
Wrong. You may obscure the symptom. You will "cure" nothing. Reread Henrik's suggestions and keep us posted on the dealer. Court | ||
| Mikej |
The SRP is also a major hassle to adjust the shock for two-up riding or saddlebag weight. It's both ugly and a hassle. There was and maybe still is a copy of the recall letter posted on the board here. Print it out and take it in to the dealership, then call the Buell customer service from the dealership's telephone (so you don't get tagged with the toll charges). Tell them that if they don't replace it then you want them to adjust the shock for free everytime you want to carry a passenger. The SRP is a band-aid fix, and just like a band-aid it should not be a permanent solution. | ||
| X1rated |
I cannot find a copy of the recall letter stating that it would be replaced if the owner objects to the appearance. Anybody have a copy they could scan for me so I have some ammo when I call Buell on friday? Is this supposed to be such a pain in the ass? Thanks, Justin | ||
| Hans |
Justin, Had the Bulletins for the dealer in pdf format but gone with last computer update. Did ask already new ones from where those came from. Hope it will be in time. I have still the letter from the Dutch importer to me, in which the SRP is announced with the remark that the new shock would be supplied for free, as soon it would be available. No restrictions whatsoever. The letter is in Dutch, so you not of any help for you and it is not from the factory but from the importer. However, as soon I accept the original bulletins I will send them to you. Hans. | ||
| Mikej |
Justin, Read the first .pdf file above, and pay attention to the "Important Note" right at the beginning. You might have to have Buell Customer Service send you a recall letter per the noted Federal guidelines. Or perhaps someone who still has their letter handy can scan it in and send you a copy of it. | ||
| Aaron |
Justin, I really don't think you'll have any trouble with Buell Customer Service. From everything I've heard (and experienced, I own a '99 M2), Buell is keeping their word on this. It's the dealers who are the problem. | ||
| Hans |
Justin, got a couple of those bulletins but they are both already between the archives above. I remember now the policy: For safety reasons the first batch of the new Showa`s shocks had to be given to customers still without RSP. When there were enough, also customers with the band aid could get them for free: Just asking was enough but the dealer had to get authorisation from the factory. The dealer had to return the whole system before he got his last bucks. The dealer was paid by the factory for the assembling. As said: Customer service. Hans | ||
| X1rated |
OK, thanks guys. I'm gonna' call 'em on Friday morning and see what they say. Wish me luck! Thanks, Justin | ||
| X1rated |
Well, obviously Buell customer service is about fucking worthless!! Called and spoke to "Lee". He said that they do not replace SRP kits with new shocks(even after he looked up the recall letter and admitted that it stated they would) and that there was nothing else he could do.I asked to speak with someone else, and he refused! So now I have a practically brand new bike that is worthless until I spend 1000$ on a shock JUST TO BE ABLE TO RIDE IT! Gonna' call later and speak to a supervisor and have that asshole fired! Thanks for the help anyway guys Justin |
