| Author | Message | ||
     Argulace |
Bike: 2000 M2 Cyclone The bike has an X1 Inverted front end on it which is really nice! The guy I got it from converted the tail to an X1 with a really nice corbin seat (for sale if anyone wants them). Now the bike has this kinda down slope to the seat, when I ride it I am constantly fighting to keep myself from crushing the jewels on the tank. Solution: I'm Converting it back to the original M2 tail and seat. Problem: I think the X1 forks are slightly shorter than the stock ones - the bike feels heavy in the front end when you ride it even though the sag is not terrible in the forks (within spec). What I'd like to do is to put the M2L rear shock on it to level the bike back out and provide a lower COG as well as transfer the weight back towards the rear a little bit. I have noticed the shocks listed for sale as 14.5 and 14.25". Does anyone have an M2L and can measure your rear shock, or does anyone know if the 14.25" shock is the M2L one? Thanks! | ||
| Hootowl |
Is the shock different, or is it just a different front mount that makes the bike lower? | ||
| Argulace |
I'm not sure on that Hootowl, I didn't do the conversion to the X1 front end - the prior owner did. I like the conversion and it was done well (not a hack job). He used the upper and lower from the X1 in the front end also so it's not bored to house the new front end, it's a complete conversion. I actually love it but I want the bike to feel right when I ride it. The rear shock is stock as far as I can tell and I know the bike isn't an M2L so I'm trying to find the M2L shock for purchase. I just want to buy the right one. | ||
| Hootowl |
Answers that. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/694882.html?1349143016 | ||
| Upthemaiden |
You're best bet is to pair up the long 16.5" shock with the shorter curved shock mount. That'll make the whole rear suspension longer, which will angle the swingarm up slightly. An adapter like Hootowl posted would work just as well if you already have the newer 14" shock, as long as you get the welding done by someone you trust. If you're not sure which parts you currently have on your bike, do a google image search for "buell rear shocks", someone in the past was nice enough to take a picture of all 3 together with labels as to which was which. There's 2 shock brackets. The one for the 16" shock is straighter, the one for the 14" shock is curved, more like a banana. If you browse through the mount listings on ebay you'll be able to pick out the difference after you see a few. | ||
| Hootowl |
I posted that link to show that the M2L shock was indeed different, not to suggest that he should look for an M2L front mount, as my initial post suggested that the mount might be different, but it is not. | ||
| Bd3 |
Take a look here http://badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/47623/3 27673.html | ||
| Hootowl |
Good find! | ||
| Cupcake_mike |
The M2 long shock will not work with the bracket from the short shock or vice versa....I don't know about the M2L, never had one of those | ||
| Ratbuell |
I have an M2 that I converted with X1 stuff. No issues with handling or ride height. Something else is going on with your bike. Don't set sag by an M2 manual...use an X1 settings chart and see if that helps any. | ||
| Argulace |
I'm going to take it off and measure it. One of the problems here is I think some people are (properly) measuring the shocks eye to eye (center of) and others are measuring it end to end (incorrect). That's why some of the listings for these shocks say 14.5 or 14.25 and others say 16" and 15.5". The one inch difference is the ID bushing to OD eyelet on both ends I'm assuming. | ||
| Buellrbill |
My stock 2001 M2L rear shock measures 15.25 eye to eye, measured mounted, and on stand... no weight on rear wheel. Bit longer for the M2L. Perhaps this helps. | ||
| Argulace |
Buellrbill, Thanks for measuring the shock, that's more what I expected to see. My current rear shock is 14.5. Makes sense to me that Buell would shorten the stand over height in the most cost effective way possible without changing the end to end travel. In my mind that would be to extend the shock (either by lengthening the end of it or the frame mount) and shave the seat. The forks would be even easier. So much of the information out there on this is just confusing. | ||
| Ratbuell |
If I remember correctly, the rear shock lengths are an either/or proposition. Two lengths, one pre recall, one post. M2L had a different front shock MOUNT but - if I'm remembering correctly - used the same shock as all the others. I sold my L rear suspension as soon as I did the conversion, or I'd go measure everything. Front forks are different - you can see that in photos, they are shorter tubes and shorter / recalibrated springs, not simply regular forks that are "slid up" into the trees. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Reading the original post...nose-down will give you FASTER handling, not slower. Slow handling comes from nose-up stance. Are you sure the rear end was changed away from the low setup? Or did they just swap the front end? | ||
| Bd3 |
I modified my 2001 M2 to M2L with help from BWB, the service manual, and Lance at St. Paul HD especially... The front-fork-tubes (the parts clamped into the triple trees) for the M2L are shorter. The front-fork-sliders (i.e. the bottom/fatter/larger-OD part) are the same for M2L and M2. I used two, new, complete, right-side-M2L-fork-assemblies and swapped a new left-side slider to make my two M2L fork assemblies. The rear shocks are different. I was lucky enough to find a NOS M2L shock on ebay. It is a simple swap. The rear shock mounts are the same. The shorter M2L forks and rear shock lower the bike decreasing ground clearance 3/4 to 1" . The M2L seat lowers the seat height another 3/4 to 1". Both together provide 1 1/2 to 2" lower seat height. I will try to post excerpts from the parts book to clarify further in the next few days. |
