| Author | Message | ||
     Gazz |
Greetings! New guy here with some new guy questions. I am about to get a 1998 ST3 and have a question that needs to be answered before I make the deal. As the bike sits now, it is to tall for me - I can only touch the pavement with my toes when I sit on it. A friend who is a Harley guy suggested that I could make an extension for the rear shock which would effectively lower the rear end. He also said that the front end can be lowered by just moving the for tubes in the triple trees. Does this sound like the right way to do this? Or can the whole shock be repositioned to achieve the same thing? A friend has a 1996 Buell although I am not sure of the model but it is not a ST3 and, when I sit on that, my feet are flat on the pavement. The deal on this bike is very good and I hate to let it pass me by but would really like to know if I can make it fit me without spending a bunch of cash. I do have a complete metal working shop with a lathe, mill and welders so I can fabricate most things that might be required. Thanks for any comments! (Message edited by Gazz on September 12, 2013) | ||
| Reepicheep |
The 96 may be an S1, which (based on my mark I calibrated eyeball) had a lot lower / narrower seat (or maybe it was a suppository  ). The safest approach would be to shave the seat and leave the suspension be, but that might not get you low enough. | ||
| Gazz |
Thanks for the response. I don't I could much if anything with the seat - it is pretty thin and the frame is right there under it. I'm hoping to hear from somebody who has lowered their Buell in an inexpensive and easy way. I can hope can't I? | ||
| Sparky |
You could try reducing preload on the rear shock which would lower it a little and make the ride a little softer as well. There are preload spacers on top of the fork springs that could be changed out for thinner ones or perhaps removed altogether. Doing this should lower the front a little and also make the ride softer. Changing preloads is part of setting up the suspension to personal preferences and accommodating different loads. If the bike is mainly going to be a solo ride, then softening preloads is a safe way to make the bike fit you better without drastically changing the suspension. | ||
| Gazz |
To adjust the preload, would I be turning the big nut at the rear of the shock? I don't own the bike yet so I a going on memory of what I saw when I looked at it and from looking at my friends. For the immediate future, the bike will be a solo thing, certainly until I can get it lowered some so the feet can go flat on the pavement. My friend suggested that because it is a touring model, the seat may be wider which would mean my legs have to bend around a bit more and make it seem that the bike is taller. Does anybody here know if that is the case? | ||
| Sparky |
Regarding shock preload, if it is the recall shock, yes, turning the large nut towards the rear of the bike will reduce pressure on the spring and soften preload. Regarding the seat, the stock '98 seat is relatively narrow at the front compared to the '99 seat, but the foam used is denser and not as cushy as the '99. It may be a good idea to trim a little foam from the sides so that the seat won't seem quite as wide as stock. Also I would recommend getting the seat redone with more compliant foam and perhaps a gel insert installed by a professional (like Saddlemen who in '99, I'm told, started making seats for Buell for a while). I'm 5'6" and used to have a '98 S3 and I didn't have a problem with the height of the bike even when set up for touring with a passenger and luggage. Although I couldn't flat-foot it like I can with my '96 S1, it was fine touching down with the balls of both feet. | ||
| Gazz |
Thanks for the responses. I'm 5'9" with a 30/31" inseam so not very long legs. My friend who owns the S1 loaned me his parts catalog and manual today and after looking at pictures of the shock bracket, I think it would be very easy to make the an extension piece for the rear shock mount. But maybe I don't have to do that I'll see how I deal with it. I am curious about why the S3 would be taller than the S1. Or, is it a difference in the years of manufacture? | ||
| Gazz |
I did it and it is home now. There was an aftermarket seat included with it (Corbin?) that is narrower and allows to get more foot on the pavement - I don't think I will have to lower it. I do need to weld the fairing bracket back together as a previous owner sawed it in half and then tack welded the speedometer body to what was left. How was the speedometer originally held in place? I don't see a place for it in what I do have of the bracket, the sawn off part, or what is still bolted to the bike. | ||
| Sparky |
Congrats for the buy. The speedo and tach are mounted in a plastic dash panel. What happened to that? Can you provide a picture of what you are talking about? | ||
| Gazz |
Thanks for the response Sparky. I don't know what happened to the tach or instrument panel - they are probably with the headlamp somewhere which I do not have either. The headlight has been purchased on eBay and is on it's way. I should have the fairing bracket welded back together by the time it gets here. I found a thread here that discusses the repair of a 1997 S3 and it shows the panel pretty well so I now I know what I am missing. I see those are on eBay too so I guess I'll buy one. I hope my restoration does not nickel and dime me like it seems like it is going to. I also need to get a new front tire as there are some deep cracks in the tread. I think I still got a good deal and will post some pictures soon. | ||
| Gazz |
Here are some pictures of what I have to work with. I didn't take a picture of the rest of the fairing bracket though - it looks like it was somewhat neatly sawn away from the part that mounts to the front end. I have no idea what all the small lamps are for and it is missing the tach. and instrument mounting panel and maybe other stuff, I don't know. When I began shopping for a motorcycle, I was not considering a Buell or anything that needed this kind of work. The deal was so good I had to jump on it. Well I tried to upload pictures. I resized them to be smaller than what the site says is maximum and it still will not let me post them - tells me they are to big. | ||
| Gazz |
I'm going to try one more time here to upload some pictures.  | ||
| Gazz |
I have welded the bracket back together but have questions about two of the "arms" of the bracket. I assume they are for holding on the instrument panel but with no panel on had or knowing which one I need, it is a bit hard to imagine. I just tried to add another resized picture (same size as the one I was able to upload above) but now it just ignores the upload attachment thing. Sorry, but this website/forum has some real goofy ways of dealing with stuff. I belong to many different forums and this one takes the cake for the most convoluted way of posting a thread and uploading images. In any case you get an idea now of what I have to work with | ||
| Blake |
Get yourself a Service Manual & a Parts Manual. | ||
| Gazz |
Yes, a manual is on the list of things to get. I now have a headlight that I bought off of eBay but I did not read the description that well it seems. Unfortunately it is for a Euro model and I think there is an extra wire but I'm not sure as some of the wires were cut and no longer have connectors. It fits fine and I am hoping I can make it work. I am hoping that the manual that my friend loaned me will have a wiring schematic that is similar enough to figure it all out with a DVM. At the moment, I don't even know which switch is for the headlight! Tomorrow it will get a license plate so I will be able to ride it any case. It does need a new tire as the one on it has deep cracks in the treads. The forecast for the next week is mid to upper 70's and may be the last nice weather before the serious autumn stuff starts. |
