| Author | Message | ||
     Upthemaiden |
I'm looking at a 98 S1 that's a few hours away, so I won't really get a chance to check it out before I'd go buy it. It sounds like that only issue it has is a broken fitting for the breather that screws into the front head. I've tried digging around google images but have had a hard time finding any helpful pictures. Am I correct in assuming this is a common part I could order from a HD dealership from a sportster, or is that potentially going to be something that's a headache? Better yet if it's just a fitting with normal threading that I could pick up at a hardware store... If anyone has any knowledge about hose fittings, or some pictures, it'd be very helpful! | ||
| Blackm2 |
Common part, readily available. Not from a hardware store though! | ||
| Jolly |
Or, upgrade to XB rocker box covers that breathe out the top instead of through that passage in the head, and get rid of the spacer in the rocker box cover assembly that just adds an extra potential leak point! The upgrade kit uses bolts to secure the carb mount bracket on and plug those passages since they are not used anymore. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Appreciate it guys! I'm sure over time I'd consider upgrading more engine parts on it, but for the time being I just wanted to make sure it was something easy to fix so it'll be ready for the road when spring gets here! | ||
| 651lance |
I'm with Jolly. Stop the leaks and headaches and upgrade to the XB rocker boxes. I did the upgrade years ago to my S2 and I'm glad I did. It's clean and no leaking breather bolts and hoses. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Buy it. If it's a 98 it should be an S1W. Thunderstorm heads, 2.5" header, manta fuel tank. AWESOME motorcycle. You won't regret it. | ||
| 1313 |
If it's a 98 it should be an S1W. If it's a 98 it could be an S1W. There, I fixed it for you! Yes, Virginia, there were 'normal' S1's in 1998... 1313 | ||
| Dannybuell |
Buell Heads: Lightning, Thunderstorm, XB. The evolution of these heads has been significant. XB heads in stock form are exceptional. An XB head on a tuber requires a new front mount due to narrower spacing... | ||
| Upthemaiden |
My mistake, I meant to type 97, just a regular S1. An S1W would be great, but it's hard enough to find an S1 as it is, which is the reason I'm already looking at bikes in other states. I can upgrade to some S1W and XB parts in the future when I need something to keep me busy over winter. | ||
| Court |
The "plain" 1998 S1's are rare birds. I have all the production records and there were quite a few made but they see to be the rarer breed now. There were also, as Brankin will recall, some rather fun "specials" built early in production. | ||
| Steveford |
I've got one of the "plain" 98s and it's just a tremendous bike. It reminds me an awful lot of a late 70s Triumph Bonneville: not the fastest thing out there but just a joy to ride. Corbin seat really helped! (Message edited by SteveFord on February 16, 2016) | ||
| Jolly |
I have a 96 S1 with a Drummer exhaust, and a 98S1W with a Borla exhaust. the Drummer really performs well on the 96, I almost cant tell the difference between the 96 and the 98...(blasephemy right??)...I would not shy away from a "standard" S1..just put a good exhaust on it and you will be in great shape! Dean Edwards also makes great exhausts, I just don't have any experience with his so I cant personally compare it, but folks that have bought his stuff really rave about it....but I like the drummer so well I bought one for my X1 as well | ||
| Upthemaiden |
It has a Vance & Hines and a corbin seat. I've never had the opinion that those exhausts were the best, but as long as it works, I'm not gonna complain. I'm definitely not too picky about S1 vs S1w at the moment. I'm looking to trade in my Speed triple because it's just too much bike for my commute, so I'm intentionally moving to something with a little less top end. The S1 is about 10 lbs heavier, but I assume because of the lower seat and skinnier body it should feel a little more compact. I'd really prefer to sell the S3 before I pick up the S1, but I'll see how it goes. Gonna list the Triumph on craigslist tonight and then decide if it's worth the drive to pick up a bike I've never seen before(aside from pictures). | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Quick question since we've mentioned S1s and S1Ws. I'm sure the answer is around this forum somewhere... but I know S1s have a 2" exhaust clamp and the S1Ws have a 2.5" exhaust clamp, but is the rest of the headers the same size? Do S1W headers bolt on to S1 heads, and vice versa, or are the headers entirely different? I know I'd eventually like to grab a stock exhaust, I used to swap back and forth on my XB depending on how much noise I felt like dealing with, but I wasn't sure exactly what years exhausts fit on the 2" headers, and if I found a good deal on a newer exhaust and headers, if it'd bolt to a 2007. I see the M2 and S3 have 2", do the exhaust mounting points match up? and if you bought the proper headers can you make an S1W/X1 exhaust fit? Alright, so that didn't end up being so quick... | ||
| Steveford |
S1W/1998 S3 headers and mufflers will bolt up. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Thanks, and I'm assuming any year S1/M2/S3 exhausts with the 2" fitting will all have the same frame mounts, so there won't be any issues bolting one to the bike? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Wrong. (sigh....can we PLEASE post this in the KV???) Early (pre-99) bikes had an S-bend header. Late (99 and later) bikes had a T-bend header. They do NOT interchange. The change came about when the frames were changed. If you have a bike with an S-bend header, you need to use another S-bend header. If you have a bike with a T-bend header, you need to stick with the T-bend headers. Collector size is based strictly on Lightning head (2") versus Thunderstorm head (2.5"). ALL T-bend headers are 2.5" because all 99-up bikes had thunderstorm heads. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Early, S-bend header:  Later, T-bend header:  | ||
| Upthemaiden |
That information is probably in there, I just haven't quite gotten the hang of this site yet, with everything being archived, and I figured I'd just ask since we were already on the subject. I appreciate all the information though, as long as things go as planned, I should be driving down Sunday morning to meet the guy and bring home the S1. Then I'll just need to pick up the fitting for the breather and an o-ring for the gas cap, then I'll hopefully be ready to go for spring! | ||
| S1owner |
Google search the topic with bad web in the phrase it works better I think | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Alright, I made the 3.5 hour drive, which thanks to a miscommunication turned into a 13 hour day.... I brought the S1 home. I'll just need to pick up the fitting for the breather and an o-ring for the gas cap. After I got a good look over it, I see the shifter is cracked. It looks like it's fine for now, but I'll have to track down one of those after I find out what years are compatible. Thanks for all the help! | ||
| S1owner |
Not bad has a corbin seat so a 2x6 instead of the stock 2x4! Pm me if you want i started with a 96 that had many issues I among others are more then willing to guide you through it all | ||
| Upthemaiden |
I appreciate it! I'm sure I will have some questions. I ordered the breather fitting today, gonna check at napa for a gas cap o-ring on the way home before I order one online. Then I just need to hook up some real front turn signals so I can ditch the cheap signal mirrors and replace the gas. I drove home through a rain storm for a few hours and without that o-ring I'll assume a bit of that water got in the tank. I'm hoping after that it's ready to ride with no other complications but I'll find out for sure when I get it on the road. I took it for a test ride but it was cold and wet so it wasn't overly thorough. The Corbin is surprisingly comfortable. It reminds me of the low seat I used to have on my xb. I don't think I'll have any complaints about it. I tried the stock seat too and it was definitely a little uncomfortable.I used to ride to work on a yz426 supermoto though and that seat was much worse. | ||
| Oopezoo |
Nice.....that is almost the identical as my '98 S1.  I did all of the basic upgrades you will end up reading about.......things like the oil pump drive gear, primary tensioner, shifter detent plate, XB valve covers/breathers, and rejetting the carb. I'm unfortunately still stuck with the stock seat. I'm also still sorting out some oil leaks from the valve cover upgrade and have had some issues with the exhaust mounting (Borla CF), but the few times I've ridden it have involved some serious grins Best of luck with the new toy. Don't be a stranger | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Thanks! I'll definitely be around. I'm gonna have a ton of questions so I'll be all over this forum. I just downloaded the service manual and will probably have it memorized by the time I'm done. My bike feels solid as far as the engine goes. No oil leaks or any other real issues. Tonight I drained the old gas out and poured some more gas in. Took a few minutes to get it started but once I did I got to take it around the neighborhood a bit. Observations.... The front brake is shot. I'll pull the pads to see how they look, but the rotor is definitely warped, so that's gotta go. The front right fork seal is leaking. I assume chances are good some of that oil has hit the brake pads so I'd do best to just swap those with the rotor, and new brake fluid while I'm at it. The back brake is smooth, but it doesn't do much. I'll see how those pads look. The bike sputters right around 3k rpm. Not sure if the carb just needs a good cleaning, or the jets are wrong... It has a Vance & Hines exhaust/intake combo, so I have no clue what's in the carb now. The shifting is very sloppy. I know that boomerang shifter and linkage is just asking for trouble, but I think most of what I'm feeling is just the engine. Doesn't really have a click to it. It shifts ok, I don't know if it's worn parts inside making it feel that way, or if that's just how the engines are. Various wiring things to deal with. As of now only the rear signals are hooked up. I need to order some front ones. The right side rear will blink, the left side doesn't do anything, I can't hear the relay ticking on the left either, so I'm not sure if the wiring is messed up, or if the relay is shot, or if the handlebar controls are just done for. The wires won't stay on the brake light switch on the handlebar either, but that's an easy fix. Overall, I love the bike and can't wait for it to be cleaned up and have everything working right. The seller obviously was a bit of an ass when it comes to the "oooh yeah! everything is working great! just needs a new gas cap o ring and a breather fitting!". The $30 in parts is obviously going to turn into a couple hundred between the brake parts and fork seals. I guess that's life when you buy a bike out of town and don't get a great chance to look over it until you've already committed to a 7+ hour round trip. The engine works and the gears don't slip, so that's all I really care about. I'm happy to tear into the rest of this bike and sort out/clean up everything else. Just wish the timing was better as I'm in the process of trying to sell my other bike, and we're about to start remodeling the kitchen, so this will be my only bike and I'll be a bit busy with housework. Otherwise I would've loved to put it up on the stands and just spend a few weeks tearing it to pieces. I'll just have to get it in running order and enjoy it for a while, then sort out the small details when I get some time. | ||
| Hootowl |
There's a trick that might help your fork seals. Could just be some grit stuck in there causing the leak. Get some very thin stiff plastic (think microfiche or milk jug) and slip it up in between the seal and the fork tube (someone who has actually done this please chime in with the proper technique). You can order OEM XB signals from AmericanSportbike.com (hurry, they're closing soon). Will you please post a picture of your rear isolators? Try to take the photo on level with the isolator, parallel to the ground. In the photos you've posted, they look shot, but it's hard to tell from that angle. They don't look like the new kind though, so odds are, they're toast. You can get those from American Sport Bike as well. Good chance the front need to be replaced too. Front is easy to change...not so much the rears. Your drive belt looks loose. That is a GOOD thing. Keep it that way, regardless of what the manual says. Later on, Buell recommended that they be run "scary loose" on tubers. Unrelated...what did you cover your floor with? Regular industrial vinyl tiles? Looks great. Thinking about that myself. At about 70 cents a sq ft, it's an economical and durable solution. And if I bark one up, I can scrape it up and replace it. | ||
| Oopezoo |
Haha.....I know what you mean. I traded a car I no longer wanted for my S1. I was assuming I'd drop a a few hundred $$$ into it to get it sorted out. Including the new tires and a used Penske shock I dug up, I ended up dropping probably $1200+ into it and have only ridden it maybe 400 miles. That being said, I don't regret any of it. Its been a fun project and it is a very cool bike. I'm pretty sure it will be staying in the garage for decades to come. Which reminds me, I need to get off my ass and get those oil leaks addressed......riding season is right around the corner | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
You can get most of the slop out of the boomerang by putting in a new plastic bushing with some grease. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Hootowl: I planned on trying that film trick first. I used to have a supermoto and it always had grit stuck in the seals and I’d always use film to clean them out. I figured that was less common on street bikes so I assumed it was the seal, but I’ll definitely try that first! I ordered a set on ebay to match the rear signals. I used to have the same signals on my old XB and the supermoto and I was decently pleased with them. I can definitely post some pictures, once I find out where the isolators are…. I’m assuming they’re just tied in with the engine mounts? I’ll google it later and post some pictures. It’d probably actually be a good thing if they were shot, because my XB shook at idle but was smooth as could be as soon as you got on the gas. This bike still has a little shake to it even when you’re riding, so if new isolators would fix that, or at least help, all the better. I’ll checkout American Sport Bike before they close. The floor is done with VCT tiles from lowes. The garage was last year’s project, still not 100% done yet, but I love it so far. I rewired the whole thing, new lights, drywall, rebuilt the one outside wall, the floor, and a ton of other things that made what I thought would be a 3 month project, stretch out all year. The floor tiles are great. In hindsight, don’t buy white ones. Wet tires leave yellowed marks on them, and I’m sure over time oil spots and various other things will leave some stains. You can always rebuff it, but it’d be easier just to start with a dark gray or brown or black and avoid the whole hassle. Putting them down was pretty easy. I have a few that are poking up in the corners still, and one pair randomly started developing rust in the crack, which is very weird considering it’s a cement floor with vinyl tiles… no clue where rust would’ve come from, but regardless I’ll eventually need to pull up a few and replace them. I’m also slightly worried what a welder will do to them over time, but I’ll sort that one out later. Realistically, in the future if I redo another garage I’d probably just try to stain and seal the cement like they do in some shopping stores. It seems like the easiest to maintain option, but I just really thought the tiles would look nicer. Natexlh1000: Thanks for the heads up, I’ll see what I can find as far as a new plastic bushing. Is that also something you can get from American Sport Bike? Oopezoo: The tires are one thing that are actually in good shape! I think they’re both pretty new. They don’t match, which will probably bug me for a while… but what can you do. (Message edited by upthemaiden on February 24, 2016) | ||
| Hootowl |
Great tips, thanks. My garage has been around since 1979. A stain wouldn't look very good...it's already stained .  So I think it's tiles for me. Your rear isolators are the rubber things between the frame and the swingarm mounting block (connects swingarm to engine cases) near the foot pegs. The frame sits on these and pushes down. The bolt should appear to be at the bottom of the frame opening. Yours appear (at least in these pictures) to be near the top. The extra vibration could be from the bolt heads hitting the frame when you put weight on the bike. The new isolators are much better than the originals, and have a metal "ear" on them that will prevent the frame from dropping all the way down, potentially locking up the rear tire on the subframe, in the event of a catastrophic failure. I've never heard of a catastrophic failure with the new isolators. |
