| Author | Message | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
     Henrik |
Speaking of balancing: would you guys think I'd be able to balance a wheel as well on one of those balancing stands as a mechanic using spin balancing? Henrik (I only have the by nature alotted number of thumbs :-) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mikej |
Henrik, What I've learned about balancing is that there are two ways to balance, one static, one active. For the active, there are two ways, one at typical speed, one at max speed. Static will get you close, but will not allow to balance for off-camber wobbles (ie: you can balance a crooked/bent wheel). Speed balancing should accomodate tire stretch and maybe take into account wobble somewhat. Some may say "balanced is balanced, and speed balanced is irrelevant", don't know that I agree with that. But the static balancers for home use should work for 90% of us. So as long as you are patient and take your time, yes I think you should be able to balance your own wheel/tire assemblies at home. MikeJ (In others words, "maybe"  ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
A Single Disc provides better braking, on a Buell Motorcycle, than a Dual Disc. Period. Think of this....... Bounce a basketball.....as the ball reaches it's highest point and you "dribble" it force is required (in the form of gravity and your "push") to change it's direction and send it back toward the ground. The heavier the basketball, the more force required to send it back toward the ground. The old MV2 thing with a dose of 32ft/sec/sec tossed in for good measure. The lighter the basketball the easier it is to send back to the ground. The lighter the front wheel of a motorcycle, the easier it is for the fork springs to return to the ground. The wheel is sent from the ground into the air often and requires being placed back on the ground. In order for ANY braking to take place friction must be produced to convert motion to heat, the old conservation of energy thing. A wheel that is not in contact with the pavement provides ZERO braking. Having 14 discs on a wheel that is not in contact with pavement produces just a tad less braking than draging your Keds. Buell are sold to be ridden in the street. Streets have MANY bumps. Ergo....a Buell with a SINGLE disc will always provide superior braking. Buell knows, they've tried both. If you want to talk "racing conditions", which is analagous to explaining to me that the car I drive should emulate an F-1 car, the situation changes. When the Senoma County Highway Department is awarded the maintenance contract at Laguna Seca, you'd then see racers using a single disc. Court | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dark_Ninja |
Court Sez "When the Senoma County Highway Department is awarded the maintenance contract at Laguna Seca, you'd then see racers using a single disc. " ROFLMAO!!!!! Kinda like WyoDOT I take it! :D You gotz your answer Doc! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jmartz |
Surface area difference between 340 and 320 rotors is 7% (assuming a radial thickness of pad contact at 30 mm). Having twin 320's provide nearly double the braking surface. Ideal for racing on smooth roads not needed for everyday use. Twin rotors do look cool and who cares about a bit of performance degradation in the rebound department when we are dealing with a modestly powered motorcycle anyway? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Henrik |
Mike: thanks Well Jmartz, IMHO a well suspended motorcycle will always provide a better ride than one with poor suspension - no matter who, what, where, why etc. The best you've tried is the best you know ... But two rotors do look cool :-) Henrik | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mikej |
Just as a curiousity, I wonder how long it will be before someone puts a dual perimeter brake system on their bike in addition to a dual standard brake system, in other words a quad-disk setup. I'm guessing it will be more for some stylistic show bike, but I'm wondering how long it will be before someone actually does it. I'm guessing it will happen about the same time that Ness customizes a Buell. (ducking and running and hiding...) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bluzm2 |
Mike, That's just too weird! It would draw more than a few odd looks though.... Talk about unsprung weight! Brad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
Dual discs do look cool. No doubt about it. Check on the ones on the 996R...carrier/rotor contrast...and, I'll confess, nothinbg trips my trigger like the red calipers on cross drilled rotors peeping out of a 996 Turbo Porsche. Heck, in my book the $14K Turbo look-alike package is MADE by the calipers. Neater yet.....some high zoot ventilated rotors and hi-perf calipers on the ol' F-250HD. As Deep Throat said to Bob Woodward....."you're missing the big picture with Carl Segretti". In the part that ended up on the cutting room floor Deep Throat said "it's not so much swept area and ot is the distance from the hub.....the lever arm, the moment...Blake, Aaron..take it from there.."} In a linear world, squared functions are like free box lunches at day camp. Doc, this helping or just confusing things? Court | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blake |
Good call Court! Seize the moment arm! errr torsion! The XB9R's 375mm front disk will have over 68% more braking efficiency compared to a single 320mm disk. Plus, the difference between differential velocities of the disks' inner and outer edges is significantly less for a larger diameter disk. Some figures to ponder...
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vr1203 |
sorry,see next. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vr1203 |
Heres a wheel with a single disc that doesn't look too bad.  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
Blake: I love you man. Why weren't you the one sitting in front, to the left, of me in mr. Walker's Physics class? Court | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bluzm2 |
Blake, We LOVE it when you talk dirty like that!! Brad | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Blake |
 Awe shucks guys... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
Who's rotor is that? Where can I get one? Court | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vr1203 |
Hi Court, wheres my aluminum fuel tank? The rotor is a Ferodo.http://www.ferodobraketech.com/superlite.html | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doc5339 |
Court, thanks for the in-depth explanation. You lost me with the watergate thing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
Something smells rotten in Denmark. Got a puncture in my rear tire on the way to work today. Annoying, but not a huge deal, tire was pretty worn down the center anyway. Called the dealer, much confusion ensues, and we finally figure out that the tires on my bike (wrote them down) are D205 180/55's. Stock should have been (as far as I can tell) 170/60's. Well, the 180/55 should mount on the bike ok, so I guess it is not a huge deal. The rotten part is the guy that sold me the bike sold it as having 2500 miles on it... he was the original owner. The back tire that was on it is the one that blew today (at about 5500 miles) and it was pretty badly worn when he sold it to me (more then half). Ummmm... how on earth does one go through one and one half complete back D205's in 2500 miles. Either he misrepresented the milage SIGNIFICANTLY, or he was the Fort Knox Ky. Burnout King of '2000. Either way... I'm annoyed. Any chance this thing shipped from the factory with 180/55's on it? It does not have the PM wheels, just the normal black three spokers. I was pretty happy with the 180/55's that were on it, but have nothing to compare them too. Will I like the 170/60's as well? How will they feel different? I get them put on tomorrow at lunch... so don't wait tooooo long to tell me I will hate the 170/60's. Thanks. Bill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leeaw |
Run a 170 as per Buell. They don't randomly pick tire sizes. The 180 is stirctly for the 5 1/2" rim. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
Something, indeed, stinks. You can NOT wear out two D205's in 2500 miles. I left East Troy, went to the Northeast, down to Virginia, Atlanta and changed tires in Oceanside, CA. Frankly, I could have made it back to East Troy without concern. Buell has NEVER put a 180 on ANYTHING. Period. The 180 will fit the PM wheel (although the need for it is more perception than real) it will NOT fit the Castalloy/Marchisini wheels. Wanna know what to do? Nothing, frankly. If the bike runs ok, you are happy...change the tire (170/60 please), chalk it up to experience and go enjoy the Buell. Court - a total wimp after fighting too many fights that can't be won. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tonyinvabeach |
Anyone, How hard is it to change a tire by yourself? I remember changing dirt bike tires about a 1000 years ago...not really a big deal. But we didn't balance them. My front tire is pretty worn, could I change the tire without balancing it? What are the "rim protectors" that the sevice manual mentions?...we used rags and soap to get the tire on. I rarely go above 75 mph, is a balance really necessary? Any gotchas getting the tire on and off? I'm going to be using the CycleLifts stand and a bottlejack for the front. Thanks!! v/r Tony | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks for the verification Lee and Court... Definately the wrong tire on there. I had my concerns about the true milage when I got the bike, but I got a 2000 M2 with a pristine appearance for $5200 in Feb of 2001. At that price I knew it was definately buyer beware. I looked at the tires, the rubber on the footpegs, and the rubber grips and all ***seemed*** consistent with less then 5000 miles. Did not think to check the tire dimensions compared to stock (I did look to make sure they were the stock D205's, just not that the dimensions matched... go figure, not paranoid enough). So at that price at that time (everything else was $6500 and up) it was still a fair deal, and got me onto a bike I could not otherwise afford, so I still don't regret it... and the bike looked and rode perfect so it can't have been abused that badly. And in all fairness to the buyer, it is entirely possible that he had a puncture early on with the factory tire and simply replaced it with the other size (probably for aesthetics... it does look good). And hey... the 170 is cheaper and a local dealer (F&S Buell in Dayton) has one in stock, and if I bring in the wheel they will mount it while I go eat lunch for $20. Very nice, and a pleasant unexpected suprise. $106 for the tire (rear) if anyone is keeping score. Bill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
Uh...negative there Bill-Rod.......I have calcuated the value of Lee's time @ $10 and mine a similar sum. The advise? No way...Screw the advise..You could have learned that anywhere. It's the psychological care and comfort we provided as you struggled with cognitive dissonance. You are a better person having had the beneift of our care, concern and knowledge....that worth a paltry $20 or what? Lunch? Maybe...AFTER you pay our fee!.... Kidding....sounds like tire or no tire, you scored an awesome bike at an awesome deal. Slap on the 170/60, shut up and just "go ride the motorcycle". Court -wishing I knew how to paste those smiley faces... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
(neener neener neener) (just put a colon followed by a close parenthesis... it gets substituted automatically)... :\) without the interveaning "\" And anytime either of you are in the Cincinnati - Dayton area, I would be happy to buy you lunch... This place really is a support group (or as I said before more like a bunch of enablers) for this silly motorcycle that has gotten under my skin and has ruined me for other bikes forever. There were times when I had a perfectly good 600 cc bike sitting in the garage, and wanted to work on the Buell more then I wanted to ride the Yamaha. My only delimma now is if I will be able to bring myself to sell the Cyclone 5 years from now when I buy a 3 year old Firebolt. And my wife had better never be introduced to Eric... she has some choice words for him... and his wife and my wife better never get together or he and I both would have hell to pay... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Court |
>>>and wanted to work on the Buell more then I wanted to ride the Yamaha. I've got bad news. In 1988 I was "normal". In 1988 I wandered onto my first RR-1000. I love to ride anything, anytime. The Super Cub calls, the Victor 441 beckons me...I must have a CB-1 and an NT650....the Bandit?...well it "taught school" to kids on sportbikes who, 3 lights later when they caught up confessed aloud an entire new respect for "old men on sleeper bikes"...BUT....the Buells SPEAK to me. I have been accused of reckless advocacy at times. There are times, like women, I have cussed the Buells. Never has my love waned. There is JUST something about them. Nope..you are stuck. If you'd like I'll write your wife a letter. In the end, she'll be glad you found the Buell. By the way...if your wife thinks she is going to be the first woman to cuss Erik out for becoming her husband's mistress, she's WAY late. Court | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tripper |
well i'll be. who'd a thunk. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loki |
Court, please define normal..... Loki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bluzm2 |
 Cool! Gotta learn something new every day! BJ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Peter |
Reepicheep, If you go to a 160 Dunlop on the stock wheel, you will get a 'more rounder' profile. The Dunlop seems to be a 'fat' tyre compared with others. The 170 works well on the PM wheel, but it is a 5.5" I believe, not the standard 5". PPiA |
