| Author | Message | ||
     Xbrad9r |
Just wanted to know if this would be a direct swap out and would it lower the ride height? Who has swapped your stock Uly rear shock for a Lightning/Firebolt rear shock? | ||
| Hughlysses |
I believe all the XB shocks are interchangeable; if you search this site, you can probably find lengths for the different versions. Just remember if you go with something other than a Uly shock, you'll be losing that nifty remote pre-load adjuster. You can retain that and lower the bike by going with a XB12XT rear shock. | ||
| Xbrad9r |
thanks Hugh, I am very tall 6'6" with a 36" inseam but my wife is only 5'3" so getting on and off the bike for her is a chore, so I am looking for a little lower height to make it better suited for the both of us. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Anything other than a Uly shock, and you lose the preload adjust wheel. You should try these - Kim has no problem getting on and off. PM rwven about 'em here on badweb:  | ||
| Froggy |
Disregard the first part of Hughs post, it is only partly correct. The swingarm is different on the 52" wheelbase Buell's, so they have a shorter shock length. But to answer your questions, the XB12SS, XB12STT, and XB12XT shocks are all bolt on and will lower the height. The XT is the only other shock with the remote preload, so to do adjustments on the SS and STT you will need to pop the seat off. Also, don't forget to lower the front while you are at it, or it can result in unpredictable handling. | ||
| Xbeau12s |
Froggy - you say lower the front. How is this possible without replacing the forks? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Loosen the pinch bolts on the trees and slide the tubes up in them as far as they will go (about 1/2 or 3/4 inch, with stock bars - they hit the bars). | ||
| Froggy |
If you are replacing the shock I recommend you replace the forks. I doubt you can lower the forks enough to make it even, plus then you got a street rear suspension and a squishy dirt front suspension. Keep it even, get Firebolt/Lightning/1125 forks and shove them in. Oh, and the handling is fantastic, but the lack of ground clearance sucks, I need to get raised pegs! | ||
| Hughlysses |
Froggy- all the XB shocks are still interchangeable, correct? It's just that if you installed a short wheelbase XB rear shock on a Uly it'd probably drop it ~3" in back, right? Several people have installed 1" bar risers (such as those made by sponsor Precision Engineering). If you do that, you have enough clearance above the fork legs to drop the front end at least 1". Don't forget you also have to remove the little wire snap rings from the outside of the fork tubes to be able to move the fork legs up in the clamps. | ||
| Froggy |
The SS shock is longer than the S/R, so while the S/R would physically fit, you would be even lower than the SS or S/R. I'd guesstimate assuming you don't have issues with the belt, swingarm clearance, etc, that you would be around SCG lowness. | ||
| Ratbuell |
that you would be around SCG lowness Which I could not imagine doing to a Ulysses. I'd trade it off for an Scg and buy some bags first....the Uly is too damned good just the way it sits. As I posted above - lower her footpegs. That, and / or buy her one of those folding step-stool things. | ||
| Barclaypierce |
I would never lower my bike so my wife could get on easier! I agree with the step-stool option! | ||
| Yamafreak |
I let mine get on first, works great for us.  | ||
| Chopped_burban |
All these suggestions yet no one said to buy HER an SCG yet. Come one people, you all know better.  | ||
| Xbrad9r |
my biggest issue is that she is raking her shoe over the seat everytime she gets on/off and I am going to have a torn seat very soon...I was thinking that the shock cost would be much better than seat replacement. Also, I don't do any off pavement riding and actually would've preferred to have gotten the XT, I do mostly two-up riding with either my wife or my 13 year old son, so the lower suspension would be better all around for me personally, I may even add the XT front fender to complete the transformation. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Have her mount like a horse - stand on the left side (sidestand side). Left foot on left footpeg, stand on it. Swing right foot up and over the top case, and down to the right footpeg. When Kim gets on, I either have it on the sidestand still, or I turn my left toe in, bracing my knee against the frame so knee-flex doesn't affect the verticalosity of the bike (in other words, so my knee doesn't give out and dump us both!). Barring any of that..unless she's wearing stilettos, the seat should hold up for quite a while. They're tougher than they look in my experience. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Oh, and stock seats retailed for around $90. Shocks are MUCH more money than that. | ||
| D2wing |
I bought a used Lightning shock with a spring on ebay for $50, and swapped just the spring. My spring compressor wasn't big enough so I have a shop do it. The 06 Uly has a silver spring, the one I put on is blue. It only lowered it an inch or so. I left the front alone and it is fine. The cost was about $100 for the shock spring and labor. | ||
| Andymnelson |
I have done all of the above!  Used to ride an XB9S, Sam got on and off the back with no issues. Then I lowered that bike (SCG suspension) for her to ride. Now I have a Uly, and it is much more difficult foe her to get on and off because of the backrest. She now does as Ratbuell said: I mount and upright the bike, she grabs my shoulders and stands up tall on the left peg, steps over and sits down. Works great (but what works even better is she has her own bike for most rides!) | ||
| Pos90 |
I'll trade you my '06 Ss suspension and kickstand for your Uly parts. | ||
| Half_buell |
I might be interested in trading my08 Uly parts. | ||
| Pos90 |
Half, Do you have an X or Xt? If its an X and your serious about it send me a pm. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
There's no reason she should be dragging her heels over anything. Change her mount/dismount procedure, and you should be just fine. Cheapest option available. The rear passenger peg is strong. Have her to step onto the left rear peg with her left leg and stand up. Swing her right leg over the seat and onto the other peg, then sit. To dismount, reverse the order. With your height, you should have no issues keeping the bike steady while she mounts and dismounts. | ||
| Oisterska |
What I have found to be even easier that standing on the passenger peg is having the woman stand on the driver peg while swinging her leg over, horse-mounting style. Makes the bike more stable while she is mounting, and gives her the clearance she needs to get over the seat. |
