| Author | Message | ||
     Buellbill |
I own a 2006 Uly XB12X with a single rate rear shock spring. With my lady and gear, it tends to bottom out a little too often. I'm after a progressive or dual rate spring and believe the Uly XT came with one. Question: Is it a direct fit or will I need to make up a spacer as the XT has less travel. If not a fit. Where can I get hold of a dual rate rear shock spring? | ||
| Hughlysses |
There is no dual rate spring for the shock. The XT spring would be shorter so it would make your problem worse if anything. The 07-up X fork springs are dual-rate and the XT fork springs are triple-rate. One thing you can do that may help is ensure your pre-load adjuster has not leaked down. Back completely off of the rear pre-load adjuster, then start tightening it back up. If it takes more than 3 or 4 turns before you start feeling resistance, some of the fluid has leaked out. Several of us have refilled the system successfully using fork oil or hydraulic jack oil. You support the bike so there's no load on the rear shock, remove the 2 bolts holding the pre-load adjuster to the seat tray, and disconnect the hydraulic hose from the adjuster. Take a tooth pick or small screw driver and insert it in the hose connection on the adjuster. Push the piston down as far as it will go. Now completely fill the adjuster with oil and reconnect the hose, spilling as little oil as possible. Reinstall the adjuster. Mine had gotten where it took 6 turns or so before any resistance was felt. Now it starts working after only a turn or 2 which effectively gives me 4-5 more turns of pre-load adjustment. If that doesn't fix it, you can increase the compression damping on the rear shock above the owner's manual recommendation. Go a little at a time until you find a setting that keeps it from bottoming out. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
have you put the preload at maximum? | ||
| Hughlysses |
^ Good point. I should have said "If you have the pre-load adjusted to the maximum and the suspension is still bottoming out, ...". | ||
| Buellbill |
Thanks for the feed back. Now answers to some of the questions. 1. I think you're right about the loss of fluid on the preload adjuster. I need to turn the adjuster 2 1/2 turns before there's any resistance. I'll give it a go refilling the lines but iI think it may need a new seal if its leaking. 2. I did have the preload wound fully in and it still bottomed out. I then started winding the compression adjustment in (harder). It helped but it also increased the "hit" on the smaller bumps. I'm talking to a suspension shop and they're talking about a rebuild to freshen it up and then replacing the original spring with one having an increased rate, unfortunately it will be a single rate so again I'll lose some initial compliance. | ||
| Hughlysses |
~2-1/2 turns is probably OK; I'm not sure you'll be able to improve that much if any by topping it off. I don't understand your statement #2- you had it wound fully in, then you wound it in more? That means you didn't have it fully wound in. For 2-up with luggage, odds are the pre-load adjuster should be fully wound in if you follow the recommendations in the owner's manual. Let's go back to square 1 before you start rebuilding shocks and replacing springs: #1- adjust the front and rear suspension according to the owner's manual recommendations based on the amount of weight (you, your wife & luggage) that you are carrying on the bike #2- if the rear is still bottoming out on bumps, increase the compression damping on the rear shock a little at a time. I'd go 1/4 turn and try that and keep adding 1/4 turn at a time until it stops bottoming. Odds are very good that'll fix your issue. | ||
| Arcticktm |
Hugh, the second comment was referring to the COMPRESSION adjuster, if I read it right. This was after having preload at max. I wouldn't worry too much about losing compliance with a heavier spring if you truly need it to avoid excessive bottoming. Especially if you are already running significant preload when solo on stock spring. I wouldn't expect much from the rebuild (unless there is a problem), but the spring certainly will help. Skip the rebuild at first if you are looking to save money and just buy the spring. I think we are being polite in not discussing total weights, but for reference, on my '06: I put preload to max (per manual) when 2 up, and me+wife and normal gear is probably 325-340 lbs w/o a heavy luggage load. Works well for us, but if either of us were much heavier I could see it being a little light. | ||
| Uly_man |
The pre load settings are the bikes weight and riders/gear. I have run both my Ulys at near 50% rear pre load and I am 300lb plus my riding gear. High rear pre loads hurt the bikes sweet handling, if under weight, and less than 25% is not enough. If the back end bottoms out ie it "bangs down" to the bottom of the suspension travel over a big bump you either have not set the compression right or the shock is toast. In other words the piston damping has gone. The back end should NOT bottom out, you should NOT need any upgrade and is a superb suspension system. Also the 06 HD settings are rubbish and WAY, WAY out. Try 50% rear pre load with 25% compression and rebound. Bounce the back end and if does not "settle" right away then your shock is toast. | ||
| Buellbill |
Thanks guys, I really appreciated all the advice and information being passed on. I think it's time to get into details. As you've probably guessed my name is Bill. I live in Sydney Australia and own two Buells, a Lightning and a Ulysses (and a KTM). Both are 06 models. Neither are standard. The Lightning has the Buell factory race kit installed which I use for track work. the Uly is my project. It has the following mod's. Remus pipe, K&N filter, modified air box, Race ECM, Brakeking front disc, Lyndall pads, corbin seat, sheepskin seat cover etc.. Ready to ride I weigh 190lbs, my Lady 180lbs, gear 35lbs. When riding solo my suspension spec's are Front zero spring preload (7 lines showing), comp 2 turns out, rebound 2 turns out. Rear zero spring preload (wound all the way out), comp 2 1/4 turns out, rebound 1 turn out. Riding two-up with gear. Front the same. Rear spring preload all the way in (full preload), comp 1 turn out, rebound 1 turn out. Due to our shocking roads in Oz. Riding two up, we bang the rear bump stop probably 2 to 3 time each hour depending on road conditions of course. I hoping the photo came through with this thread. The Uly has covered 24,000 miles over the past 6 years and most of that on back roads, hence the thought of freshening up the suspension. Hope this helps. Cheers Bill  | ||
| Buellbill |
Hear's a photo on the Lightning Cheers again Bill  | ||
| Murf2 |
Bill Hyperpro Ha a progressive "lowering" spring listed. You moght check with them & see if you could get it in standard height. Good Luck, Murf | ||
| Uly_man |
"When riding solo my suspension spec's are Front zero spring preload (7 lines showing), comp 2 turns out, rebound 2 turns out. Rear zero spring preload (wound all the way out), comp 2 1/4 turns out, rebound 1 turn out. Riding two-up with gear. Front the same. Rear spring preload all the way in (full preload), comp 1 turn out, rebound 1 turn out." I am not being rude or anything Bill but I have a REAL job trying to think of a WORSE setup than this on a Uly. A pre load spring can "bottom out" with enough weight, because it is just a spring, without the right level of compression dialed in. And 2.5 turns "in" on the rear pre load is, more or less, just taking up the slack before any work is done and was normal on both my Ulys. You need to start from point A. First is tyre pressures. This is point A and a BIG deal on any bike. Something as little a only 2 PSI can effect how well a bike handles. Use your own air gauge, not the pumps, so you know its always the same figure. NEVER adjust suspension settings on cold or worn (flatted) tyres. Once those are right you move onto the pre load. You do this as a single rider and the thing you MUST understand is that this bike has sports suspension and even half a turn on the comp and/or rebound will effect how good or bad the bike handles on the road. On the 06 bike, if I recall, a good start on the pre load is 50% rear and 4 rings on the front. You need to "balance" the bike, with the rider on the bike, so that the front and rear "settle" or drop the same front and rear. This is something in the region of 50mm but can be more or less as long as it is the same front and rear. You then set up the front and rear comp/rebound settings. Front comp is at the bottom with rebound at the top. Rear is comp at the top and rebound at the bottom. Now this is the tricky bit and could take some time to set for your own ride style. I would say start at 30% from zero for all comp and rebound settings. Start with the front end. What you should be looking for is, on comp, is the bike riding over bumps without "pushing up" the front end on hitting them and the rebound not droping/diving the front end after that. In other words the suspension should "ride" over holes and bumps and give a smooth ride. Do the same with the rear end. Which both my Ulys do and I can ride over 4 inch speed humps and holes at 30 mph plus with no problems. Once you have this bit right for the rider you should, more or less, only need to adjust the rear pre load for two up and luggage. Thats what the remote pre load was put on the bike for. Of course your rear shock may be toast so you need to check that. One thing I do know is that this bike has THEE best suspension I have ever had and needs NOTHING apart from a little heavy oil in the forks to control dive. A 10$ mod. | ||
| Arcticktm |
I don't have a hard time at all thinking Bill is bottoming out rear as much as he says. Given rough roads and the load on the bike, and that the Uly suspension is on the soft side (compared to a pure sportbike, which is not really set up for 2 up anyway). It's very good suspension, but 1 spring can only cover so much range in loading weight. I am running lower weights, and can still bottom out the rear if we go off pavement and hit a rolling dirt road or hole. It's not a problem, just only so much range of loading and conditions that 1 suspension set up can handle. I also think the stock suspension settings in the manual are a very good place to start. They give a good reference for balanced settings, and you can move up and down the weight ranges if you feel they are too soft or firm for you individual riding. Certainly better settings advice than any other motorcycle I have owned, off road or on. |
