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Archive through September 22, 2006Cochise30 09-22-06  01:04 am
         

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Gentleman_jon
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 07:01 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Bob,

Apparently Ohlins now supplies mounting hardware for the Firebolt models that was developed for the XBRR, but not for the Lightning.

This unit is available from Daves, Appleton HD, and Josh Cox, both sponsors of this board. I don't know what this unit looks like yet, but I will have a look at one this weekend at the Liberty HD open house, and I may be able to take a photo of it. Price is $414. Perhaps Dave or Josh could enlighten us?

I bought a generic Ohlins 150mm long throw damper on eBay, and the front fork mount from Attack. I had my machine shop split it for easy installation, but dropping a fork leg is no big deal if you have a proper front wheel stand, the kind that lifts the bike under the steering stem.

I made the rear mounts out of brass stock. I made templates from cardboard, then transferred to the metal. They look like this.



xxx


Hope that helps.

I have been thinking about mounting the Ohlins athwartships like the LSL, I don't think it would be too hard, but I am so busy keeping my Amber wheels clean, I don't have much time to work on mods any more, and I have grown the like the look of the "sidewinder", at least on my bicycle.

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Trojan
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 07:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

S models definitely suffer more than the R models, and this must be because of the bar and seating position upsetting the CofG. Fitting lower bars helps, as does making sure that tyre pressures are spot on (If using tyres other than the stock Dunlops lower the pressures slightly).

We used a Hyperpro damper on our 2003/4 XB9R based race bike, as it would shake it's head pretty violently when accelerating over a change of surface. This only happened at a couple of circuits and was something that just could not be dialled out with the suspension, which was spot on most of the time.

This year, using the longer Ulysses chassis we have had no need of a damper at all and the bike feels 'planted' everywhere. This is with clip on bars fitted of course.

(Message edited by trojan on September 22, 2006)
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Josh_cox
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 10:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I will get a scan for you all today : ). It is a very nice kit that hooks up under the triple trees instead of on the side. Very nice looking in person.
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Xbob
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 10:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

jon.

how did you figure out which ohlins damper to get? do you know what bike that 150mm was from? does the length of the damper matter that much if im going to make my own mounts for it?
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Teddagreek
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 10:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

A guy I ride with said since he put the LSL his bike feels more Solid.

A lot of it IMO is the Roads.. Steering dampers come in great where the roads are crappy. Blacktop is funny you don't always see all the ripples and imperfections.. I've felt the shake and I Really would not want to feel it if I were going fast..

I'm just waiting for another company to make a UnderMount like LSL for my S..

Or make a under mount Universal bracket..
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Gentleman_jon
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 11:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Bob,

First I bought a Storz unit.

It had about 150mm throw.
I got less than zero support from Storz, and then the damper started to leak.

Since I had more or less figured out how to make the side mount hardware, I just bought an Ohlins with no hardware that was the same length as the Storz. That's how I knew what length to use.

Almost ALL of the Ohlins dampers on eBay will NOT work in a side mount, because they are the short throw models designed to mount on Sport bikes on the Triple clamp.

Apparently the Ohlins mount for the XBRR mounts under the triple trees. Josh has kindly promised to send a photo of it sometime today.

Perhaps then we will understand why it will not work on a Lightning, or perhaps it will with a little modification.

On another note, Matt from Trojan seems to agree with me on the difference between the long and short wheelbase Buells and the relative need for steering damping.

By the way, I recommend the Long Wheelbase Twelve as sort of the " Standard", Buell, the one that most people will be happiest owning, because of it's more "normal" geometry, and greater stability.
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Josh_cox
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 04:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Here is the picture of the firebolt model. The lightning fairing area would be in the way from what I can tell.

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Rpmchris
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 10:40 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I love my LSL, and I also have Crossroads bars - ideal setup IMHO.







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Xbob
Posted on Friday, September 22, 2006 - 11:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

chris
is that a cg?
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Rpmchris
Posted on Saturday, September 23, 2006 - 07:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Nope - '04 XB12S.



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Lenb
Posted on Saturday, September 23, 2006 - 10:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Got any more pics of the left side so we can see how far the damper rod extends on that side?
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Gentleman_jon
Posted on Sunday, September 24, 2006 - 10:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I had a chance to see how the Ohlins is mounted on the XBRR at the Liberty HD open house yesterday.

The U shaped fitting at the top of Josh's picture fits on the front of the frame where the fairing support is.

The round ring fits on the right front fork.

The unit is very small, and fits in front of the fork tubes, unlike the LSL. You can barely see it in this photo.


zz


I can't see how this would fit on Lightning, but where there is a will, there is a way:-)
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Xbolt12
Posted on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 - 12:12 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

That Ohlins mount looks like its design was "borrowed" from Rich Cronrath's design using the Hyperpro damper....
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