| Author | Message | ||
     Drixton |
I've had the absolute pleasure of riding the piss out of a 1998 S1W. On Christmas Eve 2013, my header had cracked for the second time. My heat shield flew off just a few thousand miles back, the steering head bearings were sloppy, and I had burnt valve seals in both heads. Prognosis: not so good. I was going out of town the next day, so I had to garage her. It's been there ever since. Well, the time has finally come. It's time for a rebuild, and I'm going to do it right... down to the crank. My goal is to improve on the bike at every opportunity I'm afforded. For example, the steering lock to lock. It's heinous. But the only ways I can think of providing additional steering angle would affect the steering geometry (ie: fork offset). Does anybody have any suggestions that would increase steering lock to lock without altering steering geometry? TIA. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Could you do an update like the Uly with triple trees that held the same rake and trail but pushed the pivot point out? Steering lock was a major issue with early Ulys but the later had update triples. | ||
| Oopezoo |
Funny.......I just about wrecked my '98 S1 in the driveway before I even got it in the garage the first time. It was dropped off on a trailer by the PO. I through a leg over it to roll/ride it down my driveway, loop around, and up into my garage. Like I've done on several other bike with no issue. I hit the steering lock right away and realized the there was no chance in hell of making it. Almost plowed it right into the side of my Jeep. I've never seen another bike with such a short lock to lock. It really surprised me. Kinda makes parking lot and garage maneuvers a bitch | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Maybe have a cnc shop plot the old triple clamps, then a new set of triples cut from a high grade aluminum, with some material removed from the back of the clamp to allow more bar rotation. Remove frame bumpers if you haven't yet, they're not awful but every little bit helps. (When teaching the MSF ERC I would need to put my knee on the frame and sit out-board on one cheek -and that one partially on the side of the tail plastic, counter weighting AND dragging the rear brake while feathering the clutch to complete the U-turn box on my tuber. It's a lot easier on an XB by comparison, but still takes practice). | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The 06 Uly SUCKED in steering radius. | ||
| Drixton |
@Ft_bstrd: Unless I'm mistaken, I think you're talking about maintaining the same rake and offset. Pushing the pivot point out will affect the trail. @Littlebuggles: I don't understand your suggestion. The problem is not the shape of the clamps. The problem is that the fork tubes hit the frame. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The relationship between rake, trail and offset - If you increase the rake, the trail increases - If you increase the trail, the rake increases - If you increase the offset for both yokes then the trail decreases - If you increase the offset for only the top yoke/ triple tree then the trail will increase - If you increase the offset for the bottom yoke/ triple tree independently then the trail will decrease You are correct Drixon. The rake would remain the same by increasing offset but trail would decrease. | ||
| Phelan |
I found my '06 Uly to be actually easier to tight turn than my S2T  . | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Yup, I agree with Phelan - knee on the frame and lean out to counter weight on my STT too, but they (larger framed XB's) are still smoother and easier (better balanced?) to turn tightly than a tuber. Drixton, you are right and I apologize, I was thinking it was the triples contacting the frame not the fork tubes. | ||
| S1owner |
lock to lock sucks on the S1 The DMV motorcycle person doing the testing walked up to me and said I have been doing this along time and I have never seen a Buell pass the figure 8. Consequently I failed the figure 8 that day. due to the lock to lock and mx speed req. During th esafty classes I took the teachers proved it was possible but they were very talented. You will not fix the issue without changing the way the bike handles. | ||
| Buellish |
I thought they fixed the Uly with a leading axel? "I've never seen another bike with such a short lock to lock. It really surprised me. " I guess you've never ridden a Ducati. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The Uly fix is wacky: Offset thripple clamps that push the fork tubes forward and the bottom of the fork that holds the axle is moved back a bit. This way the steering geometry is maintained. Much more easy to pull a U-turn on my 2008 XB12X than my 2000 X1 |
