| Author | Message | ||
     Donttreadonme503 |
Hello all, I am a proud new owner of a previously loved 1996 Buell S1 with 56k miles on her. I am here seeking insight to get to know her better. I do have over 20 years experience riding and have owned many motorcycles in the past but this is my first Buell/HD product. Things I know: She has a Corbin seat with M2 tail (most uncomfortable seat I’ve ever sat on), accel coil, K&N intake, Vance & Hines exhaust, WP Roma forks and a Penski Shock. I definitely need to lower the bike but with the current handlebar mount that is impossible. Planning on using a xl1200c gauge pod and riser mount to remedy the issue of not being able to lower the front end. The only way to my understanding to lower the rear is to get a longer heim joint. Any advice on this would be appreciated as I cannot find any info or manuals on the penski. Looking to lower about 2 inches. I have the original tail and would prefer to use it. Any suggestions on a seat option or would it be best to make my own? It is also my understanding that the fork seals for the Roma’s are no longer available. What are my best options when I need to replace the front end once the seals go? I know I know I know, “do a google search!! Your asking questions a million people already have!!!”. The thing is, I have and I’m not getting any good results with definitive answers. I’m sure there is some jerk here that’s still gonna say it. Hopefully this forum isn’t full of people like that and is filled with passionate people that love buells and don’t mind helping new buell owners. Any other information or advice is definitely appreciated.  (Message edited by DontTreadOnMe503 on October 30, 2018) | ||
| Andy350 |
nice, bike, i like the carbon fiber fly screen and fender! Ebc front rotor is also a nice upgrade. The penske is ride height adjustable so I would start by putting it at the longest length. The penske website has manuals for download on their website but a lot of the information is opposite since this is a "pull" shock. Your bike doesn't have an m2 tail, it is the twin tail for s1. The fork seals are still available from traxion dynamics, st paul harley and a few other places. I've had better luck searching for wp or ktm seals than the buell numbers. Have fun | ||
| Falloutnl |
Congratulations! Bought one myself recently. Extremely excited to start the process of restoring it (the bike needs some work). Yours doesn't look like it needs much. What are your motivations for lowering it. Is it too tall for you? | ||
| Upthemaiden |
Dont worry about the search, this site is tough to navigate through and doesnt have a good search function, despite the vast amount of knowledge here. I always type "site badweatherbikers.com"(no spaces!) into google with the words im searching. It helps. You actually have an S1w twintail on your bike. Original tail will swap right over. You can find the seats for sale on here or on the facebook pages sometimes. If you dislike the Corbin that much, someone here will swap you for a regular seat. I had a Corbin and hated it as well, but they're still pretty sought after. You're correct that you need to lengthen the (very nice!) Shock to lower your bike. Have you tried calling Penske? Im not too familiar with how they're put together, but if it has a heim joint, I'd personally just take it off, measure it, and try to find a longer one online. Front end is easy. Just find a top clamp from an XB, flip it over, and add whatever length steel spacers under it with longer bolts. You can lift your bars as high as you want, which will give you clearance for the fork tubes. Im not sure how far up you can slide the forks. They might be tapered and only able to move so far. Not sure about the fork seals. My 97 needed seals. I found a few ktms that used the same forks and ordered seals for one of those bikes. Your best bet, if you cant find the information online and can give up a week or two of riding, pull the forks apart and measure the current seals. Then youll know what you're looking for. | ||
| Upthemaiden |
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/228937.html?1165117622 I know theres better pictures ot the, but this is the best I can find at the moment. Also, there's different top triples, make sure yours doesn't have bolt on handlebar clamps. You might just be able to put spacers under yours. Some are bolted on, some are cast into the top triple | ||
| S1owner |
A 96 if the top triple is original has the bolt on lower bar mounts so its super easy to raise the bars just a couple spacers and longer bolts. The 96 also has the stronger front engine mount. | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Thanks for the info and compliments. I have already put higher bars, see picture. But the problem I run into is clearance for for the gauges. I want to lower it more for stance then anything. I ride a bmw r1150rtp on a daily for work (security officer) and I have to tip toe that thing even more then the S1. I like to go on 200+ mile rides and the Corbin just isn’t going to cut it. Probably gonna search for a stock seat solo seat (?) when I have the cash (not a priority right now). And if that doesn’t work I’ll just use the seat pan and make my own. I don’t ride two up so I’m not worried about keeping passenger accommodations. Also can I use stock Harley cables for the clutch and throttle? Pretty much at the end of the length already and my bars are not at the hight I would prefer. When it comes to the ebc rotor it is unfortunately a little warped so I’m going to have to replace it. Can I use the galfer wave rotor? Getting conflicting information on that one. Hey Andy might be willing to sell ya the fly screen when I get the cafe fairing I want. So the penski will stop the heim joint from unscrewing all the way or it will somehow let me know a minimum? Congrats Falloutnl  | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Thanks s1owner, any suggestions for remounting the gauges? Do you think sportster risers can work or do I need to do custom?  | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Also is there a list of common sportster parts that we can use? My stator failed and before I found this forum I ordered a sportster 32amp upgrade kit. From what my manual says is my bike came with a 22amp stator but I don’t know what’s in there. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072DVT8BG/ref=cm_sw_r_c p_api_OCg2BbTPZJ5YS | ||
| S1owner |
The s1 seat raitings go like this the only way to get better is have your own done. Stock solo s1= 2x4 Pro series= 2x4 with 1/8” pad Corbin = 2x6 but as the age they get harder!! Find a seat guy that will reshape your seat and add gel and f16 foam. Its well worth it. Contact this guy he did awesome work on my softail but you will need to probably recover it http://www.greatdaytoride.com/home.html This guy built my custom seat and its awesome but he is not cheap and in high demand http://www.vinyl-lux.com/motorcycle-scooter-bicycle-seat-redos/ As far as raising the bars I went to the local hardware store and got 1” spacers and the needed longer bolts. I kept the stock gauge mount it still fit in the fairing but barely. But you could make a bracket that mounts them lower. Or buy a different top mount and put in a motogadget mini. Purpony could mill you one easy but thats a big cost probably $1000 to get everything. Really I would get the ride hieght setup to where you want it, with bars at your desired hieght, get the fairing you want then make your dash to fit your fairing. Be careful it can progress into something that consumes you! Lol! Here is what my simple winter rebuild ended in after 3 yrs   | ||
| S1owner |
Fyi thats the strangest bar setup I have ever seen?!? | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
S1owner, your bike looks sick! Love the seat and custom subframe. How hard was it to use the xb swingarm? | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
And btw the bars were free from a buddy of mine. | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Do you have a build thread? | ||
| Upthemaiden |
A lot of people think the Corbin is more comfortable, I personally think,the stock seat better, so I think it's all a gamble. The "euro" seat and the pro series seats are pretty commonly agreed on as being better, but they're hard to come by. If you're able to reshape and recover the seat yourself that sounds like the way to go. Regardless what you have, it's not typically a 200+ mile bike. All the seats are skinny and not ideal for sitting on that long. A pair of padded bicycle shorts doesnt hurt though | ||
| S1owner |
I was not a fan of the corbin either! Xb swingarm is not a simple swap. There is alot that goes into it. Started life as a 96 S1 now called the SXB a 96 S1 motor (S) a 2000 X1 frame (X) and the Xb rear and front (XB) Build thread here http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/733746.html?1539616066 | ||
| Ratbuell |
Corbin apparently shapes their seats after one guys' butt. Period. If you're shaped the same as him, you're golden. If you aren't...you're screwed. They make their seats based on curve, not padding. The guy they shaped their S2 seats after was apparently my shape. The guy they shaped the S1 seats after...not my shape. | ||
| Steveford |
I think you want the cables from an S3T. | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Again good information guys. Can the ST3 cables still be purchased? | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
S3T. I’m not sure why autocorrect did that lol! | ||
| S1owner |
Again your choice how you want to do it but you can buy a cable kit and make your own to your desired routing and length. You can also get custom length brake lines with 360 pivoting banjos all right here and probably cost the same or less then hd parts. http://www.venhillusa.com/products/cable-kits-and- parts.html | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Thanks S1. | ||
| Williamscottrobertson |
Get with Jolly on here and get a set of Renthal Fatbar adapters. He had a run made a couple months ago and has some in stock. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/820617.html?1537014491 | ||
| Ducley |
Corbin will custom build your seat if you ride in. No extra cost. Took us basically all day this last time. 830 to 4. Sent me out on a ride and came back with cut here more there. Did that 3 or 4 times. Very happy with the seat. They were busy with other folks too. I was by no means the only one. They are in Hollister south of San Francisco Bay area. | ||
| Ralph |
The Roma forks aren't original (they're from an S2). Not a problem in and of itself, but they are longer than the WP forks that were original. So, if you go back to WP (or the later Showa) the bike will be lower in the front and not loose any suspension travel. | ||
| Mike_lee |
Corbin quoted me 175 to redo my seat. Thats sent in as im not riding from Pa to there  I picked up a euro seat and like it much better. Strange bar setup but a nice bike nonetheless. I swapped my cafe racer style bars out with some renthals, cut 3/4 off both ends and added a 1” riser. Very close to original setup now. | ||
| Donttreadonme503 |
Hey guys, sorry been very busy. Again thanks for all the info. Been doing a few things with the S1. Will be updating soon. | ||
| Jolly |
On an S2 the Roma forks extend through the top clamp about 1.5 inches. This allows the S2 style clip-one to attach above the tree. In your photo the forks appear to extend only about 1/4 inch, which means more extension below the trees. This will in effect raise your front end changing rake/trail, changing cornering. The problem with the conversion done to your bike is that the factory style cradle design for handlebars doesn’t give enough clearance to properly install Roma forks. The change to rake/trail may be negligible to you, or it could be pronounced enough to cause issues if you are a knee dragger in sweeping corners.... it would feel heavy and slow instead of light and flickable... | ||
| Led |
If the seat is "comfortable"........you are NOT really riding!  | ||
| Falloutnl |
I never really got the hate for the seat. Used to have an M2 Cyclone with an S1 tail section + seat. That thing was just fine to be on for any number of hours. |
