AlphaBird

Need to get the custom map for the akra--I think Dan has the fans--hopefully this month

Yep the machining/finish is second to none---plus say price I paid for the HRC replica from Dan

Damping is in the middle on the Ohlins---seems fine--yes it was similar to the modified HRC linkage on the 929---add gives the bike the same "feel" No, the center stand still works to park the bike--but the rear wheel is on the ground sos it would be sub-optimal for changing tires--I have it off anyway so its no biggie for me

OK--here is my review on the linkage: 1) because the ratio has changed--only a 14kg spring is required 2) install was cake-- 3) the bike "hooks up" way better coming out of corners 4) you can feel that the bike doesnt squat nearly as much on accel--instead it hooks up and wheelies 5) All washers were remove from the shock adj---ride height is about the same as 12mm of spacers at the rear shock 6) No instability issues 7) The new dogbone is pretty close to a 929 dogbone---its actually longer that stock---which would typically lower the bike BUT--the side plates are very different from stock---this gives it the increased height-new ratio 8) max traction for bikes is a swingarm angle of approx 12 deg---the new linkage--keeps the bike in that zone waaaay better than stock---No real panality in ride suppliness that i can tell yet 9) My entire suspension now mimics xdjracers and over all it is awesome--I need to delink the brakes and then I am done 10) the seat height does rise approx 1-1 1/2 inches, kick stand still works, but there is a pretty serious tilt

I just bought the DID tool--$115 but worth every penny---Yes it easily punches out the old link

that would make me a communist and unwelcome on this site---sell one of your big-ass guns fer heavnes sake

I was thinking the same...and NIK...we always wait for an opportunity to SLAM you....at the neXXt...hopefully it will be from behind ! Linkage is considerably different than shrinkage---but they are related. The linkage is the dogbone and the side plates that regulate the displacement vs sring rate that the shock sees. This linkage is less progressive--what it does is two things---the primary objective is to keep the bike from squattting under acceleration---thus providing better throttle on traction out of corners, ---this tends to minimze darkies and maximize wheelies------it also greatly reduces theshrinkage of the wanker/nutsack region that typically occurs whenst one sees his rear end coming around the front end---- additionally, it provides shrinkage of the resultant skidmarks that also tend to appear in the riders shorts in the forementioned end-swapping---hopefully it is all clear now. ---Oh yeah --It Also---it jacks the rear up---sos the washer can go away

Sunday PM---It should minimize the darkies (that would hopefully include both the ones on the street and in my shorts) :wink: :wink: FYI---Howard is already running it and majorly diggs it

What's linkage? Is that like shrinkage? See what happens when I hang out in the garage? You guys slay me with your mechanical 'shop-talk'. :razz: :grin: I need to go back to the pub.... :grin: Thanks Nik---was feeling like a loser w/No responses---bottoms up(ina non-gay way of course) I'm like the little toddler that you keep telling to stay out of the garage... I just keep staggering back in... Grabbing anything shiny, and pushing any button I see.... Till I get shooed back in the house where the 'child-safe' toys are. LOL

Got the linkage Today--machining/workmanship is nothing short of gorgeous--It would even give Nik a boner----gets mounted up Sat---BTW--$307---shipped to my door from Jap in 5 days

Should get it next week---believe it or NOT--it requires a 13.5 kg spring---xrdracer and I will be twins---should raise the rear 30mm---provide greatly improved "out of the hole" acceleration---if its even close to the 929 improvement--Ill be pysched---machining is plain old awesome

Progressive springs certainly do wonders for GL1500 Goldwings and they did wonders for my XX also. Maybe the pro rebuilders don't use them because the only thing involved is to drop them into the fork tubes and maybe change the oil? Cant think of a single AMA/AFM rider that uses progressive springs--doesnt meld well with the dampening dynamics---BUT suit yourself---havent seen too many Goldwing races either

Get the NON Progressive 1.05s, Dan put these in my forks and they are great---they are Not-Too-Stiff by any stretch---the progressive springs make grand promises---but None of the pro rebuilders ever use them

heheheheh---I thought you were being a tad shy :lol:

Unfortunately, that's wrong. Just recently discovered that while working on mine. For one, drilling the rebound bleed hole is wrong. And you have to build the shim stack to its absolute maximum. I'm trying to get all the details from my shop now that I've ridden the bike and know it is just right. BTW, you did both kits right? Damping and rebound? Dealing with RT is almost like dealing with Corbin... :roll: Why $430 bones is so well spent having a pro, like Dan Kyle do them, and have them Bitchin out of the box---ask SDMarc how he likes his new forks

$430 to have Dan do my XX forks incl Ohlins 1.05 springs Dan is sponsoring some Canadian dude on the Kawi 600R---so he is taking a keen interest--in dialing in this bike--he has also done a friends 600R---Scott Winders(BDAZZ probably knows him)--Scott runs 1:57s at T-Hill with that set up

The correct Ohlins spring for me is 19.3Kg--but I weigh closer to 220lbs--My Ohlins came with a 17.3Kg stock--I am still waiting for the 19.3---seems like you may need something in between the two---call Penske--they will have a chart. Randy, BDAZ has a Penske--he probably knows the sizing/weight Good Luck

1) your geometry is harleyed--its to be expected when you probably reduced fron sag by 15mm a) measure sag in front--should be approx 30mm set sag in rear via spring preload approx 30mm c) jack up rear total of 12mm via washers/spacers--this will return geometry back to what it was prior to front spring change 2) To reduce bwonginess INCREASE--rebound---whan you add pre-load--you need to ADD rebound as the rear is too fast-- Then add your bags--add preload/more rebound---this is where an adj Ohlins helps a ton--if you get one--you can ad rear preload by turning the hydraulic adj--then add a few clicks of preload Basically after you did the froks, you kind of went backwards to remeding both the geometry issue (lowering preload) and the bwonginess(reducing rebound) All these changes also slowed the steering down--as the bike is more rear biased --thus the Harlization Good Luck

About a month ago--I shared the story of losing 39 teeth out of 45 on the rear Al sprocket of my 929. I replaced the rear sprocket thinking that the steel front could go another 5K--8K on last 520ERV2, AFAM sprocket kit WRONG--- I replaced the chain, and just for kicks checked out the front sprocket. although its steel, it had some gnarly tooth wear, ie they were thin, and hooked--replaced everything---I was surprised that the steel had approx the same life span as the Al---granted this is all 520 lightweight shit---BUT it is definitely worth checking out the countershaft sprocket---if in doubt

Bitchin rear sets--$325 12mm--up/back TSR Link http://www.tsrjp.com/products/parts/catalo...xx&selectNum=12 ://http://www.tsrjp.com/products/parts...lectNum=12

This is jdracers buddy in Japan (TSR)---very cool/nicely machined stuff--bout $300 for this bad boy---makes your linkage act alot more linear---probably NOT good if you haul alot of stuff/weight on your bike--but if you dont--its sweet

Aftre doing my forks(lost 15mm of front sag)--I went ahead and shimmed the rear to the max--approx 12mm--works awesome--the nut just goes on, the bolt--not extra room The ppor mans way to arise the rear is to simply add preload--this will have a similar effect--optimum sag--unweighted vs weighted is about 30mm---this is completely independent of increasing the ride height--BUT---if you add more pre-load, your sag will decrease effectively increasing ride height --I would agree on stock forks 6mm should be the max--but on forks with stiffer springs--6-12mm will be optimum

If its the steering stem stand--(new ish one) ---just turn the handlebars/wheel fer heavens sake

1) Front forks---You might want to consider having Dan Kyle do them ---$430/complete in a week-- for revalving, respringing, polishing---dont know if SDMarc has gotten his back yet---but myself/WarChild are estatic with Dan's Work 2) There is NO comparison between an RR shock and an Ohlin/Penske The OHlins will waaay outperform the RR shock, is rebuidable so it will last forever---to compare--the Ohlins transformed my 929 and the XX 3) Dont know if you have shimmed the rear 6mm or not--but this was the single best mod that I have done to the XX (cost=$0.25)---BUT it makes the shortcomings of the forks more noticable as there is more weight on them God Luck

There is a $12 bleeder that you can get from any m/c dealer--its the bolt that the two lines banjo into---with a bleeding nipple on it---helps a ton to bleed the upper system