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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Well about to finally drop a load of cash and do the front and and rear.

  Rang and spoke to Joe at Ride Dynamics, he recommended the K-Tec over a set of Ohlins, says they seem to last longer and cope with bumper and crappy roads better than the Ohlin ones.

  Does anyone have piggy back style rear shocks and run HD Saddle bags, not sure if there is enough clearance 

  
  

  Going genuine HD tubes on the front, single rate spring and gold emulator valves.

  Total overhaul, new seals, bushes etc. Ready to refit on return, he is even going to get the sliders re powder coated, as the paint is peeling on them.

  
  

  I did price cartridges but beyond my budget.

  Cheers

  Ken

  
  
  

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  mickle

  4 years ago

  Ohlin's are the best, period.

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  leachy

  4 years ago

  Hi Ken,
  

  Im keen to hear how the gold valves work for you. Im very sure it will be a big improvement over the stock rubbish. I still haven't had the opportunity to really get out and ride mine after fitting the cartridges, still hoping they soften up a little.

  
  

  Regards

  Leachy

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Thanks mate, just couldn't do the $2500 or so price point, the front end will be sent back ready to go, so hopefully no or minium tuning required my end.

  I have a little room behind the shocks, but not alot on the outer side to the edge of the saddle bags, maybe an inch there and two in the middle.

  Wondering if I can run them with the piggy back facing forwards, no issue with space that way around.

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  leachy

  4 years ago

  Hi Ken,
  

  I quess that would be a question for the manufacture. Dont see why you couldn't.

  
  

  Good luck.

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Well the new suspension is all fitted up and set-up. Hope to text ride it tomorrow, if the rain buggers off that is.

  Post some pics etc when I re-size them 

  Joe at Ride Dynamics was really good to deal with.

  The bike is a lot of higher with the 2" longer tubes and the 1 1/2" longer rear shocks, I ended up bolting some 25mm alloy box under the side stand foot plate so the lean angle is about what it was , as I was a bit worried it would top over on the jiffy stand as it was.

  I will make something prettier down the track.

  
  

  Cheers Ken

• 

  HOG63

  4 years ago

  Hope the new suspension works well for you. 
  

  Re the side stand extension, I had to do the same when I added 4” to my forks. 

  I cut off the end of the (very hard) cast alloy piece from an old roller door motor I had in the shed. 

  Once cut off to the right length, I rounded the cut edge and I worked a treat.  

  Here is a pic of one similar:

  
  
  

  

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  I will probably machine something out of either brass or 316 stainless, unfortunately I have just been moved to a boat with only a dinky little lathe and no milling machine.
  

  A few pics of the upgrade.

  On the table with the front end out, and the bogan hard tail conversion fitted.

  
  
  

  New oil cooler installed. It's a Jag 10 row unit.

  
  
  

  Newly rebuilt front forks with freshly powder coated sliders in and  new steering head bearings adjusted.

  
   Rear shocks on and set up.
   How she sits now.
  
   Took her for a ride to Mossman yesterday, and the difference is amazing, need to fine tune it a little more, but very happy so far.

  No more dragging my heal on roundabouts as it sits so much taller with the 1 1/2" lift. No more wallowing around hard corners, and no spine bashing jars from bumps or train lines on the road.

  Wasn't cheap at 3 1/2 grand, but the rear shocks were just over 2k.

  But they will see me and her out with 20,000 km overhauls.

  Cheers Joe.

  Ken

  

  

  

  

  

  

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  Pig Dog

  4 years ago

  Good Information thanks Ken -  appreciate the post - cheers

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  No worries, give Joe a call, he is excellent.

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  leachy

  4 years ago

  Glad to hear that your happy with the result, still disappointing HD cant do a better job with the standard suspension, surely it cant cost that much extra to the final price of the bike.

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Agree to some extent Leachy, I'm sure they could get a good price on some 1/2 decent cartridges for the front, which would fix the woeful front end at least. But they want to keep the ticket price down, and maximize profits by reducing build cost I guess. Plus they would loose all the after sales upgrades if they built it right the first time hey. ;)

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  leachy

  4 years ago

  Quoting Ken in Cairns on 08 Jan 2020 11:36 AMedited: 08 Jan 2020 11:36 AM

  Agree to some extent Leachy, I'm sure they could get a good price on some 1/2 decent cartridges for the front, which would fix the woeful front end at least. But they want to keep the ticket price down, and maximize profits by reducing build cost I guess. Plus they would loose all the after sales upgrades if they built it right the first time hey. ;)

  Yes I guess its a big after market industry out there. I dont think any other bike manufacture has such a large array of after market companies making products to suit their bikes. I guess you can look at it this way, you will always be able to keep a Harley going forever, or at least in my lifetime and my grand children's. 

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Yep there is that.
  

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  leachy

  4 years ago

  Hi Ken,
  

  How is your suspension going still happy with the outlay. I havnt been on mine a lot lately.

  
  

  Regards

  Leachy

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Went on a daily long run on the weekend, bloody brilliant !!

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  leachy

  4 years ago

  Thats great

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  Krash Kinkade

  4 years ago

  Smart move Ken!! I would say a fork brace would help too.

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  Ken in Cairns

  4 years ago

  Yeah maybe Krash, didn't feel like the front was flexing much, next will be a set of true tracks on f I think it needs it, but it is so stable now I'm not sure if I need one at the moment.

  Maybe when the rear engine mount starts to loosen up I will notice it, bit till then I'm pretty bloody happy.

• 

  Krash Kinkade

  4 years ago

  Quoting Ken in Cairns on 16 Jan 2020 02:50 AM

  Yeah maybe Krash, didn't feel like the front was flexing much, next will be a set of true tracks on f I think it needs it, but it is so stable now I'm not sure if I need one at the moment.

  Maybe when the rear engine mount starts to loosen up I will notice it, bit till then I'm pretty bloody happy.

  Ken if it was mine I would fit the True track, you might think u don't need it but, fit one I'm sure you will feel a gain, also if rear rubber mount break true track should help!

  I put a screaming eagle fork brace on sporty and can feel a gain, but a custom made fork brace would be even better.

  a simple way to check if fork brace could help is, lift front wheel off ground , turn to full lock, then with one hand at front of wheel tyre & other hand at the rear, push with one hand pull with other to force as far as can into the full lock, & see if your forks walk.