adding zurks to rear suspension

[spike55_bmw]

Yes. All worked out well except one. That is the one on the lowest part of the "Arm-Suspension, Uni-Trak" (3-lobed thing) according to the parts diagram. That lowest one gets banged off when going over rocks, logs, etc. So, I threaded a large set screw in the hole and take it out / thread the zerk in for lubing, then go back to the set screw. The center-stand also hit it (glancing blow). The zerks appear to be a great time saver but in the end removing the swing arm / lubing once a year / 6,000 miles isn't that hard to do either after your break the rust off of that lower through the frame bolt (water gets in there and lays). Before you move ahead on this project, clean all of the nasty stuff off of all the parts in that area (years of chain lube have kept the paint looking like brand new). Lay on your side and have someone bounce up and down on the bike so you can watch how the zerk locations (mark with paint markers) will interact with the other bike parts, rocks, your center stand if equipped with one. What looks like a good location / angle when the parts are on the drill press doesn't always translate well to when that part is on the bike and in motion. Don R100, A6F

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Monty wrote: > > Has anyone done this? Seems the rear suspension would benefit from ability of > having fresh grease pumped into the linkage. Those parts get a real workout > when riding off road. >

[stuart sullivan]

Well put Jud in a nutshell i guess that's what i was trying to say,I'm wondering if a stiffer spring would work for me with the lowering links and what the correct rate would be,anyone have any info on this subject? I've seen links made out of high end turn buckles so you can adjust from both ends so you could raise the links with weight on and lower them when not,anyone try this?                                                                                Stu. To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com From: judjonzz@... Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2010 01:09:09 +0000 Subject: Re: FW: [DSN_KLR650] KLR versus Yam and links   Using lowering links to lower the KLR (and most modern bikes, for that matter) has a number of unwanted side effects: 1) you use up suspension travel; the wheel travels a shorter distance before it hits the fender, and may do so before the shock hits its bump stop. 2) you use up ground clearance, so you are more likely to bottom out on the pavement (or un-pavement, as the case may be). It shouldn't happen on level ground, but you don't need as much of a bump to make contact. 3) The likelihood of both the foregoing is increased because the geometry of the longer links softens the effective rate of the spring. You can compensate with increased preload or if necessary, a stiffer spring. If the spring is not so stiff that it overwhelms the rebound damping of the shock, you might get a lowered bike that handles pretty decently over rough ground, subject of course to the limitations of reduced ground clearance and suspension travel. You can compensate by 1) slowing down; and 2) limiting the places you are willing to take your KLR. Or, you can leave the bike at it's stock height, suspend it so you can go as fast as you care to or can afford, and bear in mind the deficit in inseam when considering going into tight spots. I'm not telling you anything new here, just recapitulating some stuff that appears somewhere in nearly every thread on the subject. Of course, the better you ride, the faster you can go, and the tighter are the spots you can ride into. In all cases, as Harry Callahan says, "a man's got to know his limitations".

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, stuart sullivan wrote: > > > > > From: mac-doo@... > To: robert@... > Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] KLR vereses,Yam and links > Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2010 16:59:57 -0700 > > > > > > > > > Well Robert you are right about the lowering links it will bottom with any kind of touring stuff on"IE" side bags,top trunk, camping gear, even with the shock preload cranked up,i know i put the lowering links on mine but once you get all the gear on it will kiss the tarmac lots,the skid plate stops the bottom of the engine getting smacked but you are still grinding metal. > I put the OEM links back on and carved 2" off the seat instead which will do for now,if your not doing any touring and are just trailing and commuting then the lowering links are probably the way to go,ultimately being vertically challenged is a pain in the ASS,i was thinking of platform boots from the 60s 70s era but been there done that and my riding buddy's wouldn't ride with me anymore. > > Stu. > > To: roncriswell@... > CC: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com; c_gtrucking@...; dgil@...; CurtisDrew@...; skyrider053@...; mickdl@...; mark@...; zacar@...; rockyheuer@... > From: robert@... > Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2010 19:00:54 -0700 > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] KLR vereses the Yamaha Tenere > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The KLR weighs too much for me and carries the weight too high too. > I lowered it two inches with links, and some are telling me it will > bottom out but I put on a big ass bash plate and I'm hoping for the > best. > > > > The first indication that I might have done the right thing was when > it started to tip over in the driveway and I WAS ABLE TO CATCH IT BY > THE ONE HANDLEBAR AND SAVE IT. This was impossible before, trust > me. Once it started to go, it was gone. Tippy tippy tippy. > > > > Maybe if the fuel tank was in the swing arm. Would that work? > > > > Air cooled would be better, really. > > > > Wanna sell that Hodaka? > > > > > > > > Robert P. Wichert P.Eng > +1 916 966 9060 > FAX +1 916 966 9068 > > > > > > > > > > ======================================================== > > > On 10/31/2010 7:03 AM, roncriswell@... wrote: > > > > > As an old dirtbike rider like probably most of you are, I > get so tired of when the so called next big adventure > comes out (emphasis on big). Isn't every bike an > adventure? The only adventure you might experience on the > Yamaha Tenere is when if you are so stupid to take it down > a deep gravel road, a muddy road, a talcum powder sandy > road and have to pick the big turd up by yourself. I get > hooked into these things every time a new one comes out > (until I read the weight). To me weight is everything on a > bike that is supposed to be able to go anywhere. You can > get away with a bad suspension, under powered the lighter > the bike is. I know, I still went more hard rough places > on my 100 cc Hodaka than any other bike I have owned and I > have had more powerful better suspentioned dirt bikes. I > keep waiting for somebody to make a better KLR or Suzuki > DR 650. Something under 300 pounds single cylinder with > maybe 50 torquey ponies with a great suspension, 4 gallon > or so tank, and a comfortable seat. Nine gallon tank, I > don't want, 100 high reving ponies I don't need. I had to > laugh when the guy that wrote about the Tenere said he > went on a 3 day 600 mile trip. WHOOO HOO! I hate to tell > him I have done numerous 500 - 600 - and 700 mile days on > my KLR (with a Corbin). I have had it up around 100 mph on > full 606 knobbies. The only time the power hasn't been > adequate was passing a double logging truck in Mexico at > 7000 ft. altitude. If the Japanes might build something > like the V twin Aprllia dirt bikes with a 4 gallon tank > and a comfy seat I might spring for it, but the Tenre, the > Multistrada, the KTM 990 or the Beemer GS's, no thanks. > The old air head GS Beemrs would be the closest to getting > mild interest but still way too heavy and big. I had to > laugh once when I rode to Big Bend once on a very windy > cold weekend from Dallas with a friend that has the Big > Beemer that is like a a Gold Wing with heated grips, CD > player and air suspension who was ready to quit after 300 > miles. Woosey. And remeber the guys on the big Beemers on > the Long Way Around trip with backup parts and film crew > in that deep mud? I had to laugh. I just read a book > recently about a guy riding from Mexico to Ushuaia > Argentina on a 125 air cooled single cylinder Honda. > > Smart man it my book. > > > > Anybody know if Seafoam makes a bike run leaner? A friend > with a Honda Shadow let it sit up too long and I told him > to use Seafoam which he did at maybe double what he > should. He started it and the pipes got glowing red hot so > he shut it off. This bike is a bike he bought at one of > those auctions with after market loud pipes and probably > isn't jetted correctly. Another friend says Seafoam will > make it run lean???? > > > > Criswell >

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[Jud]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, stuart sullivan wrote:

> > > Well put Jud in a nutshell i guess that's what i was trying to say,I'm wondering if a stiffer spring would work for me with the lowering links and what the correct rate would be,anyone have any info on this subject? > I've seen links made out of high end turn buckles so you can adjust from both ends so you could raise the links with weight on and lower them when not,anyone try this? > Stu. >

Can't tell you for sure, and it is a bit of a black art to me, but I may be able to help you guess. What do you weigh? if from 180 to 230lb, start with a spring in the 400lb/in range (or in short, a 400lb spring). 240 to 290, try a 500lb spring. That would probably be the spring you would use with stock suspension. Bob Bell recommended a 500-550 progressive spring when he redid my shock. I weigh about 250. With preload on 2, I have just under 3 inches of sag. If I add luggage, it sags to just under 3 1/2''. If I were to lower with links, I figure I could probably hit my sag by raising preload. That's what you want, sag in the neighborhood of 3 inches. If your weight is at the upper end of the range for the spring, you might need to go to a stiffer spring for lowering links. Some manufacturers, Eibach, for example, rate their springs in kg/mm. The conversion factor is something like 56 or 57, so an 8.8kg spring is roughly equivalent to a 500 lb spring. HTH