Thumper Club Forum

Technical => Bike Problems/Questions => Topic started by: niblue on July 07, 2009, 05:34:28 PM

Title: XBR Updates
Post by: niblue on July 07, 2009, 05:34:28 PM

As I've sorted out my other bikes it's now the turn of the XBR to have some care and attention lavished on it. 1st up is the handling issues, followed by mechanical and then finally cosmetic. That leads me to a few questions that this distinguished group might be able to help with:

• Handling: My bike feels quite poor in low speed turns (like it has a hinge in the middle) but better at higher speeds. It feels to me like it's sitting a little too low at the back end so I'm thinking about replacing the (probably original) shocks with some Hagon units, plus dumping the squared off Cheng-Shin for a BT45. Anything else I should check as well?
• Cosmetics: I'd like to put a screen on the bike to give some weather protection for motorway sections on the way to the great Scottish west coast roads. Any suggestions on options?

Thanks in advance!

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: bullet350 on July 07, 2009, 07:09:38 PM

check swingarm bushes and head bearings, as well as wheel bearings.
many people over-look these parts and forget that they also need maintenance/replacement.

as for a screen i had a faber fly-screen on a cb500. it fitted well and meant that i could hold 80mph all day. £60 new (blimey!) or mine came from flea-bay for a far more realistic £20.

 bullet350

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: KungFooBob on July 08, 2009, 02:44:16 PM

I've got some Hagon 2810's on the race bike.  They're the dogs pods.

The service from Hagon was second to none, they asked if I wanted longer than stock shocks, the type and colour of springs and the shock body colour.  I had them with the narrower springs and 10mm longer than stock... they arrived next day!

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: guest27 on July 08, 2009, 06:47:37 PM

Ditto on Hagon - have bought shocks from them in the past and they fitted different springs etc to suit me and the bike and then when it worked out that i had got some of the measurements wrong they sent be a different set of springs FOC.

A bloody good bunch

R

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: guest288 on July 09, 2009, 08:42:50 PM

These are the old ones from mine, if theyre any use? Depends if your doing it on the cheap...

(http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn27/xbr500/ShockAbsorbers.jpg)

Theyre free, just pay p&p?

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: crackedhead on July 09, 2009, 11:00:06 PM

From my experience the original rear shocks would have to be pretty well ****** to cause many problems. Unless they are leaking oil, or are sticking, the problem may be elsewhere.

I have a fairly new pair of Hagons, which you are welcome to try out / test, if you want ... just leave the CBF and keys as security  ::) ;D.

As for the rear appearing too low - I've also noticed that one of my XBR's. A check of the forks revealed that the spacers are a few millimetres longer than the old XBR. The old bike handles much better  ??? More investigation is required, when time permits.

Good luck

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: niblue on July 10, 2009, 07:35:04 AM

Thanks for the input. I'll check out the head bearings and swingarm bushes to see if they're factors.

Title: Re: XBR Updates
Post by: guest564 on July 13, 2009, 12:43:56 PM

If the rear is squared off it will feely suspect in low speed turns. Before I changed the springs I ran the front forks with 1/4 spacers under the caps and dropped the yokes about 10mm to speed up the steering.