Yes, that is also a surprise to me as to how tall those new X-ring chain outer side plates are. Very interesting..
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The ergonomic experiment
- Thread starter Mailman
- Start date
When you re-assembled your rear brake plate, did you remember to orient the camshaft correctly? .....
As luck would have it, I did! Haha!
It looks a little rotated up because the shoes have wear and the brake adjustment has been taken up a little.
Well, after three days and three inches of rain, the sun finally came back out and I went back into my garage.
The first thing I did was to lube the chain, even though it’s new and was pre lubed, I figured what the heck, I’ll give it a good spray to start off with.
After that I thought as long as I had the side cover off, I’d check my brushes and see how worn they are, I’ve still got 12mm on each of them so I’m good to go.
Then I set my exhaust out and installed that. After that I threw my side cover back on and adjusted my clutch cable, I went over all my work checking to make sure bolts were tight and all my cotter pins were in place.
I put my tank and side covers back on and gave things a quick clean up and rolled my bike outside.
I’m really liking these Goldwing bars! They feel just like the stock bars as far as grip position and wrist angles go, they just have about double the amount of rise, which allows you to tip the bars back towards the rider just a bit, the grips are higher and closer and just super comfortable.
So I threw my riding gear on and rolled my bike out into the street to go for a little spin, I fired it up and sat there while it warmed up, I went to put it in gear and “ Hey wait a minute!” ......my shifter and left foot peg were still sitting on my workbench!
It was getting late in the day so I didn’t go too far, I just wanted to get it out and run it up to speed to see how that new 31 tooth sprocket feels. The short answer is....I love it! You can definitely feel that tall gearing when you take off from a stop, it requires a little more clutch slipping, but as soon as you’re rolling it actually builds speed more rapidly and it doesn’t feel sluggish at all. It accelerates very smoothly and extends the time between shift points.
With this new gearing 55mph equates to only 3500 rpm , not even breaking a sweat, and 65 mph is just a whisker over 4000 rpm. I’m very happy with that.
The new bars are super comfortable around town, it is very reminiscent of my old Triumph. Once you get up to highway speed, I need to get my windshield back on because of the upright seating position, the wind blast puts a lot of strain on your arms to hold yourself up. I think with the windshield back on ( maybe tomorrow) it’ll be very comfortable. My new foam grips take absolutely all vibration out of the grips and are ridiculously comfortable to hold.
I didn’t try the highway pegs at speed, because without the windshield the wind blast is already trying to push me off the bike and then putting your feet out in front of you doesn’t give you much grip on the bike. I really think the windshield is an important part of this equation.
Tomorrow, I’ll try and get the windshield on and take the bike out for a longer high speed run ad I’ll wrap this thread up.
Later, Bob
The first thing I did was to lube the chain, even though it’s new and was pre lubed, I figured what the heck, I’ll give it a good spray to start off with.
After that I thought as long as I had the side cover off, I’d check my brushes and see how worn they are, I’ve still got 12mm on each of them so I’m good to go.
Then I set my exhaust out and installed that. After that I threw my side cover back on and adjusted my clutch cable, I went over all my work checking to make sure bolts were tight and all my cotter pins were in place.
I put my tank and side covers back on and gave things a quick clean up and rolled my bike outside.
I’m really liking these Goldwing bars! They feel just like the stock bars as far as grip position and wrist angles go, they just have about double the amount of rise, which allows you to tip the bars back towards the rider just a bit, the grips are higher and closer and just super comfortable.
So I threw my riding gear on and rolled my bike out into the street to go for a little spin, I fired it up and sat there while it warmed up, I went to put it in gear and “ Hey wait a minute!” ......my shifter and left foot peg were still sitting on my workbench!
It was getting late in the day so I didn’t go too far, I just wanted to get it out and run it up to speed to see how that new 31 tooth sprocket feels. The short answer is....I love it! You can definitely feel that tall gearing when you take off from a stop, it requires a little more clutch slipping, but as soon as you’re rolling it actually builds speed more rapidly and it doesn’t feel sluggish at all. It accelerates very smoothly and extends the time between shift points.
With this new gearing 55mph equates to only 3500 rpm , not even breaking a sweat, and 65 mph is just a whisker over 4000 rpm. I’m very happy with that.
The new bars are super comfortable around town, it is very reminiscent of my old Triumph. Once you get up to highway speed, I need to get my windshield back on because of the upright seating position, the wind blast puts a lot of strain on your arms to hold yourself up. I think with the windshield back on ( maybe tomorrow) it’ll be very comfortable. My new foam grips take absolutely all vibration out of the grips and are ridiculously comfortable to hold.
I didn’t try the highway pegs at speed, because without the windshield the wind blast is already trying to push me off the bike and then putting your feet out in front of you doesn’t give you much grip on the bike. I really think the windshield is an important part of this equation.
Tomorrow, I’ll try and get the windshield on and take the bike out for a longer high speed run ad I’ll wrap this thread up.
Later, Bob
Glad you like the taller gearing.
Norton7d
XS650 Junkie
Any thought of an 18 up front, or is the 31 the final mod?
The chain I’m running now is so much larger, it’s already rubbing in my shift shaft guard. A larger sprocket , I fear, would cause problems.
But no matter, I’m quite happy with my results.
Norton7d
XS650 Junkie
Mmmmm, hadnt thought of that, so a modern 530 O or X ring is larger than original, so much so the 18 gets less and less possible.
Yes, expected a rub on the guard when you posted pics of the tallness of the X-ring chain outer side plates. It is a tall and wide chain.
You can tweak the chain guide slightly to "comply" a bit as I did recently. You can also add a thick washer to the top side of the most rear vertical stud mount this in effect lowering the guide slightly.
Little things help the chain fit in that tight location.. 18 tooth countershaft sprocket ? Not with an X-Ring..
-R
I like that idea! Dang! I already had that cover off again this morning and now it’s back on! Oh well....off it comes again, I’m going to do what you suggested, I could see the chain was already beginning to saw into that shaft guard.
Easy does it with the washer thickness. It doesn't take much for the shifter to start binding inside the shaft guide.
Mailman
Would something like this work. It's based on a drawing I found that Signal posted. It's made out of Delrin. 2MM thickness where the chain rides.
Would something like this work. It's based on a drawing I found that Signal posted. It's made out of Delrin. 2MM thickness where the chain rides.
By the way Robert - while your modified motorcycle appears to look very nice, it appears that you had parked it about 8" too far back according to the markings on the floor of your workshop - young man!
Yeah, I like the look of that! What is Delrin?
By the way Robert - while your modified motorcycle appears to look very nice, it appears that you had parked it about 8" too far back according to the markings on the floor of your workshop - young man!
View attachment 161933
Oh come on now Pete! Normally my bike is backed in to that spot. You don’t think I’d be eight inches off in my garage do you?
Hightower-Ash98
XS650 Addict
Wonder why my guy started chop chopping my 82, looks pretty sexy here.I will gladly contribute the very nice buckhorns from the '82 I bought recently
View attachment 160888
Yeah, I like the look of that! What is Delrin?
Oh come on now Pete! Normally my bike is backed in to that spot. You don’t think I’d be eight inches off in my garage do you?
Well....no, I guess not.
Well crap! I didn’t get my ride in today. Today was spent chasing my tail, I said yesterday I sprayed chain lube on my new chain, I wiped off the excess and let it set up for a couple hours and then took it out for about a ten mile shake down run. That chain lube was the worse stuff I’ve ever used! I threw the whole can right in the trash!
I’ve never used that brand before, I picked it up at Walmart and it was inexpensive. I went out in my garage this morning to check things over after my little test ride and that crap flew off and went everywhere! It was all over my freshly painted swingarm, the freshly polished rear wheel and spokes, the sidewall of the tire and have a look under the left side cover!
I swear it looked like more that I had even sprayed on! And that crap was sticky, apparently sticking to everything
BUT the chain! It took me a long time to clean all that stuff up.
Then I messed with my shift shaft guard. Greg has offered to send my one of those poly razzmatazz synthetic guards which I’m gonna try, but in the meantime I tried Randy’s suggestion of adding a washer under the guard mount, it didn’t put any pressure on the guard, it just rotated it a little lower. Not perfect but better! This pic was before that little mod,
So cover went back on, and pegs and shifter, then I installed my windshield. And my little lightweight tourer is ready for a trial run.
These photos are for Greg and Pete, who like to make fun of my little tape boxes
With the cars in and two bikes, it’s a game of inches! Haha!
I’ll follow up after a better test run, I’ll get a little distance in next time.
Later, Bob
I’ve never used that brand before, I picked it up at Walmart and it was inexpensive. I went out in my garage this morning to check things over after my little test ride and that crap flew off and went everywhere! It was all over my freshly painted swingarm, the freshly polished rear wheel and spokes, the sidewall of the tire and have a look under the left side cover!
I swear it looked like more that I had even sprayed on! And that crap was sticky, apparently sticking to everything
BUT the chain! It took me a long time to clean all that stuff up.
Then I messed with my shift shaft guard. Greg has offered to send my one of those poly razzmatazz synthetic guards which I’m gonna try, but in the meantime I tried Randy’s suggestion of adding a washer under the guard mount, it didn’t put any pressure on the guard, it just rotated it a little lower. Not perfect but better! This pic was before that little mod,
So cover went back on, and pegs and shifter, then I installed my windshield. And my little lightweight tourer is ready for a trial run.
These photos are for Greg and Pete, who like to make fun of my little tape boxes
With the cars in and two bikes, it’s a game of inches! Haha!
I’ll follow up after a better test run, I’ll get a little distance in next time.
Later, Bob
Very nice work as usual Bob. Thanks for sharing about that "chain froth" Yuck !
