Any feedback on using a Radian swingarm as it relates to handling and installation? Is it worth the effort?
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Radian Swing Arm
- Thread starter 46th Georgia
- Start date
Have one set up on a bike I've never ridden. Done right the shock mounts need to be moved out a bit.
The axle hole/adjusters need to be enlarged. But pretty straightforward. Eyeball engineering sez that rectangular section should yield stiffness improvements over the fairly small round tube XS650 unit.. A company had a pretty steady business for years doing radian swingarm conversions for flattrack frame use, they welded a slotted track on top of the arm making for easy shock rate/height adjustments.
The axle hole/adjusters need to be enlarged. But pretty straightforward. Eyeball engineering sez that rectangular section should yield stiffness improvements over the fairly small round tube XS650 unit.. A company had a pretty steady business for years doing radian swingarm conversions for flattrack frame use, they welded a slotted track on top of the arm making for easy shock rate/height adjustments.
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If 46 isn't interested, I am.
Drum. I'm interested.
cjd314
XS650 New Member
What rear tire are you using here? I'm looking to swap mine and was considering an fzr 600 rear.
GS500 rear wheel and brake 130/70/17 tire 3.5" rim. bolt circle will handle XS650 small sprocket.
About the widest wheel tire that will clear stock chain spacing.
I had to machine a recessed ring into a custom aluminum sprocket I bought (the zooky ran 630 chain, WTF?) so the sprocket nuts have enough room to clear the swing arm.
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How much shorter are your forks from stock XS650's? I love the stance and I'll be using a Radian swing arm.
Some radian arm items of interest/concern? here; https://www.xs650.com/threads/ywain.55701/post-623582
Information Central.Man I love this site...such a wealth of information available to peruse.
The shocks are off a Ducati (All the front end is).
I can measure the shocks on Saturday when back at the shop.
Thanks, I would appreciate that.
Just to round out the info above & FWIW - Cheney flat track stuff: http://www.flattrackaccessories.com/swingarm.shtml
Packrat
XS650 Enthusiast
I'd be careful about that wheel choice. The rim is likely too wide to let the tire clear the chain and the available sprocket sizes are too big. The bolt circle on that cush drive is 145mm. The GS500 wheel will work but you do have to make sprockets but the bolt circle is only 110mm. You can also use an FZR 1000 front wheel in the back (17x3.5) but you need adapters for the disc and sprocket. You can get quick change knock off adapters from RC Racing Components since the disc hole pattern is the same as the XS front pattern. The only down side is not having the cush drive but I have run a few on trackers with no problems. The original XS650 hubs didn't use a cush drive stock.
Well said @Packrat. My bike originally used a Husqvarna rear wheel with stupid 40t rear sprocket (shite for the road). I built a new wheel around a Cognito disc conversion hub for A 33t sprocket. It was a sod to make it fit the Radian arm due to the 17mm spindle ( XS650 is 20mm?) and needed a reducing top hat bearing spacer; and other custom spacers to fit.
Packrat
XS650 Enthusiast
I second that. Jerry is a hell of a good guy too. He and his daughter were always a big help to me when I was racing AHRMA flat track.
The GS wheel uses a 17mm axle that matches the radian arm.
