Contact Brad @ BDS for the best options & service by a pro. The best in Thailand!
BDS Performance Thailand.
Cb500x Suspension Upgrade In Thailand
- Thread starter Cruzer
- Start date
Contact Brad @ BDS for the best options & service by a pro. The best in Thailand!
BDS Performance Thailand.
Dear Tboxcar,
To Spring up or not to Spring up. That is the question,
First off, congrats on the new bike. Very utilitarian IMHO, as I have owned 2... my staff pretty much rides the one we didn't sell as it's in mint condition and we sprung the bike for a 72 kilo rider with soft sidebags, no rear frame or box. No rider.
The bike we sold had about 60000 baht of custom suspension from Germany.... not one stock BMW could come close whilst caressing the twisted in Mae Hong Song. Up or down the mountain. No pillion though.
As you have astutely discovered: all cb500x's are not one would expect with a low GVWR; but that's the bike you fell in love with and you want the most comfy touring with you and your woman.....I get this right so far?
Let's dispel a few mis-nomers.....
1. The GVWR is not something that can be exceeded with " beefier " suspension. You're apparently getting dangerously close.
2. The GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is established for tensile strength of main frame, subframe and swing arm. Not to even mention you tires, wheel axles, brakes and suspension system.
3 If you find a person, shop or factory that tells you other than what's listed above and you should roll the dice..... she`ll have a fat ass, and beat you and your woman up, every time on a long tour, and you will have some type of pre-mature failure.
As you already mentioned, and deduced from previous experience or reading: this machine does not like top boxes.... and the bigger, higher and further behind the axle you place It, you will begin to add stresses to your linkage and be uncomfortable in hard turns up or down a mountain with a pillion and overloaded and packed piston and forks.
So, what can you do? You may avoid my advise and load it up and give her a whirl, your front stock springs won't take the weight and your rear shock will bottom.
Maybe you can live with that undesireable riding maybe you don't mind coming off your motorcycle beat up after a long days ride, maybe you don't mind tempting a failure by exceeding the GVWR?
Regardless of your decision for Ohlins, Nitron, Wilbers or whatever..... Think about soft bags from SW Mototech, less weight, no box.
A small rack on the back to hold less than 7 kilos of items (like sleeping tent, two mats and 2 bags) of load would leave you plenty of swing arm action and tremendously keep her lighter inn the front and much easier to manage in the mountains.
If you want a safe, smooth and comfortable ride.... that sticks like bubble gum in the turns....feel free to call.
Best of luck on your build,
See you up in the mountains soon.
That's the issue, filling those boxes with all the weight behind the rear axle, making the bike handle like a pig.
The bigger boxes the more gear they carry, just because there is space.
I can't believe the amount of luggage & boxes most riders carry nowadays. Astounding.
When I was young, road trip was a duffle bag strapped onto the sissy bar, and a bedroll on the front fender.
Clothes - maybe a change of shorts and socks.
There's no doub't a Topbox of any form affects the handling of a bike. I have a CB500X and you can feel the effects especially on the forks (wobble) . But topbox's are just so damn convenient. Keep it light as possible and be aware of the handling effects and your fine.
its subtle but it's there. One way to see is to take your hands off the bars briefly if you are confident enough to do so. Then try the same thing with Any top box
Thanks David
Works on Firefox but not Safari, I will look at the settings
I was just wondering if Brad still has the shop
Cheers
Brad sold the business to his staff I think it was.
The staff he trained continue to do a good job I believe, plus do other bike service work, not just suspension, which was the sole focus with Brad.
Brad has retired riding jet skis down Prachuap, plus his big bikes at a fast pace still.
He was recently in Chiang Khong, but I missed him as I was on tour with my brother.