X-Challenge - Accessories/Farkles

HP pics and specs please! If it is progressive do you know the range of the spring rate too?

Has anyone used the Progressive fork springs that Touratech sells?

Butters, I just lowered em'. Closer to 3/4"-7/8" on the fork raising height. I have a short inseam so there was going to be some lowering for me to feel comfortable on the bike. I also have some HP progressive springs, picked up from inmate here, havn't installed yet and am curious how they will work.

The guy I picked my X up from put them in... I am around 80K/175lbs or so. They do ok, not great, but not running stock before I can't give you a comparison.

It will probably have to wait until Thursday. It is already dark here and "snowquester" is about to begin :eek1. I had it sprung for a 185lb rider with 25lbs of luggage. I'm actually about 175, but I have the KTM fuel tank in the back, a Pelican tailbox, and racks and softbags. I don't know if I would call it progressive, but it is kind of hard to tell with so few turns. It pretty much looks just like this:


I will see if the documentation has a spring rate or if I can cross reference the spring number.

According to the spec sheet sent with the shock, it is a "1220" spring. It IS a progressive spring, but I was unable to find anywhere what the actual spring rate is for it. It's length is 337mm.

I believe, but I'm not certain yet, that the lower ride height is a simple length adjustment and there isn't anything special about the shock other than the length adjustment being 25mm shorter. So if somebody was wondering about whether or not to get a shorter rear shock, you have about 1.5" you can mess with. In other words, I'm pretty sure I could bring mine back to the stock length. Shortening it beyond that, there are some differences in construction. At least that's my theory.

Still haven't ridden yet and we're expecting 6+" of snow tonight and tomorrow.

Cool! Looks like an emulsion shock, not a piggyback. What is the model number / part number please?

Yep - the 460, which I got, is the emulsion shock. It runs about a little over $600. The 461 is the reservoir model and I think it is between 900-1000.

The 460 can be converted to a 461. I think the price was $337. With the emulsion shock, you can only adjust rebound and preload. Apparently, adjusting rebound will also effect compression. The 461 alows for separate rebound and compression adjustments. Also, if I'm not mistaken, I think there are separate adjustments for high and low speed. But I'm not certain about that last part.

plus, the HP folks include 1 free rebuild....

Here's how the bike looks with the 1" lower shock and the forks lowered about the same amount:



It stands more upright on the sidestand now. Still stable, but I could see it being an issue if parking on a sloped surface:

Pics of the installed shock, if anybody cares:



The seat height is about 34.5" with the Seat Concepts seat. It was originally a low seat but I had them raise it about an inch. It's pretty comparable to the stock seat thickness.

Butters,
Which windscreen is that? How do you like it? Nice looking XC.
(Interesting how many XCs lately have been in pics next to Toyotas.. We are on our 4th LC...correlation?)
Jeff

I actually bought it used from DiscoDino. But I think it is a Proscreen Dakar or something like that: http://www.parabrisascurtain.com/shop/g-650-x-challenge-90234-dakar-pay.htm

I know McGarrett just ordered one. Try giving him a PM or I will ask him next time I talk to him where he bought it.

It does a real good job keeping the cold blast off your chest. The wind still hits at about my helmet, so it really doesn't do much to quiet things down, but doesn't buffet my head. It is pretty easily removable and you can leave the brackets on the bars. I will probably be taking it off soon as it warms up and will put it back on in the Fall.

Between the weather and a nasty cold, I've only now been able to put some miles on the new shock. Didn't do a lot, maybe 25 miles, but it covered twisties, 65mph+, and washboard dirt roads.

The short of it is the shock was money well spent. I was carrying more speed, more confidently, through turns I am very familiar with - even without having been on the bike for some time. Hard to say how much of that was attributable to the new lower stance, but it was a noticeable difference.

Braking aggressively did not result in the typical ABS kicking in I would feel with the airshock or the rear rising dramatically. I didn't get a chance to REALLY test the front brake, but the disconcerting launching is gone even if you don't use the rear brake. I am very happy to report that the new shock did not seem to accentuate any of the negatives of the forks. I was worried about how much dive I was feeling in my very short initial drive (few hundred feet). But out on the road, the forks felt as they did before. I still might swap out the fork springs at some point, but not any time soon.

I went on about a two mile stretch of washboarded dirt road nearby. The Hyperpro did MUCH better on washboard than the airshock. That said, when pushed, the washboard would bite back like it does with the airshock (I think from the rear losing traction or contact), but this occurred at higher speeds. Not perfect, but much better than stock.

I got a few miles at 65+ and it seemed to do fine. It was really windy and I even hit a brief bout of hail :huh, but it seemed OK at speed. This was more to test my lowering of the forks 1" than the rear shock. I will need more miles to see if I need any adjustment there.

Overall, the shock felt really good. This was using the settings as shipped from EPM. There were a couple short sections where I got a little pogo-ing. Not sure if it was just the road or if I need to bump up the rebound a little. This is another thing I will revisit with some more miles on the road.

But at this point, it already feels like one of those mods you wished you did when you first got the bike. Not bad for a $625 shock.

Thanks Marc. It's on my list. Way down on the list, but it's there.

Thanks Dan. I have a Hyde skid plate arriving tomorrow and, dare I say, I think my X-Challenge list is complete for quite some time.

It only took 4 years, but then this is the only bike I've kept more than about a year.

Just got my seat back from Renazco Racing... and its to tall, still to hard and not as good as I had hoped for...

It is better than stock but the low seat with the gel pad I have been running during the seat rebuild is better than the Renazco as far as the butt sensor is concerned.

Maybe I didn't give them as much info as they needed to do it right? Maybe my expectations where to high? I am just not sure what I should do next...

I welcome thoughts and comments.

Well, you won't have any trouble selling it or trading it.

Are you a skinny guy? The reason I ask is that typically the support from the firmer foam does better on longer rides. However, I have heard that there can be an inverse relation to seat firmness and butt firmness. In other words, the fatter your ass, the more you need a firm seat.

That said, I'm pretty much a medium build and really like the firm foam of my Seat Concepts seat. I would ride it for a bit. Some seats need to break in a bit. If after a thousand miles or so it still is uncomfortable, sell it or trade it. You probably won't be out any cash, just time.

You might need something like a Russell seat. But I'm not sure they can make a low one.:

I am right in the middle at 80KG/175lbs, and have a slim frame so that could be it. I have been on the seat for about 4 days now thinking that it could be a time thing.

Guess I will give it 2 weeks and see if it starts to feel better over time.

I like the stock seat. I had it recovered and the foam replaced. I'm 6'2", 225 (I'm a cop and former military, not a jelly doughnut with legs ) with a 34" inseam. Bike fits me well, but it is high until I sit on it.

Marc, I still have those last few items on my list I posted. Well, I keep adding more every time I look at the Wunderlich website. You think mine is coming along well?

Should have added that I am 5' 9-1/2" with a 31" inseam, have the Ohlins rear shock (former owner put it on) and HyperPro Progressive springs in the front.

I don't think the seat is some how going to get lower to the point it fits me as well as I had hoped but can give the foam time to brake in and maybe I will get more comfort with some time.