Buell S3T?

[EmptiMind]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey

The most important thing with the breadbox is understanding how it works. ALL of the volume inside that box is filtered air. That means all the edges have to be sealed.

The previous owner of my S3 had lost the seal around the periphery of the cover. I guess he didn't think it was very important (certified Harley mechanic, if you can believe that).

The whole volume fills up with easy-to-gulp air. The snorkel breathes air from the OUTSIDE of the element. The dirty side of the element is the inside (unlike most other air filters). That whole metal can around the air filter, the rubber seals, etc, ALL have to be in place to filter the air properly.

Most larger auto parts stores carry wrinkle finish black paint. That's probably what I would do if mine were scratched up.

Yeah, I understood how to box worked right when I opened it up. Seal is correct, all the hoses are too, just didn't expect to see so much oil leading straight to my injectors. For now I've made my own oil catch out of some PVC pipe, an end cap, and a nipple. I left that in the box. It's ventilated so it can still breathe.

I'll check out my auto parts stores tomorrow. Thanks as always for the help, Donkey Hotey.

[Tim McKittrick]

I've ridden the S3 with the breadbox and without....... The BB clears my knee, the other filters don't. That's all I needed to keep it.

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey

Given all the options, I stayed with the breadbox on my S3 and bought a replacement breadbox for the S1. It's not on there but, it will be soon.
... oil on the interior surfaces ... As long as it's not dripping oil, I don't care. Wipe it out when I'm in there and forget about the rest of the time.

‘Zactly. I kept the BB on my ‘96 S1 while it seems most guys swap them out for something else. I think most do it because they don’t like the looks of the BB. I don’t think I have seen where anything else really provides much more power, if any. Used to see people claim that the BB was the perfect still air box.
My S1 has never put much oil at all into the BB so I never added a catch can. I’m about 6’1’ or so & my knee clears it just fine. Rode another S1 that had a crappy little round CF air cleaner & my knee did touch it.
Did a big wheelie where I shouldn’t have & had to come down real fast due to a speeding car headed towards my path. Came down real hard. Not only knocked the crappy little round CF air cleaner right off one edge of the carb but busted the CF up.
Besides, that BB a good place to set my beer when I’m workin’ on the bike.
Took the hit with no apparent damage to anything when I knocked the bike over a couple times too.

[EmptiMind]

Alright, anyone have a spare bread box around? I'm in a different city making my rear rack, and my bike was kicked over during the night. I need a new bread box, and a new right side mirror, any help would be appreciated.

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by EmptiMind

I need a new bread box, and a new right side mirror, any help would be appreciated.

Save & repair that BB, they ain't makin' any more of 'em.
Look for Buell parts here.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgib....cgi?pg=topics

[EmptiMind]

Originally Posted by Tom S

Save & repair that BB, they ain't makin' any more of 'em.
Look for Buell parts here.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgib....cgi?pg=topics

My bike was literally kicked over in the night. My bread box wasn't cracked, but shattered. Even broke part of the back of the box.

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by EmptiMind

My bread box wasn't cracked, but shattered.

Got pix? My '96 S1's BB was fiberglass & took the hits just fine. I think yours is plastic. Still ....?

[EmptiMind]

It's in about five pieces, I can fiber glass it back together, but the back part of the box is broken as well, and I don't think I can get that part. Also, one of the mounting holes was disintegrated.

I'll try and snap some photos tomorrow maybe.

[EmptiMind]

New rear rack that was fabricated. Friend working on his doctorate in engineering made it. The rack itself can withstand about 3000lbs of downward force... Pretty sure the mounts we made will fail before then, but I can sit my 190lb ass on it without it bending.

[olthump]

That rack is a beautiful piece of work.

I'm probably getting (more) paranoid in my old age but if you fill those big bags, load up the rack, and add a passenger that'll be quite a load on the rear motor mount/isolater and shock.


If you havent already, you might wanna get on the BadWeb and learn how to check and replace the isolaters and confirm that you have a good, non-recall shock. Replacing the isolaters is a huge pita to do on an S3, but really important as it pretty much holds the front and back halves of the bike together.

Just a caffiene fueled suggestion. It really is a safety thing.

Greg

[waveydavey]

Nice color. Here's my old S3 with a Ventura rack.

[Hughlysses]

Originally Posted by olthump

That rack is a beautiful piece of work.

I'm probably getting (more) paranoid in my old age but if you fill those big bags, load up the rack, and add a passenger that'll be quite a load on the rear motor mount/isolater and shock.


If you havent already, you might wanna get on the BadWeb and learn how to check and replace the isolaters and confirm that you have a good, non-recall shock. Replacing the isolaters is a huge pita to do on an S3, but really important as it pretty much holds the front and back halves of the bike together.

Just a caffiene fueled suggestion. It really is a safety thing.

Greg

The problem with a heavily loaded tube framed Buell is not really the shock (assuming it's updated) or the rear isolators, but the front isolator. The front head of the engine "hangs" from the front isolator, and the load from the rear suspension through the rear "pull" shock is transmitted to the front of the engine, meaning the isolator supports a large portion of the bike's weight. There was a rash of bad front isolators several years ago (the rubber within the isolator shears apart), but I think that was finally worked out. Check Badweb's "Old School Buell" forum for details.

The good thing is that if the front isolator DOES fail, nothing's going to fall off. The isolator's constructed so it can't come apart even if the rubber fails. It'll just rattle your teeth out until you replace it!

[EmptiMind]

Originally Posted by Hughlysses

The problem with a heavily loaded tube framed Buell is not really the shock (assuming it's updated) or the rear isolators, but the front isolator. The front head of the engine "hangs" from the front isolator, and the load from the rear suspension through the rear "pull" shock is transmitted to the front of the engine, meaning the isolator supports a large portion of the bike's weight. There was a rash of bad front isolators several years ago (the rubber within the isolator shears apart), but I think that was finally worked out. Check Badweb's "Old School Buell" forum for details.

The good thing is that if the front isolator DOES fail, nothing's going to fall off. The isolator's constructed so it can't come apart even if the rubber fails. It'll just rattle your teeth out until you replace it!

Indeed. All my isolators are fine, checked when I bought her, check most everytime I ride her. I've got the second stock Showa, the last of the 16.5"s I dial it up when I ride 2-up. So far no issue with bottoming out. Luckily I'm losing a bit of weight, and my passenger is a twig. With gear we're about 310lbs. If we load up for a long trip we're still under the buell rated 385lbs, by about 30.

I want to get a new rear shock, but I don't have any money left. Just got hit with 7k in two year old medical debt that should've been taken care of long ago. At the very least I'm going to need to pay a lawyer, at worst, I'm going to pay a lawyer and be out 7k. An extra $1000 to get a new shock just won't work for me. Unless one of you guys has a penske or works just laying around for cheap ;)

[Mr. Canoehead]

Nice rack but let's see pics of the damaged breadbox.

You didn't ride it with no air filter, I hope.

[EmptiMind]

Originally Posted by Mr. Canoehead

Nice rack but let's see pics of the damaged breadbox.

You didn't ride it with no air filter, I hope.

Filter still works for the most part, did the crappy force winder type mod, ie plugged the holes on the intake tube.







I realize the box can be fixed, but with that mount hole obliterated, and the back part of the box snapped in half, I'm not sure it'd hold very well. The rubber was also torn to pieces.