New member

[mnatschke302]

Hey guys I am a new member here. I don't necessarily own a buell, but I own a dyna with buell parts! (I do love the buell motorcycles though) I'm here to learn about the parts I have and how to improve them for my application.
EDIT: The whole front end is a Buell blast front end.

 

[34nineteen]

Welcome!

Hate to tell you this... but there are likely no Buell parts on your Dyna. Maybe the carb came from an old Buell, but its not really a Buell specific part.
Not trying to be mean or condescending, but thats likely the case.

 

[mnatschke302]

Welcome!

Hate to tell you this... but there are likely no Buell parts on your Dyna. Maybe the carb came from an old Buell, but its not really a Buell specific part.

The entire front end is off a buell blast. I literally bought it and installed it.

 

[34nineteen]

OK, you got me on that one. Not sure if I am more surprised that someone could put a Buell Blast front end on a Dyna.... or that someone would put a Buell Blast front end on a Dyna.

What was wrong with the original Dyna front end to make you put a Blast front end on it?

 

[mnatschke302]

OK, you got me on that one. Not sure if I am more surprised that someone could put a Buell Blast front end on a Dyna.... or that someone would put a Buell Blast front end on a Dyna.

What was wrong with the original Dyna front end to make you put a Blast front end on it?

It took some custom touches but I got it on there. (Stem is just a bit longer) I put the blast front end because I wanted to run the kawasaki mag front wheel I had and the buell uses the same size neck bearings, and they had the bigger front rotor and better caliper 320mm vs the 10in of the stock rotor, and the 2 piston nissin. And the fact the full blast front end was less them $100 vs the $600 of any other front end.
And my dyna is a 1997 wide glide which has the 41mm wide stance front end which handles awful.

 

[34nineteen]

I appreciate the enthusiasm and willingness to make it work, but it almost seems like you took a step backwards as the Blast is only 37mm.

The Blast was a built as a low cost bike for beginners. The video is gone, but Erik was all giddy and giggly while pressing the button.

Read more about it here:
https://newatlas.com/2010-buell-blast-crushed/12389/

If you're intent on building the bike with a Buell front end, you may want to consider an M2 Cyclone front end.

 

[mnatschke302]

I appreciate the enthusiasm and willingness to make it work, but it almost seems like you took a step backwards as the Blast is only 37mm.

The Blast was a built as a low cost bike for beginners. The video is gone, but Erik was all giddy and giggly while pressing the button.

Read more about it here:
https://newatlas.com/2010-buell-blast-crushed/12389/

If you're intent on building the bike with a Buell front end, you may want to consider an M2 Cyclone.

I know what the blast is.
The Buell isn't the only bike that uses 37mm front ends. 90% of Japanese bikes are 37mms as well.
The wide glide front is very notorious for handling bad bc of the wide stance and the rake.
I wanted to use an xb front end and have considered cyclone front ends. But again all those front ends are $600-1000 while the blast was $90. Even with the little custom work and some revalving I'll have to do I'll still be ahead in money.
If revalving turns to be too expensive I can always get a set of 37mm goldwing forks for cheap and they'd be set for a heavier bike

 

[34nineteen]

I never said the Blast was the only bike that uses a 37mm front end. There's a reason the forks were $90.

Not too much revalving to be done to a Blast front end since its just a damper rod setup.

It sounds like you already know what youre going to do and dont need any advice... but I will throw one more bit at you.

If you decide to put an XB front end on it, consider using a later model X1 Lightning or S3 Thunderbolt instead. You can do an XB front end if you like, but then you need to use the ZTR specific front brake and an XB front wheel. The X1 or S3 *should* have better options for compatibility/customization. The earlier model S1 and S2 stuff that used the WP forks are getting hard to find parts for, and the parts are NOT cheap. That said, someone local to me is selling a set of WP forks for $89, but you do you.

 

[mnatschke302]

I know what the blast is.
The Buell isn't the only bike that uses 37mm front ends. 90% of jap bikes are 37mms as well.
The wide glide front is very notorious for handling bad bc of the wide stance and the rake.
I wanted to use an xb front end and have considered cyclone front ends. But again all those front ends are $600-1000 while the blast was $90.

I never said the Blast was the only bike that uses a 37mm front end. There's a reason the forks were $90.

Not too much revalving to be done to a Blast front end since its just a damper rod setup.

It sounds like you already know what youre going to do and dont need any advice... but I will throw one more bit at you.

If you decide to put an XB front end on it, consider using a later model X1 Lightning or S3 Thunderbolt instead. You can do an XB front end if you like, but then you need to use the ZTR specific front brake and an XB front wheel. The X1 or S3 *should* have better options for compatibility/customization. The earlier model S1 and S2 stuff that used the WP forks are getting hard to find parts for, and the parts are NOT cheap. That said, someone local to me is selling a set of WP forks for $89, but you do you.

I've looked at every buell front end possible in my area and on sites(besides this one) and even piecing them together it would be over $500+, the full buell blast front end was $90, that includes forks, triples, the bearings(which I replaced anyways) front caliper and axle. Only thing I didn't have was the wheel, which I wouldn't use anyways. I may build the whole bike up again one day. Or it might stay the way it is if it handles good.
I really just needed to know if there was a 37mm exteneded fork tube that fit the blast sliders so I can put the bike at stock height again as the Blast forks will lower the front a tad.
I appreciate you trying to understand and give some front end advice. I hope racing goes well for you.

 

[34nineteen]

I was curious about if the fork length was going to be an issue. I once put Honda 929RR forks on a CX500 and it was a trick to get the front end back up to a normal height as the RR forks were REALLY SHORT.

Like you mentioned, those 37mm forks were used quite a bit... I think they were Kayaba, but I could be wrong. I'm sure someone made a longer version of the fork. If I were you, I'd be at the motorcycle wrecking yard with a tape measure, pen and paper looking for one that may be more suitable... if you're intent on sticking with 37mm.

Here is a link to a chart you may find helpful.

https://i0.wp.com/oldskoolsuzuki.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Fork-Conversion-Details.jpg

 

[mnatschke302]

I was curious about if the fork length was going to be an issue. I once put Honda 929RR forks on a CX500 and it was a trick to get the front end back up to a normal height as the RR forks were REALLY SHORT.

Like you mentioned, those 37mm forks were used quite a bit... I think they were Kayaba, but I could be wrong. I'm sure someone made a longer version of the fork. If I were you, I'd be at the motorcycle wrecking yard with a tape measure, pen and paper looking for one that may be more suitable... if you're intent on sticking with 37mm.

Here is a link to a chart you may find helpful.

https://i0.wp.com/oldskoolsuzuki.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Fork-Conversion-Details.jpg

Yeah, there are several motorcycles I've been looking at with longer 37mm forks, like shadows and goldwings, but I'd rather keep the nissin 2pot caliper for a 320mm rotor for a little more stopping power of the blast forks.
I appreciate the info.

 

[34nineteen]

Also, try this...

https://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/20164/20164.html?1715858291

https://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/3842.html?1735342472

 

[mnatschke302]

Also, try this...

https://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/20164/20164.html?1715858291

https://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/3842.html?1735342472

I've looked all thru there. Couldn't Find anything on lifting a blast. Lots of stuff on lowering though. I appreciate the help.

 

[Heavy18]

My son and I "lifted" a Blast last year - not all of this is relevant but for the archives:

Adding a 1" spacer to the springs added wonders in terms of preload as well as spring rate. This was accomplished by adding a metal washer on top of the spring and then measuring the existing metal spacer and cutting PVC that was 1" longer. The PVC ended up sliding inside the metal spacer damn near perfectly so we left it in there in case we ever wanted to revert back. We also went up to 7.5 weight in the fork oil.

In the rear we bought a 2002 CBR600 shock and put that in. It REALLY jacked the back end up. We were planning on relocating the mounting points to drop it down but my son really liked the taller seat height (he's 5'10", 185lbs) so we left it high and added a belt tensioner. Personally I think the rear end is too high, it encourages you toward the tank...

He's planning on moving back home this summer and I'm thinking about lowering the rear an inch and putting knobbies on it and making it more of a scrambler... we'll see.

Anyway, here is a before and after picture and for kicks I'll drop the link below to the thread I posted about it on Badweb.

Badweb post:
https://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/4062/893735.html?1674879983

 

[mnatschke302]

My son and I "lifted" a Blast last year - not all of this is relevant but for the archives:

Adding a 1" spacer to the springs added wonders in terms of preload as well as spring rate. This was accomplished by adding a metal washer on top of the spring and then measuring the existing metal spacer and cutting PVC that was 1" longer. The PVC ended up sliding inside the metal spacer damn near perfectly so we left it in there in case we ever wanted to revert back. We also went up to 7.5 weight in the fork oil.

In the rear we bought a 2002 CBR600 shock and put that in. It REALLY jacked the back end up. We were planning on relocating the mounting points to drop it down but my son really liked the taller seat height (he's 5'10", 185lbs) so we left it high and added a belt tensioner. Personally I think the rear end is too high, it encourages you toward the tank...

He's planning on moving back home this summer and I'm thinking about lowering the rear an inch and putting knobbies on it and making it more of a scrambler... we'll see.

Anyway, here is a before and after picture and for kicks I'll drop the link below to the thread I posted about it on Badweb.

View attachment 19501

Badweb post:
https://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/4062/893735.html?1674879983

Much appreciated