2005 Bulldog inverted forks

Energy One
cdogg556

cdogg556

Guru
I just got my bike a few weeks ago and it seems like the front suspension is a little stiff, I was wondering if this is normal for these types of front ends or if I could use lighter weight oil or a softer spring, when I am riding I only use about 2" of fork travel, it just seems like it could be a little softer, any help would be great, thanks.
 
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bigdogtech01

Well-Known Member
cdogg556 said:
I just got my bike a few weeks ago and it seems like the front suspension is a little stiff, I was wondering if this is normal for these types of front ends or if I could use lighter weight oil or a softer spring, when I am riding I only use about 2" of fork travel, it just seems like it could be a little softer, any help would be great, thanks.
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It is possible someone put the wrong weight oil back in when they changed it. The normal conventional forks take 10 oz of 30 wt fork oil. Your inverted forks take 10 oz of 10 wt. fork oil.
2" of travel is pretty normal on normal roads. Hitting a lot of pot holes and what not should make it travel a bit farther.
How many miles are on the bike?
 
cdogg556

cdogg556

Guru
I have 8, 800 mi on the bike, the original owner was a big guy, 280 lbs+or-, but I am 250 lbs so its not a huge difference, I don't really have a way of comparing it to another bike since the only other street bike I have owned was a crotch rocket when I was 20 yrs old. Also is it normal for the frame to scrape if you lean into a turn? It has air suspension and when it is down you cannot barely turn the thing without it scraping, when I raise it up all the way, +2-1/2" it will still hit if I lean into it a little, I guess the bikes are for going strait and they don't really worry about turning to much.
 
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bigdogtech01

Well-Known Member
cdogg556 said:
I have 8, 800 mi on the bike, the original owner was a big guy, 280 lbs+or-, but I am 250 lbs so its not a huge difference, I don't really have a way of comparing it to another bike since the only other street bike I have owned was a crotch rocket when I was 20 yrs old. Also is it normal for the frame to scrape if you lean into a turn? It has air suspension and when it is down you cannot barely turn the thing without it scraping, when I raise it up all the way, +2-1/2" it will still hit if I lean into it a little, I guess the bikes are for going strait and they don't really worry about turning to much.
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With that many miles it would be a good idea to change out the fork oil anyhow. make sure you put 10wt in and 10oz per side.
As far as dragging things in corners, yes it is easy to do. Just have to get used to it and judge on what the corner will be like. Nothing like your old sport bike. Going from one style bike to the next takes a few minutes to get used to the change. I go from my 620 lb. 100hp hotrod cruiser, that corners ok. To my 250 lb. 70 hp Super Moto that you can take a 20 mph corner at close to 80mph..... oh yeah!!!..It's fun!!! :D
 
52hammer

52hammer

Member
I have an 03 Bulldog and scrape the front pegs all the time, and I only weigh 180! You get used to it after a while. Not sure about the '05's, but my '03 is slung really low and I like it that way. All in all, front forks included, the bike out-handles my '06 Nightrain by a mile and is very comfy over the road. I use it to commute from Philly to NYC and love it!
 
cdogg556

cdogg556

Guru
Hey Chris, I have got used to the bike and now have 14,000 mi on it and love the way it handles, it made a huge difference when I changed the exhaust, I went from a set of Martin Bros. to the Vance and Hines Big Radius 2 into 2 exhaust, they sit a little higher so they don't hit when I turn right, the Martin Bros. where horrible, they sat way to low and even with the suspension up all the way it still hit on right turns fairly easy.
 
Macdwn

Macdwn

Active Member
I've ridden a few 05 Bulldogs and I'd your hitting your turns hard your radius pipes are gonna drag. They drag on my Mastiff. Just have to get used to it
 
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
Yea they'll drag on a hard right turn on my 07 Bulldog as well. Later production run V&H 2 into 2 pipes were raised higher in the side frame mount to provide additional ground clearance so I've been told.

Also, if the rear pipe heat shield runs within a finger width or less of air gap to the RH battery cover you might want to partially wrap just the upper portion of the exhaust inner pipe with heat shield tape. Otherwise you run the risk of the side cover blistering from the heat.

Bigdogbro2 had his custom painted RH cover blister from this heat. We wrapped both our Bulldogs upper exhaust pipes and haven't had any further problems.
 
cdogg556

cdogg556

Guru
BigDogBro1 said:
Yea they'll drag on a hard right turn on my 07 Bulldog as well. Later production run V&H 2 into 2 pipes were raised higher in the side frame mount to provide additional ground clearance so I've been told.

Also, if the rear pipe heat shield runs within a finger width or less of air gap to the RH battery cover you might want to partially wrap just the upper portion of the exhaust inner pipe with heat shield tape. Otherwise you run the risk of the side cover blistering from the heat.

Bigdogbro2 had his custom painted RH cover blister from this heat. We wrapped both our Bulldogs upper exhaust pipes and haven't had any further problems.
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I was wondering if that would be an issue, it is very close to the cover, I will wrap it ASAP, thanks.
 
badger

badger

New Member
bigdogtech01 said:
It is possible someone put the wrong weight oil back in when they changed it. The normal conventional forks take 10 oz of 30 wt fork oil. Your inverted forks take 10 oz of 10 wt. fork oil.
2" of travel is pretty normal on normal roads. Hitting a lot of pot holes and what not should make it travel a bit farther.
How many miles are on the bike?
Click to expand...
Could anyone help please i need schematics for inverted fork removal for bulldog
 
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