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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Questions about backbone size and max weight.
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Message started by shadowrider on 12/09/13 at 09:24:29

Title: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by shadowrider on 12/09/13 at 09:24:29

A guy is wanting to trade one of my bikes I have for sale for an 02 savage. I already have a thing for thumpers, and the bikes seem to bob out really well, plus a chain conversion seems easy enough so it's kind of screaming at me.

The main question is, how much can these critters pull? I'm a bit over 200lbs and stand at 5'10"ish. My girl, not really sure of her weight but she's a good bit shorter than I and about average weight I guess. I'd say 120, but I don't have the courage to ask.
She doesn't ride with me all of the time, but the times she does, I just want to be sure we're not going to break the horses back.

I do plan on bobbing the bike out as well. May hard tail but I do like the look of shorter springs on a lot of bobbers. My question is how wide and how long is the back bone from the neck to the wishbone part of the frame? I already have a tank I want to toss on it and just want to be sure it'd fit or how much work it will need. (Peanut tank)

Also, the '02 prone to the same head and timing issues I've read a little about? The pipe is aftermarket and has really blued at the head and tip.

PS: the board not internet explorer compatible?

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by Dave on 12/09/13 at 10:59:03

Nobody has ever broken a frame that I am aware of......the rear suspension needs an updgrade for a bit taller shocks with more travel and better comfort if you and your passenger when you ride double often. The stock shocks can bottom out as they only have about 1.5 inches of travel. You can seach from threads on the suitable shocks if want to go that route.

Not sure how your Bobber and riding double thoughts meld together.....I don't believe I have ever seen a Bobber that can carry two? The peanut tank thing can (and has) been done. There is a coil, compression realease solenoid and a turn signla flasher under the stock tank that requires a pretty wide tunnel in the tank to fit all this stuff under there.

The O2 models need the Verslagen cam chain tensioner upgrade when they get near the 12,000 mile mark......and the head plug is always a potential issue.....and so is the stock vacuum operated petcock. All can be mangaged affordably.

I love my belt drive, it is clean and durable. Unless you plan on doing a lot of interstate riding, the chain conversion and potential gearing changes aren't really needed. If you are going to be doing a lot of double up riding....the stock gearing is probably just fine.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by B.J. or Jo on 12/09/13 at 11:20:17

My wife and I ride double up "all the time" on our 2009, I'm 235 she's 135, we have the stock shocks set on position #4 and it seems to do fine. We will upgrade to the VS800 Progressive Suspension rear shocks and fork springs when we get our income tax refund in 2014. FYI.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by verslagen1 on 12/10/13 at 10:01:35

as long as the tires are rated for the weight... pile it on.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by shadowrider on 12/10/13 at 19:56:51

I say bobbes but it will have a different, more sleek tail.

Thanks for the heads up. I did read about the adjuster and leaks. The bike in question is at the 8k mark.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by Pine on 12/11/13 at 09:13:46

Our Thumpers are LOADED with torque. The engine and tranny will haul you and yours with NO ISSUE. The suspension is another thing. Upgrading the shocks would be a must at the least.

I have two-up with my wife for about 400lbs. The other problem is the bike is short for two-up. We touch helmets on most shifts.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by Dave on 12/11/13 at 09:26:01

Pine: I am 5'-8" and my wife is a tad shorter, and we probably combine at around 310 pounds. We also would bump helmets at each shift, until I started to anticpate that and lean forward as I let out the clutch. She did not enjoy your rides as she had very little view around my helmet.

Since converting my bike to a Cafe' she can no longer ride on it, and like you I got a different bike for our "double up" rides.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by old_rider on 12/11/13 at 11:14:01

Anyone ever cut the backbone and extend the pipe section so you could use a larger variety of tanks?

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by Dave on 12/11/13 at 11:28:50

6F6C647269646572000 wrote:

Anyone ever cut the backbone and extend the pipe section so you could use a larger variety of tanks?

There is not anything that would prevent you from getting creative from the steering head to the point where the frame widens.....except the top of the carb might be a bit of a problem if you want to keep things low. Also if you want to keep the stock air cleaner and battery box you are limited in how far back you can put the narrow part of the frame.

The width of the square top frame and the decompression solenoid also require a pretty wide tank tunnel. This is what I had to do to make a GT550 tank fit low.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by verslagen1 on 12/11/13 at 11:29:23

yes, you'll have to relocate the carb to do it.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by shadowrider on 12/11/13 at 19:49:57

How wide is the backbone itself? I pretty much plan on frisco mounting the tank but would like to be able to adjust the look if I need too. Plus having the information would be nice.

Every bike I have she sometimes smashes into my helmet anyway, mostly the sportbikes and sometimes the vt1100. I've blown out both knees a few years back and the bent knee thing isn't much comfortable anymore= so the sportbikes will probably be sold soon, and maybe he'll get her own bike..
Bought a race quad and she's now use to using the clutch so hopefully we're on track.

Here's a pic of the bike in question.

Title: Re: Questions about backbone size and max weight.
Post by OldSport on 12/11/13 at 20:23:10

I looked at the serial number plate and it list the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Restriction) as 780 lbs. for my 86. So if the bike weights 360 wet that leaves you with 420 lbs of riders and gear. This number is their suggested maximum. Most bikes can usually hold more than the suggested weight. The tires will also have a suggested maximum load listed on them as well. When touring on my other I pay more attention to the total of the tire limits. I have gone so far as to drive over the scale at my local landfill when fully loaded to know exactly where I stand.