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Post by escapingoth on Jun 5, 2005 23:56:33 GMT -5
I just bought a 2003 Ruckus yesterday with 350km on the clock. I don't have a service manual yet previous owner is going to send it to me.
I really appreciate all the postings on this forum. I am on a Suzuki Intruder lc forum and find it very valuable, just like this one looks like it is also.
Any suggestions on being a new Ruckus owner will be greatly appreciated.
Ride safe
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Post by ace1969 on Jun 6, 2005 0:26:20 GMT -5
Welcome to the board and i'll give you the advice everyone has given, replace the shock, check the oil and post  . Other than that have fun and enjoy the ride!!
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Post by escapingoth on Jun 6, 2005 13:08:59 GMT -5
Welcome to the board and i'll give you the advice everyone has given, replace the shock, check the oil and post . Other than that have fun and enjoy the ride!! Thanks Ace. What shock is the best(cheapest) way to go to improve ride, and what benefits will I get. I just realized that I should have posted in the general posting. Hans |
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Post by chanito on Jun 6, 2005 15:50:07 GMT -5
Welcome to the board, we hope you have as much fun as we do with our scooters ;D
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jun 6, 2005 19:21:46 GMT -5
Get a Showa from Battlescooter.com
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Post by escapingoth on Jun 8, 2005 0:53:43 GMT -5
Thanks Dan.
There are 4 shocks that battlescooter have but they don't say what the difference is in the 4. I have noticed if you hit some bumps the suspension really takes a hit (not to mention my back). Can you tell me which one you went with and why.
Thanks
Hans
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Post by wainair on Jun 8, 2005 11:29:44 GMT -5
It depends on you and your riding. The Showa are the best quality. The only difference is the length, the colours are purely cosmetic. I weigh 245lbs, ride some mild trails and roads, and I have the cheeper chrome shock. It's 270mm and works good for me. At 270mm the center stand just works, your rear wheel will still touch with the 285mm Showa, but there are ways around that too And if you are riding on more agressive trails you might want the added mm and strenght of the Showa 285mm. I'm just waiting for my Dio forks to come in and I'll be in a near perfect state of suspension!
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jun 8, 2005 19:23:52 GMT -5
Get a showa they're the best. The chrome ones are pretty good but only get one if you really love the chrome look. Get the stock length (260mm??) if you are maybe 140-170lbs, get the 285 if you're 165-200 and get the 310mm for 200+. You can get the shorter one if you're really light. You may be able to get away with it if you are less than about 160lbs and you set the preload to the max. If you're right on the line get the longer one and set the preload lower so you have a softer shock. Like wainair said with the 285 or 310 you're real wheel will touch which means the belt will slip if the idle is set too high. If you're rear wheel moves right now when it's on the center stand it'll put stress on the drivetrain with the longer shock. The only solutions I can think of are to set your idle pretty low, bring a 2x4 to put under the stand or customize the stand somehow. Or you could just not idle long as it isn't a huge deal but should be avoided as much as you can.
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Post by SqUiRmInAtOr/ Phred 501 on Jun 8, 2005 20:08:49 GMT -5
Get a showa they're the best. The chrome ones are pretty good but only get one if you really love the chrome look. Get the stock length (260mm??) if you are maybe 140-170lbs, get the 285 if you're 165-200 and get the 310mm for 200+. You can get the shorter one if you're really light. You may be able to get away with it if you are less than about 160lbs and you set the preload to the max. If you're right on the line get the longer one and set the preload lower so you have a softer shock. Like wainair said with the 285 or 310 you're real wheel will touch which means the belt will slip if the idle is set too high. If you're rear wheel moves right now when it's on the center stand it'll put stress on the drivetrain with the longer shock. The only solutions I can think of are to set your idle pretty low, bring a 2x4 to put under the stand or customize the stand somehow. Or you could just not idle long as it isn't a huge deal but should be avoided as much as you can.  Little rubber thingys around the center stand feet work for me  I have since added pieces of conduit around the rubber and secured them with pop rivits. |
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jun 8, 2005 20:45:23 GMT -5
Wow, great picture. Very informative. Do you have the 285 or 310mm? Do you have any wear issues with those pieces or are they pretty tough?
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Post by SqUiRmInAtOr/ Phred 501 on Jun 8, 2005 22:20:06 GMT -5
Wow, great picture. Very informative. Do you have the 285 or 310mm? Do you have any wear issues with those pieces or are they pretty tough? I have the cheapy chrome shock 260? The rubbers I got from a surplus place.(I think their bumpers off car shocks or tie rods) The one side needs to be cut so I need to rap it with a piece of conduit to keep it from coming off. I wound up using a piece on thin-wall pipe that just fit around the rubber then a piece of heavy-wall over that. Three pop rivets through the conduits into the rubber keep em from sliding off. I don't see the conduit wearing through anytime soon. Here's an attempt to show the process.  I'm pretty sure you you could use a couple hockey pucks and cut out the middle with a hole saw of the size that would get your wheel of the ground. Pucks are harder rubber so you wouldn't need the conduit rap. Some long construction staples would probably work to hold the cut side closed |
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jun 9, 2005 8:56:45 GMT -5
Cool stuff, Nice Pic!
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Post by tedsmini on Jun 19, 2005 0:44:44 GMT -5
Great ideas and solutions, that's where the saying originated. "Neccessity is a mother."  |
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Post by rollinjunk on Jun 19, 2005 9:31:55 GMT -5
welcome.....
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Post by escapingoth on Jun 20, 2005 0:16:51 GMT -5
Thank you.
Hans
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grscum
Junior Ruckster
Posts: 87
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Post by grscum on Jul 2, 2005 20:53:37 GMT -5
i like the idea of the little rubber grommets on the kick stand! keeps it from getting scratched up and rusting!
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Post by ace1969 on Jul 3, 2005 0:50:57 GMT -5
The gromets are actually there to increase the height of the center stand. When you increase shock size the rear tire doesn't come off the ground and could cause clutch problems while on the stand and running during warm ups. So by adding the gromets and conduit you lift the scoot back up.
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grscum
Junior Ruckster
Posts: 87
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Post by grscum on Jul 3, 2005 9:34:29 GMT -5
unless you have dragster tires that expand when the wheel starts spinning! hahahaa, just kidding!
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Post by Dandy Dan on Jul 3, 2005 16:07:31 GMT -5
Another solution to the rear tire hitting the ground problem is to install stiffer clutch springs so that the tire doesn't engage until higher RPMs so it normally wouldn't be engaged when parked like it might be if you idle is kinda high.
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Post by dcrollin on Jul 12, 2005 16:40:55 GMT -5
[/quote]
I have the cheapy chrome shock 260? The rubbers I got from a surplus place.
[/quote]
How do you like that cheapy chrome shock?
Does anyone know who makes it?
Has anyone compared the showas to the chromey?
I just ordered a chromey from the battlescooter store, if there are significant performance gains from the showa maybe I can change the order?
Thanks -dcrollin
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