Air Ride Question

[Jersey Big Mike]

Does anyone run the BDM Air Ride shock without the compressor? And just adjust at home?
If so how's that working out?
How leaky, if at all is the air ride? (new rebuilds)

Thinking of adding it to my K-9

 

[Jwooky]

Interesting idea. You could even add a schrader valve and air up/down at a gas sattion.

But then agin, why? The comperessors are pretty cheap

 

[pknowles]

Interesting idea. You could even add a schrader valve and air up/down at a gas sattion.

But then agin, why? The comperessors are pretty cheap

And, there's the thought of a leak in route. I don't think these bikes are made to ride on the bump stops .

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

well the shock is $399, the pump is $200 (and the only one that's listed is for a bulldog) and I was thinking quick and easy -- no wiring, maybe an airline to make adjustment easier.
And since there is only 1 shock, do you end up on the stops if the air leaks out -- anyone know for sure?

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

I'm running mine with the compressor no issues whatsoever and the ride quality is much more superior to the standard shocks

What's the PSI you run them at (range)

 

[pknowles]

well the shock is $399, the pump is $200 (and the only one that's listed is for a bulldog) and I was thinking quick and easy -- no wiring, maybe an airline to make adjustment easier.
And since there is only 1 shock, do you end up on the stops if the air leaks out -- anyone know for sure?

Yes, with no air you will bottom and I weigh a buck 85. Reason I know the original pos hose broke on a ride with me.

 

[pknowles]

What's the PSI you run them at (range)

I'm not dentdude but I run close to 85

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

If it leaks out completely it will be on the stops, also it's not recommended to park and leave it aired up not really sure why

So you let the air out every stop? or not leave air in when parked for overnight or days?

 

[pknowles]

Mike, normally I leave the bike aired up in the garage. I think the problem would arise if you were on an uneven surface and the air ride leaked down it may change the angle enough for the bike to tip over to the right. I never mess with the air ride unless its to add air. Hope this helps.

 

[prodiver]

Mine leaked down with a girl on the back and the bump stops didn't stop it. Burned up the tire and fender. Over a grand to fix. I have not seen an air ride that does not leak.

 

[JB105]

Mine leaked down with a girl on the back and the bump stops didn't stop it. Burned up the tire and fender. Over a grand to fix. I have not seen an air ride that does not leak.

Interesting, how is it the bump stops didn’t work? Almost seems impossible for the swing arm to go beyond the position of the bump stops if in fact the bump stops are actually present, maybe yours were removed? I have factory air ride on mine and never had a leak I also have friends that have air ride on their bikes so to say you never seen an air ride that doesn’t leak is sort of exaggerating just because yours did doesn’t mean they all do.

 

[KaptinAmerika]

Does anyone run the BDM Air Ride shock without the compressor? And just adjust at home?
If so how's that working out?
How leaky, if at all is the air ride? (new rebuilds)

Thinking of adding it to my K-9

I have only run the stock air ride for the life of my K9, about 55,000.
I don't run it without the compressor and I don't think I ever would.
Sometimes it holds air for weeks and then sometimes I have to air it up everyday.
I broke a couple of shock bolts due to the overly stiff shock, well that and the fact that I weighed 300+ for a good portion of those miles, they put on with the Air shock so I switched to one of the softer MID-USA Chrome narrow body shocks we carry and no more broken shock bolts so far. Bike has been on it's side a couple of times because the air ride bled out and the bike stood to upright on the stock stand so I switched to the hidden spring stand we carry to prevent that in the future as it let's the bike lean over more. If you have your ride loaded down and the air system bleeds out while your riding, it would have to be fairly quickly, the bump stops will not save you as prodiver has explained. I had a couple of leak downs while riding and while I caught them it wasn't before the swing arm had a chance to contact the fender and put a ding in the powder coat.
We finally got everything squared away with Fournales and we are currently awaiting the first two sets of Euro Pan Air shocks.
We also now have a supplier for the correct rate spring that came in the BD OEM Works shocks so we will be installing them in the MID-USA chrome narrow body shocks as a replacement for the OEM BD Works shocks since Works is no longer in business. We are now working with a local performance shock manufacturer to customize the shocks for better handling etc. We already have the ability in house, and have made the service available, to rebuild the shocks and to make changes in the damping and preload of the OEM BD shocks. We have done a few local customers as well as some for distant customers and they are really happy with the changes. We have found though that the front forks generally need some adjustment as well to keep everything equal and working correctly.

 

[Jersey Big Mike]

Sounds like with air ride that what's needed is electronic pressure sensor to detect pressure leaks and fire up the compressor on demand to top it back off.

 

[KaptinAmerika]

Sounds like with air ride that what's needed is electronic pressure sensor to detect pressure leaks and fire up the compressor on demand to top it back off.

Or just run the Fournales Air shocks and set it and forget it....lol.
No I can't swear to that yet but I'm working on it.

 

[JB105]

Sounds like with air ride that what's needed is electronic pressure sensor to detect pressure leaks and fire up the compressor on demand to top it back off.

NO! According to BDM instructions never park the motorcycle with air rid inflated, always air down and keep handlebars turned to the left. This will eliminate the motorcycle being found laying on its side on the floor when left on side stand unattended. Here is another example of wrong information and people not following instructions. It’s in simple text DO NOT LEAVE air ride AIRED UP when parked. Also these motorcycles and suspensions have GVW which should
Not be exceeded no exceptions as those numbers are already exaggerated!

 

[KaptinAmerika]

NO! According to BDM instructions never park the motorcycle with air rid inflated, always air down and keep handlebars turned to the left. This will eliminate the motorcycle being found laying on its side on the floor when left on side stand unattended. Here is another example of wrong information and people not following instructions. It’s in simple text DO NOT LEAVE air ride AIRED UP when parked. Also these motorcycles and suspensions have GVW which should
Not be exceeded no exceptions as those numbers are already exaggerated!

Okay, now I am wondering just who this post is aimed at.......

 

[JB105]

Okay, now I am wondering just who this post is aimed at.......

Not aimed at anyone just stating what my BDM manual says about the air ride and proper use.

 

[KaptinAmerika]

Not aimed at anyone just stating what my BDM manual says about the air ride and proper use.

Well then what is this supposed to mean:

"Here is another example of wrong information and people not following instructions."

No one has given anyone wrong information here. Just stating what they do is not "wrong information".

We're all guilty of not following instructions. Some more than others....lol.

Jersey Mike has simply been knocking around ideas and I have simply told him what issues I have had.

And it would have been great if I could have let the air out completely and turned the handle bars to the left so the bike would not fall over but guess what? When I did that the bike wouldn't stay upright either. So I did what I had to do to make sure I wouldn't have the issue again. How is that "wrong information".

As far as the weight limits go life is a bitch. If the weight limits were so critically important why did the bike get sold to me in the first place? I weighed 365lbs when I bought the bike and no one said a word. I didn't care as I am not the type of person to hold people to certain things when I know it was me that caused the issue unlike so many others on this planet.

 

[KaptinAmerika]

And I forgot to mention that the 2nd time she went down I had the air ride down as far as I could get it without her falling over and guess what happened? The damn rear tire had a leak from a screw that I picked up on the road and so the tire went flat and boom down she went again. Shit happens. So by changing to a kickstand that leans the bike over a little more I have stopped that issue from ever occurring again. So all in all I think I have provided some pretty good information for anyone who has suffered the same fate.

 

[JB105]

Well then what is this supposed to mean:

"Here is another example of wrong information and people not following instructions."

No one has given anyone wrong information here. Just stating what they do is not "wrong information".

We're all guilty of not following instructions. Some more than others....lol.

Jersey Mike has simply been knocking around ideas and I have simply told him what issues I have had.

And it would have been great if I could have let the air out completely and turned the handle bars to the left so the bike would not fall over but guess what? When I did that the bike wouldn't stay upright either. So I did what I had to do to make sure I wouldn't have the issue again. How is that "wrong information".

As far as the weight limits go life is a bitch. If the weight limits were so critically important why did the bike get sold to me in the first place? I weighed 365lbs when I bought the bike and no one said a word. I didn't care as I am not the type of person to hold people to certain things when I know it was me that caused the issue unlike so many others on this planet.

Does the manual say specifically to never park the motorcycle aired up or no? If you park it with the air ride inflated you risk the chance of bike falling off the side stand? so your saying it is ok to park with air ride inflated and you have found your motorcycle laying on its side multiple times ? That tells me your doing it wrong.