Air Forks
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: Texas
Air Forks
On my 1996 Ultra Classic, it has air over hydraulic forks, the air reservoir is in the handle bars, and the book shows the air valve to be on the end of the handle bar, under the grip, but which one, and do you have to remove the grip to get to it?
I may just relocate it to somewhere else on the bike.
I may just relocate it to somewhere else on the bike.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
It seems a bit of explanation is in order! The original air-fork bikes used the front crash-bar as a reservoir. Why they swapped to the handlebar I'm not sure, except it keeps all the fittings out of sight. The stock grips have a hole in the end of the left bar, but contemporary fancy aftermarket grips had chrome screw covers, as Blu has indicated.
The way the system works is that while riding along, minding your own business, the air reservoir in the handlebars provides some of the springing to the forks. When applying the front brake a valve shuts off the bars, reducing the amount of air, hence stiffening up the forks. That provides a degree of anti-dive. As soon as the brake is let off, everything returns to normal.
You should find a conventional tyre valve in the end of your bar. Relocating it, to retain the air function, will require an air-tight set-up of some sort. You can use up to 20psi max. Do not use anything other than a small bicycle pump, or one of the fancy suspension pumps, as an air line will do damage.
Hope that helps!
The way the system works is that while riding along, minding your own business, the air reservoir in the handlebars provides some of the springing to the forks. When applying the front brake a valve shuts off the bars, reducing the amount of air, hence stiffening up the forks. That provides a degree of anti-dive. As soon as the brake is let off, everything returns to normal.
You should find a conventional tyre valve in the end of your bar. Relocating it, to retain the air function, will require an air-tight set-up of some sort. You can use up to 20psi max. Do not use anything other than a small bicycle pump, or one of the fancy suspension pumps, as an air line will do damage.
Hope that helps!
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,959
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Thanks for that explanation! I never knew how the antidive thing worked. So it was in the crash bar before they moved it? Interesting. And as far as putting the old air compressor on the forks? Yea, been there.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 15
From: Senoia, Ga., by way of Miami, Fl..
Not sure why you guys are fixated on crashing the bikes.... they are engine guards!! Anyhow, on a related topic, anyone got the "volume" needed to make the system work properly? I'm not using my bars anymore and had thoughts of making resiviors, hidden in the fairing. Copper pipe, maybe? Didnt mean to sidetrack, I thought this may be were the thread was headding..
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Not sure why you guys are fixated on crashing the bikes.... they are engine guards!! Anyhow, on a related topic, anyone got the "volume" needed to make the system work properly? I'm not using my bars anymore and had thoughts of making resiviors, hidden in the fairing. Copper pipe, maybe? Didnt mean to sidetrack, I thought this may be were the thread was headding..
A piece of 2" ID tube 7" long would be similar.
Last edited by grbrown; Mar 25, 2014 at 03:28 PM. Reason: Maths corrected!
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: Texas
Not sure why you guys are fixated on crashing the bikes.... they are engine guards!! Anyhow, on a related topic, anyone got the "volume" needed to make the system work properly? I'm not using my bars anymore and had thoughts of making resiviors, hidden in the fairing. Copper pipe, maybe? Didnt mean to sidetrack, I thought this may be were the thread was headding..
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
That's around the right size. What dimensions does it have?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,952
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From: Senoia, Ga., by way of Miami, Fl..
