New Member Vitpilen Question

BISavage said:
I personally have not had any luck with that type of expansion sleeve, I always make them loose just going next to my bike...

That is why I use the other type, similar to this:
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I can relate, as on my VStrom when I had the OEM bar end weights, after losing one I would routinely twist them while riding so as to never lose another one.

Just rode the bike for another 300 km of highway use and some sort of seat pad is something I will use if I am doing more long slab rides. I have a sheepskin that I never used on my other bikes, so I will try that first before spending more money. As it turned out, the OEM bar end weights did come with the bike, so put in one and rode with only one mirror (thankfully the left) which I would not recommend.
 
Took it out on a usual 120 km round trip ride with half of it being on well-maintained FSR, did not air down the tires and while the Dunlop Sportmaxx that the bike has are ill-suited for gravel, it was not all that bad. Really am enjoying the light weight and agile nature of the bike and it has been a blast so far.

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So, have put a couple of thousand km (half on gravel) on the bike in the last month or so and while I did not particularly mind its manners on gravel with the Dunlop Sportmax that it had on, ordered some Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR and have put the rear on.

Question I have is, and this is likely just me, but it seems incredibly difficult to get the rear back together and that is with the brake pads removed from the caliper. I finally used a 12mm brass punch as a guide pin on the caliper side which I would then drive out with the axle from the sprocket side, but it was extraordinarily difficult to get everything lined up and keep the spacers in (which were installed with grease to help hold them in) and I cannot imaging doing it at the side of the road.

Anyone have any tips or tricks as the videos I have seen on the Duke 390 make it look pretty easy, which is not at all what I found?
 
jurgenk said:
Took it out on a usual 120 km round trip ride with half of it being on well-maintained FSR, did not air down the tires and while the Dunlop Sportmaxx that the bike has are ill-suited for gravel, it was not all that bad. Really am enjoying the light weight and agile nature of the bike and it has been a blast so far.

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Hey I'm also in BC and been taking the Vitpilen on what little gravel we have in southwest BC. It isn't terrible but really tough on the back when the going gets rough. This winter I put on the Svartpilen bars. It was cheap from the dealer in the lower mainland - they even had them in stock! about $400CAD. Am going to see how that goes, then the last step will be the more scrambler tires like the STR or slightly cheaper Avon Trailrider (have to size up a bit in the front).
I have not taken the rear apart but with the 150 tire it is very tight back there.
 
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