AMD 253 August 2020 American Motorcycle Dealer 253 | Page 50

Bitubo FTR 1200 Suspension Options Italian suspension specialist Bitubo has turned its attention to the Indian FTR 1200 with a selection of upgrades for the stock suspension, including the front fork cartridges seen here and a choice of rear shock absorber "Better and Best" options. The JBH0 - V1 pressurized cartridge (with red rings) is equipped with multiple extension, compression and spring preload adjustments. "The adjustment is extremely simple, using knurled dials on the upper caps of the fork. The plug and play install is fully reversible as no modifications are required; the pressurization of the cartridges gives greater support to the fork and improved handling." The adjustable length XZE11 monoshock "improves the comfort and control of the vehicle while driving, and its versatility for model-specific set-ups and tuning has made it a very popular 'go-to' upgrade for a wide range of top-selling 'Nakeds' and entry level sport bikes." It is also available in the shorter version XZE61. Bitubo's top-of-the-range options for the FTR 1200 are the XXF111 race style rear monoshock with manual spring preload and XXF31 with hydraulic spring preload. The monoshock XXF also has a shorter version XXF61 (with manual spring Adjustable length XZE monoshock Feuling Vented Dipsticks Designed to screw into the factory oil fill spout as a stock replacement part, these vented dipsticks from Oceanside, California based Feuling Parts can "save a whole world of hurt," according to CEO Luke Leatherman. "These are breathing dipsticks and they remove unwanted build-up of the blow-by which is found in engines with excessive leakdown through the rings/cylinders - a common issue with large displacement big bore engines. "Our test results show a decrease in engine oil sump levels, a more freely and smoother revving engine, increased MPG and decreased blow-by. They vent excessive pressure from the oil tank through a breather system consisting of a filter element and umbrella valve." Feuling offers two venting style options when installing this dipstick. Option 1 is to use the 1/8 " NPT breather vent fitting with internal porous filter element. This option gives a clean look - "however, it can produce an oil misting/residue out of the element on engines with excessive leakdown/blow-by." Option 2 is to use a quick-disconnect coupler fitting with rubber hose and filter element. This option will run any excessive oil misting/residue through the line and into preload) and XXF81 (with hydraulic spring preload). "The big step forward over the stock shock and our XZE are the reduction in overall weight, the wider range of new set-up possibilities and an upgrade of the adjustment of the length and the hydraulic spring preload - both in terms of functionality and ergonomics. "These shock absorbers give driving accuracy and uniform tire wear thanks to the instant control of the forces in play, allowing maximum support in the bends at extreme lean angles, in fast changes of direction and maximum confidence in acceleration on all types of surfaces, including tracks. "As well as perfect stability in even the most violent braking situations, the real innovation lies with the internals with new solutions to improve the damping coefficient and increase stability at high temperatures. The 14 mm shaft increases smoothness, while the 30 mm piston reduces the fluid masses that are in motion for a faster response to stresses. "The adjustments are positioned on the upper head (spring preload, extension and double compression), while the XXF31's hydraulic spring preload and length can also be adjusted from there." BITUBO Selve di Teolo (PD), ITALY Tel: [phone] [email protected] www.bitubo.com the filter element, but does require disconnecting the fitting in order to check the oil. For Option 2, Feuling recommends routing the line up the frame rail, up under the seat/abs area, then back down along the right side frame rail, and the filter element can fit cleanly between the engine/trans matting area on the inside of the lower right frame rail. There are two ways to read the oil level with this dipstick - with the bike on the jiffy stand (FHS) or the bike upright and level (FHU). If reading the dipstick with the bike on the jiffy stand, the reading is taken from the dimples labeled FHS (Full Hot Stand); when reading with the bike upright and level, the reading is taken from the FHU (Full Hot Upright) labeled dimples. Available in polished or fade-resistant black for '06 and up Twin Cam or '07 and up FL models, these dipsticks do get hot, so use a glove when checking the oil level. Feuling highly recommends staying off the rev limiter and running conventional oil in M-8 engines to help maintain ring seal and minimize blow-by. Because it is important to get the correct hot oil level, Feuling recommends running XXF31 rear monoshock with hydraulic spring preload PARTS AND ACCESSORIES JBH0 - V1 pressurized cartridge the oil level 90%-99% full when hot. "One thing to bear in mind - because the oil pickup port is on the right side of the engine, letting the bike idle or warm up on the kickstand will naturally fill the engine case and skew the oil level in the tank." DRAG SPECIALTIES Janesville, Wisconsin, USA Tel: [phone] [email protected] www.dragspecialties.com www.feulingparts.com 50 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2020 www.AMDchampionship.com