Leveling links

[TEW47]

Just ordered the leveling links from diamond r, she said they would be on friday. Can't wait to try them. Only thing is I have the 130 tyre on the front, hope its not to quick till I can get a 150.For a month now when I press the starter button, the lights dim and I can here the starter relay click. After I press it several times it starts right like nothing is wrong. RSV is an 07. Do you think it is the battery, starter button, or starter switch ?

 

tew47

[SilvrT]

Just ordered the leveling links from diamond r, she said they would be on friday. Can't wait to try them. Only thing is I have the 130 tyre on the front, hope its not to quick till I can get a 150.For a month now when I press the starter button, the lights dim and I can here the starter relay click. After I press it several times it starts right like nothing is wrong. RSV is an 07. Do you think it is the battery, starter button, or starter switch ?

 

tew47

 

First thing I'd look at is a poor connection at the battery ... then check the battery itself ... if it's never been replaced, it's probably due.

[Preacher Dude]

Just ordered the leveling links from diamond r, she said they would be on friday. Can't wait to try them. Only thing is I have the 130 tyre on the front, hope its not to quick till I can get a 150.For a month now when I press the starter button, the lights dim and I can here the starter relay click. After I press it several times it starts right like nothing is wrong. RSV is an 07. Do you think it is the battery, starter button, or starter switch ?

 

tew47

Sounds like the battery. My 06 RSV was doing the same thing. I changed battery. That fioxed the problem. I would check the cables but I bet you will find it doies not remedy the problem. I dont know if you use a battery tender but that will help give you extra life out of your batttery. If that battery has been in since 07 you have gotten your moneys wpoth out of thaty battery. I have replace the battery twice in my 06

[Preacher Dude]

Just ordered the leveling links from diamond r, she said they would be on friday. Can't wait to try them. Only thing is I have the 130 tyre on the front, hope its not to quick till I can get a 150.For a month now when I press the starter button, the lights dim and I can here the starter relay click. After I press it several times it starts right like nothing is wrong. RSV is an 07. Do you think it is the battery, starter button, or starter switch ?

 

tew47

You are going to wish you had put those leveling links on alot sooner. I love the way my RSV handles now. I got mine for Allen and Patty @ diamondraccessories. they are great people to do business with

[SilvrT]

You are going to wish you had put those leveling links on alot sooner. I love the way my RSV handles now.

 

I agree ... I made my own and also went back to the stock front tire size and I put Dunlop E3's on. Amazing the difference those two things made to the overall handling of the bike. Dang I kinda miss that black beatch lol

[TEW47]

Installed the leveling links today and could not believe the difference. The bike should have handled like this from the factory. In the cruves it felt like it was on rails and doing figure eights a dream. also replaced the battery from O"Rillys for $89. better than the stock one. ETX20L Happy Camper !!!!

 

tew47:cool10:

[dunsonaventure]

I uderstand what the links do by listening to your conversation. where do they go and how are they installed.

[TEW47]

They go on the linkage on the rear shock. If you lay down on the right and look just in front of the rear tire you will seem the shock and the linkage is attached to it.

 

tew47

[Shot]

I have the 2004 RSV; I don't need it to be any higher even though I am 6-2. I have been reading the threads about the leveling links and it sounds like a good investment for my bike if it will help the handling at low speed.

 

Does installing the links make the bike higher off the ground?

[Vance]

It raises the back up about an inch.

[V7Goose]

I have the 2004 RSV; I don't need it to be any higher even though I am 6-2. I have been reading the threads about the leveling links and it sounds like a good investment for my bike if it will help the handling at low speed.

 

Does installing the links make the bike higher off the ground?

They raise the rear of the bike 1". The seat will be a bit higher, but probably only 1/2" or so. You will notice it at first, but not for long. You will also notice that the bike leans over farther on the side stand.

Goose

[TEW47]

I noticed when I replaced the links that the bottom one was not tight, you could move it by hand. Also had a grove in the bolt witch I guess was caused by the bolt being loose. It now feels real solid.

 

tew47

[wes0778]

I have the 2004 RSV; I don't need it to be any higher even though I am 6-2. I have been reading the threads about the leveling links and it sounds like a good investment for my bike if it will help the handling at low speed.

 

Does installing the links make the bike higher off the ground?

 

If you don't want it higher (I didn't 'cause I'm only 5'6"), you can lower the front by an inch to get the same results. This involves pushing the front forks up an inch in the triple tree.

[V7Goose]

This is just an FYI Caution for anyone replacing suspension links on these bikes. The stock bolts have very THIN nuts and the bolts are easily damaged. The thin nuts and fine threads make it quite easy to cross-thread them, and since they are self locking nuts, you cannot really tell that there is a problem until it is too late. I strongly suggest you be very careful starting the nuts, then use a torque wrench to tighten them to the correct specification.

 

And now a little story just to illustrate the point. I have made and installed links for quite a few Royal Stars and never had a problem with the bolts. But then I started seeing posts on the forum from a number of folks who were having problems, and DiamondR started shipping new bolts and nuts with their links to prevent the problem. Because I had not experienced the problem myself after doing quite a few bikes, I really could not understand it. But then someone brought their bike over with a new set of DiamondR links to install. I told him that I did not really think the replacement bolts were needed, and I preferred to just use the original bolts that Yamaha installed. Although I cannot explain the reason why Yamaha sources these bolts with fine threads and very thin locking nuts, I do tend to give a manufacturer the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they have a valid reason for their decisions.

 

Anyway, you can just imagine how surprised I was (and a bit embarrassed) when we proceeded to cross-thread one of the factory bolts and destroy it! I was very glad that DiamondR had shipped new bolts with the links.

 

I still prefer to use the factory bolts. But now I fully understand how sensitive those thin nuts are to getting started wrong, so I give them extra care.

Goose

[22lyons]

i bought my rsv a year or so ago. how would i be able to tell if the new were installed by po.

[V7Goose]

i bought my rsv a year or so ago. how would i be able to tell if the new were installed by po.

Stock suspension links are drab green color and have a number stamped on them starting with 4XY. DiamondR links are silver with no stamped markings. Home made links are usually just straight metal pieces instead of the stock dogbone shape, and I suspect most people paint them black.

 

Another way to tell easily if you have ever compared a bike with and without them is to simply look at the right side of the rear wheel from 10'-20' away while the bike is on the sidestand. With stock suspension, you can see the brake disk below the mufler, but not the disk mounting bolts. With Leveling Links installed, you can easily see one or two of the disk mounting bolts below the muffler.

 

And on a related note, if your rear brake caliper is below the swingarm, your bike has been LOWERED - the normal position for the rear brake caliper is above the swingarm.

Goose