E-S Stealth Electric Bike Owners

[Rix]

How many of you dirt bike guys still ride your dirt bikes? I still ride every weekend. Has your e-bike taken over?

I only ride street bikes, but I've stopped riding all my other bikes except my Bomber. My Sportster has 2 inches of dust on it now. My trusty dependable Tomos sits unused for months at a time. My motor bicycle is just in the way, and I sold another one.

My Bomber is a very endearing bike for city riding. Even though it's fast for a electric bicycle, it's not really fast. 45 to 50 mph just keeps up with traffic here in the cement jungle. It out sprints compact cars from the lights, but struggles with SUVs, and huge pick up trucks. In this giant metropolis it's a little range limited, so I've learned to adjust my speed accordingly, and with some effort it can cover any distance.

It reminds me of a horse. All my bikes have always reminded me of horses in some way, but the Bomber more than others. Horses get tired quickly, running at top speed. Horses cover about 20 miles a day, but can cover over 40 miles if ridden carefully. My Bomber reminds me of the little Pinto horse in the movie Hidalgo. Supposedly an undersized, underdog race horse that won every race it was ever in, because of huge heart, and strong will.

When it comes to electric bicycles, my Bomber is like a thoroughbred. It's never seen the electric bicycle that it couldn't easily run away from. I have to dummy it down riding with friends so they don't end up secretly hating it. More than once I've accidentally left them behind without realizing I was starting to ride beyond their bikes capabilities. When I'm 20 miles from home it's dependability is comforting, knowing that it will get me home safely, and nothing can stop it (except a flat). But even then, I could take it home on a train. When I ride with my friends on their electric bikes, all of them bring their bikes to where we want to ride on a car carrier. I'm the only one that actually rides my bike to the ride, on the ride, and back home again.

And on top of all that, I feel good about the future. Battery's are going to get nothing, but better. Controllers, and motors will improve, and can easily upgrade to my bike when the time comes. If you haven't guessed my now, I really like my Bomber.

Damn TV, if you and my dad lived in the same city, you guys would be riding buddies. My dad gets off road when I get up to Idaho to see him, but other than that, for every offroad trail mile he puts on the Bomber, he probably averages 5 miles of pavement riding. He talks about the Bomber almost exactly the way you do. Right now he isn't riding, a couple of feet of snow fell. Its been cold. BSU played San Deigo State on the blue turf, it was 9F. It was the coldest game San Diego ever played.

Little dog!! That is richeous! Love the small bore bikes..I was over in england and went to a trials school and "green lane" trail tour ( England's version of trail riding...consider yourself lucky you don't have to trail ride in england its pretty sad)... Rode the 230 and an English copy of the same bike.. The guide said if you can find the power band let me know cause I havent! I bet w sokmne work on it you could turn it into a little monster! I have a built crf250, a wr450 which never gets ridden.. I used to have a xr650r..wtf was I thinking?? Anyway thats a cool little beast.. Im not ready to give up the motos yet.. The stealth I ride almost everyday but its no it there for the big stuff yet..

Yah ABV, for a 230f, its fast, my CRF dyno'd at 24HP down San Jose. The stock machine puts out 16Hp. Nothing compared to my old XCF 450 which was 52 HP and my my SXF 250,which was 49HP, due to the 320 BB kit and head work. Don't discount the XR650, my friend in Yerington Nevada, OA'd the US National Enduro in Utah a couple of years back on an 01 XR650. During the interview, he was asked what the secret to his speed was, his reply was 10 year old technology on a bike that was 40 pounds heavier than a Husaberg 570 was his secret. I thought that was funny. The following year, he bought brand new 570 Berg, raced it once, sold it, and went back to the XR650. I found this particularly funny because the guy has butt tons of money and can afford to race anything he wants.

 

[1abv]

How many of you dirt bike guys still ride your dirt bikes? I still ride every weekend. Has your e-bike taken over?

I only ride street bikes, but I've stopped riding all my other bikes except my Bomber. My Sportster has 2 inches of dust on it now. My trusty dependable Tomos sits unused for months at a time. My motor bicycle is just in the way, and I sold another one.

My Bomber is a very endearing bike for city riding. Even though it's fast for a electric bicycle, it's not really fast. 45 to 50 mph just keeps up with traffic here in the cement jungle. It out sprints compact cars from the lights, but struggles with SUVs, and huge pick up trucks. In this giant metropolis it's a little range limited, so I've learned to adjust my speed accordingly, and with some effort it can cover any distance.

It reminds me of a horse. All my bikes have always reminded me of horses in some way, but the Bomber more than others. Horses get tired quickly, running at top speed. Horses cover about 20 miles a day, but can cover over 40 miles if ridden carefully. My Bomber reminds me of the little Pinto horse in the movie Hidalgo. Supposedly an undersized, underdog race horse that won every race it was ever in, because of huge heart, and strong will.

When it comes to electric bicycles, my Bomber is like a thoroughbred. It's never seen the electric bicycle that it couldn't easily run away from. I have to dummy it down riding with friends so they don't end up secretly hating it. More than once I've accidentally left them behind without realizing I was starting to ride beyond their bikes capabilities. When I'm 20 miles from home it's dependability is comforting, knowing that it will get me home safely, and nothing can stop it (except a flat). But even then, I could take it home on a train. When I ride with my friends on their electric bikes, all of them bring their bikes to where we want to ride on a car carrier. I'm the only one that actually rides my bike to the ride, on the ride, and back home again.

And on top of all that, I feel good about the future. Battery's are going to get nothing, but better. Controllers, and motors will improve, and can easily upgrade to my bike when the time comes. If you haven't guessed my now, I really like my Bomber.

Damn TV, if you and my dad lived in the same city, you guys would be riding buddies. My dad gets off road when I get up to Idaho to see him, but other than that, for every offroad trail mile he puts on the Bomber, he probably averages 5 miles of pavement riding. He talks about the Bomber almost exactly the way you do. Right now he isn't riding, a couple of feet of snow fell. Its been cold. BSU played San Deigo State on the blue turf, it was 9F. It was the coldest game San Diego ever played.

Little dog!! That is richeous! Love the small bore bikes..I was over in england and went to a trials school and "green lane" trail tour ( England's version of trail riding...consider yourself lucky you don't have to trail ride in england its pretty sad)... Rode the 230 and an English copy of the same bike.. The guide said if you can find the power band let me know cause I havent! I bet w sokmne work on it you could turn it into a little monster! I have a built crf250, a wr450 which never gets ridden.. I used to have a xr650r..wtf was I thinking?? Anyway thats a cool little beast.. Im not ready to give up the motos yet.. The stealth I ride almost everyday but its no it there for the big stuff yet..

Yah ABV, for a 230f, its fast, my CRF dyno'd at 24HP down San Jose. The stock machine puts out 16Hp. Nothing compared to my old XCF 450 which was 52 HP and my my SXF 250,which was 49HP, due to the 320 BB kit and head work. Don't discount the XR650, my friend in Yerington Nevada, OA'd the US National Enduro in Utah a couple of years back on an 01 XR650. During the interview, he was asked what the secret to his speed was, his reply was 10 year old technology on a bike that was 40 pounds heavier than a Husaberg 570 was his secret. I thought that was funny. The following year, he bought brand new 570 Berg, raced it once, sold it, and went back to the XR650. I found this particularly funny because the guy has butt tons of money and can afford to race anything he wants.

Yeah the 650 is a beast mine had quite a bit of work on it and for the des nothing can touch it. It was my 1st dirt bike. I started street and went dirt.. It was good for some things. If you have ever ridden one you will know it requires a special dance to kick start it. pain in the ass in 100 degree weather on a hillside. After getting my e start bike I'll never get another kicker.. My 250 is built and the only time I miss the power is straight out wide des and sandy never ending hillclimbs.

 

[Samer]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDXYN8wS6tI&feature=youtu.be

NewZealand Style boys

 

[Allex]

Awsome, Nice fork!

 

[Emmett]

And on top of all that, I feel good about the future. Battery's are going to get nothing, but better. Controllers, and motors will improve, and can easily upgrade to my bike when the time comes. If you haven't guessed my now, I really like my Bomber.

That's how I feel about my Fighter. Used for trail riding.

In the future I can upgrade every part attached to the frame and swingarm. I feel that a hub drive is a compromise but my only practical option for quiet, stealthy riding with a good overall power to weight ratio and low maintenance. I don't want any attention from observers.

With a hub drive, there are the obvious disadvantages of no drive gears and/or too much unsprung weight. The other disadvantage that takes me a while to adapt to is not being able to use power and rear brake at the same time to stiffen the rear suspension using chain tension. I still do it, then realise during that I'm just making heat for no gain.

This weekend I shall install my X-Fusion Vector HLR shock. Hopefully the rebuild kit will also arrive this week. With a stronger rear rim, more tire, and great shock, I'm expecting I can make the rear do more work and be less fussy about picking the smoother line choice.

 

[Rix]

And on top of all that, I feel good about the future. Battery's are going to get nothing, but better. Controllers, and motors will improve, and can easily upgrade to my bike when the time comes. If you haven't guessed my now, I really like my Bomber.

That's how I feel about my Fighter. Used for trail riding.

In the future I can upgrade every part attached to the frame and swingarm. I feel that a hub drive is a compromise but my only practical option for quiet, stealthy riding with a good overall power to weight ratio and low maintenance. I don't want any attention from observers.

With a hub drive, there are the obvious disadvantages of no drive gears and/or too much unsprung weight. The other disadvantage that takes me a while to adapt to is not being able to use power and rear brake at the same time to stiffen the rear suspension using chain tension. I still do it, then realise during that I'm just making heat for no gain.

This weekend I shall install my X-Fusion Vector HLR shock. Hopefully the rebuild kit will also arrive this week. With a stronger rear rim, more tire, and great shock, I'm expecting I can make the rear do more work and be less fussy about picking the smoother line choice.

Emmet, I forgot, but what are you going to run for a rear tire?

Samer, nic video, NZ is beutiful, wish I could ride there. Keep the vids coming.

 

[Theodore Voltaire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDXYN8wS6tI&feature=youtu.be

NewZealand Style boys

Nice non annoying soundtrack. That's the kind of music my son listens to. Personally if I made that video I'd probably be playing, let the body's hit the floor, all the way down the hill lol.

 

[Theodore Voltaire]

[

Damn TV, if you and my dad lived in the same city, you guys would be riding buddies. My dad gets off road when I get up to Idaho to see him, but other than that, for every offroad trail mile he puts on the Bomber, he probably averages 5 miles of pavement riding. He talks about the Bomber almost exactly the way you do. Right now he isn't riding, a couple of feet of snow fell. Its been cold.

This doesn't surprise me. He obviously has enough experience to know a great bike when he rides one.

 

[Rix]

[

Damn TV, if you and my dad lived in the same city, you guys would be riding buddies. My dad gets off road when I get up to Idaho to see him, but other than that, for every offroad trail mile he puts on the Bomber, he probably averages 5 miles of pavement riding. He talks about the Bomber almost exactly the way you do. Right now he isn't riding, a couple of feet of snow fell. Its been cold.

This doesn't surprise me. He obviously has enough experience to know a great bike when he rides one.

Yah, he does and he loves the bike. He said the only way I get the Bomber back is by prying the bars from his dead hands. Hopefully hes around for another decade or two and riding. He has completely given up riding dirt bikes. He sold his 09 KTM XCF 250 with the Recluse clutch. Now all he has for a motorcycle is a 2010 KLR 650 with a 705 big bore kit. He rides that a couple of times a year. Since the 1960s, he, my uncles, and others d0 a week long annual trip around Labor Day that takes them way up into Canada, and covers Idaho, Wyoming and Montana on the way up and Easter Washington and Oregon on the way down. They ride as much dirt as possbile as they put on a about 2800 miles or so during that week. BTW, this is something you can appreciate from your era, my dad ran into Bob Hurricane Hannah at the Nampa Airport. Chatted with him at breakfast. Thats some old school stuff there.

 

[proper159]

Re: axle nuts loosening: Has anyone removed their regen button, or know a way to reprogram the controller to make regen force less aggressive and sudden?

I ask because on certain downhills I use regen, and:
1. it can seriously degrade the control of the bike compared to carefully applying the desired amount of rear brake.
2. for more gradual downhills, regen is usually too powerful, so I wont use it.
3. I assume regen contributes to hub heat. Correct?
3. After a ride, when I look at my energy spent vs energy from regen, is usually about 800 to 5. Hardly worth it considering issues 1+2.

Re: carbon composite frames: I think these frame "kits" are the future, but for rough off-road riding will these first gen frames flex enough longitudinally? And how durable are they?? The big 4 jap motorcycle MX brands all took years before they could make an alum frame both flexible enough and also survive durability testing. CrMo steel is a very nice material for a few good reasons.

I use regen all the time, especially for my longer comute of 60 km plus. I tried several times riding with regen and without and I always come up short on range when I don't use it. Regen also allows me to decrease my charging time when I'm doing two 35 km trips. I've designed my routes to utilize regen on stop sign heavy side roads. I try to cut the throttle before stop lights and pedal as hard as I can into a regen stop. Off road I use standard brakes. On sloping S turns, the regen helps me sink into my turns more and then throttle out...a sensation I can't replicate using my brakes.

 

[Samer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDXYN8wS6tI&feature=youtu.be

NewZealand Style boys

Nice non annoying soundtrack. That's the kind of music my son listens to. Personally if I made that video I'd probably be playing, let the body's hit the floor, all the way down the hill lol.

kkkkkkk
sound good

hey guy how do i post videos here (screenshot) ? insted link!
cheers

 

[Hyena]

Nice vid Samer, and great smooth looking trails!
Regen all the way down ?
I was hoping at the end when all the MTBs were loading into the shuttle you'd hook a 180 and blast back up

To post a clickable video link you need to use the youtube tags and just the video ID part of the youtube link.

So like this, but without the space after the first [

[ youtube]eDXYN8wS6tI[/youtube]

[youtube]eDXYN8wS6tI[/youtube]

 

[Samer]

Nice vid Samer, and great smooth looking trails!
Regen all the way down ?
I was hoping at the end when all the MTBs were loading into the shuttle you'd hook a 180 and blast back up

To post a clickable video link you need to use the youtube tags and just the video ID part of the youtube link.

So like this, but without the space after the first [

[ youtube]eDXYN8wS6tI[/youtube]

[youtube]eDXYN8wS6tI[/youtube]

Cool Man thanks for that.
no regen kkkk,i never use it aye... i need get intuit
yeap thats right blast it up.. it is funny

cheers bro

 

[Rodney64]

Nice vid Samer, and great smooth looking trails!
Regen all the way down ?
I was hoping at the end when all the MTBs were loading into the shuttle you'd hook a 180 and blast back up

To post a clickable video link you need to use the youtube tags and just the video ID part of the youtube link.

So like this, but without the space after the first [

[ youtube]eDXYN8wS6tI[/youtube]

[youtube]eDXYN8wS6tI[/youtube]

Cool Man thanks for that.
no regen kkkk,i never use it aye... i need get intuit
yeap thats right blast it up.. it is funny

cheers bro

Samer, good vid. youre making me home sick bro.

 

[Emmett]

Emmet, I forgot, but what are you going to run for a rear tire?

Rix, I'll do as you suggest and get a VeeRubber VMR 021 2.75-19 on a ProWheel rim. You sold me when you said the VMR 021 is a pound lighter than the SR241. This January I'm in the US for some work. So I'll get the parts then. If I find a Shinko SR241 19x2.75 going cheap then I'll probably get one of those too! I know you said it's a bit too wide for the Fighter, but I just might have to find out for myself.

For the past 2 weeks I've been using a 19x3.0 MC tube inside my 24x3 Razorback tire, and it's holding up great. BTW ... Crazy how screwed up the MTB wheel sizes are. So simple with motorcycle sizes, where the wheel size is (like in cars) the diam of the rim/bead.

As much as I love riding my Fighter e-bike on excellent trails and places minutes from my home, I still expend a whole day for a ride my dirt bike, on average 3 times per month. It's a YZ250 with a 295cc kit. Great machine. I also have a KX450F, but I dont use that much since I got my 2 stroke all sorted.

I just received my new Sony AS100V action cam, so later this month I'll get some helmet cam video. Unlike any GoPro, the Sony has steadyshot so it's good for offroad biking. So hopefully you can see why I seek good handling and low speed motor torque. I gave my GoPro Hero 3+ to my daughter because the shakey pic is such a disappointment. In the bush, side mounted helmet cams are way more practical, and chest mounts on rough terrain really needs a cam with anti-shake. GoPro post-process all the pro dirt bike helmet cam videos they publish on youtube. False advertising in a way.

 

[Theodore Voltaire]

On sloping S turns, the regen helps me sink into my turns more and then throttle out...a sensation I can't replicate using my brakes.

I've noticed something similar when using the regen. When leaned into a turn, it has a stabilizing effect on the rear end that's hard to duplicate using the rear brake. It's kind of like traction control.

 

[Emmett]

I think that anything that regen does to slow down the rear wheel, you can do as well or much better, using your rear brake. That is if you and the brake are good enough.

Since regen is giving me back around 0.5% energy per ride, and using it can upset the axle nuts or make me crash, I'm probably going to take my switch off my bars. I really like the tidy controls on the Fighter, and removing 1 of the 4 cables will make it even better.

Thinking again about axle torque, has anyone with a hotted up hub motor sheared off the axle keyway piece inside the stator? That little piece must take a beating.

 

[Rix]

Emmet, I forgot, but what are you going to run for a rear tire?

Rix, I'll do as you suggest and get a VeeRubber VMR 021 2.75-19 on a ProWheel rim. You sold me when you said the VMR 021 is a pound lighter than the SR241. This January I'm in the US for some work. So I'll get the parts then. If I find a Shinko SR241 19x2.75 going cheap then I'll probably get one of those too! I know you said it's a bit too wide for the Fighter, but I just might have to find out for myself.

For the past 2 weeks I've been using a 19x3.0 MC tube inside my 24x3 Razorback tire, and it's holding up great. BTW ... Crazy how screwed up the MTB wheel sizes are. So simple with motorcycle sizes, where the wheel size is (like in cars) the diam of the rim/bead.

As much as I love riding my Fighter e-bike on excellent trails and places minutes from my home, I still expend a whole day for a ride my dirt bike, on average 3 times per month. It's a YZ250 with a 295cc kit. Great machine. I also have a KX450F, but I dont use that much since I got my 2 stroke all sorted.

I just received my new Sony AS100V action cam, so later this month I'll get some helmet cam video. Unlike any GoPro, the Sony has steadyshot so it's good for offroad biking. So hopefully you can see why I seek good handling and low speed motor torque. I gave my GoPro Hero 3+ to my daughter because the shakey pic is such a disappointment. In the bush, side mounted helmet cams are way more practical, and chest mounts on rough terrain really needs a cam with anti-shake. GoPro post-process all the pro dirt bike helmet cam videos they publish on youtube. False advertising in a way.

Nice motos, that YZ250 with the 295 makes it a sweet YZ300. Lot more grunt off the bottom, chugs down low, run a gear higher, light weight, trully an enduro weapon. As far as the SR2.75-19, you can run it, just get a 1/2" (12.52mm) free wheel extender so you can push that chain line away from the tire a bit more. Not an issue wih the VRM 021 2.75-19. Yah the bicycle wheel indurstry is screwed up, they list the tire size as the OD on a rim with a 1.75 wide by 1.75 tall tire, thats the standard. Thats why a 26 MTB wheel has a 22.5 inch rim the 24 like on the Bomber and Fighter comes with a 20.5" rim, thats why we can make 19 and 21" MC tubes fit in our tires. So I take it you got your spokes sourced?

 

[Sigmacom]

For those who have had the side panel screws getting loose on their Stealth bike and have been tempted to put fresh medium Loktite on them - DONT! My Bomber's screws started getting loose and I noticed Stealth had loktite on them (Stealth has confirmed they do this at the factory). So I put fresh blue loktite on them - all of them. Then the other day I needed to take the panel off - to find the rivnuts started rotating inside the frame! These rivnuts have also come loose on me before, but the extra force added by the loktite caused 4 of them to spin!

The only way to get into the frame was then a miserable job of drilling off the screw heads - luckily the pressure of the drill prevents them rotating as you drill them out. Then used a Grabbit tool to remove the remains of the screws. Stealth kindly sent me a new set of rivnuts which can be fitted using a bolt and nut technique if you don't have a rivnut gun. The old rivnuts have to be drilled out as well of course. I think they really should have used the rivnuts that have a key on the sidewall that engages with a slot in the frame to prevent them ever rotating, or welded nuts on to the frame like Quilbix does. If you ride a lot of really rough stuff these rivnuts eventually work loose. The bolt and nut method can re-tighten the existing ones.

I'm now going to use star washers under the screws instead. It will mark the side panels but only under the screws so no big issue.

 

[Emmett]

If you ride a lot of really rough stuff these rivnuts eventually work loose. The bolt and nut method can re-tighten the existing ones.

Great tip, thanks. I'll have a look and maybe put some strong epoxy around the inside head of each rivnut.

 

[Theodore Voltaire]

For those who have had the side panel screws getting loose on their Stealth bike and have been tempted to put fresh medium Loktite on them - DONT! My Bomber's screws started getting loose and I noticed Stealth had loktite on them (Stealth has confirmed they do this at the factory). So I put fresh blue loktite on them - all of them. Then the other day I needed to take the panel off - to find the rivnuts started rotating inside the frame! These rivnuts have also come loose on me before, but the extra force added by the loktite caused 4 of them to spin!

The only way to get into the frame was then a miserable job of drilling off the screw heads - luckily the pressure of the drill prevents them rotating as you drill them out. Then used a Grabbit tool to remove the remains of the screws. Stealth kindly sent me a new set of rivnuts which can be fitted using a bolt and nut technique if you don't have a rivnut gun. The old rivnuts have to be drilled out as well of course. I think they really should have used the rivnuts that have a key on the sidewall that engages with a slot in the frame to prevent them ever rotating, or welded nuts on to the frame like Quilbix does. If you ride a lot of really rough stuff these rivnuts eventually work loose. The bolt and nut method can re-tighten the existing ones.

I'm now going to use star washers under the screws instead. It will mark the side panels but only under the screws so no big issue.

Thanks for this important heads up. I've personally never had a problem with the side panel screws coming loose, but I can see how that might happen if you're riding hard over a lot of jumps, and bumps. I think the culprit would be called frame flex.

 

[stritzky]

We had a Tragic accident here were i live this weekend. Were a young Girl in here early 20's was run down and killed by a car. She was dressed in dark clothes in the dark, on a unlit road. And i have seen many bicyclists that is very difficult to see in the dark. Especially seen from the side.

But this might be something that could make a Bike a lot more visible. I have fitted these to my Bomber and they work great. And they are really inexpensive as well. 2 - 4 USD a piece on Ebay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgFFfbUd3F8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgc7E4lrthk

 

[proper159]

For those who have had the side panel screws getting loose on their Stealth bike and have been tempted to put fresh medium Loktite on them - DONT! My Bomber's screws started getting loose and I noticed Stealth had loktite on them (Stealth has confirmed they do this at the factory). So I put fresh blue loktite on them - all of them. Then the other day I needed to take the panel off - to find the rivnuts started rotating inside the frame! These rivnuts have also come loose on me before, but the extra force added by the loktite caused 4 of them to spin!

The only way to get into the frame was then a miserable job of drilling off the screw heads - luckily the pressure of the drill prevents them rotating as you drill them out. Then used a Grabbit tool to remove the remains of the screws. Stealth kindly sent me a new set of rivnuts which can be fitted using a bolt and nut technique if you don't have a rivnut gun. The old rivnuts have to be drilled out as well of course. I think they really should have used the rivnuts that have a key on the sidewall that engages with a slot in the frame to prevent them ever rotating, or welded nuts on to the frame like Quilbix does. If you ride a lot of really rough stuff these rivnuts eventually work loose. The bolt and nut method can re-tighten the existing ones.

I'm now going to use star washers under the screws instead. It will mark the side panels but only under the screws so no big issue.

Holy moly... thanks for the tip. I almost did this 2 weeks ago.

 

[1abv]

For those who have had the side panel screws getting loose on their Stealth bike and have been tempted to put fresh medium Loktite on them - DONT! My Bomber's screws started getting loose and I noticed Stealth had loktite on them (Stealth has confirmed they do this at the factory). So I put fresh blue loktite on them - all of them. Then the other day I needed to take the panel off - to find the rivnuts started rotating inside the frame! These rivnuts have also come loose on me before, but the extra force added by the loktite caused 4 of them to spin!

The only way to get into the frame was then a miserable job of drilling off the screw heads - luckily the pressure of the drill prevents them rotating as you drill them out. Then used a Grabbit tool to remove the remains of the screws. Stealth kindly sent me a new set of rivnuts which can be fitted using a bolt and nut technique if you don't have a rivnut gun. The old rivnuts have to be drilled out as well of course. I think they really should have used the rivnuts that have a key on the sidewall that engages with a slot in the frame to prevent them ever rotating, or welded nuts on to the frame like Quilbix does. If you ride a lot of really rough stuff these rivnuts eventually work loose. The bolt and nut method can re-tighten the existing ones.

I'm now going to use star washers under the screws instead. It will mark the side panels but only under the screws so no big issue.

I went down to the local hardware (True Value) store which carries all of the exact bolts that the bomber uses (They are very common) and stocked up on them. I have had the side panel bolts come out when I torqued them to the "correct" spec. I then re tightened them to a reasonable level which is tighter than stealth spec and they have never come loose and do not strip or rotate the riv nuts.

 

[proper159]

I just received my new Sony AS100V action cam, so later this month I'll get some helmet cam video. Unlike any GoPro, the Sony has steadyshot so it's good for offroad biking. So hopefully you can see why I seek good handling and low speed motor torque. I gave my GoPro Hero 3+ to my daughter because the shakey pic is such a disappointment. In the bush, side mounted helmet cams are way more practical, and chest mounts on rough terrain really needs a cam with anti-shake. GoPro post-process all the pro dirt bike helmet cam videos they publish on youtube. False advertising in a way.

I actually was checking out the sony cam at the mall. You can get the remote streaming video watch as well. I would attach that to my handle bars and have the cam face backwards so I can see more behind me in addition to my mirror. The lag isn't too bad compared to the wasp cam. You can also stream it to your phone if you have your phone mounted.