Hi Mick,
a year or so ago we had a thread here in the forum with a link to an finnish (or was it swedish??) Yamaha dealership that did a lot of customizing specially to the Bulldog
(sorry, but I can´t find this particular thread anymore)
All their Bulldogs had USD-Forks!!
So I called them....but they had only one guy who spoke...well, I really don´t know what he spoke, but his boss thought it was english
It took us a while (as gesticulating on the phone isn´t an issue
) but at least we came to the understanding, that they used
Yamaha R1 forks (probably because the R1 and the Bulldog use the same brakes...one thing less to modify) When I asked him about the triple-clamps (or yokes) I lost him copletely..
Whether the R1 yokes fit the Bulldog I don´t know, but maybe your friendly Yamaha-dealer does??
You probably could use any USD fork, providing it has the same length when collapsed. If it is too long you can always push it up in the Yokes. And that exactly is the problem : the yokes..they have to provide exactly the same rake as the original ones..a few degrees more or less make a huge difference...and a nervous or twitchy Bulldog is something I can do without..
Personally I don´t like USD forks because in my opininion the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages... it is such a hassle to service them...even for a simple oil-change you have to dismantle the front end and take them apart...
If I had my druthers I would put a set of Marzocchi Magnum RSU forks on my Bulldog (I know that they are Moto-Cross/Enduro forks, but you can always shorten the springs
)they are arguably the best and plushest offroad forks ever put on a bike (and KTM only switched to WP USD forks because they own the Company)
But if your funds are unfathomable Öhlins can provide you with their new range of RSU forks...I saw them at the Motorcycle-Show in Cologne and was absolutely smitten...by the price : for 2.498,00€ they are yours and yes, the yokes come extra..
Keep me posted..
cheers
from the Axman