Scott's 2026 Surron Ultra Bee

Garage notes for the bike I actually ride.

This is the maintenance page for my Ultra Bee: the stuff I check before a ride, the numbers I keep coming back to, and the fixes that matter once the bike has seen dust, pavement, and a few bad line choices.

18 to 20 PSI Street starting point
14 to 16 PSI Dirt starting point
5/8 in Chain slack target
32°F minimum Battery charging rule
Before Every Ride

Five-minute garage check

This is the short list I run through before rolling out. It catches most of the dumb stuff before it turns into a walk home.

  • Tires: confirm PSI cold and look for cuts, nails, or sidewall damage.
  • Chain: quick slack check, quick glance for dry links, then wipe and lube if needed.
  • Brakes: spin both wheels, squeeze both levers, make sure nothing feels soft or drags badly.
  • Controls: bars straight, levers tight enough to stay put, throttle snaps back cleanly.
  • Battery and fasteners: pack locked in, axle hardware looks seated, nothing obviously backed out.
Setup Numbers

Current baseline

These are not gospel. They are just the numbers that make this bike feel settled for me right now.

  • Cold tire check

    18 PSI pavement / 15 PSI trail

    The bike feels nervous above that in the dirt and drags below that on hardpack.

  • Chain slack target

    About 5/8 in

    Measured at the middle of the lower run after a quick wipe-down.

  • Fork habit

    Clean tubes after dusty rides

    A shop rag and two minutes beats replacing seals early.

  • Battery rule

    No charging below 32°F

    If the garage is cold, the battery comes inside first.

Service Cadence

Shop recommendation vs. what I actually do

The manual is the floor. Dust, mud, and repeated trail miles usually move the real schedule up.

Pre-ride walkaround

Brake feel, chain, tire pressure, axle nuts, and battery latch before the bike leaves the garage.

Shop: Every ride
My habit: Every ride, no exceptions
Chain slack

A tight chain makes expensive noises. I check it again after any rough day in rocks or ruts.

Shop: 3/8 in to 1 in
My habit: After hard trail rides
Chain clean and lube

Mud turns into grinding paste fast, so the chain gets cleaned before the bike gets parked.

Shop: After wet or muddy rides
My habit: Same day if possible
Tire pressure

I start slightly firmer for pavement connectors and drop pressure when the day is mostly trail.

Shop: Before every ride
My habit: 18 to 20 PSI street, 14 to 16 PSI dirt
Brake check

Pads, rotor rub, lever feel, and whether the rear brake still feels consistent once everything is hot.

Shop: Weekly
My habit: Every couple rides
Primary belt inspection

Dust and repeated hard launches are a better service indicator than the calendar.

Shop: About 300 miles or yearly
My habit: Sooner if it gets dusty
Spokes and wheel play

The first hint of looseness usually shows up here before it turns into a bigger problem.

Shop: Monthly
My habit: After rocky days
Battery storage prep

I do not leave it fully charged in the garage just because the charger is nearby.

Shop: 60 to 80% charge
My habit: Any time it sits more than two weeks
Ride Log

Recent notes

Small entries are enough. Mileage, surface, one line about what changed, and something to check later.

Apr 5, 2026 7.4 mi Neighborhood shakedown

Brought the Ultra Bee home, checked fasteners, set controls where I wanted them, and started a baseline list of what to watch.

Apr 6, 2026 12.1 mi Pavement and canal road

Dropped the tires a couple PSI off the street setting and the bike immediately felt less skittery on washboard sections.

Apr 6, 2026 Garage night Chain and torque check

Built this page so the maintenance notes stop living on scraps of paper near the charger.

House Rules

Things that save parts

None of this is glamorous, but almost all of it is cheaper than replacement parts.

  • No pressure washer near bearings, connectors, swingarm pivots, or fork seals.
  • If a new part goes on the bike, the bolts get checked again after the next ride.
  • If the rear end feels harsh, I re-check sag and tire pressure before touching clickers.
  • If the bike comes home muddy, the chain gets attention before dinner, not next weekend.

If this page grows, it will grow with actual miles, failures, and fixes, not filler.