[Tsunami]

whats the proper way to lower a bike? i had my ninja 500r lowered by using links and even cut part of the spring.

i heard that was not be best way it should have been done and i should've used a dogbone and then lower the front by lowering the triple tree or raising the forks ( i believe its the same thing?)

+ now i can flat foot the bike and then some and being 5'1" i don't think it should be that low.

if that not the correct way to lower the bike then what is? i want to raise the bike back up just a bit so i don't get used to riding something that low. what is the best way to go about doing this?

gina

 

[Wedge]

dogbones in the rear, and sliding the forks up in the tripples is the correct way to lower a bike. Just be careful, because it will affect your handling a bit, and you won't have as much lean till you touch somthing down. But if it gives you the warm fuzzy being able to flat foot, then go for it. At 6 foot with a 34 inch inseam I can flat foot everythign but my motard when it had dirtrims on it.

 

[Particle Man]

bend with your knees, not your back :redflip :nanana

 

[Crisg555]

dogbones in the rear, and sliding the forks up in the tripples is the correct way to lower a bike.

that's exactly what i had done to my bike...

 

[risc]

The best way is to get a new seat or cut the seat foam. Depending on the bike you can take an inch or 2 out and maybe make it narrower. This way you wont effect the handling.

 

[Hawker]

As I stated in the other thread, and MZGirl added to, the really "proper" way to lower you rear suspension is to install a link (dogbone) designed to change the height of the suspension, but preserve the rising rate linkage found on most modern bikes. The proper way to lower your front suspension is to shorten the forks RaceTech, Traxxion Dynamics, Dan Kyle, Lindimen Engineering, etc. should all be able to preforme this service. These services are not cheap, but quality suspension modification never is.

DO NOT just drop the front forks in the tripple clamp this changes the geometry of the front end and will result in an ill-handling motorcycle. It is also important to do both together, as lowering them asycronusly will also result in an ill-hadling motorcycle.

Also, a good thing to note is that it's important for shorter/lighter riders to adjust their suspension's sag correctly before thinking about lowering their bike. Most Japanese sportbikes come setup for a ~160lb rider (give or take.) A bike setup like this will not sag enough for, say a 110lb rider and the seat height problem will be compounded.

As mentioned above, shaving the seat can also be an option. Remember that the _with_ of the seat is as imortant to flat-footing as the _height_ of the seat. Most any upolstory shop should be able to help with this for less than $100 bucks.