Lowered

[jasonhc73]

I lowered my rear today and my front.

Links were about 1" longer, resulting in about a 1 1/2" lower rear. I slid the front up about 1/2" to match.

Before with one foot flat, the other was at least 2 1/2" from touching ground. Now both feet are flat, and backing is super easy, no tippy toes nonsence.

Next thing I need to do is grind the kick stand nub down some and it'll be good. Putting the bike up on the center stand is still doable, but a bit more umph is required.

A few numbers;

stock - Lowered

• Ground to bottom of reflector on fender - 18.5" - 16.75"
• Ground to top of tail - 37.5" - 36"
• Ground to right side foot peg - 14" - 12.5"

All measurments taken on kick stand with handle bar full left. I'm 5'9", 30" inseam.

 

[Stephen]

I lowered my rear today and my front.

Ya had me worried there for bit... thought I had the wrong forum.

 

[tripntx]

Please provide your riding impressions with bike lowered after you've ridden it awhile longer. Have considered doing this myself, buy everybody always says not to because handling will be dangerous. Well, I find it dangerous having just one toe on the ground stopped or ground handling.

I'm a couple of inches shorter than you in height and inseam. Wife rides pillon a lot.

 

[luvtoride]

Be vewy, vewy cautious around speed bumps. There are a few members that have lowered their bikes only to end up with dented headers.

Also, less ground clearance between pegs & ground while at a lean... although, I realize that does not matter to some people.

 

[jasonhc73]

Be vewy, vewy cautious around speed bumps. There are a few members that have lowered their bikes only to end up with dented headers.
Also, less ground clearance between pegs & ground while at a lean... although, I realize that does not matter to some people.

Just went on ride typical of where I ride. There was no where, exept my drive way where I had to angle it in to avoid bottoming out. I have wild bill pegs also, and all is good.

My other bike was lowered also, and I'm already used to avoiding bottoming out. I also avoid speed bumps already. My other bike was lowered way more than this and I never bottomed out. Of course the bottom of that bike was the frame, not the pipes, so I didn't really care so much. I do have some nice peg scrapes though from some "spirited" riding.

 

[chrisflock]

I've had my bike lowered for quite some time now. By lowering the front AND the rear, I can't tell any difference in handling. I'm sure that my maximum lean angle has been reduced, but I don't think it's by a significant enough amount to matter to the *average* rider. I can still lean this bike over a LONG way.

I did lower my front first, while I was waiting on the links, that made the front end feel...twitchy. The bike sort of 'fell' into a corner more in response to input, and once in a corner, it didn't hold a line as steady as I wanted.

I've gone over plenty of speed bumps, never scraped a thing.

The center of gravity is lower, the only difference I can tell is the bike is much easier to handle in a parking lot, although it's hard to tell what's different from lowering, and what's different from being able to touch the ground, and the confidence of knowing that I *can* touch the ground if I should need too.

If you're a hooligan, I think the lower CG will make it a little harder to wheelie...Conversely, if you're a drag racer, it makes it easier to launch without a wheelie.

 

[luvtoride]

Only reporting what I've heard! Me, I got just enough foot on the ground, myself. I'd still look at other solutions for lowering if I had a big problem.

 

[fossilrider]

Jason, be very careful. The problem I had when lowering was not when riding alone, it came when I added my co-pilot and luggage. You will find if weighted you won't need speed bumps to bottom. After my tire hit the inner fender several times, we babied the bike for the rest of the trip then changed the links back to stock.

My experience with lowering links and the stock shock with 12K on it, passanger and rider weight combined 330lbs:

Koubalink - 7/8 inch drop very seldom did we bottom when loaded

30mm links - 1.25 inch drop, bottomed frequently when loaded especially on rough city streets

I now have a new aftermarket shock ordered, then I may put the Koubalinks back on.

John

 

[jasonhc73]

Jason, be very careful. The problem I had when lowering was not when riding alone, it came when I added my co-pilot and luggage. You will find if weighted you won't need speed bumps to bottom. After my tire hit the inner fender several times, we babied the bike for the rest of the trip then changed the links back to stock.
John

I have had the tire hit the finder on my other bike, but that was going on an extremely rough road, maybe 20 mph too fast. But that was right after lowering, and getting used to the feeling of a lowered bike.

There is a fairly different riding position that I notice from being lowered also. If you have been riding this bike for a while, you will notice it quite a bit more. I'd say that the seat pan holds/cubs your butt better, instead of trying to push you into the tank...

I've never lowered the front by sliding the forks up until now. I just changed out the springs before. I'm sure Yamaha's engineers might have something to say about a shorter wheel base and changing the rake and trail. But since I'm not a racer, and I have no plans of exceeding my limits, I am extremely happy with these results.

 

[jnor]

I lowered mine 1.25"....no problems. I have lowered the last 3 bikes that I've had. We just rode 2 up on mine with no problems. The bike feels like it's 100lbs lighter when pushing it around, or slow speed maneuvering around in tight spots. I have a 29" inseam.

 

[Steven57]

The issue with Kouba lowering links is that the longer link puts more leverage on the shock, hence the suspension feels softer at same settings. Sometimes you need to install a stiffer spring to compensate.

 

[jasonhc73]

More info for a lowered link...

Well, just got back from the track. I still power a wheelie up to shift to 2nd. So, with a "slightly" lowered rear, and I slide the front up about 1/2" also, it still powers up the front, to ride a whellie. Yep even with a giant 220lb monkey trying to figure out how to launch and not spin the tire. And leaning forward as far as I could.

I used to think a 0.5 was about a perfect r/t you could get, well this track had a perfect time of 0.00. My best r/t was 0.1, I only got it once though, pretty much every time before was .53.

 

[racer157]

Have you modified the kick stand when I lowered bikes in the past the side stand proved a problem on certain parking situations. Falling over on the right side can happen when the bike sits up too much.

 

[jasonhc73]

Have you modified the kick stand when I lowered bikes in the past the side stand proved a problem on certain parking situations. Falling over on the right side can happen when the bike sits up too much.

I looked into modifying it, but our FJR kick stand is very unique. Most bikes have a straight side stand, and ours has a very unique curve to it. So I left it alone. The other option is to grind down the stand stop a tiny bit.

So far I have not had any issue with it not being stable on it's stand, but I'm very aware of it being more upright and do my best to always find a way to make it lean downhill.

 

[n1acguy]

I'm concerned about how it might affect the handling in the twisties. I love the way this bike handles stock , but I have to be very careful in parking lots.

Maybe I'll just try the Koubalinks and see how it works out.

 

[jasonhc73]

I'm concerned about how it might affect the handling in the twisties. I love the way this bike handles stock , but I have to be very careful in parking lots.Maybe I'll just try the Koubalinks and see how it works out.

I just went on a nice 220 miler with probalby 60 miles of twisties. As far as I can tell it was spot on. I don't go saddle bag scraping so I don't know how much better it could get. I have stock tires at 39/42, and it was very nice.

 

[Alex]

<snip>
Well, just got back from the track.

<snip>

How was clearance on the track? Do you have any peg feelers left? :blink:

 

[n1acguy]

I'm concerned about how it might affect the handling in the twisties. I love the way this bike handles stock , but I have to be very careful in parking lots.Maybe I'll just try the Koubalinks and see how it works out.

I just went on a nice 220 miler with probalby 60 miles of twisties. As far as I can tell it was spot on. I don't go saddle bag scraping so I don't know how much better it could get. I have stock tires at 39/42, and it was very nice.

Thanks, I ordered the Kouba links

 

[Duezzer]

I had mine lowered for a bit and found the handling not as crisp

I also found the rear suspension tended to be a little softer - I cranked it up to get some more spring tension

If it is working for you Enjoy and ride safe

later