Lowering an FJR

[McG]

Who has lowered their FJR or can send me a link about the same. Are there any downsides?

McG

 

[user 6393]

Is it Friday?

:blink:

 

[madmike2]

Try this link from our friends at Google: lowering site:fjrforum.com

It is the easiest way to find information......

 

[phil]

Don't. :huh:

 

[chrisflock]

I'll jump in here. I lowered my 07. I bought kouba links. By far the longest part of the install was finding a wrench that had been moved by garage gremlins (don't you just hate it when you unroll a wrench bag and the one you need is the one that's missing!). There is a little trick to the whole thing, in that you can't remove one of the through-bolts for the links with the center stand deployed. I put the bike on the stand, slipped a jack and some 2x4s under there, jacked it up just enough to put the stand up, yanked the links, bolted the new ones up one side, played with the slipping some crap under the back tire until I got the hole to line up, and bingo.

I also lowered the front to match by sliding the fork tubes up. I used a caliper to make sure that the fork tubes were at least as even as they were to begin with...

I would have to say, all in all, it was great. It made it possible for me to comfortably reach the ground, I can't flat foot on both sides, but I can flat foot on one side no problem, and can **almost** flatfoot on both sides...

Total lowering was just shy of 1 inch. The front forks still bottom out before anything comes close to hitting, contrary to what some people tried to tell me. I can't tell any difference in handling, although if you lower the rear without lowering the front, or don't lower them the same amount, you'll probably notice a difference.

Other than the frame sliders, which I haven't put to use as of yet, I'd say this by far the best farkle I've done.

 

[madmike2]

I helped LastChance do his. We used a small roll-around bike lift to hold the bike and a hydraulic bottle jack to raise and lower the swing arm to align the bolts.

Easy-peasy!

As with Chris, Loren can now get his feet on the ground to hold his bike up and he hasn't noticed any difference in handling.

Safely balancing your bike by being able to at least get the balls of your feet on the ground is paramount.

 

[firebird]

When I first got my FJR, I couldn't touch the ground with both feet. I had someone recommend Kouba Links to me on the forum. After I was told by half of the forum not to lower and the other half said to, I started researching it. The final kicker was when my 210 lb son got on the back of the bike and tipped it over because I ws too short to hold it up. I am 5"6" and am just under 170 lbs. We put the links in the bike in less than 15 minutes. It took longer to lower the front than to do the rear. It then sat for two weeks because of rain and work. I rode it today and it is amazing the difference. The center of gravity dropped on it and it is actually easier for me to control. I definately recommend Kouba Links. If you e-mail Norm Kouba he will respond to you very quickly.

 

[Bounce]

Why lower the FJR and address only one problem when you can address all the problems of a short person in a normal-sized world?

 

[jnor]

Nobody had to shorten their kickstand ??????

 

[obelix]

Did the lowering in the rear and found the sidestand is way too long now. Even on slight inclines the bike tended to tip over. Believe me, you just don't want to park it outside on a windy day. So I raised it up again and this was by far more difficult as the jack didn't fit anymore.

Also the main stand can't be used again. I tried it with all my weight and all tricks I knew but the leverage required was just too much.

So when lowering the suspension you need to cut up those 2 parts at the same time.

 

[Silver Penguin]

Safely balancing your bike by being able to at least get the balls of your feet on the ground is paramount.

I have the Kouba lowers, which allow me to get the points of my toes down, both at the same time. Prior to that, I either rode in platform boots (see photo link below) or slid off the seat to get one toe down. Not a real safe feeling (see MM's opinion above).

The Kouba links made a huge difference. Drawbacks are: the lean angle for the side stand is reduced so the bike can only be parked where the ground is flat or sloped to the left. That's even after some grinding, to allow the stand to move further against the stop. The center stand can only be used with a block of wood, and two people OR...... by Fairlaner (who didn't know that there was an issue, and just put the bike on the stand with apparent ease).

Also ground clearance for Everest-like speed bumps is impaired.

Realistically, the Kouba links made the FJR into a bike that I can ride with the possibility of a drop, rather than the certainty of one. For a feeling of safe, solid comfort, especially on poor traction surfaces, I bought a smaller bike (G650GS)

 

[Rolavine]

My bike isn't lowered, but the Corbin seat is lower than the stock one and I think it may have made an inch of difference.

 

[don handshy]

I lowered mine with the kouba links and with a 130/80-17 front tire...it makes the bike ride a lot more level, with the sportbike forward lean greatly reduced...don

 

[Texan]

Why lower the FJR and address only one problem when you can address all the problems of a short person in a normal-sized world?

That's sick. Plus, my legs are already too long. I need torso lengthening. Or maybe neck.

 

[chrisflock]

Nobody had to shorten their kickstand ??????

I didn't shorten my kick stand, I did grind the stop to let it swing a little further forward, then I ground on the bottom of the pad to make it, in it's further angled state, sit somewhat more level on the ground. It still doesn't sit flat, I pretty much gave up after about 5 minutes of trying.

I don't have a whole lot of trouble with the sidestand, it leans more than my old CB750 does, although not nearly as much as my wife's ninja 650. I have to be careful about parking on hills or on the side of roads that have a lot of crown, but from what I understand, that's pretty normal.

I can still get the bike up on the centerstand, it's probably harder than it was before, I'm not really sure.

I've only scraped the bottom of the bike once, on a really crappy driveway, I was straight up and down and the bottom of the shock hit. I will note that the lip of pavement that I hit was extremely gouged and covered with paint from everyone else bottoming out on it...

Oh, and while we're at it, holy thread resurrection, firebird!

 

[jnor]

Did the lowering in the rear and found the sidestand is way too long now. Even on slight inclines the bike tended to tip over. Believe me, you just don't want to park it outside on a windy day. So I raised it up again and this was by far more difficult as the jack didn't fit anymore. Also the main stand can't be used again. I tried it with all my weight and all tricks I knew but the leverage required was just too much.

So when lowering the suspension you need to cut up those 2 parts at the same time.

+1

 

[madmike2]

Did the lowering in the rear and found the sidestand is way too long now. Even on slight inclines the bike tended to tip over. Believe me, you just don't want to park it outside on a windy day. So I raised it up again and this was by far more difficult as the jack didn't fit anymore. Also the main stand can't be used again. I tried it with all my weight and all tricks I knew but the leverage required was just too much.

So when lowering the suspension you need to cut up those 2 parts at the same time.

1.) Grinding the side stand stop incrementally (to allow it to swing more "forward") helps that issue. (Note: 1/32" is a LOT. Walk slowly into this modification.)

2.) I don't have any problem putting a lowered bike on the centerstand but most of those who put lowering links on seem to have issues. :blink:

While this trick won't work everywhere you park, if you want to use the center stand for maintenance, simply roll the back tire onto a 2x4 then deploy the centerstand.

_____________________________________________________

As an aside: I know a couple of owners who have lowered their FJR with no appreciable issues with handling. LastChance is NOT an aggrewsive rider so he hasn't noticed any major changes in cornering. The same could probably be said ofJill (Silver Penguin). We didn't change the forks on LC's bike because the lowered rear was all that was necessary for his stability/safety when coming to a stop.

For the "naysayers": Why not raise the rear of your bikes? I know a few on the forum who are very talented/capable riders who have done exactly that to improve cornering clearance (Yes...they needed it, even with aftermarket shocks!) and are tall enough not to have an issue with stability when stopped, even 2-up.

It's far too easy to nitpick those who are inseam challenged but would still like to enjoy an FJR.

 

[Silver Penguin]

2.) I don't have any problem putting a lowered bike on the centerstand but most of those who put lowering links on seem to have issues. :blink:

And there is a basic tenet of physics. Those who are vertically 'enhanced' have the better angle for coaxing a bike with altered geometry, onto the center stand. I was amazed to watch the ease with which Fairlaner put my bike on the center stand. He is tall. I am not.

While not wanting to make unfounded assumptions, I would suggest that it is the vertically challenged population who want their bikes lowered. The same people that would have a hard time engaging the center stand on a stock bike. It's not a case of brute strength, but carefully applied leverage.

 

[Rolavine]

2.) I don't have any problem putting a lowered bike on the centerstand but most of those who put lowering links on seem to have issues. :blink:

And there is a basic tenet of physics. Those who are vertically 'enhanced' have the better angle for coaxing a bike with altered geometry, onto the center stand. I was amazed to watch the ease with which Fairlaner put my bike on the center stand. He is tall. I am not.

While not wanting to make unfounded assumptions, I would suggest that it is the vertically challenged population who want their bikes lowered. The same people that would have a hard time engaging the center stand on a stock bike. It's not a case of brute strength, but carefully applied leverage.

I suspect another, err, enhancement helps too, because when I put my 250 pounds down on that center stand all I have to do is a slight pull of the rear handle and the bike pops up. So I suspect many gallons of premium ice cream could solve your problem in only a few months.

I went from 'just do it' to 'just eat it' just as my search for the 'final frontier' went from *** to cusine. But I knew what I was doing, I always suspected that delicous coconut curry was going to give me fat Thai's.