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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Implications of lowering front and rear?
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Message started by dabid on 12/11/13 at 20:36:27

Title: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by dabid on 12/11/13 at 20:36:27

Hello all,

I wanted to lower my rear shocks by removing about 3/4" from the spring, while also lowering the front end by 2" with the kit from RYCA.

Is this going to cause the bike to be off balance? will the rake be an issue?

any insight would be appreciated.

Also, any tips to disassemble the rear shocks would be helpful. (I have read through cFlows "lowering rear shocks" thread.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/11/13 at 22:43:41

Got any speed bumps up there? Ground clearance isnt too good, now. Pegs grind having fun in 40 MPH corners. You want it sitting lower? YOu mite wanna lean that dude over & look at where youll have pegs hitting. Measure how far pegs drop when ya sit on it. When youre cornering, suspension sets some, so, its lower by a bit more.

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by Serowbot on 12/11/13 at 22:46:52

Less, really is less... :-?...

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by Dave on 12/12/13 at 03:07:08

If.......you want the rear end lower.....you really need shorter shocks and cutting the springs is not a good idea. We only have 1.5" of travel in the stock shock, and that is not enough travel and it is common to bottom the shocks out. Cutting some spring away will only make the shocks bottom out easier.

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by dabid on 12/14/13 at 18:41:27

Thank you very much!

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by Serowbot on 12/14/13 at 21:24:00

As said,.. you will loose cornering clearance...
You will also get a harsher ride...
...and... any time you feel a spine jolting thud,.. you are loosing traction... because when the shocks compress fully, the result is a bounce... there is no traction when your wheel is airborne...

What this means is...
lowering a bike is purely cosmetic... it is fashion... and fashion has a price...
Suspension, is a performance mod... it is about keeping tire contact and keeping traction... (comfort is just a side effect)...

I like both.. performance and comfort... so I like good suspension...

I also have a silk scarf... but, it don't slow me down...;D...

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by dabid on 12/15/13 at 06:25:38

So its a "fashion over function" type situation.

Gotcha.

Thanks for the tips, I dont think I will be following through on this project.

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/15/13 at 12:01:23

I dont think I will be following through on this project.

Im glad to hear that. Other things to put your time & $$$ into. YOU were looking at embarking on spending $$ to vandalize your own bike,
Now you can spend that $$ on a Versy & doin a muffler swap & tuning it, maybe lighten it up some, slip a cam in it, hey, its a rockin little bike.
You Might just decide to raise the rear up with some better shocks.
You a short guy? What inseam on your pants?

Title: Re: Implications of lowering front and rear?
Post by dabid on 12/19/13 at 17:56:06

Im pretty short, 5'7 ish on a good day. inseam is 31.

Ive got a straight pipe goin, and ive done some carb tuning with a k&n cone air filter, the bike goes pretty quick but i was trying to make it a little more sturdy. When trucks or big cars go by me i feel like the bike is going to blow out from under me. I know its a lightweight bike but still. So i figured lowering it would give me a better centre of gravity.