Lower Links
- Thread starter SHORTYDEE
- Start date
I installed my wife's Roaring Toyz link which is a 1.75" drop. I tried the same amount at the triple and it actually made the bike a bit twitchy - and the front fairing seem too low.
I backed it up to 1.25 inches to gain a bit more clearance and slow the steering back down a bit. The bike perfoms fine at this setting well into triple digit speeds... Over 2,000 miles since the lowering with no ill-handling effects.
I backed it up to 1.25 inches to gain a bit more clearance and slow the steering back down a bit. The bike perfoms fine at this setting well into triple digit speeds... Over 2,000 miles since the lowering with no ill-handling effects.
Playing with it is always good, you will find what works best for you that way. Sounds like creggur did just that. I didn't realize that the link would lower it that much however. I can see where 1.75" lower on the forks would have a negative effect. Bike attitude is going to change for sure.
The shop where we bought Tracie's bike said that they will not drop the front when they lower a bike, rear only. I understand why, as dropping the the front too much in relation to the rear can cause serious stability issues and they don't want the liability of causing a tank-slapper.
Leaving the front all the way up in relation to a dropped rear could cause equal but opposite problems of slow turn-in and running wide in a curve.
Dropping the front gets trickier when you consider rider weight and preload settings on the rear shock. What we did with Tracie's bike may not necessarily be right for everyone. She is only 110 pounds fully gears and we're running stock preload settings for her and it works fine. I'm 190 fully geared and while the front end feels a bit light at triple digit speeds the bike is still stable.
It's best to move the front down in small increments until you find the right balance that works best for you. Just understand that if you left the rear of your bike stock and dropped the front only, millimeters make a difference in how the bike handles. So, with the rear dropped, once you reach the original front/rear relationship, going below that with the front will have the same effect.
I hope that last paragraph makes sense....
**Edit** And be careful if you do decide to drop the front. When you loosen the upper and lower triple clamp bolts the motorcycle will fall all the way down, possibly damaging your machine and injuring you. I used a motorcycle jack under the header and cat to support the bike so we could lower it slowly into position and re-torque the bolts. Unless you have specialized equipment(or even if you do) it's best done as a two-man operation in my opinion...***
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Lowering Links
He lowered my rear 1.75 and now you all are saying don't lower my front down that far? What will happen if I just don't bother the front and leave it as it is..how will that affect my ride. I'm a little nervous about lowering my front now with the negative comments from the thread.
He lowered my rear 1.75 and now you all are saying don't lower my front down that far? What will happen if I just don't bother the front and leave it as it is..how will that affect my ride. I'm a little nervous about lowering my front now with the negative comments from the thread.
I didn't mean for it to be a negative comment, you just need to be careful any time you change suspension settings.
The effect of leaving the front stock with a lowered rear will slow the steering of the bike. Essentially, it will require a stronger input from the rider to lean into a curve. It can also make the bike take a wider track through the curve, which in aggressive riding on twisty roads is counter to what you want.
Now, say for instance, your rear was stock. If you lowered the front only, it would quicken the steering, making it easier to turn into a corner. Many people do this on sport bikes to make the bike easier to turn-in to a corner, and more flickable, or easier to transition from right to left in curves.
It is never recommended to go more than 5mm in that direction. Reason being, if you lower the front too much in relation to the rear the steering becomes "Too Quick" translating into a lack of stability as any minor input to the handlebars will cause a major change in direction. And under hard acceleration, when weight is transferred to the rear, the front of the bike will twitch...Not what we want.
As I said, we originally dropped Tracie's front 1.75 inches. I felt it made the steering too quick, and the clearance between the lower triple and the fender too close. When I backed it up to 1.25 the handling felt more stock and allowed for a little additional clearance. I've seen where people have dropped the front of their FZ6R's 1.0 - 1.5 inches when they do a rear lowering with no ill-effect. 1.25 just seemed to work best for us...
This is how I tested it: I lowered the front 1.75 inches. Took the bike out and rode it, the steering was very light, and under hard acceleration the bars would wobble a bit in my hands. I then took the bike up to about 110MPH and let go of the handle bars (with my hands right at the bars) to see if the bike would track straight without any wobble. I noticed a slight oscillation on the bars as the bike slowed back through 90MPH...
I came back and raised the front to 1.25 inches and took the same test ride.
This firmed the steering back up a bit, but the bike felt more planted through curves. I then accelerated hard and the bike felt as it did stock. I then did my 110MPH test and deceleration with no oscillation or wobble, so that's where we left it....
Nothing to fear, you just need to make small adjustments until you find what works best for you...
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xplodnstar
New Member
I did the RT lowering kit. It was very helpful for me. The guys at my regular shop suggested that I lower the front half as much as the rear. So the 1.5 inch rear drop resulted in a .75 inch front drop. I have had no handling issues and have been riding that way for well over 5000 miles.
When doing the front lowering, you definitely want to be careful about letting the trees fall all the way. My husband and I set up a rope over the gym set and he held the bike up with that while I loosened and tightened the bolts. It took a little work and trial/error, but when it was done, it was TOTALLY worth it. I no longer have confidence issues when coming to a stop.
I am 5'0" with a 29"-30" inseam.
When doing the front lowering, you definitely want to be careful about letting the trees fall all the way. My husband and I set up a rope over the gym set and he held the bike up with that while I loosened and tightened the bolts. It took a little work and trial/error, but when it was done, it was TOTALLY worth it. I no longer have confidence issues when coming to a stop.
I am 5'0" with a 29"-30" inseam.