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Lowering Suspension - Yes/No???

C

c337b

Joined Oct 2006
229 Posts | 38+
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Has any one had the front springs cut down & rear shock lowered????

How much did you lower it . How do you like it . How did it effect the handling


Thinking about lowering my FE450 - Suspension guy can lower it 1-2"
 
I found a deal on a 03 FE400 that had been lowered, I like the low seat but the rest of the ride sucked. It bottomed out on any large hill and my legs were sore after every ride. I am 5'6" and had Dick racing put it back to stock and it rides great now. I would say don't do it.
 
c337b

come on mate, pull your finger out!

you don't leave your name!
your nik is flippin code!
because you don't describe your bike at all in your signature we don't know if it's an FE converted to FS or what?
we don't know where you're from although i can guess....

so all in all you're a non-descript article on my screen, not very good so far is it? hey! or do you think that this is an acceptable way of asking for help?

no please, no thank you for your help in advance?

hasn't tried the search feature?

so come on dude, let's try again hey!

regards

Taffy
 
WOW!!!!

I thought this forum was so you could get help. Not crapped on for asking a question. I have stated my information in other posts. I am a member of many other forums and have never been treated like this. NOT A VERY WARM WELCOME

FYI - C337B = Cessna 337 Skymaster B Model which I own & fly

Frank
2004 FE450 New to me
 
Hey frank ! Is there a particular reason you want to lower it ? i wouldnt do it for the sake of just doing it. You'll reduce your ground clearance (a problem for the offroad guys ?!?) for a start and i presume it would reduce your travel.
If its just a handling issue im sure some springs and oil and a proper set up would be just the ticket !

Or are you wanting to reduce it for road riding ? Are you thinking of fitting road tyres and converting it.

For a proper helpful answer maybe a bit of background as to why you want to do this, or what you're trying to get out of it, then we've got something to go off.

Smithy
 
I am 5Ft 8 and am tip toe when sitting on the bike with dirt wheels. I want to get my feet a bit flatter on the ground . We do lots of hard core single track. Its not high speed so I think a little less travel would be OK. If I stop and put my foot down I will end up dumping the bike. I have a DRZ400S and it spends some time on it side.

FYI - I also have a set of sumo wheels for it.

Frank
 
Frank,

Don't worry about Taffy, it's just part of his charm. He really is a good guy, he's responsible for the Owner's Doc and many other helpful threads on the site.
 
ah right ok, well first thing i'd personally do is look at a lowered seat, i think these are available to buy (anyone??)
maybe drop the forks through the yokes a touch ?
can see where your going now so hopefully someone will be along to answer your question soon

and yeh dont mind taffy, he's actually a really nice guy ! vague (sp) questions seem to annoy him :) the more details the better !!!
 
c337b said:
I am 5Ft 8 and am tip toe when sitting on the bike with dirt wheels. I want to get my feet a bit flatter on the ground . We do lots of hard core single track. Its not high speed so I think a little less travel would be OK. If I stop and put my foot down I will end up dumping the bike. I have a DRZ400S and it spends some time on it side.
Click to expand...

My girlfriend is 5'3", and we lowered her ktm250 for technical (idaho) singletrack. The suspension actually works BETTER than stock because we had someone qualified (trailtricks) do the work and a revalve.

At 5-8, if that's your real height, i probably would stay away from lowering.

many people just remove the seatcover, shave and sculpt the seat foam lower, then re-staple the seat cover.

i'm 6-2, so i have the opposite problem. I put a tall seat on my fe550 so i wouldn't be all folded up.
 
an inside leg measurement may help, then if someone has a lowered seat and the same bike, they can tell you their leg measurement. it will give you an idea as to whether the lowered seat would solve your problem, and potentially save you money.someones height can be misleading !
 
if you can work out a way to get there without reducing travel the suspension will work better.

not surprising trailtricks can make it work even when travel reduced ..... stock is pretty hopeless

imagine what he could do if you increased the tavel to 330 mm ...

regards
Bushie
 
This is a very difficult issue as noted by others already. The best way to do it is take the seat foam and carve from the bottom a bread or bun shape leaving the edges. Replace with softer foam. The riding part of the seat is unchanged but when you plonk down you are closser to the ground. It might make it harder to slide up over the tank for corners. Slide the forks up under the bars, but check that the wheel will not beach on the guard. Dirt Bike wrecking team was happy with 110mm travel on the rear shock so that should balance things with the lowered front. Resit lowering the suspension if you can. If you must lower 25mm by putting spacers in the fork and shock noting that the spacers are less than the 25 mm, use a protractor to work out the spacer length. Combine the sliding forks through tripple clamps the 110mm rear sag, with the softer seat and 20 mm with the shortened suspension and you are there. Lower suspension last and remember you will probably have to put it back to normal when you sell. By the way search the net as an after market berg seats are both hard and soft available. Good luck.
 
can't agree with that racer - sorry!

bushie has it right, drop the forks through, push the rear wheel back, soften the spring etc but try not to lose suspension and i certainly wouldn't lose seat height.

one thing never discussed is narrowing the seat.... ever been on a bike with a seat too wide? seat height is the same yet you can't get your feet down.

regards

Taffy
 
Thanks for al the replys

I have a second seat on order & will try cutting it down

If I do the suspension I will have it done professional He will lower and revalve it for my weight. I believe in doing things the proper way not trying to micky mouse it my self

http://stsracing.ca/ - Suspension guy

Thanks

Frank
 
i put a 4mm spacer twixt the cartridge tube and the bottoming cone in the forks

gained 8mm travel ....... wow!! that makes so much positive difference id not want to loose any. we have 40mm less travel than the jap forks already.

my bike is a lot lower than stock, shock top mount on frame is raised 9mm drops the rear 27mm, frame 50mm longer at head, drops the front about 10mm and allows the forks to be pushed through 18mm without the tyre hitting the frame.

lowering the bike was not the goal I just wanted to change the geometry a little. even at 5'8" the stock height was ok for me.

50mm extended frame at steering head is marvelous, highly reccomended, more room to move fore and aft, can sit right up near the fuel cap without putting teh bars in ya pockets, still turns very well if not better and lofting the front wheel is easier.

regards
Bushie
 
Bushie, your extended frame just got me thinking. I ordered 1 1/2" handlebar risers...not because I want higher bars, but to allow me to slide the forks up in the triple clamps. I have the older frame, which I believe has more rake to it...how much can I expect to be able to slide the forks up without having the wheel hit the frame? I was going to go for the full 1"+.
As for the top shock mount, did you cut it off and weld it back on higher up?
 
Re: RE: Lowering Suspension - Yes/No???

Taffy said:
c337b

come on mate, pull your finger out!

you don't leave your name!
your nik is flippin code!
because you don't describe your bike at all in your signature we don't know if it's an FE converted to FS or what?
we don't know where you're from although i can guess....

so all in all you're a non-descript article on my screen, not very good so far is it? hey! or do you think that this is an acceptable way of asking for help?

no please, no thank you for your help in advance?

hasn't tried the search feature?

so come on dude, let's try again hey!

regards

Taffy
Click to expand...

Taffy WTF? Have you not had yer morning coffe or summat? Time of the month? I'm LMAO at this and just had to comment. Carry on .........
 
RE: Re: RE: Lowering Suspension - Yes/No???

i'm gradually going off exclamation marks altogether. no matter how many times i read things normally, they come out all excited when people speak so i'm gonna have a self imposed ban on exclamation marks next time.

i said next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i tell yer, i'm cooler than james bonds tie when i print these things......

and now for that old one liner that everyoine uses after being terribly, terribly rude......wait for it......wait for it......

"LOL!!!!!!!!"

regards

Taffy
 

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