Lowering front end for more aggresive look?

[wtnotch]

A good way to check how much u can lower is to look at the dust marks on the forks in between the triple trees. This is how much play you have in lowering as your suspension hasn't been used in that area where the dust is. This will differ with each bike with various riders and riding styles. And if you lower the bike using less than the length of the dust area you shouldn't bottom out. Hope that made sense. :zombie:

The only 'safe' way to tell how low you can go is to put the bike on a stand, remove the bolts on the top of both fork legs and then press the bars down.

The springs will then have someplace to go when you push the front end down and you will be able to bottom the forks. If nothing hits at that point, you're safe.

If you rely on the dust on the fork legs, all it will take is one big pothole to compress the forks more than they had before and WHAM, you've gone metal to metal.

Russ

 

[Deanohh]

The only 'safe' way to tell how low you can go is to put the bike on a stand, remove the bolts on the top of both fork legs and then press the bars down.

The springs will then have someplace to go when you push the front end down and you will be able to bottom the forks. If nothing hits at that point, you're safe.

If you rely on the dust on the fork legs, all it will take is one big pothole to compress the forks more than they had before and WHAM, you've gone metal to metal.

Russ

I think you should be the first to do that and let us know how that worked for you.

 

[wtnotch]

I think you should be the first to do that and let us know how that worked for you.

Already have. A few times actually. Did I leave something out?

Russ

 

[Deanohh]

Already have. A few times actually. Did I leave something out?

Russ

No, I was being a smart ass but I must be the one that missed something. I thought that as you take off the second fork cap that without pushing on the bars the weight of the bike would immediatly collapse the forks and shoot out springs and oil all over. And they would go down much farther than if the springs were in because if the spring was compressed until all the coils touched it would become a giant spacer and stop the forks from going all the way down.....but I was wrong so nevermind.

 

[wtnotch]

No, I was being a smart ass but I must be the one that missed something. I thought that as you take off the second fork cap that without pushing on the bars the weight of the bike would immediatly collapse the forks and shoot out springs and oil all over. And they would go down much farther than if the springs were in because if the spring was compressed until all the coils touched it would become a giant spacer and stop the forks from going all the way down.....but I was wrong so nevermind.

Actually, if you don't use a stand that holds both wheels off the ground before loosening the fork caps, that's pretty close to what would happen. It's probably a good idea to clarify that

Russ

 

[Deanohh]

I'm thinking it would work to remove only one fork cap. The other side would control it and just one spring would be easier to lean on and bottom out the coils. With a zip tie on the tube it would mark how far it went down or how far you could go before the fender hit something.

Still if you just lowered the front I'd be concerned about losing too much trail and getting unstable in front geometry, which gets even worse as the forks compress when braking.

 

[guidobergamo]

Look

:Sport:

 

[Perdurable]

ya i dropped mine about 1-1.5inches when i installed the apex bars and i like the way it handles better with the two!!!

One thing to note is it dose make your front tire slightly closer to your farings and when/if it throws rocks...well you get it

 

[rx9790]

Those that have done this mod...do you think lowering the front 2" could cause the bike to bottom out while going over speed bumps? I have to go over a couple every time I leave and come back to my apartment.

I lowered mine ~1.75" (whatever the Apex clipons needed) and have bottomed out the front entering a parking lot. The horn hit the front fender. Keep forgetting to relocate that.

 

[moreno12]

? Do I have to lower the back if I lower the front or is not necessary

 

[Apbowler]

? Do I have to lower the back if I lower the front or is not necessary

I don't think you need to lower the back from what I have seen.

Does anyone who has done this know the torque that the fork caps are supposed to be at? I thought I saw 17 ft lbs somewhere on Google, but I'm not sure.

 

[lmzj0004]

I don't think you need to lower the back from what I have seen.

Does anyone who has done this know the torque that the fork caps are supposed to be at? I thought I saw 17 ft lbs somewhere on Google, but I'm not sure.

if you lower the front you should lower the back to the exact amount of what you lowered the front as. I spoke to a lot of other bikers and said it not the safest idea to just lower the front. Yes 17ft lbs is fine

 

[Michael Wilson]

There is absolutely no reason that lowering the front would be unsafe. Lowering the front and not the rear simply changes the frame geometry, Wheel base to be exact. So basically lowering only the front end will increase turning speeds, however it will reduce stability at high speeds. It depends what you mostly the bike for.

 

[applejax]

There is absolutely no reason that lowering the front would be unsafe. Lowering the front and not the rear simply changes the frame geometry, Wheel base to be exact. So basically lowering only the front end will increase turning speeds, however it will reduce stability at high speeds. It depends what you mostly the bike for.

Kinda a contradiction , eh?

 

[Michael Wilson]

Kinda a contradiction , eh?

How is this a contradiction? Certain bikes are built for certain purposes

 

[travisH3]

Just lowered the front end 1" tonight. I think it looks pretty sweet, I took it down the road where it's pretty curvy and it felt pretty good. It didn't really change much that I could notice but I will see tomorrow when I take it to school.

 

[JT]

bump for those interested - read up on pros and cons

 

[skyrider1977]

Mine is lowered 2" since I have Apex clip ons. It handles much better IMO. The only negative so far is the horn bracket does contact the front fender if you hit any big bumps and your going somewhat fast, but I have never had any issues with scraping the bottom of the bike anywhere.

 

[Little Miss Dangerous]

Definitely keen to try this, I'll start with an inch and go from there

 

[Marthy]

Definitely keen to try this, I'll start with an inch and go from there

Start with 1/4-3/8" first. At 1 1/2" with the lowering link at was good too... more than that mine was bottoming on the fender under hard braking.