NON-invasive lowering echniques

[don]

Just purchased an 82 1100G. Wife is looking for a bike. I also have an 83 550E. Once I get the 1100 going, she wants to ride the 550 but it's too tall for her. Only by about 1-2 inches. I don't want to get into suspension kits etc, or modifying the bike's main/stock structure with the 550.

Does anyone know how to lower one of these without perminently fooling/cutting with a lot of stuff. I have considered getting a used seat online, gutting it, then redo it with less padding. I have also thought of pushing the forks further up into the steering head a bit but haven't figured out the rear. Maybee get a used rear spring online and cut it down a little. Don't know.........

Thinking 1" out of the seat and 1" from forks/rear spring or 1-1/2 from the seat and 1/2" from the suspension could be better.

Any sugestiond would be welcome

Thanks in advance,

Don

 

[Steve]

Try to do the front and rear about the same amount so you don't upset the geometry too much.

Cutting the seat down will help, but so will thinning the width at the front. That way, she won't have to reach so far sideways to put her feet down at a stop. Any time she is moving, her feet should be on the pegs, so seat height is less important.

One way to lower the back is to get shocks that are about an inch shorter. New Progressives will cost a bit, but you can order the length of the shock and then order the strength of the spring to match her weight.

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[BassCliff]

Hi,

Here are a few tips from a webpage listed in your "mega-welcome":

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Suspension2.html#Lowering


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[don]

Cliff,

You have the answer I'm looking for. I can make a new dogbone at work for free. I think I'll get as mutch from the seat as possible, then make the rest up with suspension. I may be able to get away with only the seat, (drop and narrow), I knew I could push the forks up some, just didnt know of an uninvasive way to get the rear down to match the front.

Makes perfect sence, increase your mechanical advantage on the rear spring, and squish it a little more. If I can get 1 to 1-1/2" from the seat plus the narrowing, I may not even have to worry about the suspension. If I do have to lower " the bike" I'm hopeing it will be minimal.

Thanks,
Keep the ideas coming.

 

[Steve]

Sorry about the shock suggestion, I forgot you had a single shock at the rear.

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[don]

No problem Steve, I know you are involved in like a billion posts, I have 4 or 5 going right now and can't remember what I'm doing.

 

[Steve]

No problem Steve, I know you are involved in like a billion posts, I have 4 or 5 going right now and can't remember what I'm doing.

That's why I stop a couple of times each evening, click on my own name, then select "Find all posts by Steve".
I then go down the list, clicking on each post to see if anything has been commented on since my post.
Hit the "back" button, continue on down the list.

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