Motorcycle Lowering

[jrw69]

Except cruiser bikes, can any street motorcycle be lowered down to a seat height of about 30"? Is there a safety factor doing so or more along the lines of changing performance? I understand that people daily ride motorcycles using as little as tiptoes or leaning over at stop lights, I just don't want to for some reason.

At a minimum, balls of feet I think I can deal with. But, if you all answer that it significantly changes the dynamics of the bike then I will stick with factory low. I have about a 30.5" inseam but only about 175lbs so I don't seem to be able to lower the bikes shocks naturally by weight. The main reason I am asking is so I don't just limit myself to just cruisers with their low seat. NOTHING against them at all, but I would like to be lighter without going to the 250-600cc range.

[WintrSol]

I lowered my old CB450 about 3/4", for the same reason, and with little noticeable change to handling. Now I can have balls of feet down on both sides. I guess it depends on how much you need to lower it, and how it is done.

[Dodsfall]

Most motorcycles can be lowered up to a couple inches. The steering geometry should be close as long as the front and rear are lowered the same amount. Ground clearance and possibly lean angle will be effected somewhat.

The limiting factors will be if lowering dog bones are available for the model of motorcycle and how much the forks can be slid down into the trees.

[Hawkeye]

I had my ZX-7R lowered 2" (came that way). It doesn't lean quite as far over cause your plastics start closer to the pavement but other than that the handling was similar.

Now the extended swing arm is what changes dynamics. Talk about having a hard time taking a corner!

[Eye_m_no_angel]

Originally Posted by Dodsfall

Most motorcycles can be lowered up to a couple inches. The steering geometry should be close as long as the front and rear are lowered the same amount. Ground clearance and possibly lean angle will be effected somewhat.

The limiting factors will be if lowering dog bones are available for the model of motorcycle and how much the forks can be slid down into the trees.

^^^ That, and you can often find aftermarket fork springs and shocks that will also lower the bike.

[z9nine]

My bike has adjustable front and rear shocks, I can use compressed air to increase or decrease the stiffness of the shocks. Came stock like that. Also have an Anti Dive system on my front forks that uses brake fluid to increase front fork pressure to prevent them from dipping so much when the front brake is applied.

[SpitefulHam]

Some non-cruiser bikes actually come pretty low stock and, as others have pointed out, can be lowered beyond that. The FZ6R is 31" (seat height) stock and can be raised 3/4 inch by moving a couple of bolts in the seat pan.

[kat569]

The seat height on my '09 Ninja 500R is 30.5". I've spoken to someone who runs a shop here and he said I can safely lower it up to a couple of inches; I'm 5'5" and find that I CAN flat-foot but not all the time (I have to have my feet almost directly underneath, and that's not always ideal).

[Biker Dash]

Originally Posted by kat569

The seat height on my '09 Ninja 500R is 30.5". I've spoken to someone who runs a shop here and he said I can safely lower it up to a couple of inches; I'm 5'5" and find that I CAN flat-foot but not all the time (I have to have my feet almost directly underneath, and that's not always ideal).

I'm 5'4" with a 30" inseam and about 130lbs. I have found the 500 Ninja to be the perfect height for me. Now that Kawasaki has done away with the 500, and basically replaced it with their 650, I find I am limited to either getting a 650 and lowering it, or going with the 250 (which I dont want cause I would rather have the 500)

I find it a royal PITA to find a non-cruiser that fits me well. And forget about dirt bikes!

[Badlands-4-2]

Originally Posted by Animedevildog

........
I find it a royal PITA to find a non-cruiser that fits me well. And forget about dirt bikes!

I looked at several of the Adventure bikes that are so popular, and could not even get my toes to touch. With a bike like that, stopping would be the adventure.

[Biker Dash]

Originally Posted by Badlands-4-2

I looked at several of the Adventure bikes that are so popular, and could not even get my toes to touch. With a bike like that, stopping would be the adventure.

I tried swinging my leg over one of them... I could not get my toes to even reach the friggin peg -_-;

I have the same problem with a lot of sportbikes.

Surprisingly, I can just barely flatfoot a 1st gen Busa (it might have been lowered... idk) but a brand new GSX-R600, I cant do at all.

[Badlands-4-2]

Originally Posted by Animedevildog

I tried swinging my leg over one of them... I could not get my toes to even reach the friggin peg -_-;

I have the same problem with a lot of sportbikes.

Surprisingly, I can just barely flatfoot a 1st gen Busa (it might have been lowered... idk) but a brand new GSX-R600, I cant do at all.

OK, that is funny. I do have a problem with some sportbikes also. Funny thing is that I had no issue at all with the 250R I had. Odd thing about that is that the bike was so light, I could have easily held it upright with only my toes touching. But on a zx14 that weighs more than twice as much, that is when you need good contact with the ground at a stop.

[jrw69]

That's exactly why I posted this question. I am just like both of you and wondered if I was limited to the cruiser world and that is it. There are a few sport tourers that I can either flat foot or get the ball of my feet. I sat on a new CBR 250 this morning and could barely get on the ball of my feet. So I can honestly say that a true sport bike will probably never be in my garage, but that is okay because I will be happy with a sport tourer. One day I will find a way to lower an adventurer.

[OldGuy]

I went through this with my Honda Nighthawk, wound up shaving the
seat to where I'm pretty much sitting on the pan. I also dropped the
forks about 3/4 of an inch, set the rear springs to "soft" and bought
a pair of thick soled boots. I'm still on the balls of my feet but have
learned to be OK with it.
Aftermarket fork springs and shocks are an option but they are VERY
expensive.

[Biker Dash]

I know the Katanas were well doable for me, as well as the old Hurricanes.
The late 80's GSX-R and the Ninjas in the mid 90's also were doable for me.

One of my all time favorite bikes, the Honda VTR-1000 Superhawk is just within my limits stock.

[chefonahonda]

At 5'2 and at 26'' inseam I have not found a lot of other bikes I can flatfoot. Keeping me from upgrading at the moment. The Yamaha 950 fits pretty good but I like the Honda 700 and would love an interceptor.

[jrw69]

I have been looking at the FJR, Concours, and the Pacific Coast that seem to be made for the shorter person who want to be close to a sport bike. Like I said earlier, I would much rather have a sport tourer that I can do some longer mileage on and their lean forward angle isn't near as bad as the sporties. You guys probably already know about this site, but by chance if you don't, its a neat way to do a virtual sit on a bike.

http://cycle-ergo.com/


Forgot to mention that once you pick the bike, click on the options and you have him put his feet on the ground.

[Eye_m_no_angel]

"Aftermarket fork springs and shocks are an option but they are VERY
expensive."

They can be, yes. But I guess it depends on what sort of effect you're looking for from your bike, and what sort of bike you have to start with. For HD's there's thousands of options out there, and you can get a reliable set of springs for the front for around $150, and a decent set of dog bones for the rear for less then that. Of course, you can go up from there and spend thousands on a finely tuned suspension if that's what you think you need.

For other brands of bikes there's probably several options too, but probably not the variety, and many of them are probably more expensive.