how to lower

[katanarider87]

Ok i have an 04 Katana 600 i have the lowering links for the rear what do i need to lower the front

[05RedKat600]

First, you need to have the rear shock rebuilt to reduce the travel so you don't rub your tire. Then, you send the forks to Tmod to properly lower the ride height.

[bjones72751]

Can you not slide the forks up the triple trees an inch or so? I've seen that done a lot, but not necesarrily on kats.

[scottynoface]

Can you not slide the forks up the triple trees an inch or so? I've seen that done a lot, but not necesarrily on kats.

You can if you want to do it incorrectly.

[bjones72751]

I personally am fine with my bike as is, I just know I'd seen it done before. So what does the proper way involve doing?

[Nut-Nut]

If you lower your suspension, you will need to compensate for the less travel your suspension will now have before some components start to hit. The only way to do that is to have someone like Tmod set up/rebuild/do his magic, on your forks and/or your monoshock so that you have a tighter suspension...

[hiboy53]

How To Lower

Hi...

I'd like to hear more as well.....

I made my own links last year and dropped the rear approx 1". Same shape and thickness steel plate with the hole centers moved about 1/4-3/8". (Can't remember exact measurements)

So far I haven't noticed/felt anything out of the ordinary as far as the handling is concerned. I'm approx 180 lbs. and don't ride her to the limit. I put approx 3800 KM on the bike after the mod.

One thing I have noticed... is with the rear dropped the bike has lost the tendency to "dive" or "drop" into a turn at low speed from a stop anymore... and ... It's nice to be able to put both feet in the ground and back her into parking spots.

I'm a little concerned about the what's been said about tire rubbing and suspension component interference/binding. I took the shock out and cycled the rear suspension with the new links and the wheel/tire installed and didn't notice any binding. Where should I be looking..???

[Tmod]

Ok the issues I see with lowering a bike with links and just raising the forks in the triple clamps.

With lowering links you have done nothing to reduce suspension travel but you did reduce the clearance between the tire and nearest vertical object. Let's say just for kick and grins that you have 6.0" of clearance between the tire and inner fender, Your bike has 5.0" of wheel travel, You lower the bike 1" using links so you now end up with zero clearance between your tire and fender. When you hit a bump and if the suspension bottoms there is no cushion. Now let's say you reduced the height using links by 1.25" using the same measurements as above you have now ran the tire into the fender under full compression. Make sense? If you have more clearance than wheel travel then you should be safe.

In regards to forks, I have removed the spring from a leg on my bike (06 750) and compressed the fork all the way and in stock form the dust seal was 8mm away from hitting the lower triple clamp, Now imagine raising the fork tubes 1" into the triple clamps, What will happen under full compression? It will try and drive the lower fork leg up through the triple clamp by about 18mm. For those that suggest the spring coil binding is the limiting factor, Really? The spring does not coil bind unless you installed the incorrect spring.

Tmod

[hiboy53]

Understood... Thanks.

I'll re-check the wheel/tire travel on the bike again for tire to inner fender clearance. It's not likely that I will ever ride two-up but i will be carrying luggage from time to time.

Is there a simple way of modifing the rear shock to restrict the travel with out changing the spring rate...???

I haven't changed the front and am not about to.

[jerry]

i lower my bike 1 inch on rear and for the front, i removed the upper clamp and re-work the tryple trees , my bike run well and no rubbing undertail, no shimming on front, challenge is to work your front upper trees, be patience with it, it could be done

[kevinc]

Is someone riding there bike off rode? Has anybody EVER had the stock ride height bottom out? I don't see that an inch would hurt. Plus you can always adjust the spring tension on the rear shock.

[ManQu]

...I keep chuckling to myself as i have the oppersite problem, @ 6'2" i'm flat footed on the floor and have wound up the adjustment with advice from a bike friend and he says it wont alter the ride height so much after adjusting so far as just stiffen the ride..Any how i'm going to adjust the spring more just to see if i can get a bit more height.I do ride two up and with luggage,infact prob almost on the Kats max allowed weight...

[Kreylyn]

Is someone riding there bike off rode? Has anybody EVER had the stock ride height bottom out? I don't see that an inch would hurt. Plus you can always adjust the spring tension on the rear shock.

Yes, many times... on both pre and post bikes, with stock suspensions.

One clue there is a problem... if your dragging a footpeg on a hard turn, your suspension is bottoming out!

Ask Talltec to post a pic of the rear fender on the bike he bought for his wife... after they lowered it with just links and didn't do any work on the stock shock. (hint: HUGE HOLE from rubbing).

The stock suspension maxed out on preload for a pre is probably good for about a 130lb single rider. Add any more weight, and your bottoming out. Add to that the older shocks on the pre kats are shot, and alot of the posts are getting old enough now as well (fluid has long since solidified inside and is doing very little damping)... and your gonna bottom it out pretty easy.

...I keep chuckling to myself as i have the oppersite problem, @ 6'2" i'm flat footed on the floor and have wound up the adjustment with advice from a bike friend and he says it wont alter the ride height so much after adjusting so far as just stiffen the ride..Any how i'm going to adjust the spring more just to see if i can get a bit more height.I do ride two up and with luggage,infact prob almost on the Kats max allowed weight...

You should consider a B12 shock swap.

Krey