little short for new kat

[Jameasun]

Hello all,
I bought this new 06 kat 600 and I would like to adjust the bike so I can stand flat footed at stops. I am only 5'7 and I cant quite stand on both feet flat footed. I am only lacking about an inch. What can I do to lower the stance of the bike?

Is it as simple as loosening the four bolts on the front forks and lowering the front a little? Or is it more complex?

Please be as descriptive as possible because I am new to the whole bike scene.

[tzortn]

Just lowering the front will disrupt the bikes handling. You should lower the front and rear. You can lower the rear buy getting lowering dog bones. Ne-oublie sells them for the Kat. He can make you custom ones to raise or lower it as much as you want.

Do a search this has been reviewed before you can see what others have done.

[toezter]

there are lowering kits for $30-$50 (dog bones).

i'm 5'7" with a 29" (give or take) inseam. my bike is stock, after awhile i got used to tippy toeing or just planing one foot down. previously rode a scooter where i had to do the same, this is also my first bike.

How To: Install Lowering Links Tutorial

[DooD]

Don't bother....you don't need to stand on both feet - the bike is supposed to be moving! (or left foot down when it isn't.) Making the suspension worse is.....uhhhh......worse. 'N stuff.

I can barely get both my feet flat on the ground on my Kat - but I still can't think of a reason to actually DO it...

If you're worried about backing up - back the bike up when you're NOT on it. Then get on, start it, and pull away.

[The CyberPoet]

Ways of lowering the rider height:

(A) Install a longer dogbone (reduces rear ride height). Simplest solution, most cost-effective IMHO.
(B) Switch to 60 profile tires in the stock widths. This will knock about a half-inch off the seat height.
(C) Shave the seat foam down, install a thinner layer of denser seat foam, or swap to a seat/saddle with a smaller amount of denser foam such as the corbin (the density offsets the loss of material).
(D) Raise the fork tubes in the triple trees. Reduces just the front end height, doesn't do much for rider height by itself, and eliminates some ground clearance. I suggest doing this only after doing A thru C, and then only if necessary.
(E) Cut/reweld the rear subframe to reduce the angle compared to the ground. This is an extreme chasis change and should only be done by someone familiar with heating & bending/cutting & welding metal, plus you may need to go to a stiffer shock to ensure the tire can't bottom out against the underside of the rear under-tray.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[jason05]

I can barely get both my feet flat on the ground on my Kat - but I still can't think of a reason to actually DO it...

when you stop at a traffic light, and put one foot (tippy toed) down in some tranny fluid or gear oil... youll wish you could flat foot.

i lowered my front end by 1 inch. it improved the handling and hard braking abilities of the bike. im not running any fairings, so i dont bottom out... even when i jump intersections or go over any kind of bumps or curbs. it also helped me with my footing a lil.

[rowdy1]

I'm 5'5 and my 05 Katana 600 is my first bike and I really can't flatfoot. It took a while to get used to one footing but it works for me.

[The CyberPoet]

i lowered my front end by 1 inch. it improved the handling and hard braking abilities of the bike. im not running any fairings, so i dont bottom out... even when i jump intersections or go over any kind of bumps or curbs. it also helped me with my footing a lil.

God Rest Your Soul, Jason.
RIP.

=-= The CyberPoet