lowering front end

[chad yost]

Can somebody please point me in the direction of a good write up on how to lower the front forks on a post98... I can't seem to find one. thanks

[squiggy]

There's really not much to it if you want to lower it simply. Just loosen the bolts on the triple tree and slide the forks up the triple, or push down on the handlebars, until you get to the heigth you want. Then tighten the bolts back.

You don't want to drop it so much that the fender strikes another part of the bike through the suspension travel.

For the complex route, you would need to unscrew the fork cap, remove the fork springs, install shorter yet stiffer springs as you are altering the fork travel, adjust the preload spacer accordingly, then re-install the fork cap and. I believe the rebound rod passes through the rebound mechanism so that you would not need to cut it shorter. If not then you will need to cut it as well. It's been awhile since I was in the forks and removed that mechanism.

Or manipulate the preload spacer only enough to achive a little bit of dropage.

[chad yost]

thank you. I simply just want to lower the bike a little due to height. Not a real hard rider, just a simple cruiser type person so i'm not too concerned with the handling problems that come with it. I figured it was simple, but just wanted to be sure.

[loudnlow7484]

You can't lower it too much without the fork lowers hitting the bottom triple when compressed hard. If you want to find out exactly how much, then pop the top cap off of one fork leg, and compress it completely (you'd have to do this with the bike on a stand, and the front wheel and fender off).

The only truly correct way to lower the front end would be to have the damper rod shortened a bit, or possibly to weld a spacer to the underside of the damper rod.

Lowering the rear as well would help you reach the ground more comfortably, as would removing some foam from the seat and reupholstering it.

[chad yost]

well i'm going to put 2" lowering links on it. I've heard thats the max before having to worry about a bunch of problems. Lowering the front is simply to keep the bike level correct? so if i go 2 in the back, should i go the same in the front? and is it the lower tree I loosen the bolts on or the upper? sry bout all the questions, but i'm not much of a bike mechanic

[squiggy]

and is it the lower tree I loosen the bolts on or the upper?

Both upper and lower bolts.

The bottom has two regular bolts and the upper has a single allen head bolt. Both sides, of course.

[Tmod]

The problem with lowering by just bringing the forks up into the triple clamps is like loudnlow said, There is not enough room between the top of the outer slider and the bottom of the triple clamp. So you will be hitting the dust seals and trying to drive them up into the lower triple. The proper way is to make a spacer that goes underneath the top lip of the damper rod and that along with the top out spring will lower your bike and prevent any damage. True it is not the easiest to do but it prevents metal to metal contact.

Tmod

[squiggy]

The proper way is to make a spacer that goes underneath the top lip of the damper rod

You mean a spacer between the head of the damper rod and the top out spring?

[Tmod]

You mean a spacer between the head of the damper rod and the top out spring?

Yep

Tmod

[cybrnathan]

This is the best write-up on lowering I've seen on KR --> http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=80176

[chad yost]

thank you cybrnathan...that was the answer I was kinda looking for lol.. and a good thanks to everyone else for their thoughts on the process