[Mat0302]

It didn't cost me anything because i had a friend that worked at a welding shop do it for me

I had about 3/4" cut out of my kickstand, didn't cost me a whole lot either. I have a friend that works at a shop also.

[arsenic]

i feel that it handles much better since i lowered it

well, you feel wrong

[chinto]

well, you feel wrong

not necessarily true. If the front was lowered a bit more than the rear, it will dive into corners quicker.

[whitecl0ver]

well, you feel wrong

not necessarily true. If the front was lowered a bit more than the rear, it will dive into corners quicker.

uh oh some one disputed arsenic....lets see how this goes

[ThAzKat]

uh oh some one disputed arsenic....lets see how this goes

whiteclover, I am going to watch this to but agree with chinto on this one. Lowering the front will change the giometry and make the bike steer quicker. So if the front is a tad lower than the back it will handle better.

[loudnlow7484]

whiteclover, I am going to watch this to but agree with chinto on this one. Lowering the front will change the giometry and make the bike steer quicker. So if the front is a tad lower than the back it will handle better.

It all depends on your definition of better, I think.

Lower the front more than the rear, and your handling will quicken, but lowering the bike as a whole would reduce your clearance, and make your at-limit handling worse (and your limit, lower). That sharpened turn in will reduce your straight line high speed stability, also...... though the kat has plenty of straight line stability to spare!

[ThAzKat]

lets start with rake:


If you look at the contour of a Pre98 Katana clearance isn't a issue. There is room to lower the front to lesson the rake for better steering. If you lower the front 2", lower the back 1 1/2".

[Mat0302]

were talking about a slight change in handling for better or worse. like I said before, you hardly notice the difference under normal riding.

take it to the track, ride 50 miles then come into the pits. lower the bike then go back out for another 50 laps. then you might feel a slight difference or your times might get slightly better or worse.

otherwise, your doing it for appearance only

[arsenic]

not necessarily true. If the front was lowered a bit more than the rear, it will dive into corners quicker.

he's 100% correct, I'm not gonna argue with the truth, haven't you guys realized, I don't do that

[loudnlow7484]

lets start with rake:
If you look at the contour of a Pre98 Katana clearance isn't a issue. There is room to lower the front to lesson the rake for better steering. If you lower the front 2", lower the back 1 1/2".

Clearance is always an issue. There are plenty here who scrape the pegs on pre's at stock height. If you lower it, they will scrape earlier. I would be quicker to recommend raising the rear (upgrading the shock, 2 birds with one stone sort of thing) to accomplish the same thing, rather than lowering the front. Or you could do both in combination if you wanted to really take it to the extreme.

Agreed, that if you lower the front by 2", and the rear by 1 1/2", the turn in will feel quicker, which would be great for normal street riding/dicing through traffic. But lowering the bike as a whole WILL limit how far the bike can lean without scraping the hard bits.

[ThAzKat]

my bike personally is about stock in rear and is 2" lower in the front but with the Busa rear shock it put the bike up 2" til I lowered it.

[loudnlow7484]

my bike personally is about stock in rear and is 2" lower in the front but with the Busa rear shock it put the bike up 2" til I lowered it.

In truth, my bike is sitting lower in the front, and stock in the rear, too. Not because I think it's ideal, but because I tower above the ground at a whole 5' 8", and if I raise the back a bunch, I'll be on my toes. That's just a problem I'll have to contend with when/if this thing ever gets back on the road!

[Mike1tx]

Thanks for all the advice.

[giftedwon]

i did not even lower the front. just the back. its fine for me.

[afedelejr]

I just lowered mine yesterday. I am brand new to the Kat world, and found it painless, other than having to purhase an impact wrench to loosen one of the dogbone links.

I lowered the front about 1 3/8th inch. I did notice that it feels alot better riding, but I do feel some slight vibrations now when riding, which I never felt before. It feels like it is vibrating my hands.

Is this normal?