How many inches/mm have you lowered your front end?

[Dnyce]

4inches in the front on the kawi, gotta make up for the other two kawi virgins lol

[Antwanny]

0 no messy with either of em

[racedoll]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Ah well, it's like guys that swear they don't need to enhance the power of their bike or modify the stock suspension... If you've never tried it, you really don't know.

Yes, I know it could be better but I just don't like change. Though one guy told me that if I can ride my bike the way it is now (hard as a rock) and have it feel good then imagine how I could ride it if it were set up properly for me.

When I hear about you guys changing this and that and whatever. It's like how would you ever get it back to "normal" if you ever wanted it that way and would it even feel the same as before. Just seems like some go so far off the beaten path that it can't be good.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by racedoll

Yes, I know it could be better but I just don't like change. Though one guy told me that if I can ride my bike the way it is now (hard as a rock) and have it feel good then imagine how I could ride it if it were set up properly for me.

When I hear about you guys changing this and that and whatever. It's like how would you ever get it back to "normal" if you ever wanted it that way and would it even feel the same as before. Just seems like some go so far off the beaten path that it can't be good.

Ah my dear, that's why you keep a log of the changes and your base numbers. If you happen to forget, the base numbers can be found in you owner's manual. Or you can keep the changes in your notes on your Power Commander.

[Cutty72]

Nuttin on the Buell. I don't want a faster turn in.

[RCM78]

Different bikes call for different adjustment.

I have an '05R1. With the stock front/rear suspension and pirelli supercorsa pro's I had to RAISE the front 2 mm. Otherwise the front wanted to fold under during trail breaking. The rear would squat coming off corners causing the bike to run wide.

Now I have Ohlins 25mm cartridges and a penske triple clicker. The forks are 10mm longer then stock and the rear is 6mm taller then stock (penske is 2mm longer combined with 600 spring and 190/55 tire).

Final settings were raise the forks 6mm through the triple and set the shock at it's shortest position.(This bike does not need or like additional height in the rear. Graves makes a shock clevis the lowers the rear 3.5mm)

Total sag is set at 40mm front/35mm rear

Right now the bike turns sightly slower then it did stock but the added stability trailing into a corner is so worth the tradeoff. The bike comes off the corners and holds a line perfect now. It actually feels like a horsepower boost since I can open the throttle faster with the penske out back.

Best mod to the bike by far!!!

[pickle.of.doom]

Every bike that I have ever ridden that was lowered handled like complete ass.

[OreoGaborio]

Originally Posted by pickle.of.doom

Every bike that I have ever ridden that was lowered handled like complete ass.

That's cuz they're doing it the wrong way.

There's slamming a bike for aesthetic reasons, and then there's lowering the bike slightly in a way that it changes the geometry for the better.

Decreasing rake/trail by either dropping the front a few mm or raising the rear a few mm quickens the handling by removing some of the stability that's dialed into the bike from the factory.

The rear of my SV race bike is jacked the mutha eff up via an Ohlins and the front is dropped slightly. With the Diablo Supercorsas on there, the thing reads my freakin mind... I also have Scott's damper to compensate for the loss of stability.


Just remember, a little goes a long way and everything else has to be in proper order for it to be safe & effective. This "mod" should only be done AFTER the rest of the suspension is set up for you & your weight.

[HokieDNA01]

lowered 8mm in the front when the Ohlins internals were installed. Stock penske in the rear sprung for my weight. HUGE difference!!

[pickle.of.doom]

Originally Posted by OreoGaborio

That's cuz they're doing it the wrong way.

There's slamming a bike for aesthetic reasons, and then there's lowering the bike slightly in a way that it changes the geometry for the better.

Decreasing rake/trail by either dropping the front a few mm or raising the rear a few mm quickens the handling by removing some of the stability that's dialed into the bike from the factory.

The rear of my SV race bike is jacked the mutha eff up via an Ohlins and the front is dropped slightly. With the Diablo Supercorsas on there, the thing reads my freakin mind... I also have Scott's damper to compensate for the loss of stability.


Just remember, a little goes a long way and everything else has to be in proper order for it to be safe & effective. This "mod" should only be done AFTER the rest of the suspension is set up for you & your weight.

Yes, I'm talking strictly those that were lowered for short people.