Lowered my FZ6

Frontend, suspensions and handling posts.
Post Reply
User avatar
rudog
Conventioneer
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:03 pm
SELF INTRODUCTION: Jack of all. Master of none. Worked in a machine shop since I was 8. Desgined embedded computers for a few years. Done lots in between. If there's anything I've learned with certainty, "Anyone who looks like they know what they're doing is putting on an act."
Location: Texoma

Lowered my FZ6

Post by rudog »

AKA...I found a box of motivation and forgot to read the warning label.

Quote, "Contents under pressure. USE WITH CAUTION!"

The boss gave us a 4-day weekend. Friday I decided to see what it would take to remove my rear shock to cut 3/8" off the rod end. I've got no pics because I didn't think this would be noteworthy.

The idea was to lower the bike 1.5" so I could flatfoot both feet. I ended up with 1 1/8" lower in the back. Pushed the front forks 1 3/8" into the tree's for 1 1/4" @the pegs/seat. Took the bike on a short 40miles and WOW what a diff. Luckily I have acces to a pretty good trail calculator and the trail was only shortened by 0.163" approx. BUT, by lowering the center of gravity it is a wholly new bike.

@30 to 40mph I would lay the bike over from tire track to track in a nice smooth slolem. It can be hypnotic. I tried it tonight and had to straighten the bike out in half the dist. Much more intence. The bike also rides much more stable. Wind gusts barely had an effect on the tracking.

Why the need to read the warning labels??? This is tues. The bike was torn down since Fri. Missed the whole weekend for want of a M12x1.25 tap. Now I got to learn to ride all over again. :D

ps - Now I can not only put my feet glat on the ground, I can even bend my knees doing it. It also feels like I'm skimming the asphalt. What a diff an inch makes. That's what she said. Now I believe it.
Post Reply

Return to “Forks, Rake and Trail, Suspension Systems”