how to lower my kz550

i think my 550 would look better lowered. how can i lower the front? what do i need? any suggestions for the rear? thank you.

You can lower the front in several ways. Here are some:

Fit a shorter fork stanchions or complete fork
Shorthen the fork stanchions at the top, requires grove or threads machined inside to compensate for the ones cut off
For shorter damper rods
Space the damper rods so they cannot use all travel (insert spacer/spring below the head of the damper but inside stanchion)

All these methods will, with the stock springs, increase preload by the same amount that you shorten travel.

You can fit softer springs
Reduce preload
Pull fork legs through the yokes - just make sure there is enough room to use all travel without the fender hitting yokes

Remember that lowering the front will reduce rake and trail and ground and cornering clearance and may affect handling and safety in a manner not wanted. Lowering the front and rear the same amount will only affect clearance.

The rear end can be lowered by:
Fitting shorter shocks
Fitting softer springs
Moving the lower mounting lugs further back and/or the upper further forward - will soften the spring effect

joshjones84 wrote: i think my 550 would look better lowered. how can i lower the front? what do i need? any suggestions for the rear? thank you.

Some folks slide the fork tubes up higher in the clamps, so the clamps grip (say 3/4") below the cap.

Will increase flickability and twitchiness of the front end (i.e., quicker steering), so the rear end may also be lowered a comparable amount to help offset the change in steering characteristics.

As some of these bikes are already prone to front end wobble, would be careful about lowering the front end which will likely worsen any tendency to wobble.

Good Fortune!

Let the air out of the tires! :woohoo:

Is this the ltd?

I just bought one for my wife and had a question about a lower profile rear tire.

the tier on the bike is a 130 90 16 I think and I was wondering if it was ok to run say a 130 70 16.

I think sportster 11.5 shocks the lower profile rear tire and chop some foam out of the seat should put her flat footed .. then as patton said I will leval the frame by lowering the forks in the trees ..

Dont mean to thred jack just noticed a verry close thred to one I have thought to ask.

also adding the bike in question to your signiture helps alot ..

As you can see by the picture of my KZ1000CSR, the previous owner lowered the back using Progressive Suspension Harley style shocks. They are now GONE! They were going to get me killed. They were 1.5" shorter between the eyelets. I am an agreesive rider and I started bashing down the frame and exhust pipes.I purchased a pair of stock length replica shocks from Z1 Enterprises and what a difference. My advice would be to not lower the bike.