Lowering the Bike

The temples thats a sweet looking bike, how much of your fork spring did you cut off?

Post edited by: kzmarvo, at: 2006/08/31 04:34

Too much - Actually, I didnt cut them, previous owner did and they are too low.. the V&h pipe hits and hard rights.. I need to pull them back out and measure them to see how far off I am.

that vance and hines is gonna hit no matter what.:evil:

Donthekawguy:
You stated that you have brackets to move the rear lower shock mount back. Where did you get them? I have been looking for a set.

Thanks

Careful on the wheels. I had the two 18s swapped for a 19 front and a 16 rear. While the hub pieces all swapped, or at least appeared to, the front was narrower by around a half inch leaving that much play in the front axle, and the rear was slightly wider and everything but the chain adjusters went back on it. Other than that we went from 13.5 inch shocks to 11.5. The bike looks great but now sits because the front axle play and the chain adjusters. Takes a great picture though.

Dont know if you still need it, but check JC Whitney out for lowering brackets.

www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-B...11+600014338/c-10111

The picture is of a friends CB750 with the brackets mounted at the lower end of the rear shock.

Dont know if you still need it, but check out JC Whitney for the lowering bracket.

The picture is of a friends CB750 with them on.

www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-B...11+600014338/c-10111

Dont know if you still need it, but check out JC Whitney for the lowering bracket.

The picture is of a friends CB750 with them on.

www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-B...11+600014338/c-10111

Dont know if you still need it, but check JC Whitney out for lowering brackets.

www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-B...11+600014338/c-10111

The picture is of a friends CB750 with the brackets mounted at the lower end of the rear shock.

Be prepared for a jolting ride with the lowering brackets. Suppose it's from changing the angle from swingarm to frame -- but found it produced a severe difference in harshness of ride (caused the stock shocks to feel almost like struts).

Try all three of these steps, and you'll get a lowered bike with less rough-ride than some of the other procedures:

1. Replace the rear wheel, if it is an 18", with a 16", preferably with the same brake style (makes things a lot easier)

2. Replace or modify the shocks. For appearances, I'd go with Sporty shocks, with 11 1/2" being (I think) the shortest OEMs around, and 11" from Progressive. Stock HDs are a dime a dozen every day on eBay, while Pros are usually a bit pricier. Pete at Sons of Thunder Metric Cycles will trim 2" and return-ship for something like $80. Also, new 11" shocks are available from Cycle ReCycle for about the same price, but I don't know how good they are (or aren't). For super-low, get 11"s somewhere and have Pete cut another inch or two off them.

Remove that ugly-assed mini-couch that passes for a seat, and replace it with something slimmer, maybe a solo seat or even something made up on the original pan, using gel instead of those massive sponges.

Note: On my KZ650, smaller wheels were an absolute necessity...the stock 18"s didn't give any clearance, even when the bike was standing; hence, the wheel swap.

I did these on my KZ650, and they work...keep in mind, though, that I'm choppin', not restoring or customozing...also, I don't know what the stock wheel is on your bike...

I have two sets of 12.5" eye-to-eye shocks that lower the bike one inch. I have them on an 1982 KZ1000LTD. One set is new and one is slightly used. Both are made by progressive. Let me know if interested.