SUGGESTIONS?? - Lowring seat height on '99 WR400

[CAVSCOUT96]

I need to drop about 1-1.5" to get a little more of my feet on the ground as i'm on my toes right now. I don't want to make any permannent changes to the suspension so I've come up with a couple ideas. ?

1. Go to smaller tires - 17" rear and 20" front

2. Cut down seat foam

3. Combination 1 & 2

4. Zip - Ty magic link (should I also raise the forks in the TC with this one??) ?

5. Adjust sag, but I think I'll have to go way too soft and get poor handling.

This bike is a daily rider to and from work (7 miles each way), but I need something I can adjust back to serious off road off-road for weekends. I'd put my use at 65-35 street, but my dirt time will be moderately aggressive.

Thanks

?

[cowboyona426]

You can also cut and shorten the subframe a little bit to lower the seat height without affecting ground clearance.

[rush66]

I'd notch the subframe and shave the seat foam before anything else.

[R_Little]

I think a 20 tire is no smaller in OD than a 21. It uses a thicker tire. Like a 18 vr 19 rear.

MX-tech lowered a set of 00 wr suspension for me for a couple hundred. I lost 30mm of travel that I never use in the NE woods anyway and my speed and confidence in the woods is WAAAYY up. Now I can plant my foot at will and even start the bike on foo camber hills and not fall down. Really it feel like a 125 now.

Does the Zip-ty link actually lower the bike? I didn't think so.

[CAVSCOUT96]

Just got an e-mail back from zip-ty. The magic link won't work so that option is out.

1. What does "notching the subframe" mean?

2. is lowering your suspension a permanent thing, or can it be taken back to stock?

Thanks for th input fellas

BM

?

Thanks guys

[rush66]

notching the subfame would be making the mounting holes larger by drilling them out or grinding down the end of thepost so you can mount the subframe lowering the seat height.

[SXP]

Here's a subframe, already modified, for sale. Should fit the 400

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1453179/page/2/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1

[CAVSCOUT96]

Thanks!!

saw on your profile that you have 2 WRs. I just got mine, and my initial impressions are great. How do you like yours? I'm planning on using it to run some of the Hare Scrambles series here in Texas.

Thanks again

BM

?

[SXP]

Love them, though we only use them for mountain/dez trail riding. The second one (bone stock and essentially new) is for my son when he stops crashing so much. The kid is just fearless and goes where he really shouldn't. I worry about mangled radiators stranding us far away from the truck. He's on an XR400 right now.

Enjoy your bike ?

[YAMAKAZE]

I rode a YZ400 last year that had the subframe modified and dropped the seat height. I was very uncomfortable on it as it felt like I was riding a Dirt Chopper. There are several other things that you have to besides the sub frame to get it right. An inch in the back = 2 inches in the front to level things out. Yes you can pull the forks up in the stocks about an inch, but you would still need to shorten the springs in the forks another inch to get it right. You can also change the singarm link (some companies are doing this) without messing with the subframe. I really don't think that in the long run the benefit is worth the cost of doing it right. Maybe a 250F or a KTM would make better sense.

My 2 cents....

Bonzai ?

[onekyoung]

I agree with YK. Change the frame geometry and it will more than likely adversely affect handling characteristics. increase the sag and as you get more comfortable with the bike adjust it back up to where it should be.

(that's what I did for my GF, she is 5' 6" and it worked great)