Lowering questions for "L"

[Bibleman]

Hi guys. I heard that when you install the lowering link that the bearings fall out in small pieces and have to be replaced. Is that true? And if it is, I assume I would need to order new bearings as well? How would they go in if they fall apart so easily?

Secondly, due to the tapered area on the top of the front fork, it looks like you could only raise the forks in the clamps about a half inch. Wouldn't this throw things out of whack since the back will be lowered by an inch and a half?

[Huffa 2]

Hi guys. I heard that when you install the lowering link that the bearings fall out in small pieces and have to be replaced. Is that true? And if it is, I assume I would need to order new bearings as well? How would they go in if they fall apart so easily?

Secondly, due to the tapered area on the top of the front fork, it looks like you could only raise the forks in the clamps about a half inch. Wouldn't this throw things out of whack since the back will be lowered by an inch and a half?

They will fall out if your not careful and if they do you just carefuly install them back in again. The grease holds them in pretty well though. Just do it over a tray or something in case any do fall out. They are roller bearings, not ball bearings and they fit in a coller.

They may need regreasing anyway but not always so.

They go inside these smaller (simular to these)collars you see here in package .......

As for the front, if that is the case, what your saying, it sure sounds unbalanced to me

[Bibleman]

Thank you very much for the clarification on the bearings. I'm putting an order in with the TT store for a shift lever and lowering link. I really want to lower my bike and if the forks can't be raised enough, I might even go to the expense of having a suspension specialist do something internally.

[Denn10]

I would raise the forks like you said when you get your rear lowering link and see how you like it and how it feels ill bet you can mess a bit with the settings and be happy without having to have the fork springs cut or anything like that.

[Bibleman]

Yes, I agree it would be wiser to at least try the simpler approach first.

[motometal]

I was in the same boat, especially with my bike being the skyscraper '93 model. Also, doing a little "supermoto wannabe" work with the bike, I found the forks to be way too soft and mushy. The rear spring seems just fine (quite a bit stiffer in comparison). It's been a while ago, but I think what I did was cut the fork springs shorter by a couple inches, dress up the ends, and add an equal length of pvc pipe spacer behind the top-out springs. I have been really impressed with how well this works, much less brake dive, shorter bike, more agressive steering, but it's not "too stiff" by any means. Puts the forks back where you can slide them in the clamps to fine tune. Adjust fork oil height/weight and clickers as needed to compensate (slower on the rebound, cant remember what else I did).

Oh yeah...this is in conjunction with a lowering link from Dual Star.

Be warned though, depending on how much you shorten and/or slide the forks up in the clamps, you may have the tire bottoming on the fender over bigger jumps etc. Never a problem on the street or normal trail riding.

[Bibleman]

Wow Moto, sounds like you have come across a good set-up. The front isn't too soft for me since I only weigh about 165 and I'm not a real aggressive rider BUT, I would like to slide the forks up. Problem is that there is a tapered area in the top of the fork tubes that would limit how much you could move the forks to about 1/2 inch as far as I can see. Am I missing something?

[motometal]

It depends what you are doing with the bike, somewhat. I was doing some pretty agressive braking and quick switchbacks on pavement, and with the stock suspension setup the bike was brake diving and bucking like a rocking horse. Not to mention the tallness of the bike. I am about the same wt as you fwiw. To me, the stock spring setup is way unbalanced...I think the rear spring is made for 2-up riding or heavier riders. I have the rear preload as loose as practical and it works "ok" with the link.

I happened to keep the chunks I cut off, so I measured...I cut 2.38" off the springs, wouldn't recommend any more than that if you do decide to try it. I'm still between .5 and .6" forks slid up in the clamps!

So also, it seems to me that stock, this bike has really lazy (like a chopper) steering, for my taste anyway. The way I set up that aspect of a bike for riding which includes tight turns (not desert!), is usually to slide the forks up in the clamps 1/4" at a time (or otherwise somehow lower the front end) then CAREFULLY test ride. When it gets twitchy or headshakes, go back the other way a bit (forks slid down in the clamps). In the dirt, braking bumps as you are slowing at the end of a straight are a good test. Setting things up properly will really help your handling in tighter turns.

[Bibleman]

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about throwing the steering off. I sure would hate to get myself into a tank slapper.