extended swing arm

[pcmech2]

or is it swingarm? anyways i have searched tt and found no mention of extended swingarms... i have read about guys taking 1 chain link out in order to move the rear wheel forward... maybe i am silly, but i bought 2 yz450 swingarms (both 03) for my 03 wr450. i am going to cut em up and add 4-6". any thoughts.... how much can it really change the handling? has anyone else done it? i really searched all of tt & there are only a couple/few threads none on our bike. thanks for your input

[SRT426]

A longer swingarm will make the bike not handle very well. Extended swingarms are for hillclimbing and drag racing to help keep the front wheel planted. If you want the bike to handle better then properly set up you suspension. If you want to shorten the wheelbase (quicker steering) then raise the forks in the trees 5mm then take a link out of the chain to move the rear wheel as far forward as possible

[MarshalGiles]

What are you trying to accomplish by adding length to your swingarm? If you'll be doing general trail riding, motocross, or anything other than hillclimb or drag racing, it's a big mistake, IMO.

[matt4x4]

most of the pro teams run their bikes using the maximum extension on the stock swingarm (essentially putting a longer than stock chain on the bike) this helps keep the front planted and allow for more aggressive throttle earlier out of the corners, if there was anything better for SX/MX, beleive me, they'd be doing it.

The further you move your wheel back, the more spin you'll incur

[justbackitin]

Extending your swing arm will also affect your rear shock set up. The added leverage will make the stock rear end feel way soft.

[Charles De Mar]

I hope you are building a hill climber or sand dragger:prof:

[pcmech2]

it will be a couple of weeks til its done, normally ride fire roads & my buddies think its funny to go up these vertical hills, so not too much woodsy super tight & i dont jump, i cant balance...so i was thinking it might make it easier up hill with a little extension & a teraflex & its not like 10" extension... so i was curious if anyone had actually ridden one around?

[GCannon]

You will need to increase your rear spring rate to a heavier spring.

[rider_hunter]

I machined some blocks that fit in the axle block slots and I can add 2-6 inch over stock but this is for drag racing and hill climbs I even have a different shock I built for when I use them even +2 it changes the shock dresticaly and it makes your bike feel long stick and you loose a lot of your wipping around like your use to if your raceing moto and want a little holshot advantage move your axle to the back of the slot

[Yamahaguy22]

I do have a +8 inch extended swinger. It really isn't as bad as you think. It'll eat a back tire up on black top. It just spins a lot which has been acknowledged lol.

Its really not that bad to ride in the trail just no fun not being able to ride wheelies an dumb shit like that. Definitely a plus when it comes to climbing tho I love mine. Its coming off tho cause it's just making my bike look funny ish to me

[FORMA MOTO]

I want to extent the front end as well.

 

Will it affect the handling much?

 

What if I use smaller wheels, say 12", would that affect the handling at all?

 

What if I use square wheels, so I can get more contact patch on the dirt.....will that affect the handling?