Lowering mono shock 600 Bandit

[Kirky]

Help me plz!!!!

I’m looking at lowering the mono shock on my 1996 GSF 600N Bandit.
The shocker is on the highest setting, so I wanted to lower it 1 or 2 settings.
But I don’t have the Spanner to turn the shocker sleeve.

Is there any way of doing it without the spanner? And is there anything I should do before trying to use something else.

[Kickstart]

Hi

That isn't there to adjust the height of the bike. It adjusts the preload on the spring.

To lower the bike you will need to fit longer dog bones in the suspension linkage or a shorter shock. And lower the front by a similar amount (you can drop the forks through the yokes a bit) to avoid screwing up the handling too much.

And watch out for the length of the side stand.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Bezzer]

It's probably on it's highest preload setting because it's knackered, putting it to it's lowest setting will no doubt make it wallow like a pig. Bandit shocks are renowned for going downhill in a short space of time and are one of the first things people replace. Another common mod is to rasie the backend with shorter dogbones, might be all you have to do is replace them with stock ones to bring the height back down or if it's standard already get longer dogbones to lower it. Having the seat cut down is always better as it doesn't affect the geometry.
____________________
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Just remembered, possible cheap way to longer dog bones is to use 1200 Bandit ones. Seems they are slightly longer.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Kirky]

I’m not sure what to do now, the guy who I had the bike off was about 6ft 5.
But when I’m on the bike I m on my tip toes to touch the floor, and I’m 5ft 11.
The dog bones on the bike are 120mm; I’m not sure what size stock ones should be.

[Vincent]

I would have thought if your on tip toes, trhe back end's been raised. This might help, standard is on the left:-

https://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j71/Drewskovitch/Banditheight.jpg

[Kirky]

Yeah mine looks like the pic on the right.
But I’m not sure what size dog bones I should order, the ones on the bike are 120mm long.
There are 2 kits I can find to lower the bike by 25mm or 45mm.
I don’t want to order the same ones that are all ready on the bike.

[Vincent]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Best to find out first what has changed first.

Standard dog bones are cheap 2nd hand. If your bike has shorter ones to raise it then longer than standard, ones to lower it could make far too much difference.

Height wise I am about 5'8" and have no problems on a stock Bandit getting both feet down. My better half is about 5'2" and can ride a stock Bandit and has no problems with one slightly lowered (bit out of the seat and maybe half an inch lower suspension).

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Kirky]

Thanks for all your help, I will try to find sone standard dog bones.