Lowering Bike

[JamesDel]

Hi all,

I'm new to motorcycles, just recently completed my initial bike training. I have a Suzuki Bandit S 600 but unfortunately I am only 5 foot 5 and i can just get the tip of my toes to the ground when I am stopped (can get more down if I shuffle my bum to the left before I stop).

My instructor told me that I should lower my front forks by about an inch to get more of my foot down. I have done this and can now get a lot more of my foot down.

I haven't taken the bike out since I lowered it and have been looking up online about different ways to adjust ride height. I am seeing a lot of pages/videos about how lowering the front forks can mess with handling and cornering. Just curious to see if anyone has had previous experience doing this? Is the difference in handling going to be dangerous or just something that you need to get use to?

Any response is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[Nobby the Bastard]

[c_dug]

Dropping the front by 25mm without touching anything else will change the handling.

You want a set of lowering links (also called drop links or dog bones) - something like this: https://www.lustracing.co.uk/suspension/suzuki-gsf600-bandit-lowering-kits.html

I'd speak to the company about matching the new links to the level of drop at the front - I'm guessing there might be some geometry at play but it isn't something I've done before.
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[A100man]

While not ideal it's something you'll get used to and probably won't affect your lap times greatly (IMO)

New 'dog bones' at the rear will no doubt balance things out.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

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[stinkwheel]

Dropping the front end will 100% affect the handling and a full 1" is quite a long way to drop them.

What it will effectively do is tighten the rake angle of the forks which will make the steering less stable. This isn't always a bad thing because it also makes the steering quicker and more responsive but there is a happy medium. Too little rake and it'll start falling into corners and getting tank slappers.

Pretty irresponsible thing for an instructor to recommend to a new rider.

If you drop the rear by the same amount, the rake angle stays the same. Wheelbase decreases slightly but not by a lot.
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I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[JamesDel]

Thanks all, appreciate it

[dave001]

[Nobby the Bastard]

In other news, here's me on the 1250 Bandit S having no issues with it's height.



https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/76183_1615129891621_6942760_n.jpg
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[that_impulse_guy]

take the seat apart and cut 2 or 3cm of foam off, then put it back (recovered). If you can narrow it while you are there, do so.
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Now: Suzuki GSX400X, Suzuki RF900R, NS400R

[c_dug]

[Pete.]

You can lower the rear very easily by fitting longer dogbones. I never had to lower a Bandit but on my Hayabusa 1mm longer dogbones would lower approximately 3.5mm, so to match your 25mm lowering of the front you need dogbones about 7mm longer hole centres.

They are easy to make from two bits of metal bar and a drill, I sure as shit wouldn't be paying 70 quid for them from the link above.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[dave001]

[Nobby the Bastard]

You did notice that my leg was angled backwards? I'm clearly not even near full stretch.

The only time I've ever struggled to get a foot on the ground or ever was concerned about my footing was on that fucking enduro thing that someone took to bbq one year.

Had no trouble with the exup or fz or the sprint I have now. The assumption you have that I'm vertically challenged is as realistic as the chances of you ever winning on countdown.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[dave001]

[Ste]

[Nobby the Bastard]

I've never mentioned it before now. It's you that keeps mentioning it. It's almost as if you feel that you need to exert dominance on someone that you think is more alpha than you.

There's a reason for that, your inbuilt insecurity.

Please don't try and spell that.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[Nobby the Bastard]

[dave001]

[Nobby the Bastard]

I'm not the one who is has the issue about how tall people are. That's beta behaviour. Alphas don't give a shit about things like that. They just lead.
____________________
trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[dave001]