| Author | Message | ||
     Jraice |
Has anybody experimented with lowering the front end of the bike by raising the fork legs? What bike? How much? Effects? I am thinking about giving it a shot. Thinking 5-10mm. Hoping to speed up the turn in with minimal stability loss. | ||
| Slaughter |
JUST THE OPPOSITE! Raised the front end as much as possible and even run the compression damping a little stiff to PREVENT the front end from becoming so steep when you're trail braking. I'd be a little timid doing what you're talking about. | ||
| Andymnelson |
lots of people do it, and even more ask the question here (i think this is the third or forth thread this spring about this). While it can be done, I'll give you these facts (which lead to my caution against it): 1) there is a clip aroun the tube just under the upper clamp. This clip is very functional and keep the forks from sliding up through the triple- especially under extreme forces such as braking hard, coming down too hard off a wheelie or hitting a pothole. 2) if your triples are properly torqued and that clip is not in place, there is NOT enough clamping force on the fork tubes to hold them in place in the above scenarios. And then imagine if only 1 fork slipped and not the other- that'll mess you up! you see where I'm going: you can do it, but it requires you to over-torque the triple clamps. and then there's the fact that you just messed with the suspension geometry. so, yes it can be done. Is it worth: - removing the safety of the clip that keeps them in place - over torquing the triples - messing with a very well engineered suspension geometry ...my opinion is no. | ||
| Nillaice |
i remember seeing sets of tripple trees made differently to provide different rake/trail resulting in quicker turn-in and none of the bad effects mentioned above. not really help ful since i dno't have any links | ||
| Greg_e |
OK, so the safe way would be to send the forks to a machine shop, have them machine a few rings for 5mm, 10mm, and maybe 15mm. Or machine a ring at 15 or 20mm and use spacers to take up the distance, this would get you into a stronger portion of tubing than multiple slots cut close together. Changing shims would require pulling the forks out, but it might be worth the effort. One thing you will get with a different rake and trail will be more tendency to headshake. Now if you lower both the front and back what you get is a lower center of gravity which should allow faster cornering. It also reduces wind drag, but reduces ground clearance so is really only good for the track. You may go through a lot of pegs and lower body work/oil catch covers. I seem to recall mention that the E B R racing machines are lowered so they might be able to help with suggestions. (I could be wrong though) | ||
| Trojan |
Has anybody experimented with lowering the front end of the bike by raising the fork legs? Yes, on race bikes. It will speed up what is already pretty quick steering and will make the bike a lot more unstable and liable to tank slap. UNless you also stiffen up your front suspension you will have a great time smashing front fenders on a regular basis too  Can't see why you would ever want to do it on a road XB. 1) there is a clip around the tube just under the upper clamp. This clip is very functional and keep the forks from sliding up through the triple- especially under extreme forces such as braking hard, coming down too hard off a wheelie or hitting a pothole. 2) if your triples are properly torqued and that clip is not in place, there is NOT enough clamping force on the fork tubes to hold them in place in the above scenarios. And then imagine if only 1 fork slipped and not the other- that'll mess you up! I don't necessarily agree. I threw away the 'clips' on my race bike when lowering the front, and the forks never moved a milimetre over the course of a full season without them. I think they are there more to stop morons riding with loose triple tree bolts than anything else. No other sports bike I have owned has ever used them. | ||
| Andymnelson |
I'm guessing we are both correct- as your riders on a track probably give it less impact than a street rider: less big ol potholes, less botched wheelies with hard impact etc. I know a local guy who did just what I described on his Lightning- slipped the fork tubes, then torqued everything to spec. He biffed a wheelie and his forks slipped up into his bars, and munched some of the wiring. I suppose he's lucky that's all that happened. Is it a guarantee that it will happen? No. Do I recommend doing it? No. As stated above (the part you didn't quote):
...just my opinion. When it came time to lower my S for my wife to ride it, I didn't even consider slipping the tubes, I did it the right way with shorter forks installed properly. Again, just my opinions! | ||
| Greg_e |
I still think my way with the shims would be the best of both, but again assuming track use. With the potholes around here I want every mm I can get between parts, dropping the forks down could cause the fenders/fairings to get crushed and I do not want that. Thing is that our original poster does do track days and may use his street bike, so only he can decide how far to take this project. And the other bikes that I've owned also did not have this retainer, but it probably is a good idea. | ||
| Jraice |
Thanks for the info guys. And yes I do ride the track. I'll have my local suspension genius take a look at it and decide if its safe/worth it to try it out I suppose. | ||
| 1_mike |
On one hand, I wouldn't raise them because of the already quick steering. On the other hand, I did...raise them on my 03 Yamaha R1. Removed the same rings and all. As I recall, I did this at about 2,500 or so miles. 102,xxx miles later....no fork tube slippage..! Care in what you are doing and proper fastener tightening is key. Mike | ||
| Jraice |
Thanks guys, Keep in mind I have an Ss so my "already quick steering" isn't as quick as some of you guy's bikes. | ||
| Surveyor |
I dropped the front end of my XB9r track bike by 10mm -as far as I can remember. The front didnt feel right and I think you'd need a steering damper. I can't honestly say whether or not it quickened the steering because I dropped the forks back to their original position after a couple of shakey laps. | ||
| Mackja |
I lowered the front end by 4mm, could not get the back end of the bike high enough (sag). Finally put a Elka 3way shock on the back now sag is perfect and bike handles like a dream. Be mindful Buells have a steep rake (21 degrees)if you get the back end to high or front to low, the bike could become unstable. Every adjustment changes in height changes the geometry of the bikes rake. |
