anyone lowered their bike?

[im_a_ninja]

I got my bike lowered today.
I think it's lowered about 1.5 inches. I am 5'2" but my legs are pretty long; still couldn't touch the ground flat footed.
Now I can!
It looks so tiny now. I think I'll get comfortable and then raise it up a little...because it's pretty darn close to the ground.
I'm posting a picture.

[andrewexd]

wow that looks really low.. hows it working out so far ?

[Alex]

A number of folks have, there's some information in the wiki about it as well:

http://www.ninjette.org/wiki/Lowering

Your bike does look quite low, but I think some of that may be the tiedown straps compressing the suspension. If that's not the case, then I do wonder if you'll have sufficient ground clearance left for even moderate turns; the bodywork does look very close to the ground.

[im_a_ninja]

I do think it looks quite low in this picture...I believe it IS because the tiedowns are compressing it a bit.
I thought maybe it was too low but I've seen several ppl say they lowered theirs 1.5 inches and it doesnt seem too low.
The links I got were adjustable and the blocks were stationary of course...so there was no deciding on them. The guy that lowered it out it down lower but he said it was too low. He raised it back up to this height. It can go a little higher before being stock.

I think taking turns will be difficult and I'll have to get used to that lack of clearance. Hopefully it will be ok.

It feels like I am WAY more in control now that I can sit and have my feet flat when I'm standing.
Surely since the lowering links were made for the bike it cant be TOO low. (I HOPE)

[im_a_ninja]

alex...do you know the person that posted that wiki info? I can see in the picture that they are using a different hole in the links than they used for mine.
If you see the picture of the link in place there are 3 additional holes....left center and right. Mine is in the center hole....so directly below the one they are using in the wiki post.
hmmm....it says lowered an inch so Im guessing mine IS 1.5

i hope it's ok.

[Alex]

I think that noche caliente posted that entry up.

[JaeL]

if this bike is actually this low......its dope!!!!

[Cali619]

low rider ninja's Would be sick to throw hydro's on one for show lol. Did they also change the kick stand, I got a couple friends that lowered their rides but stock kick stand and its nerve racking to park it.

[im_a_ninja]

Hey thanks for the good comments and the constructive criticism
I believe that it may be too low. I did ride it last night and didn't have an issue but if you look underneath the bike....the suspension part that the link is on is awfully close to the ground. It did bottom out on the trailer. But I was able to get out of the gravel driveway and there is a substantial rise to get to the concrete.

I do have a different kickstand. I wanted to keep all the stock parst stock in case I wanted to sell it so I used the roaring toys one. It is chrome and black and I dont really like it but it works. I bought the whole kick for $189....links, blocks and stand.

[im_a_ninja]

here it is from another angle...but still strapped down.

I'll get some of it today without the ties.

[Cali619]

you need to be in the pic on the bike to give us a better idea of seat height to your height

[DarkNinja52]

Originally Posted by Cali619

you need to be in the pic on the bike to give us a better idea of seat height to your height

LMAO @ the winking smiley face and the "giggity giggity" avatar

[Talonne]

I need to lower mine too, and am wondering how long your inseam is? I'm 5'2" as well but I have a very short 28" inseam. I hope I don't need to lower it more than 1.5" to be flat-footed...

I am really worried about having to back it off the driveway. I'll literally not be able to touch the ground AT ALL when going over the curb!!

[Cali619]

Originally Posted by DarkNinja52

LMAO @ the winking smiley face and the "giggity giggity" avatar

LOL

[im_a_ninja]

hey Jessica...my inseam is about 30" maybe 30-1/2 to be exact.
I am still unclear as to how low my bike actually was lowered.
I think its 1.5 but it seems awfully low. I can stand up while I'm on the bike and I still have quite a bit of space between my butt and the seat.
Anyone know the stock seat height off the top of their head??

[Talonne]

Stock height is listed as 30.5" on the Kawasaki webpage... but I'm not sure if that's after the bike is loaded with a tank of gas or not.

[im_a_ninja]

Now I'm really confused. I called roaring toyz and he told me that the 5 hole links can lower the bike nearly 3 inches total and that each hole up is about 1/2" so I'm thinking now maybe my bike was lowered 2.5"

Im headed over to where it's parked to measure seat height.
He also said, "yeah, those links will lower that bike to where it's nearly impossible to ride"
wow...great insight, dude. LOL Why even make them where it can be lowered too low to even ride? Seems silly. Although, it does look pretty cool. :P

[azia]

Originally Posted by im_a_ninja

Now I'm really confused. I called roaring toyz and he told me that the 5 hole links can lower the bike nearly 3 inches total and that each hole up is about 1/2" so I'm thinking now maybe my bike was lowered 2.5"

Im headed over to where it's parked to measure seat height.
He also said, "yeah, those links will lower that bike to where it's nearly impossible to ride"
wow...great insight, dude. LOL Why even make them where it can be lowered too low to even ride? Seems silly. Although, it does look pretty cool. :P

"NEARLY impossible" but not impossible. So for those who are either posers and for some odd reason want to stretch and slam a 250 OR someone who is just really really short but still wants to ride a sportsbike, that may be the only option.

I lowered by bike with the Roaring Toys kit, too. I thought it was 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 for the heights? If so, then mine is at 1.5 (originally at 2 but the back wheel started hitting the under tail...oops!).

I absolutely love it. I'm not afraid to park or stop on a steep hill. I still hate gravel and mud but will go through them.

[kkim]

I would lower it no more that 1.5 inches. other people have had problems with the rear wheel hitting the underside fender, wearing a hole through it and ripping out wiring which stopped their bikes dead in it's tracks until the wires were repaired.

compare your bike against a stock bike to figure out how much yours has been lowered. doesn't your boyfriend have an identical (unlowered) 250?

[im_a_ninja]

Originally Posted by azia

"NEARLY impossible" but not impossible. So for those who are either posers and for some odd reason want to stretch and slam a 250 OR someone who is just really really short but still wants to ride a sportsbike, that may be the only option.

I lowered by bike with the Roaring Toys kit, too. I thought it was 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 for the heights? If so, then mine is at 1.5 (originally at 2 but the back wheel started hitting the under tail...oops!).

I absolutely love it. I'm not afraid to park or stop on a steep hill. I still hate gravel and mud but will go through them.

this makes sense....the rep said 3 but I think this makes more sense. Mine is at 2 inches if your measurements are right. I would need to go up a hole to be at 1.5

kkim...yes he does have an identical stock bike. I was going to go compare heights but I didn't make it in time. I'm headed there tomorrow to measure. I asked the shop to lower it 1.5 inches and they charged me by the hour to do it. If it's more than 1.5 I'm insisting they raise it for free. It's not my fault they didnt measure it.....imo.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by im_a_ninja

I asked the shop to lower it 1.5 inches and they charged me by the hour to do it. If it's more than 1.5 I'm insisting they raise it for free. It's not my fault they didnt measure it.....imo.

Any reasonable shop should see it that way as well.

[JaeL]

I would only lower my bike for cosmetic reasons, so 1.5" doesn't sound/look like that big of difference....

[DarkNinja52]

It does look a little low, maybe too low, i would definitely check the height and have them fix it if its wrong. But thats only based on the pictures where the straps are holding it down...

[noche_caliente]

I think you should look again Jael - even 1 inch appears to be a huge difference!

[Cali619]

Originally Posted by noche_caliente

I think you should look again Jael - even 1 inch appears to be a huge difference!

were talking about bikes right? giggity

[subiegy2010]

im_a_ninja, I'm confused which hole your bike is using.

Is it the one furthest down? Maybe you can MS paint it because I'm curious. I used the hole that is second to last from the bottom and I think that that is 1.5". Maybe you could also get a picture of the bike when it's not strapped down and just sitting on the kickstand?

[noche_caliente]

Ilya, that pic is my bike, if that's the one you're talking about. There are three holes on one row and two on the other. Mine is in the second hole on the three-hole side and is one inch lower to the best of my knowledge.

[subiegy2010]

I was actually talking to im_a_ninja (Shannon), your pic is quite clear.

For future reference, I think this should be added to the tutorial:

*S=stock
From what I understand, that is correct, but if it's not I'll change it.

[noche_caliente]

I think you have them backwards- it would make sense that the one where you have 2 would be the stock position, as that's where it is longest, and it's shorter where the S is, which would compress the rear end, thus lowering it....

[subiegy2010]

My bike is currently in the hole labeled 1.5. If you're right, then I only lowered it .5 inches, which is impossible because the kick stand was holding the bike nearly completely straight, which is why I put the RT one on there. That, and the bike just looks dropped far more than half an inch. I'm confused now.

EDIT: I just went outside and compared the stock links to the new ones. The stock links match up with the hole currently marked S and do not reach any of the other holes, so I think that diagram is correct. Otherwise, this would be a lift kit rather than a drop kit.

[im_a_ninja]

Sorry I missed this thread for some reason....til just now.

My bike is lowered in the hole marked 1.5" in your diagram.

I think your diagram is fairly correct but when I called the ppl at roaring toyz they told me if would lower the bike nearly 3 inches with those links...thus, the confusion.

[subiegy2010]

Shannon, are you experiencing any rubbing on the 1.5" setting? I was lubing my chain today and noticed that my tire had rubbed against the plastic area above it. Obviously no damage was done yet, but I think if I keep the bike on this setting for 1000 miles or so, it might rub through it. That said, I'm probably going to raise it back up to the 1" setting in the spring. I'm going to miss being able to flat-foot the bike.

[BlueRaven]

I had it at the center hole but was told that the first hole was 0.5 and not stock. I had to raised it up to the second hole cause i was having problems of the wheel rubbing against the underside fender when hitting a bump even when i put my suspension at the third setting. I had to put the stock side stand back on I loved the chrome roaring toys lowering side stand.

[subiegy2010]

Wait, I'm confused, so which hole was making the tire rub for you and which one are you on now (based on the above diagram)?

[Hershey1]

Shoot! Now im all confused too. I have the roaring toyz kit too but I havnt put it on. Dont know if i will, Im feeling pretty lazy too. Im doing okay without it I think. I believe im the shortest person (5'0) on here. We'll see once the winter hits here, maybe give something to do.

[subiegy2010]

Lowering the bike has made it much easier for me to ride it and back out of the garage. I would recommend doing it, just don't go any lower than the hole marked 1" on the above diagram or you run the risk of rubbing. I may go out and snap a picture of the underside fender and how the tire has begun to rub against it.

EDIT: So here is a pic of where it is rubbing

And just so everyone can see what hole my lowering links are on:

This pic shows the bikes height at that setting; the kickstand is on a brick so you can see the height without the bike leaned over.


So I'm thinking about either putting a small piece of black duct tape over that area and allow it to rub on that instead of the fender. Any thoughts on this? Either that or I will just raise it up half an inch to the next setting.

If I raise it up, that makes the Lowering Kit pointless because the Roaring Toyz kickstand will no longer be needed. That was the most expensive part of the kit (over $100)... I don't understand why RT even makes this kit if it can't be used on a setting that would require a new kickstand without the tire rubbing on the fender.

[BlueRaven]

Originally Posted by subiegy2010

Wait, I'm confused, so which hole was making the tire rub for you and which one are you on now (based on the above diagram)?

Based on the diagram above i was on the 1" hole and am now on the .5" hole. The damage to the underside fender is way worse than the pic above. The rubbing occured on at least a few inches along the fender. I'll post a pic when i get a chance.

[subiegy2010]

Wow, so yours wasn't even as low as mine is now, and it was still rubbing. That really makes me question the point of the Roaring Toyz kit. Why would they design an "adjustable" lowering link that can only be used on one setting (besides stock height)? Better yet, why would they sell a $100 lowering kickstand that is only required when the bike is at a setting that clearly rubs?

With that said, I can't really imagine my bike rubbing if it were on the 1" setting, to me it seems like there would be plenty of clearance. But again, at 1" you wouldn't need the ridiculously expensive kick stand.

I'm going to stiffen up my suspension a notch or two and report back in spring when I start riding again. Hopefully it won't rub anymore, but if it does I'll have to raise it back up a notch and put the stock kickstand back on.

[CloneA]

I am 5ft even and couldnt ride my bike, or any bike until I had it lowered. We took it down 2 inches and I rode it like that for a few weeks to see if it was low enough before my boyfriend, who is a motorcycle mechanic, cut out a chunk of the kickstand and welded the end back on. I am disapointed that only the back went down. (but happy that I can atleast ride it now) The part that takes the front down isn't as cheap as the lowering links.

I call it my "baby bike" because it looks sooo tiny in the garage next to his zx10. But the 250 fits me just fine! Plus, at my size, I am afraid that any bigger bike will be WAY too heavy for me.

[kkim]

I would suggest you lower the front with some lowering blocks. They run about $60. Only lowering the back will make the bike harder to turn.

Also, careful of lowering the back 2". There have been problems when people go too low with the rear tire touching the rear fender underliner. I recommend lowering the back no more than 1.5".

By lowering both front and back the same amounts, you retain as much of the original handling characteristics that was designed into the bike.