How to lower a 690R 2010?

[Evil Invader]

Originally Posted by Evil Invader

I wanna trade!!!


But I live in Sweden.....

Ah hell, I´ll pay for the shipment!

[Pantah]

Originally Posted by The Letter J

If you use a lowering link it still has the same wheel travel as stock but will now bottom the tire on the tank before the shock has run out of travel.
P.S. I feel like I just competed in the special olympics with that reply.

I think the link actually changes the wheel travel limits within the motorcycle. Therefore I think you are flat wrong. But whatever, my 1 inch Kouba doesn't bottom on my tank. I also have a Yamaha WR250R. Yamaha sells a Yamalink to lower the back by an inch. It doesn't bottom on plastic either.

I have no idea what your 'marks' were from bottoming, nor the size link.

But I think you invent.

[The Letter J]

Originally Posted by Pantah

I think the link actually changes the wheel travel limits within the motorcycle. Therefore I think you are flat wrong.

Well that minor detail wasn't really worth mentioning before... but now that you brought it up, yes a lowering link (longer than stock) will change the available wheel travel IT WILL INCREASE IT (very minimal, like a few mm) making it even more likely to make contact with the tank!

Taken directly from Kouba's FAQ:

"Question #5: Do your links increase or decrease travel?
Answer: All of our links increase the total travel but the actual amounts vary between models"

It also softens the curve of the springs effective rate (rising rate linkage, right?) making it, yet again, more likely to bottom.

This too taken from Kouba's FAQ:

"All lengths are longer than stock and the ride height is still determined by the amount of race sag; just the starting and ending points of the swingarm arc are different. They also put more leverage on the rear spring and make the rear more compliant on the small stuff but may require a heavier rear spring to help prevent bottoming if a rider is very heavy and/or very aggressive"

Originally Posted by Pantah

I also have a Yamaha WR250R. Yamaha sells a Yamalink to lower the back by an inch. It doesn't bottom on plastic either.

The reason that it isn't a problem with your WRR or my riding buddies TE250 and DRZ400 that both have Kouba links on them is that all of those bikes have a greater distance (relative to available travel) from the tire to the underside of the fender to begin with so there is room to spare.

Originally Posted by Pantah

But whatever, my 1 inch Kouba doesn't bottom on my tank.

Were you bottoming it out before the link was installed? My guess is no, and I will stick by my statement:

Originally Posted by The Letter J

If you are not using all of your travel as it is, the link will probably work just fine for you.

Originally Posted by Pantah

I have no idea what your 'marks' were from bottoming

From the tire hitting the bottom of the tank:

Originally Posted by Pantah

nor the size link.

stock, but to be clear, a lowering link has the potential to compress further into the tank by at least the amount that it lowers the bike (although the impact should stop it )

Originally Posted by Pantah

But I think you invent.

?

I'm not totally against using lowering links, if it is working for you, that is great. I have several friends that use them and like them too. I don't doubt that your 690 doesn't have issues with tire rub either, I'm just stating the fact that the possibilty is there if pushed hard enough so that others here who might come across this thread understand the effects that a lowering link can have on a 690.

[StepOnIt]

OK OK all this stuff about how to lower the bike is hurting my head.... Just find smaller tires and rims .

[Dr LC8]

Originally Posted by The Letter J

While your post wasn't directed at me, I will tell you that I have measured and checked clearances (cycled suspension with spring removed from shock) and under "typical" circumstances the tire will not hit the tank... BUT it will full on bury itself into the tank (enough to momentarily lock the wheel) on a hard hit WITH A COMPLETELY STOCK BIKE. I'm not saying this theoretically, I'm telling you this with 100% certainty, the rub marks and grooves in the underside of my tank don't lie. Rider/gear weight has nothing to do with the range of motion of the rear suspension.

If you use a lowering link it still has the same wheel travel as stock but will now bottom the tire on the tank before the shock has run out of travel. That being said, most people who use a lowering link will still not have this problem but if the bike is pushed hard enough, it IS definately possible on the 690. To completely prevent this issue, the "right" way to lower the bike would be to limit the shock internally (basically this is how swapping from "R" to "E" components accomplishes it.) If you are not using all of your travel as it is, the link will probably work just fine for you.

Another way to lower your bike that extra little bit is to run lower profile tires such as 120/90/18 or 100/90/18 but don't expect to see more than a 1/2" and you end up losing width and sidewall in the process. You could even swap wheels entirely to smaller sizes (19/17 or 17/17) and run even shorter tires without losing width, this would be coupled better with a lowering link because the shorter tires are less likely to hit the tank when bottomed out... but this comes at a cost much greater than having your suspension done.

The OP specifically said that he did not want to use a lowering link and would prefer working "directly with springs and shocks." It sure seems like you are the one "pimping" stuff Pantah (kouba link), not Zuber.

I'll stick with my first reply of trading someone's "E" stuff for your "R" as being the most cost effective solution.

P.S. I feel like I just competed in the special olympics with that reply.

Hi,

I agree with your solution of limiting the shock internally. I just spoke to a Ohlins specialist here in Manchester who has offered this solution as the most reliable and "thecnically correct". It won't be free though. I will look into it after my forthcoming trip to tunisia. It is likely that I will anyway need a suspension service at that time.

Ciao

Nic