Lowering a CRF250L Help/Idea - Page 2

Kawidad · 08-16-2012, 06:10 AM

A machine shop should be able to make lowering links for not a lot of money. I've seen homemade ones that work just fine, not that I recommend going that route.

ggamster · 08-17-2012, 06:32 AM

Well enough talking about it. Today is the day i attempt this. My wife apparently has an inseam of 27, not the 29" that i thought. The bike with the forks lowered all the way has a seat height of 34.5". For those stating to reduce the preload. The dike comes with it as low as it can go and only has 1"of sag with 190lbs on it. My wife at 110 doesn't get any sag. I will report back with results.

tdvt · 08-17-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggamster

My wife apparently has an inseam of 27, not the 29" that i thought.

29 is how old she is & how old she WILL be for the foreseeable future.

ggamster · 08-17-2012, 09:46 AM

Just finished everything is done including the kickstand waiting on the paint to dry and now I'm going to take it for a test ride. This was incredibly easy.

Navin · 08-17-2012, 01:37 PM

1" of race sag means she needs a much lighter spring. There are many ways to do a job but they all fall into two specific catagories, the right way and the wrong way. I hope you didn't/don't do anything you can't easily undo.

Good luck to you with this, hopefully it increases the ratio to give a softer ride too. If this will be the bike she really rides, invest in the right rate spring. I can't imagine it being much fun to ride at her weight with that spring.

viverrid · 08-17-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navin

Good luck to you with this, hopefully it increases the ratio to give a softer ride too.

AFAIK a lowering "dog bone" (like a Kouba) in effect softens the spring due to the change in leverage. OP might have gotten both the lowering effect AND the spring effect he wanted in one swoop. He's already shortened the shock directly so I think he's gonna need to re-spring also.

He is correct that preload should NOT be a ride height adjustment. But the problem with lowering the suspension is that now the swingarm starts out at the wrong angle. It starts off running "uphill" from the pivot to begin with. Wrong angle for the initial working travel, to go up it's also swinging the rear axle forward.

Navin · 08-17-2012, 03:20 PM

HUH? Preload and race sag adjustments are very much a ride height adjustment. Did I misunderstand that comment? I'd far rather run deeper sag that use this method, at least as the first one to try it!

Running more or less sag is a great way to adjust the steering/stability of a bike. I use it for changing ride height all the time.

If the spring rate were correct for the rider, and the race sag were set correctly, the seat height may very well be fine for her. 1/3rd of the travel is a pretty comically low seat height. My friend runs 5" instead of the recommended 4" on his Husky, he dropped the front by raising the forks and he is very happy with it so he can dab a foot.

He may have also run the shock into the stiffer part or the rising rate, (we need a suspension guru to chime in), making a too stiff rear even stiffer. The results should be interesting anyway.

ping · 08-17-2012, 07:52 PM

When you re-assemble the bolts , remember to use loctite and let dry for 24 hours.

Navin · 08-18-2012, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ping

When you re-assemble the bolts , remember to use loctite and let dry for 24 hours.

ggamster · 08-20-2012, 06:53 AM

It is done and works great. I can't find any ill effects other than a 2.5" lower ground clearance but lets face it. This bike isn't going to be ripping it up on single track race any time in the near future.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=819032

If you have any questions just ask.

DragonRider1 · 11-16-2012, 05:01 PM

http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...ear-shock.html

This is an article out of an asian forum where someone did exactly this; drilled and trimmed the stock bottom. We spent the last two hours at a local dealer trying to find some way for my 2" too short girlfriend to fit without resorting to finding an XT-250.

08-16-2012, 06:10 AM	#16
Kawidad Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2005 Location: Central Coast, Cal Oddometer: 3,851	A machine shop should be able to make lowering links for not a lot of money. I've seen homemade ones that work just fine, not that I recommend going that route. __________________ "Deeply flawed people make deeply flawed decisions."

08-17-2012, 06:32 AM	#17
ggamster ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Tunnel Hill, IL Oddometer: 195	today is the day Well enough talking about it. Today is the day i attempt this. My wife apparently has an inseam of 27, not the 29" that i thought. The bike with the forks lowered all the way has a seat height of 34.5". For those stating to reduce the preload. The dike comes with it as low as it can go and only has 1"of sag with 190lbs on it. My wife at 110 doesn't get any sag. I will report back with results.

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08-17-2012, 09:46 AM	#19
ggamster ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Tunnel Hill, IL Oddometer: 195	Just finished everything is done including the kickstand waiting on the paint to dry and now I'm going to take it for a test ride. This was incredibly easy.

08-17-2012, 01:37 PM	#20
Navin Unwounding Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Garage Oddometer: 4,420	1" of race sag means she needs a much lighter spring. There are many ways to do a job but they all fall into two specific catagories, the right way and the wrong way. I hope you didn't/don't do anything you can't easily undo. Good luck to you with this, hopefully it increases the ratio to give a softer ride too. If this will be the bike she really rides, invest in the right rate spring. I can't imagine it being much fun to ride at her weight with that spring.

08-17-2012, 03:20 PM	#22
Navin Unwounding Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Garage Oddometer: 4,420	HUH? Preload and race sag adjustments are very much a ride height adjustment. Did I misunderstand that comment? I'd far rather run deeper sag that use this method, at least as the first one to try it! Running more or less sag is a great way to adjust the steering/stability of a bike. I use it for changing ride height all the time. If the spring rate were correct for the rider, and the race sag were set correctly, the seat height may very well be fine for her. 1/3rd of the travel is a pretty comically low seat height. My friend runs 5" instead of the recommended 4" on his Husky, he dropped the front by raising the forks and he is very happy with it so he can dab a foot. He may have also run the shock into the stiffer part or the rising rate, (we need a suspension guru to chime in), making a too stiff rear even stiffer. The results should be interesting anyway.

08-17-2012, 07:52 PM	#23
ping Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Oddometer: 175	When you re-assemble the bolts , remember to use loctite and let dry for 24 hours.

08-20-2012, 06:53 AM	#25
ggamster ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Tunnel Hill, IL Oddometer: 195	It is done and works great. I can't find any ill effects other than a 2.5" lower ground clearance but lets face it. This bike isn't going to be ripping it up on single track race any time in the near future. http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=819032 If you have any questions just ask.

11-16-2012, 05:01 PM	#26
DragonRider1 East TN Adventurer! Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Knoxville,TN next to Deal's Gap & Cherohala Skyway Oddometer: 92	http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-f...ear-shock.html This is an article out of an asian forum where someone did exactly this; drilled and trimmed the stock bottom. We spent the last two hours at a local dealer trying to find some way for my 2" too short girlfriend to fit without resorting to finding an XT-250.