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Lowering - Whats possible

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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Vaughan said:
Here are a couple of photos of my shorter stand - excellent quality on par with the original and very solid. This was from Krooztune who now do a complete lowering kit for the AT that includes the shorter side stand and an insert for the centre stand that you cut yourself then get welded or could bolt it. Attached is a photo of my bike with the full lowering and stand mods.
Click to expand...
Thanks Vaughan, it looks nice, I contacted them yesterday to see if they will sell the side-stand separately but so far no reply.
 
#22 ·
Hi,
Interested in the dog bone change with new side stand. I tried to remove my stock spring to fit a hyperpro lowered one but could not get the unit out the swing arm area !!!
Could you tell me how to get in touch with kroostune as I am in the uk.
Any info much appreciated.
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
#24 ·
Hi, Thanks I followed that thread when I attempted the job and even removed the rectifier but there wasn't enough clearance for it to lift out I was going to remove the lower dog leg and coolant bottle to create more room but gave up ?
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
Johncroz62 said:
Hi, Thanks I followed that thread when I attempted the job and even removed the rectifier but there wasn't enough clearance for it to lift out I was going to remove the lower dog leg and coolant bottle to create more room but gave up ?
Click to expand...
Its is a bit fiddly and really needs 2 people but once you lift the swing arm up its not too bad. Good luck.
 
#26 ·
Hi Johncroz62, the people I used are Krooztune with a Z not S, easily found on the web. David is the Owner / Doer who did mine so I can't advise how he removed the shock assy. I think that he did it all from below without even removing the seat, but he has the lifting bike stand of course so that must make it easier. The lowering on my bike uses the same springs and shocks so only the mechanical "dogbone" linkage is changed (by about 15mm) on the rear, and spacers plus raising the fwd struts in the triple clamps by 10mm. This means that the (somewhat soft) suspension characteristics are very closely maintained but the whole bike sits 40mm lower. Earlier in the thread I give some of the numbers that are important to me, such as lean angle and ground clearances etc.
 
#27 ·
Hi Johncroz62, I clearly did not think this through - of course Krooztune did not need to remove my original shock assy as they only changed the mechanical links below - DUH!
 
#28 ·
Soupy's Performance is now offering lowering links and adjustable kickstands for the Africa Twin. These turnbuckle style links will allow you to adjust the rear ride height of the bike infinitely between stock height and a -4 inch drop. No need to remove bolts and disassemble the rear suspension every time you raise or lower your bike.

Soupy is a local Michigan friend of mine. It is a small family business that makes quality parts. If you are looking to lower your bike, consider supporting a US small business and motorcycle enthusiast.

- Soupy's Performance Link -

Image


Image
 
#31 ·
Yes the full Krooztune kit was used on my bike. I had the 50mm version, and when I measured it accurately before and after with myself 95kg rider ON (this is the important thing for me) there was a 40mm lowering, as measured under the sump guard. I think they do the 50mm measurement with the bike fully supported so no load at all on any of the springs. The front fork kit has some different spacers to be used inside the front spring/shock assemblies so they need to be fully dismantled. As I understand it, the front is also lowered the same as the rear (which to me makes full sense) and is done in 3 parts - new internal spacers, existing internal spring stops adjusted slightly, and the whole shock units raised by 10mm in the head tri-clamps. So my bike is now that bit lower but the spring travel and rates are the same. This means it is better on the road but less agile off-road - which suits me fine as I am only doing very mild off-road stuff.
 
#32 ·
When I picked my bike up 3 weeks ago I new I would have to lower it to feel comfortable with it. I looked at the Krooztune kit but got sticker shock when I saw the price. I had seen a thread about Soupy's adjustable like and thought for $130 bucks its worth a try. I ordered the link on a Monday afternoon and received it Thursday afternoon. I first measured the height of the bike to have an idea on how much I was going to lower it. The components in the link look to be of good quality and it took less than 45 minutes to install. Soupy's recommends dropping the forks tubes between 30 and 50% of what you drop the rear so I took the rear down 44mm and the front down 13mm. The only problem I had was that the bolt through the bottom of the shock was hitting the link adjuster nut so I took a grinder to it and removed the portion of bolt that protruded beyond the nut. ( see red arrow in pic). Overall I think its a good product for us shorter riders and the price is right. OH by the way I did not order the adjustable stand but at 44mm I should have, you can probably get away with it (I am) but its border line.



Image

Image
 
#33 ·
Hi Fster,
I'm very interested in one myself and I could ask the manufacturer these questions but I always like to get a true users reply.
Now that you've had the Soupy's fitted for a week or more, how is it ?
After having to cut that bolt, any other problems?
Is it easy to adjust ?
Also it looks to me adjustment is done like doing your Drive Chain adjustment, a bit both sides, so what or how do you get the alignment right both sides? or does it not matter if one side is 3 or 4 mm more than the other?
Thanks in advance, :)
 
#34 ·
Burger when you receive your link it is preset to exactly the same length for both sides. You first install it then start your adjustment and be sure to adjust both sides equally. I first had my son hold the bike up perfectly level with a spirit level across the rear rail. I then put some tape on a point on the rear rail and measured from the ground up to a mark I made on the tape. I went equal flats on both sides of the adjusters to one full turn then remeasured. I ended up going two full turns on each side which equaled a reduction in rear height of 44mm. I then dropped the fork tubes 13mm following the manufactures recommended 30 to 50 percent of the rear. I am very pleased with the results, the bike rides just fine, I see no ill effects from lowering. There is one think that I wish I had done before lowering and that is to mark the height of my head light beam on the wall at a set distance and then check it and readjust after lowering.
 
#35 ·
Hi Fster and thanks for the reply mate, ok, got all that, sounds easy enough.
Doh! that bloody headlight, there is always something :) thanks for the heads up.
Enjoy your ride.
 
#36 · (Edited)
Hi all!

By the fact I've to lower my AT (I'm "only" 162 in hight but, that's not the main problem from my point of view. The main reason is: Also the passenger seat is very high and it's not really comfortable to get on and off if you are less then 170 cm) I'd like to join this threat too.

@wytco: Metisse in Germany offer the same/a similar product. I was talking to them last week and was told this part just take more tenssion from the spring. This means, if you sit on the bike it will go down a little bit more than normal. Unloaded the AT will have the same hight as within standard configuration. In addition you have to stick the fork through (which I don't like).

I'm planning to do the lowering using componets made by Wilbers. Front: Other - progressive - springs, redution bushings and zero friction oil. Rear: New - shorter - shock absober.

This brings me to my next question: Has anybody done a lowering by using such Wilbers parts I've explained above?


Greetings, gerhard
 
#38 ·
Discussion starter · #39 ·
kari4711 said:
Hi all!

@wytco: Metisse in Germany offer the same/a similar product. I was talking to them last week and was told this part just take more tenssion from the spring. This means, if you sit on the bike it will go down a little bit more than normal. Unloaded the AT will have the same hight as within standard configuration. In addition you have to stick the fork through (which I don't like).
Click to expand...
Hi Gehard, I have the Metisse spring plate on my bike and it certainly works, lowering the fronts alps helped.
 
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