Frogger4thga Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I decided that i wanted something diffrent and my wife didnt want me to sell the vfr and asked me to lower it for her. I was wondering if anybody had any experence with these lowering links. lowering link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zRoYz Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I would try everything else before lowering any bike because when you fit lowering links your changing the rear linkage fulcrum & without having shock reworked to suit it's simply not a good setup. Your wife mightn't be a corner monkey but lowering a VFR with limited ground clearance is also ill advised. Sometimes it is unavoidable but there are 2 things to try first, have the seat reworked so rider sits lower, even width of seat change makes a difference, then also add an extra sole to your wife's riding boots which any good boot maker can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogger4thga Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 i think lowering is my only option i have the shock on its lowest setting and i turned the triangle and i swill need it atleast 3 inches lower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted May 2, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 2, 2011 Rise the WIFE (BOOTS) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfr661 Posted May 2, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 2, 2011 I would try everything else before lowering any bike because when you fit lowering links your changing the rear linkage fulcrum & without having shock reworked to suit it's simply not a good setup. Your wife mightn't be a corner monkey but lowering a VFR with limited ground clearance is also ill advised. Sometimes it is unavoidable but there are 2 things to try first, have the seat reworked so rider sits lower, even width of seat change makes a difference, then also add an extra sole to your wife's riding boots which any good boot maker can do. i think lowering is my only option i have the shock on its lowest setting and i turned the triangle and i swill need it atleast 3 inches lower How tall is your wife? I am 5' 2" and have very short legs but manage to ride my 98 VFR fine. I can't flat foot both feet on the ground but manage to keep the bike straight by slightly leaning to one side and putting one foot down. The only things I did were flip the triangle (which you already done) and shave the seat. If you flip the triangle, make sure you lower the front forks by the same about and shorten the kick stand by 1/2". The bike is prone to tipping If you leave the kick stand at original height. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogger4thga Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 she is 5"1' i want her to be able to flat foot the bike. its also im nurves cause wile im building my own bike i still love the vfr and i want her to be fully comfortable and capable on it. this will be her first bike too. shes only ever had a short lession on a rebel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 she is 5"1' i want her to be able to flat foot the bike. its also im nurves cause wile im building my own bike i still love the vfr and i want her to be fully comfortable and capable on it. this will be her first bike too. shes only ever had a short lession on a rebel I would look at the SOUPYS PERFORMANCE products. They are by far the best way to lower any rear suspension safely. They are highly reccommended by the Busa Nation dudes, So if there ok with a 200hp bike they should be allright on our VFR's. Nice thing about them is they are totally adjustable, just make sure you lower the front proportinatly. PS: I have nothing to do with Soupys, just have tried them and ridden with them, 2006 BUSA & 2008 BUSA , and I feel they are the best. Heres the link to there VFR stuff. http://www.soupysperformance.com/catalog/item/4408900/4395660.htm Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfr661 Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 she is 5"1' i want her to be able to flat foot the bike. its also im nurves cause wile im building my own bike i still love the vfr and i want her to be fully comfortable and capable on it. this will be her first bike too. shes only ever had a short lession on a rebel The VFR as a first bike for vertically challenged and smaller people may not be the best choice. The VFR is a bit on the heavy side and has lots of power for a first timer. This combination will work against most vertically challenged newbies. Being in the same situation your wife is in, I started out on a Ninja 500 which is 100 lbs lighter and has 1/2 the power. I dropped the Ninja half a dozen times mostly when at a stop and learn to ride the less powerful bike for over 2 years before I upgraded to the VFR. The experiences from the Ninja 500 allow me to ride, maneuver, and enjoy the VFR more. I am not discouraging her from jumping on the VFR as her first bike but merely sharing my own experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Africord Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 Wow, I don't know if I've seen a 3" drop on a VFR. I sourced my shortened side stand from these guys after I did the triangle mod. http://www.sigmacycle.com/Default.aspx?pid=10 They only offer a 1.5" drop on their link, but the construction quality is quite high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedViffer Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 I seriously think dropping another 3" on top of what you've done will make that bike a lot less safe than if she were to only be able to put toes on the ground. I mean whats more important here, safety at a standstill, or safety at highway speeds? If she loses footing at a stoplight and it tips over, big deal, if something happened at speeds higher than 5mph it could be much worse for her and the bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer AaronB Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 Won't adding soles to the boots affect shifting and braking? Can anyone speak on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer AnikMankar Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 I had flipped the triangle link but move back to original as i was hitting speed breakers. the flip did give me more comfort as both my feet touched the ground http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/64346-5th-gen-lowering/page__p__754304__fromsearch__1#entry754304 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Flightar Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 Here is the route I'd take...I have a lot of experience in this area because I have just been through your exact scenario in two different bikes...(Moto Guzzi Breva 750 and a Ninja 250R). BTW the rider of these bikes is 5' 0" tall with a 27" inseam. If you need a three inch drop try these things, in this order. 1. Send the seat the spencers moto care (www.greatdaytoride.com) Have him do the long distance modification, lower the seat as much as possibe and narrow the front for a better reach to the ground. He has a very fast turn around and he charges very good rates for his work...The Moto Guzzi seat I mentioned above had all of this work done and it cost $125.00, the Ninja had everything except the seat lowering done and it cost $114.00 both prices include shipping. You should be able to get an easy 1-1.5 inches on a VFR right there. 2. Have the soles of the wifes riding boots built up 1.5-2 inches by a local cobbler, they will also need to be flared slightly at the bottom so she can walk properly. This should get you into the ball park without even touching the bike at all. You will also have to have the shifter cut and and an extension welded back in. The shifter may also have to be adjusted (raised on it's shaft). This will provide clearance to get her toe under the shifter with the higher boot soles...rates may vary here. 3. Drop the front forks .5-1 inch in the triple clamps...this will sharpen the steering slightly and will also lower the front of the seat ever so slightly...cost nothing. 4. Use a lowering link to lower the back...but ONLY use the minimum amount of drop required to reach your goal. 5. A better option to using a lowering link is this, but it will cost more money...purchase a custom shock from Hagon. They will provide a shorter shock than the stock unit. The upside here is that it will preserve the geometry of the rear suspension...This would cost around 7-800 dollars however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer obryap Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 I lowered my wifes 6th gen 1.5" with a Soupy's lowering link in the rear. I also raised the forks in the triple, but I don't remember how much. The bike handles fine, no adverse affects other than ground clearence. It did not take long for her to start dragging the pegs in the twisty stuff. I'm not sure if you will be able to drop 3" without clearence issues. http://www.soupysperformance.com/honda_vfr800_lowering_kit.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Gerrys02800 Posted May 3, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2011 Won't adding soles to the boots affect shifting and braking? Can anyone speak on this? I have done this many times for customers who had been told by other dealer(s) that they did not have a bike small enough for them. It is IMHO a lot easier than playing around with the suspension of the bike. All I did was have their boots sent down to our local leather / boot repair guru and he added hard sole pads in sizes from 1/2 inch to 3 inch thick and presto... new owners with new bikes. They could reach the ground flat foot and balance the bike, from a CBR600 to a VT750 or a GoldWing. Never had a reported problem from anyone in regards to the soles coming apart, slipping or anything. The gent who did this work also did all types or repair for leather/ hockey/ motocross and just about anything that could made to wear. I can heap a ton of praise on the quality work he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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