daffyduck1962 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 My wife is considering changing her current bike, SV650S (03) with straight bar conversion for something else. She is only 5'"2 tall, and average inside leg for her height. She can plant her feet comfortably on a Bonneville, but I don't think she would enjoy the bike as much as a Bandit.I know I can lower the rear suspension as much as she needs, but just how far can you drop the forks without the front mudguard hitting the bottom yoke on full compression of the forks?I did wonder if it would be possible to just find shorter forks with the same tube diameter or have a specialist shorten the tube length and adjust the springs accordingly. I could also get a shorter shock made for her height by Hagon or someone similar.Are there any lady members, in particular who have found a way around the seat height issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Be very carefull when considering dropping the forks through the yokes or shortening the fork legs......small adjustments here can have a BIG effect on the steering geometry of the bike...... LittleCat will be the best to advise on getting a bike set up for a person of shorter stature..... Why does your wife want to change the bike?......ie, what is she looking for in the new bike? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecat Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 hi, firstly , the bandits a tall bike to start with , so possibly not the most obvious one to lower.if shes 5'2 , depending on her inside leg , most bikes will lower, but maybe not to flatfoot.the other issue to consider is weight, its possible to ride without both feet touching down ( I have the tip of one toe at a time on the floor on the r6, cant reach with both), but the bike will need to be relatively lightweight to manage like that. and confidence plays a big part too.why is she fancying a bandit over the sv? how long has she been riding, and whats her inside leg .?what is it that she looks for in a bike ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecat Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 oh and just on a side note if she fancies something sporty with a bit of oomph, my R6 is going to be up for sale very soon...fully lowered, properly balanced back and front , and with seat reduced.now that would be perfect for her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecat Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 oh, and also ( and sorry to be hogging the post , but im somewhat an expert in being short , and I do mean very short)don't make the assumption that the rear can be lowered as much as you want...theres a limit to how much you can drop any bike....class example is the zx9 I bought...40 mm max kit available...could possibly have pushed it a smidgen...but to get my feet down it would've needed 80mm....not even close to feasible.( and yes to balance the front it would've been bouncing off the hugger before it was even close to enough) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonniebird Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've dropped my Speed Four about an inch with Lust Racing links - I haven't lowered the front end at all and TBH I don't think the handling has been affected. I advice I've been given is not to lower the front to the same degree as the back to preserve the dynamics of the bike/rake etc.. I may drop it through the forks maybe half an inch if I get round to doing a flat bar conversion on it to see what effect it has.If you can get away with it then just adjusting the seat, shaving the foam etc.. is a possibility and it won't upset the handling. There's also Daytona Ladystar boots that some seem to swear by to add an extra inch.Why a Bandit particularly? I would have thought that the SV650 was more fun (I'd also dispute that the Bonnie isn't fun!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazzyG Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 What makes you think she wouldn't enjoy a Bonnie?I own a Bonnie and have borrowed an 09 Bandit 650s for several weeks.Bandit's a good bike, but in my opinion a Bonnie has WAY more character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 You don't NEED to lower the front end. it just makes the steering slower. I lowered my B12 rear by 2" and never touched the front end. If you lower the front too much, the bike will be unstable and dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 You don't NEED to lower the front end. it just makes the steering slower. I lowered my B12 rear by 2" and never touched the front end. If you lower the front too much, the bike will be unstable and dangerous. lowering the rear makes the steering slower lowering the front quickens the steering lowering both does all sorts of shit! finding the right balance is the hard part! I know a guy who lowers bikes for a living and he also drops the front too to get the fine balance to keep the steering geometry as close as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I've heard these are pretty effective http://imageshack.com/a/img691/6203/o3l3.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megawatt Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I know Stu. You don,t NEED to lower the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadRatter Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Just my $0.02c, but surely with the SV650 being a single shock set-up, you can make (or get made) a new dog-bone to adjust the height of the rear of the bike? I would test the bike on a few different heights if you do drop the forks - although maybe a 1" up, 1" back set of risers would be easier to bring your back more upright? You could also shave a little off of the sides of the seat, that way you don't lose seating height, but when "shortie" puts their legs down, you put your legs down there's less seat in the way.Finally....ever heard of New Rocks?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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