Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => Accessories and modifications - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: Awaz on October 10, 2013, 08:48:20 AM
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Ok...you guys bullied me into lowering my front end ! ;D
Just kidding....well, here is the issue. I had my bike lowered (just back end) for the longest with muzzy's link. Recently (like a week back), I went back to original links to raise it up again because I thought I can now handle the bike much better, which I do. But the problem I am having is that my planter's facia in my left foot is flaring back up. Right now, I am attributing this to backing the bike out of garage on my tippie toes putting undue stress on the bottom of my foot. My left foot is a pretty much a patch job from a car accident many moons ago (think like when I was 10 yrs) - so the ankle and all is not quite right. Long story short, think I might lower it back again, but this time want to lower the front as well. So question is, what is the process of lowering the front? I know you gotta take the bolts off the clams that holds the fork leg, but do you take the wheel off? Since the front wheel bear some weight when the bike is in center stand, do you put a small jack underneath so that the thing does not move and down on its own?
EDIT: Another question I have is whether it is safe to cut half an inch off a stock side stand? Or advisable to buy a new short one?
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Another question I have is whether it is safe to cut half an inch off a stock side stand? Or advisable to buy a new short one?
You probably could but sounds like a pain in the butt, I suggest just buying the 1" shorter one from PE, it's very quality built IMO. :thumbs: :thumbs:
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Thinking about it more, I may just get a new one. Not sure if I will trust a weld.
What about the lowering bit? How did you do your front end?
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http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=15234.msg185966#msg185966 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=15234.msg185966#msg185966)
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think I might lower it back again, but this time want to lower the front as well. So question is, what is the process of lowering the front? I know you gotta take the bolts off the clams that holds the fork leg, but do you take the wheel off? Since the front wheel bear some weight when the bike is in center stand, do you put a small jack underneath so that the thing does not move and down on its own?
EDIT: Another question I have is whether it is safe to cut half an inch off a stock side stand? Or advisable to buy a new short one?
You should always lower the front and back the same amount to maintain handling characteristics. You can cut the side stand, but you will have to weld a foot back on it. To lower the front, you must install risers first to allow the tubes to be raised.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=260.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=260.0)
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After all that the most informative thread I found (lowering the front) was:
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=260.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=260.0)
Allot of threads on the rear and the seat though. :)
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After all that the most informative thread I found (lowering the front) was:
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=260.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=260.0)
I do try to be informative when I can be :)
This forum has given me a TON of info, I am happy to try and give back however I can.
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So as I understand it, you loosed the upper and lower fork clamps and raised the fork tubes? Is that right?
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So as I understand it, you loosed the upper and lower fork clamps and raised the fork tubes? Is that right?
Yes, although I really only remember loosening the top, but it has been so long I can't remember now :)
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So I loosened the top two pinch bolts and bottom two pinch bolts (by the horn bracket). The fork tubes still won't budge (I have not used too much strength yet). My biggest question is do you guys take the wheel off and raise each tube individually? Or can you raise both at the same time by somehow leveraging up the entire wheel assembly? Any tips will be much appreciated.
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Did you install the handlebar risers already to make room for the fork tubes ??
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Yep - handle bar risers already in place. Before I start applying gorrilla force, just need to know if I should move each individual fork tube or the whole assembly (wheel and all)
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Is there room to get a wedge in the pinch bolt gap to spread the clamps?
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I am about to give up....the tubes just won't budge. There is room to wedge something in between, but I am kinda scared of wedging something in there and mess things up. I took the wheel off as well so I can work on each tube individually. I never got an answer from someone who did it whether they took the wheel off or left the wheel on. Oh well.
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I am about to give up....the tubes just won't budge. There is room to wedge something in between, but I am kinda scared of wedging something in there and mess things up. I took the wheel off as well so I can work on each tube individually. I never got an answer from someone who did it whether they took the wheel off or left the wheel on. Oh well.
I had mine done at my local shop and didn't watch them do it, sorry bro, good luck... :-\
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I am about to give up....the tubes just won't budge. There is room to wedge something in between, but I am kinda scared of wedging something in there and mess things up. I took the wheel off as well so I can work on each tube individually. I never got an answer from someone who did it whether they took the wheel off or left the wheel on. Oh well.
Sorry, my master-mechanic friend did it with me/for me... and it was years ago now, so I really don't remember much. But it only took a few minutes and did NOT involve removing the wheel.
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Had mine done yesterday at a local Kawi shop, and they just loosened the nuts and slid the 'T' down a bit before re-tightening them.
It looked to me (and at this point I was just a spectator) that it was more of an issue preventing them from sliding down too far, too fast, once the bolts were loosened.
No wheel removal - about 15 minutes start to finish - and this involved measuring them to insure evenness, which the mechanic said they did every time, even though it had never been necessary in hindsight.
Jamie
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Looks like on mine the lower clamps are hugging way too tight on the forks. I will try some wd40 and prying on the clamps a bit more tonight.
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no WD40 needed (or desired for that matter...)
You have to loosen ALL the bolts on both forks, you can't move just one, they move as a pair....
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All four pinch bolts are loose to the extent that I can just pluck them out. But the fork tubes will not budge. I was hoping I can individually move them, align them up, and then put the wheel back on.
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this involved measuring them to insure evenness, which the mechanic said they did every time, even though it had never been necessary in hindsight.
It is VERY important that both tubes are exactly the same height, even though it might be difficult to make them uneven.
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At last I was able to move the tubes - had to pry the lower clamps with a bit stronger screw driver.
Maxtog, can you post a picture of the top of your front forks - top view? I may have raised it a bit too much - 1 1/4". I measured the rear and it lowered by 1 1/4" with muzzy's link, and so I raised the front tubes by that much. But it looks a bit too low in the front now. May have to back them out to 1 1/8" like you did.
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At last I was able to move the tubes - had to pry the lower clamps with a bit stronger screw driver.
Maxtog, can you post a picture of the top of your front forks - top view? I may have raised it a bit too much - 1 1/4". I measured the rear and it lowered by 1 1/4" with muzzy's link, and so I raised the front tubes by that much. But it looks a bit too low in the front now. May have to back them out to 1 1/8" like you did.
Not sure how you would get 1.25"... we were very methodical and are quite sure it is just 1" with the Muzzy links. To drop the front an inch requires raising the tubes 1 1/8" from what they were (whatever that was). That was computed with geometry/math and not verified by measuring the results. I will try to remember to get a photo next time I am out on Fri or Sun.
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i have lower my front end 1 inch but i recently also went with a 120/60/17 which gave me another 1/2 inch drop to compasete for the rear drop..
the front end lowering is very easily done.
1. put a jack on the bottom of ur exhaust manifold
2. loosen up all tube clamps
3. start lowering the jack to the height u will like
4. measure it make sure they are both the same drop
5. tight all clamps and ur done.
warning the oil plug on the bottom of ur enging case is now very low caution when going over speed bumps...
you will need to buy an adjustable kick stand or modify the orig stand, and of course you will need the spacers on ur bars to make room for the lower drop!
(http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh416/joelsuarez_2009/20131227_234757-1.jpg)
(http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh416/joelsuarez_2009/20131227_234814.jpg)
(http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh416/joelsuarez_2009/14_Harley-CVO-Ultra-Classic.jpg)
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warning the oil plug on the bottom of ur enging case is now very low caution when going over speed bumps...
I was worried about that as well, but as it turns out my exhaust hangs lower than the oil plug... :-\
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/ZGdrainplugsittingupright_zpsc6282ba9.jpg) (http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/jaywilcox/media/ZGdrainplugsittingupright_zpsc6282ba9.jpg.html)
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ZG, I thought you installed a late model pan.
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ZG, I thought you installed a late model pan.
I ordered one GP, but when my shop went to install it they said uhhhh are you sure, look at the pic... To which I said doh! my bad, send the gen 2 pan back.... :-[ :)
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i have lower my front end 1 inch but i recently also went with a 120/60/17 which gave me another 1/2 inch drop to compasete for the rear drop..
the front end lowering is very easily done.
1. put a jack on the bottom of ur exhaust manifold
2. loosen up all tube clamps
3. start lowering the jack to the height u will like
4. measure it make sure they are both the same drop
5. tight all clamps and ur done.
warning the oil plug on the bottom of ur enging case is now very low caution when going over speed bumps...
you will need to buy an adjustable kick stand or modify the orig stand, and of course you will need the spacers on ur bars to make room for the lower drop!
(http://i546.photobucket.com/albums/hh416/joelsuarez_2009/20131227_234757-1.jpg)
1,3 cm
(http://i41.tinypic.com/hsl6vb.jpg)
MGvalerio ;)