Hi all,

Can anyone tell me what does it exactly mean when it is said that "lowering your bike can affect cornering clearance". what does that mean exactly? I have an 08 Nightster and am aspiring to slam it down a good 2" using shorter shocks AND a lowering kit, but am constantly being warned to use either or. Why can't I go for both? Should I really beconcerned about that warning?

Any ideas/clarifications please?

Cheers,

 

The lower the bike is to the ground, the less lean angle you will have in turns before something (exhaust/pegs) starts to scrape the road surface. Severely lowering a bike can have serious effects on the bike's ability to lean well into a turn or curve.Decreasing the lean angle on a bike can have dangerous effects when turning.

Put your handflat outover a table about 1" above the surface of the tableand twist it left and right. Now do the same thing with your hand 1/2" from the table top and you'll see what I'm saying.

 

Hmm. so basically, extremely slamming the bike down like that would more accommodate low-speed cruising. Hard to chose, hard to chose. thanks for the clarification though.

 

In its stock form you can drag parts on a1200 C when you corner. The lower the bike is the less lean angle you can take since the parts are starting off closer to the ground.

One might think the difference is whether you want a functional motorcycle to ride or if you just want to look good !!

 

The Nightster is already only 3.9" off the ground. Lowering it more would create substantial ride and handling issues. Speed bumps, pot holes, enter/exit curbs to parking lots, precious little shock absorption, seat retainerscrew chewing up your rear tire because the shorter shocks lower the rear fender clearance, shorted out rear brake and turn signal wiring due to the rear fender scraping the tire, and as has been mentioned...VERY little margin for the common error of taking a corner a little quicker than anticipated. Scraping hard parts ona set up likethat is much easier to lever a tire off the pavement,than stock shocks or11"Progressives.

If you want it slammed that much, research making it a hard tail. rigid mounts and no shocks would take care of the fender issues, the ride would not be that much harsher (I'm guessing), and it'd be the lowest thing around!

If you want to do "either/or" then I'd suggest 10" Licks shocks. There's a couple of folks here that have them and they really like them. Gothmetalguitarist is one of them, and I think WVhogrider is another, but I'm not sure. Anyway, if you modify the way you ride and be careful of the inherent pitfalls, you shouldn't have any serious control issues once you get used to it.

Teek

 

I have a '07 Nightster and have scraped the kick-stand on tight turns through concaved roads.

 

Yep. I've got the scratches on my pegs to prove it.
Usually the heel of my boot (battleship sized feet) drags first. This is the main reason I have not lowered mine any.

 

Yes, Goth and I, as well as Johnny Ebola & some others thatI can't think of right now, have the 10" Licks Short Shocks. Slamming a bike means less suspension travel, which means a rougher ride. I don't think I would do a 2" shorter shock and a lowering kit....cause the shock will most likely be a softer compression& have more travel than something like the 10" Lick's...which with the shorter shock & lowering kit will in turn rub the tire & fender together more often because the shock hasn't bottomed to it's max compression. My tire has never rubbed the fender, wires, or seat bolt while even riding2-up. I know Goth shreaded a tire and had to shorten his seat bolt, but I initially installed a shorter bolt from theget-go.

Now for cornering....Yes, you will lose some lean angle, but I haven't found that to be to much of a problem. As typical riding experience goes....With seat time comes experience. You'll learn what your scoot can do, and how easy or hard to ride/push it. I have scraped my exhaust & pegs, but so have others on their stock height sporties. We, (Goth, Johnny, and I), all live in mountainous areas and are still able to take the twisties with ease.

Just my $0.02 worth.

 

Well said WVH. And I concur. Forward controls and shorter aftermarket pegs make a diff too. I have only scraped once and that was on a road in New Jersey...so what does that tell ya??