Lowering and handling
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
From: Lutz Florida
Lowering and handling
I'm just wondering what people think about the handling of their bike if lowered as opposed to stock. The Ultra I recently bought was lowered by the previous owner and although the bike rides great I really feel like it doesn't corner as well as Past Ultras I've had- it seems to me to want to take a wide path cornering, is this because of reduced lean angle (?) vivid imagination- something must change when you modify suspension geometry! Going back to stock h ight in a week or so. Thx
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
one of my bikes is lowered- and it goes straight and fast- don;t turn as well as when it was stock.
my touring bikes I prefer stock height for a number of reasons- cornering is part of it, but suspension travel too- on a most touring bikes you get 2.75" rear shock travel- on a streetglide or other "X" model 1.75"
I like a soft floaty ride for 8 or 10 hour days in the saddle
you are also less likely to dent the top of the fender on a pothole
Mike
my touring bikes I prefer stock height for a number of reasons- cornering is part of it, but suspension travel too- on a most touring bikes you get 2.75" rear shock travel- on a streetglide or other "X" model 1.75"
I like a soft floaty ride for 8 or 10 hour days in the saddle
you are also less likely to dent the top of the fender on a pothole
Mike
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
The SG and factory lowered bikes all have stock length forks with shorter shocks, however we seem to be talking here of raising this bike!
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,080
Likes: 103
From: Lake County, CA
I was thinking of lowering the back of my ride to be flat footed when I stopped. Everybody was telling me by just lowering the rear would change the handling of the bike. So I changed the seat. Like OP have said if you do one you need to do the other to maintain the handling
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 252
Likes: 50
From: Georgia
I lowered a 2000 Road King Classic 1" with Progressive Monotubes and Shocks. It "tightened" up the handling on mine. Reduced fork dive when stopping, and a lot less flex when taking sweepers at highway speeds. Overall, I'm happy with the handling improvements, and I like the lowered look.
But....on tight right turns, I scrape the floorboard much sooner, but it really doesn't affect how I ride. On tight left turns, however, I scrape the kickstand first and that is a little problematic. I have lost a kickstand spring twice on mountain twisties (so I carry zip-ties as a quick fix as well as an extra spring in the saddlebag). Scraping the kickstand, when it is hard-up against the frame, concerns me about affecting rear tire traction in hard turns. So, I have to be mindful of my lean angle turning left.
Nevertheless, I'm otherwise happy with the affect of the 1" lowering on the bike's handling.
But....on tight right turns, I scrape the floorboard much sooner, but it really doesn't affect how I ride. On tight left turns, however, I scrape the kickstand first and that is a little problematic. I have lost a kickstand spring twice on mountain twisties (so I carry zip-ties as a quick fix as well as an extra spring in the saddlebag). Scraping the kickstand, when it is hard-up against the frame, concerns me about affecting rear tire traction in hard turns. So, I have to be mindful of my lean angle turning left.
Nevertheless, I'm otherwise happy with the affect of the 1" lowering on the bike's handling.
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
true, but then you loose the ability to turn tighter- which maybe you don't need everyday- but may make the difference in avoiding an accident, or taking a curve at the same speed as the traffic around you.
sport bike riders sometimes refer to a "chicken stripe" this is when the rear tire only has wear in the center. riders with these are the ones who slow to 45 mph for a curve all the other traffic is taking at 65 mph incl. cars.
hard contact of parts mounted on the motorcycle with the pavement can take the traction off the tires- which leads to a slide....the survivors will say "I had to lay her down" this is BS, they didn;t have control of their machine.
a rider course can be in order.
this is why pegs and floorbords are made to swivel up out of hard contact- on a lowered bike the floorboard mounts may contact before the pads.
Looks is preference but "i don't lean" speaks to me of a lack of knowledge/ ability.
sometimes a motorcycle owner has to look right in the mirror and ask whether their skills are up to the task.
this is not a personal attack- quotes like the one above are posted from time to time.
Mike
* tangent but think of what could happen to an insurance claim if there is a wreck- and it is shown that the owner modified the bike from specs-
my spouse caused what would have been a minor accident 20 years ago. because the owner of the other vehicle had performed some "mods" to his truck- rather than our volvo hitting his bumper, our car went under his prerunner and flipped it up and over, starting it rolling down the road & totalling it.
the insurance denied his claims for damage and injuries and all could be shown to be a result of his mods and the use of "off road/ competition parts" which raised his CofG , compromised his suspension and raised his bumper above the legal requirement
sport bike riders sometimes refer to a "chicken stripe" this is when the rear tire only has wear in the center. riders with these are the ones who slow to 45 mph for a curve all the other traffic is taking at 65 mph incl. cars.
hard contact of parts mounted on the motorcycle with the pavement can take the traction off the tires- which leads to a slide....the survivors will say "I had to lay her down" this is BS, they didn;t have control of their machine.
a rider course can be in order.
this is why pegs and floorbords are made to swivel up out of hard contact- on a lowered bike the floorboard mounts may contact before the pads.
Looks is preference but "i don't lean" speaks to me of a lack of knowledge/ ability.
sometimes a motorcycle owner has to look right in the mirror and ask whether their skills are up to the task.
this is not a personal attack- quotes like the one above are posted from time to time.
Mike
* tangent but think of what could happen to an insurance claim if there is a wreck- and it is shown that the owner modified the bike from specs-
my spouse caused what would have been a minor accident 20 years ago. because the owner of the other vehicle had performed some "mods" to his truck- rather than our volvo hitting his bumper, our car went under his prerunner and flipped it up and over, starting it rolling down the road & totalling it.
the insurance denied his claims for damage and injuries and all could be shown to be a result of his mods and the use of "off road/ competition parts" which raised his CofG , compromised his suspension and raised his bumper above the legal requirement
Last edited by mkguitar; Nov 18, 2016 at 11:29 AM.
