| Author | Message | ||
     Buzzie |
I need to hear what you have tried guys. I know theoretical you should not try to change the geometry of this bike. That's irrelevent. In order to stand the bike up my lady of 5'4" needs it lowered some. Her comfort level is more important while tooling around ...and honestly I don't think she is going to be riding it like some folks might. So....this is what I am going to look at first. 1. pull the snap rings out and drop the trips in the front a bit. 2. Look into swapping the shock in the rear. (anyone tried that yet...with success?) perhaps just the spring? 3. Gonna shave the seat some. 4. If the rear can't be lowered going to modify the mounting of the rear subframe. So. please...no lectures about what not to do ....Just let me hear your shouts about what you have tried. what has worked or positive suggestions. Please. And thanks in advance . | ||
| Sknight |
Front's easy. The rear shock mounts very similar to a Kawasaki Versys, a buddy of mine lowered his Versys with a kit that repositioned the swingarm mount up and back. Here's a pic,  Here's a link to the thread on a Versys forum. http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/showthread.ph p?t=282 No clue if it'll fit, but I'm sure he'll give you dimensions so you can check. Once lowered be sure to reset the preload and whatnot to her weight. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Her comfort is not more important than her safety: Buy her an XB12Scg or other bike designed for those of shorter inseam. The 1125 has 5.4" of ground clearance with no one aboard. Drop the bike two inches, and you've got less than 3" with a rider aboard. Now you start getting into serious issues with everything from speed bumps to potholes. Now, all of that said, if you are still determined to keep her on the 1125, the best I can do is point you to this article from Sport Rider magazine: http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0210_lower/inde x.html From the article: Those of you who use our recommended suspension settings as a starting point have noticed that we often lower the front end to compensate for different tires by raising the fork tubes in the triple clamps. So why not just lower the front end even more by using the same method? The reason is that there's very little room to play with before the front fender and tire hit the lower triple clamp under hard braking. This could cause the fender to jam itself into the tire, resulting in the front tire locking up, and well...you know what happens next. Shortening the suspension basically brings the fork or shock farther down into its travel, while altering the spring rate so that it behaves normally (more on that later). You're looking at a minimum of $300 to have a suspension shop shorten the fork travel -- probably more with the exotic forks in the 1125 Buells. Shortening the shock and valving it correctly for the shorter travel will probably run you another $350 or so. Dont' forget the cost of shortening the kickstand, which is a cast piece on our bikes. According to the article, the most you should drop a modern sport bike is 1.5". I wish you the best of luck in whatever decision you make. | ||
| Buzzie |
Thanks for that ..I was already thinking about playing with that ...just gotta make sure there is room in the subframe trunk area... Any other folks tried anything.. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Did you read the Sport Rider article? | ||
| Buzzie |
Fmaxwell...yes I did read the article ..but your forgetting a very important factor here.. She will probably never hit the kind of lean angles that the 1125r was designed for. Her safety is important to me, but if she can't put a foot down...she can't ride it. I plan on doing as little as possible with the Geomety if feasable.. I am leaning more toward a smidge here a smidge there... I am pretty sure Subframe changes will be the best idea. | ||
| Andros |
The buell Rear race shock is height adjustable and its only 500 usd. | ||
| D_adams |
Buzzie, hit me up if you need anything machined. Just need a sketch and some rough dimensions on what you want. Clutch and rear brake are good on mine so far, thanks for the quick work last time around. You guys still have any 1125's there? (Message edited by d_adams on October 30, 2009) | ||
| Fmaxwell |
"She will probably never hit the kind of lean angles that the 1125r was designed for. Her safety is important to me, but if she can't put a foot down...she can't ride it." There's more to safely riding a 146hp sport bike than not falling over at stop lights. She sounds (from your description) like a small woman with limited experience who wants to ride at a modest pace, not someone who should be riding an 1125R. Your earlier post said it was your bike and she would just ride it occasionally: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=290431&post=1626730#POST1626730 Now you say that she won't lean it very far. Well, neither will you if you lower it significantly. And I hope you two are the same basic weight, because you can't get springs that work for a people with significantly different weights. When she posted in 2008, she said she was 5'2" and you say she's 5'4". Same woman? Growth spurt? http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=290431&post=1626730#POST1626730 And she was told the exact same thing there by Packrat that I wrote here: Get an XB12Scg. Maybe I'm reading this wrong and she's got thousands of miles of experience on fast sport bikes, but it sure doesn't sound like it. And an 1125R is not a bike to learn on. I'm not trying to be a buzzkill, but I knew two people who died on liter-class sport bikes that were too big and too fast for them. | ||
| Buzzie |
Fmaxwell you aren't being very positive...that much is for sure and I don't want to be rude. My lady rides an 01 GSX 750f Katana. Lowered. she learned on a cruiser. She is not the same woman from '08 She is an ICU nurse and sees what happenes when you ride a sport bike faster than you should in the wrong environment. She knows she will very seldom if at all get out of second gear. Nor will she use all of its power. She doesn't have the addictions to motorcycles that I do ...hence "occasionally" and although I love motorcycles I am not a sport bike fan. I have a 97 buell/sporty hardtail chopper, so I will only ride it occasionally myself. However, with the deal I am getting as an employee...I couldn't pass it up. And being a motorcycle tech I can ride most anything...even if the suspension isn't set up right for me ...I am used to strange and in many cases dangerous riding characteristics and the handling that goes with them. And I do appreciatte your concern for her safety..thank you for mentioning the Xb12scg.. She prefers the smoother characteristics of the 1125r over the the XB. That's why I bought one and that's why I need to chip away at its height. I am sorry you have lost friends. But also I am a pro Buell...and its what she wants. Can you blame her? And Dean..yes we do have a few more 1125s ...a couple of white ones too.. We bought out Dales Harley and also Surdykes stock of Buells ...so we have em...but they are going pretty fast. | ||
| Ccryder |
Brian: Why don't you start by removing 90% of the seat padding. That will buy you an inch. Next get her a pair of boots with 1/2"-1" soles/ heels. Now you are up to 1.5"-2" without risking her safety. It has been discussed many times about lowering an 1125 an you don't seem to understand that an XB or an 1125 is set up differently than other motorcycles and small changes in geometry can go bad VERY quickly to the point of DANGER!! I'm sure you will do what you want and we are just trying to give you our collective advice, which you have asked for in this thread. Take it or leave it but just keep a little thicker skin and don't take it personal. Yeah all I need all I need is my 87 year old Mom to send me a Post-Dispatch article of a Buell rider that was in an accident and I have to go through and explain why this would not happen to me. Been there done that too many times over the past 35+ years! (U-City Class Of 71', WU 86', Class of hard knocks still in session) | ||
| Speedy818 |
When safety is on the line - hurt feelings heal faster than hurt bodies. | ||
| Ccryder |
Andy: +100!! | ||
| Buzzie |
Thanks guys for the input.. My feelings didn't get "hurt" for the record...I just said Fmaxwell wasn't being very positive. I was already going to do the seat. thanks again | ||
| Geforce |
Buzzie, I ended up buying my wife a new 09XB12Scg... that bike is so much fun I ride it more than she does... In her defense, she is with child and is not allowed on one until birth.  She really loved the looks of the firebolt. I toyed with the idea of lowering it, but after reading into it I explained to her the dangers involved in changing the geometry... What we decided to do... Since modifying the motorcycle wasn't a good idea. We decided to modify gear. She bought a set of old Army combat boots with a good heal on them *All leather lace up like I wear with my street gear*. We went to the dealer with these boots and she sat on the SCG. She had never seen it in person so when we walked in, she fell in love after swinging a leg over it. The boots helped a lot! She was able to get both feet on the ground and we didn't have to change the seats. We brought it home that night. | ||
| Littlebutquick |
i am only 5.2 i cut all foam out of seat and had a 40mm shorter rear shock made you can slide the forks up a little on front till snap rings hit they will go inside yokes a little .i can easy touch floor now .short people rock  | ||
| Geforce |
I forgot to add... I would look at the seat, and her gear for possibilities. Whatever you two decide to do, good luck and keep her around! Buell riders can be hard to find, and if your significant other is all about riding a Buell that is a sheer joy only a few of us experience. Good luck! | ||
| Moosestang |
I can't imagine any woman being able to hold on to this thing. I have trouble with a hard shift to 2nd and i'm not even talking WOT or shifting higher than 7,000 rpms. She must be built like a brick house. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.  | ||
| Fmaxwell |
My feelings didn't get "hurt" for the record...I just said Fmaxwell wasn't being very positive.  Better? Sorry, but I was being negative because it sounded like something likely to turn out bad. Lower seats are fine. Higher boots are fine (though they can interfere with toe-up shifting). Modest suspension lowering involving shortening, revalving, and respringing the forks and shock is usually okay as long as both ends are dropped the same amount -- or the back end just slightly more. But the 1125CR is a brutal bike. Its got about 60% more horsepower than her GSX750F Katana. It's got 66% more torque. The ZTL2 brake is extremely powerful (think lockup or endo) and the rake is very steep for lightning-quick turning. Just make sure that you both go into this with eyes wide open and you're not putting her on a bike that's too much for her to handle. | ||
| D_adams |
Moosestang Sue from NoMar tire changers has one and she's pretty short too, maybe 5'6" or so. She also races it competitively. I don't know if hers is modified for height though. Whatever you may think about wimmins, DON'T think they can't ride. I know several that could probably run circles around you on the track. Btw, Buzzie is a damn good mechanic and the dealership he's at is top-notch. | ||
| Ccryder |
Buzzie: Note: Littlebutquick is a drag racer and QUICK. Fmaxwell's statement about lowering both the front and rear ~the same amount is VERY flawed logic, don't be lulled into believing that line of thinking. You should talk to Suzie Q (she is in the STL area, as you should know) and get some ideas from her that probably would help understand what works and what doesn't. Good luck and let us know what works or doesn't. Later Neil S. | ||
| Jumpinjewels |
Well, here's what I'm going to do. I'm 5'3" with a 28" inseam. I was practicing in the garage the other day. Hold the bike upright, put the side stand up, get on the bike (carefully). I may have to have my hubby hang out while I'm doing this to make sure I don't drop it. When getting off I can push the stand down and I'm done. As far as stopping at traffic lights etc. I will have to learn to put one or the other foot down. Kinda like dirt biking. LOL I am also looking for another seat so I can mess with it and try to decrease some height there. I definitely don't want to mess with the suspension cause I know from listening to all of you that it can mess up the dymanics of the bike. I have an Scg also and I can touch both feet with the balls of my feet. It took some time to learn that bike also. I also have the rear spring preload set as light as it will go ie #1 setting cause at 120# that bike probably won't know I'm on it. The front preload is set at 5 turns, the book recommends 6. Good luck and I hope she loves her bike. I know I will (I say will cause I haven't had a chance to really ride it yet, especially just getting a couple of feet of snow) (Message edited by jumpinjewels on October 30, 2009) (Message edited by jumpinjewels on October 30, 2009) | ||
| Fmaxwell |
@Ccryder, you incorrectly wrote: "Fmaxwell's statement about lowering both the front and rear ~the same amount is VERY flawed logic, don't be lulled into believing that line of thinking." No, it is not "VERY flawed logic." From the Sport Rider magazine article to which I linked: DON'T JUST LOWER ONE END-Maintain The Correct Chassis Attitude Any time you lower either end of a motorcycle, you must lower the opposite end an identical amount. Unless you want to change the bike's steering characteristics (which should only be done if you have a comprehensive grasp of motorcycle steering geometry), you must maintain the bike's chassis attitude to avoid handling problems. Changing the front or rear ride heights by as little as 5mm can have a dramatic effect on how a bike handles in the corners. See the part I highlighted in red, underlined, boldface? That's the part that confirms exactly what I wrote. We're talking about safety here, so this really isn't the place for you to pretend to have expertise that you do not. (Message edited by fmaxwell on October 30, 2009) | ||
| Jumpinjewels |
deflate the tires  sorry I couldn't help myself | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Install Vespa scooter wheels.  | ||
| Ccryder |
I am not pretending anything. You need to realize that just because it is written to apply to one motorcycle doesn't mean it will apply to all motorcycles. If you look at the compound angles of the suspension and the interacting aspects of the geometry you will soon realize that when you change the height above the ground the geometry relationships also change. Sometimes this can be dangerous. If you want to be responsible for something like this, go ahead but...... Just note that you have to be responsible for things you suggest, even here on the internet. | ||
| Milleniumx1 |
I don't know Fmaxwell, but the only thing I got from his input was that he was legitimately concerned about someone's safety ... In this case, Buzzie's wife. That doesn't seem all that negative to me. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
"You need to realize that just because it is written to apply to one motorcycle doesn't mean it will apply to all motorcycles." My recommendation was based on my own knowledge. It was only when challenged on it that I looked to the article and found confirmation of what I already knew to be sound engineering advice. Had you read it, you would have seen that it is not an article about lowering "one motorcycle." It is a general article about lowering sport bikes that is not brand or model specific. If you have any reputable articles that contradict the Sport Rider magazine article to which I linked, then cite them. "If you look at the compound angles of the suspension and the interacting aspects of the geometry you will soon realize that when you change the height above the ground the geometry relationships also change." While that was quite the triumph of combining vagueness with an authoritative tone, I'd love to see some concrete examples of what you were trying to say could happen. "Just note that you have to be responsible for things you suggest, even here on the internet." I'm an engineer, so I'm good with that. I don't make engineering suggestions lightly or without careful consideration. Apparently you're comfortable telling people to ignore my advice, so you have to be responsible for the results of that. (Message edited by fmaxwell on October 30, 2009) | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Milleniumx1: You're a stand-up guy. Thanks. | ||
| Bikejunky |
I would say this about the lowering the same amount statement. There may be confusion of terms going on here. In order to maintain the chassis attitude you may need to shorten one end more or less than the other to maintain a vertical lowering effect, meaning that (I am keeping this simple for brevity) if you shorten the length the front end by one inch, it does not mean you shorten the length of the rear shock by one inch. One inch out of the rear shock has a much different effect to the height of the rear than it does to the front. This is exactly why all of the HD "profile lowering kits" which are designed to create a vertical lowering effect on HD motorcycles without changing chassis attitude have a different drop in the front than they do in the rear. (Message edited by bikejunky on October 31, 2009) |
