Is there a Safe way to Lower a Bike for a short rider?

[TommyT57]

My wife is getting pounded by her YZ 80, she is riding pretty good and she is outgrowing her YZ80. I am thinking about getting her on a 125 or 250f preferably a 250f for the ease of riding one. Is there a safe way to lower the bike for her without hurting any of the suspension internals or anything?

[SC_Spode]

Yes, but it will probably require the modification of at least the fork springs, depending upon how much you want to lower it.

Internal spacers need to be fitted to the forks and shock to limit their extension (and therefore the height of the bike). To prevent the springs from being preloaded too much because of this, they need to be shortened. A tuner will ususally select a lighter rate spring that will provide the correct rate when shortened (since this increases the spring rate).

Some shocks have enough thread on the body to allow the spring collars to be threaded up to compensate. If not, a modified spring will also need to be purchased.

Since the rear end is now starting in a different part of its stroke than originally designed, a revalve may be necessary to achieve proper action.

The forks may also need revalving.

As you are probably surmising by now, this can be a costly modification.

Once you figure in the cost of lowering the bike, a more affordable route may be to purchase a bike that is lower to begin with and modify as needed in other areas.

Hope it helps!

😢

[Ben Mens]

drill and slot the subframe bolt holes and trim up the seat foam

[pjl]

factory connection will lower the bike 1"-1 1/2" for a nominal fee. I wouldn't trust someone cutting or heating up springs. Everything done at FC is 100% reversable

[ramz]

I'm using stock length springs in the forks and on the shock on my 1 3/4" lowered CRF250X.

On Showa TwinChamber forks, you can install a spacer on the damper rod which limits the fork travel to less than full stroke. Then you machine a grove on the damper body for the retaining ring to allow full-length springs to be used. You don't have to shorten the springs at all.

In the rear, you can install a different lower shock link which will allow the rear to sit lower. The stock spring may be used.

These mods may require that you revalve the forks and shock to get the suspension performance you desire. You may also want softer or stiffer springs, which Honda has available for the CRF250X. For my 250X, I had the forks revalved and lighter springs installed but on the shock, I merely changed the preload and adjusted the clickers myself.

Jeff Slavens (Colorado Springs) did my fork mods.

I used a KoubaLink on the shock.

Check it out:

CRF250X Modifications

Scroll down to the 'lowering' section.

[TommyT57]

Thanks for all the useful methods...It looks like we may just revalve and respring the 80cc for now. She loves the motor on that thing, and the fit of the bike.

[Hondaracing915g]

good tips. Ramz, sweet site. Thanks for all the info on the CRF250X.

[mxracer145]

You should check out www.devolracing.com they liwer bikes all the time, you have to cut the front fork springs which will stiffen them up and then use the spacers on the the internals. as for the shock you have to use a spacer on the internals too. I would stay away from the lowering links on the big bikes most bikes almost bottem into the fender and if you change the linkage the bike will hit the rear fender and stop the wheel, that is not a good thing. Another thing you do not want to just turn the spring up on the shock you will loose your static sag and then there will be free play in the shock which can trash the shock.