LOWERING SUSPENSION

[bill_heath]

bill wrote I`m looking at the DR-Z400S

being 5ft 9in and 175lbs I find the height 36.8 in too high.I can just touch the ground with the tip of my toes.The bike will only be used for mild off road trail riding and street riding.Can the bike be lower 2 to 4 inches.Is there a kit that can lower the bike for shorter guys.There`s no use in looking at the bike if I can not lower it.My TS200R is 34.5 inches and that could have been a little lowered by an inch.

Thanks and Merry Christmas

[NiteOwl]

http://www.koubalink.com/

i am 5,10 195lbs and find it just right stock, but to each there own i guess.. ?

[Joemtb]

I'm 5'7", 155 lbs, I thought I would have a problem, but did not. I can touch tip toes with my boots on and that has been enough. Suzuki makes a seat that is a little lower, 3/4" I think.

[ December 23, 2001: Message edited by: Joemtb ]

[DRZDUC]

Originally posted by bill heath:

bill wrote I`m looking at the DR-Z400S

being 5ft 9in and 175lbs I find the height 36.8 in too high.I can just touch the ground with the tip of my toes.The bike will only be used for mild off road trail riding and street riding.Can the bike be lower 2 to 4 inches.Is there a kit that can lower the bike for shorter guys.There`s no use in looking at the bike if I can not lower it.My TS200R is 34.5 inches and that could have been a little lowered by an inch.

Thanks and Merry Christmas

Bill I have made links to lower the DRZ for Super Mono. You need longer links to drop the rear.

About the most you can lower the DRZ rear for off road use is about 1 3/4". You can do that by changing the links on the rear suspension. You then will have to lower the front. The forks will slide up 3/4" before hitting the handle bars. You can get another 3/4" by installing risers. You will then need to change the rear shock spring to get the correct sag. If you go anymore than this front and back you will bottom out on the fenders. 3/4" on the back and 3/4" on the front would be a lot easier if it works for you as far as ride height goes. You can make the links ( one on each side) if you have access to a band saw and drill press. You do need to be accurate with the drilling. There is a company that makes the longer links but I can't think of their name right now. If I think of it I will post it or take your stock links off and have a local machine shop make the two for you. They will need to be 10mm longer center of hole to center of hole and that lowers 3/4 's of an inch. Whatever you do lower the front and rear the same or the geometry will be off.

I really can't see the bike being too tall for you with you being 5'-9" just they way they come. I ride with a couple of guys that is no taller than you.

[DRZ400Senior]

The name of the company that makes the links is KOUBA. www.koubalink.com

[Dizzy_Al]

I am only 5'7",and at first i found the bike

way too tall also so i shaved 1"1/2 out of my

seat big difference,and you dont loose any

ground clearance.But now that i am used to the

bike i wish i would have left it alone.But then

again i find it much easier in the deep ruts

and steep rocky climbs,and off camber switchbacks.

The only problem i have with it is that it

doesn't look as good as the stock seat,but i

suppose that's better than dumping the bike all

over the place.

Hope this helps.

AL 2001 DRZ-400S

Merry X-mas to all.

[DRZDUC]

Originally posted by DRZ400Vet:

The name of the company that makes the links is KOUBA. www.koubalink.com

Yes that is the company. Someone gave me the name sometime back when I was looking for different links. I never bought any from them because at the time I didn't know what length I wanted so I ended up making my own.

[jim_garey]

I also could only touch the ground with my tippy toes I sent the front and rear shocks to fineline suspension in LA they set them up for my weight and put in internal stops to lower it 1 and 1/2 inches handles great and I can touch the ground on the front part of my foot Jim

[smittyman]

christ! i need to grow! i'm barely 5'5" and weigh 150lbs!! the tallest bike i've ever owned was a `92 WR200.i'm not sure of the seat height numbers but it was at least an inch taller than the DRZ. i've grown accustomed to not being able to touch the ground on ANYTHING!! i just hang off to one side with one foot flat and one in the air! people get a laugh until they try to keep up with me-or follow me off a cliff!

[candrzs]

I'm also 5'9" and only 140lb.

I cut my seat foam down 1 1/4" . Feels safer now I can plant a foot firmly down, especially if I loose it on steep rocky climbs etc.

Easy fix and no need to touch suspension.

This bike does feel tall initially but after a few rides, even before seat mods, it feels very comfortable. I wouldn’t have any fear in buying this bike. If you do decide to buy one ride it stock for a while, you may find you like the seat height. To be honest my bike sometimes feels a little short now.

[SoCa_DRZ-S]

I'm 5'8" and I was dumping my bike all the time. I kept falling when losing balance and the momentum took over before I could stop the fall with my legs.

I lowered mine with the Kouba links. He makes a few sizes and I bought the longest. I was able to raise my fork tubes about 30mm (as I recall, it was last year). I used Pro Taper bars with their universal adapter to get the clearance I needed to raise the fork tubes.

Because you change the rear suspension geometry, Kouba suggests getting a stiffer spring. Mine definitely bottomed out way too much... it really slowed me down in the whoops because my back tire kept hitting the fender.

I wound up getting my shock revalved at Shock Therapy in Brea, CA. It was dialed in perfectly when I got it back and now I have both low & speed compression adjustments.

I really didn't want to cut down the seat foam. I'm very comfortable while riding the bike and the distance between the seat and the pegs is perfect for me.

The biggest change all this has had is I don't think I've layed the bike down in the six months since I lowered it. It was definitely the right thing for me to do.

Mike

[crbid]

Question for the guys that cut their seat foam down. I'm 5'7" and about 150lbs (turkey loaded). I don't mind the height too bad, as I can just touch with the toes at stop light etc., but covet the expensive Suzuki low gel seat.

How did you guys cut the foam down?

Thanks

Oh yah, one word of advice on lowering a bike with lowering links. Remember to change your kickstand. I made that mistake on my old KLR650.

[ December 29, 2001: Message edited by: crbid ]

[candrzs]

Lift the existing staples to remove the old seat cover. Mark where you normally sit with a pen and then measure and mark the amount you want to remove from this area carefully on both sides (I cut 1'1/4"). Taper to 0 as you move towards the front and rear.

Once your happy and you have a line on both sides

grab the electric calving knife and start one end cutting the full width in one careful but positive move from one end to the other.

Pop the seat foam back on the bike and try it for size etc.

You have to smooth all the ripples you made with the knife and bevel the edges. For this I used some stuff from ther local hardwear store which was like an abrasive fine netting. It worked great. Fit the new seat cover over the foam, center it, and staple the front and back of the cover to the base, using quarter-inch, heavy-duty staples. Then heat the sides of the cover (a hair dryer woks well), pull tight and tack the midpoint on each side in place. Once you’ve got the cover positioned correctly and the midpoint of the sides tacked in place, work towards the front of the seat on each side. You may have to remove staples and retack to work out wrinkles. Heat, pull and tack down each side, working towards the back from the midpoint.

Looks and feels great, my bike actaully feels lighter and smaller with this small change. I ride standing most of the time but it's great to kown i can plant my foot firmly down when i need to. ( Dropped my bike twice the first week because I had a job reaching the ground on some tight slow stuff!)

?