basstodave Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I am about to pull the trigger on a lowering link. Soupy's website says 1 1/4" lower. If I raise the forks a corresponding amount to keep the bike level, what change in handling characteristics should I expect? Good idea or not? I am 5'6" and have a 30.5" inseam I am on my toes at a stop. The bike is so well balanced it isn't quite an issue. What may be the issue is the uneven surface of almost every intersection I stop at, and my advanced age, lol. Yes, crashbars are on order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thruster8999 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 What I would be worried about lower it is the oil drain plug my be closer to the ground which could damage the oil pan. Might want to consider that before ordering it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unicycle52 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Be sure to write a report on the success of the lowering link, fork lowering project. I am also vertically challenged and I've been waiting for this information. Did you also purchase the lowered seat? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panooch Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Low height seat? I'd do that before lowering the suspension. The front fork tubes have a diameter change. The upper triple clamp can only go down what looks like maybe an inch to inch 1/4 before the fork tube diameter gets too small to go any further. Even if you lowered it 1 1/4", that puts the high dollar exhaust and as previously mentioned, oil drain plug that much closer to the ground. Speed bumps might need to be avoided at some point. Everyday's a good day when your able to ride 15 FJ-09 - 2WDW ECU flash, Givi SV201, Nelson Rigg tail bag, OES sliders, Koubalink extenders, Ermax Sport, Vista Cruise, OEM seat mod, (smiles) 07 Honda ST1300A (sold) 06 Kawi KLR650 - Big Gun full exhaust, Corbin, Givi, PMR racks, carb mod (keeper) 97 Honda VFR750 - Traxxion Dynamics, Penske, Givi 3 piece, carbon exhaust (keeper?) 20+ years of snowmobiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basstodave Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 I won't use a lowered seat because that would put more bend in my knee and I'd prefer not to do that. I have used lowering links on my WeeStrom 650 and my 2009 Versys. Both those bikes seemed top heavy and probably had more ground clearance. I'm not sure an inch lowered would jeopardize the crankcase and the exhaust. I haven't bought the link yet. I'm wafflin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unicycle52 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I'm watching this top with great interest. I ride an FJR (love it) but would love to shed 200 pounds of machinery. I've sat on the FJ-09 and it is just too damn tall. (29" inseam) I actually had the dealer take the seat off so I could sit on the frame just for the hell of it. That height was just about right! A consideration I had was having the sub-frame modified. It's a pretty ambitious thought but the sub-frame is a very simple design and only costs about $250 to replace it if you weren't happy with the mod. The complicated challenge is to re-intergrate a modified seat and modify the side panels under the seat and under the tank. In this world of custom bikes, it wouldn't be impossible........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basstodave Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 The FJ-09 is very well balanced. Compared to my Versys and Wee strom 650 which were top heavy this Yamaha is easy to hold upright on my toes and maneuver at low speeds. Even pushing it around the garage is easier. If you can plant your toes or the balls of your feet at a stop, with the seat on, I believe you would be OK. I may not install a lowering link to gain an inch of purchase if it compromises handling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couter Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 I myself am of "short" stature by average people sizes. I'm curious how the lowering links work out. For now I'm leaning on calling up Bitchin' Stitchin' here in colo and getting a custom seat that has a gel pad, butt cheek warmer, and cut out some of the foam. If I cant get low enough then I'll start playing with suspension. Good luck, just don't waffle on it for too long, stuff like that has kept me up at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basstodave Posted April 4, 2015 Author Share Posted April 4, 2015 I myself am of "short" stature by average people sizes. I'm curious how the lowering links work out. For now I'm leaning on calling up Bitchin' Stitchin' here in colo and getting a custom seat that has a gel pad, butt cheek warmer, and cut out some of the foam. If I cant get low enough then I'll start playing with suspension. Good luck, just don't waffle on it for too long, stuff like that has kept me up at night. Let us know how well the seat works out. I don't want to shorten the seat foot peg distance but am curious how comfortable the gel pad is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikertash Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I purchased the lower seat (arived withe bike)and had the the shorter links (arrived last week) put on the bike. The effect was great with the lower seat becasue not only is there slightly less foam but it is narrower so not so much of a streach and then teh links helped with the last few Cm's I havvnt found any diffrence with the handlering but have gone from being on tiptoes on one side to being able to place my foot fully down, I am now on the balls of my feet when both feet are down. OH and I havnt played around with the suspention or anything else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scuff Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 We had 1" lowering links installed on Elaine's Red one. The lower seat option was not considered on the grounds that it would have less padding! Apart from the obvious benefits to her of feeling more sure footed, the only drawbacks are of the bike sitting more upright when on the sidestand, and it needing more of a heave to get it on the centre stand. it doesn't worry her, she is just so pleased to be able to ride and enjoy her tracer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unicycle52 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Who makes the lowering links you purchased and how much does it theoretically lower the bike? How much does the lower seat lower things? BTW. If you cut yourself a wooden wedge or make a little ramp by stacking three layers of 3/4" wood (or plywood) staggered like a miniature set of stairs, you can roll the front tire forward up onto the ramp and it makes using the center stand a breeze. I have an little set up in the garage that I use all the time to put my FJR on the centerstand. Simple to make and easy to use. I tried it under the rear tire, and then found it easier to just put it in front of the front tire and roll it up and then step on the centerstand, roll back and lift at the same time. I can be more specific on construction if need be, but if you start out with a piece of 1x6 about 12 - 16 inches long, stack on each piece a couple of inches shorter than the first, flush them on one end and stagger the to create the steps on the other end, just scrw them together and your done. If you find the bike stands too verticle with the stock sidestand you can have it shortened and welded cheaply or you can find an adjustable side stand here: http://soupysperformance.com/yamaha-star/fj-09.html Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troll Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 sounds like there are a few of us short folks riding the FJ. I had the same problem with my Super Tenere. I bought the low seat for the FJ and then removed the seat height adjusting slider from under the seat and then trimmed the seat bumpers to lower the seat right till it almost sits on the plastic side panels. The seat bumpers sit on the tail section frame rails. I also sag the suspension as much as possible (soft setting). I have ordered the Yamaha lowering links which are advertised to lower the rear of the bike by 15mm or aprox 5/8" and I will slide the fork tubes up in the triple clamps about the same. I want to retain as much ground clearance as I can. I have a 28 5/8" inseam and am 5'6" tall Coming to you from the frozen wastelands of the barren north Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member jimf Posted April 14, 2015 Premium Member Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm 5'4" with a 28.25" inseam. On the showroom floor I could toe-down both sides with the stock seat, but in full riding gear I can't. I haven't had any trouble with it, coming from a Daytona 675 that was every bit as tall, if not more so. The one thing that annoys me is that it's hard to put the sidestand down. I cannot push the sidestand to full extension using the tab while simultaneously having my other foot on the ground. The tab is behind the peg, so extending it catches my leg on the peg and knocks it off the tab if I try a fast extension. I'm still working on strategies for that, but the first one was to remove the peg feeler because that got in the way too if I tried pushing the peg out of the way before extension. It may be that I can use the a ram ball as an extra tab, as I saw someone else do on a different bike. If I do that I will post pics of my solution. 2015 FJ-09 (Mary Kate) 2007 Daytona 675 (Tabitha, ret.) 1998 Vulcan 800 (Ret.) 2001 SV650S (Veronica, Ret.) 2000 Intruder 800 (Ret.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troll Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 After reading your post jimf I feel like a towering giant. I can see what you are talking about with the side stand being hard to extend/deploy. Coming to you from the frozen wastelands of the barren north Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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