Lowered my front forks.

[2fear]

I have read and talked to people about the improved handling by simply lowering you front forks an inch or so. Before our ride last Saturday Bill and I lowered my forks just over an inch so I could try it out. After riding most of the day I couldn't wait to put them back to stock height, I thought it was terrible. Maybe it's just me, maybe it's because I have been riding Vmaxes so long with the stock fork set up that it just felt '' touchy '' like I didn't have the control I used to... I'm no knee dragger but I can corner the Vmax quite well for what it is with the stock fork set up. To each his own and it was free to try it:bike1:

 

[alorio1]

Had a friend with his lowered 1 inch, we swapped bikes for a few miles and I told him I didn't like it , but he loved it. Like you said "To each his own"........

 

[Redbone]

I lowered mine 2" with progressive springs. I like the quicker turn-in and while it is a slightly more twitchy than stock it is nothing that feels squirrley to me. I have 31.5" wide bars so that may attribute to how stable my steering is. I also use Ricor intiminators.
Vmax's from '94 and on should try just lowering the forks in the triple trees a inch to get a feel for how a lowered bike will feel.

 

[maleko89]

I also tried lowering forks and went back to stock height. I didn't like it that I had to countersteer in fast sweepers.

 

[2fear]

I lowered mine 2" with progressive springs. I like the quicker turn-in and while it is a slightly more twitchy than stock it is nothing that feels squirrley to me. I have 31.5" wide bars so that may attribute to how stable my steering is. I also use Ricor intiminators.
Vmax's from '94 and on should try just lowering the forks in the triple trees a inch to get a feel for how a lowered bike will feel.

That's all I did was lower them in the triple tree....

 

[firefly]

I also tried lowering forks and went back to stock height. I didn't like it that I had to countersteer in fast sweepers.

+1Lowering reduces travel which then forces you to increase preload so it does't bottom out, if sag is set correctly at 1/3 rd of total travel it makes the bike much more stable in all situations vs riding high with stiff suspension.
now regarding counter steering, you counter steer anyway no way around it but it becomes more unnatural when the forks are lowered making you exaggerate your input. I also had one inch internal lowering and went back to stock length with 1/3rd sag & very happy I got ride of the lowering spacer.

also front lowering without the same lowering of the rear results in increased weight on the front which gets exaggerated during braking (diving) that can result in the rear end fish tailing. to add insult to that using a smaller diameter radial front tire exaggerates all these effects, it initially feel quicker BUT also becomes unstable & unnatural.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

+1Lowering reduces travel which then forces you to increase preload so it does't bottom out, if sag is set correctly at 1/3 rd of total travel it makes the bike much more stable in all situations vs riding high with stiff suspension.
now regarding counter steering, you counter steer anyway no way around it but it becomes more unnatural when the forks are lowered making you exaggerate your input. I also had one inch internal lowering and went back to stock length with 1/3rd sag & very happy I got ride of the lowering spacer.

also front lowering without the same lowering of the rear results in increased weight on the front which gets exaggerated during braking (diving) that can result in the rear end fish tailing. to add insult to that using a smaller diameter radial front tire exaggerates all these effects, it initially feel quicker BUT also becomes unstable & unnatural.

Actually if you lower your forks in the trees you do not sacrifice travel as you have not changed the internals of the forks to accomplish the lowering. Sag will remain the same either way and there is no need to change preload at all. All you have changed is the geometry (rake and trail) slightly which makes the bike more "unstable" thus it turns in quicker. There is nothing "natural" about how a bike turns. The gyroscopic effect of the front tires makes the bike want to stay upright at speed, in order to turn you have to unbalance the system and make the bike unstable so it will fall over into a turn. This is the reason sportbikes have a nose down attitude, shorter wheel base, and a shorter rake all to to make the bike easier to upset and turn in faster. As for radials on a Vmax it was one of the best mods I have done to the bike. Needed to get used to the new handling characteristics, but once I got to know how the bike wanted to handle I found it quite enjoyable and much better than stock. I did not find any difference in the braking or handling during braking when I had a stock front end with radials, just made the bike feel lighter and more responsive.

Of course this is just my opinion and experience......

 

[firefly]

Actually if you lower your forks in the trees you do not sacrifice travel as you have not changed the internals of the forks to accomplish the lowering. Sag will remain the same either way and there is no need to change preload at all. All you have changed is the geometry (rake and trail) slightly which makes the bike more "unstable" thus it turns in quicker. There is nothing "natural" about how a bike turns. The gyroscopic effect of the front tires makes the bike want to stay upright at speed, in order to turn you have to unbalance the system and make the bike unstable so it will fall over into a turn. This is the reason sportbikes have a nose down attitude, shorter wheel base, and a shorter rake all to to make the bike easier to upset and turn in faster. As for radials on a Vmax it was one of the best mods I have done to the bike. Needed to get used to the new handling characteristics, but once I got to know how the bike wanted to handle I found it quite enjoyable and much better than stock. I did not find any difference in the braking or handling during braking when I had a stock front end with radials, just made the bike feel lighter and more responsive.

Of course this is just my opinion and experience......

Lowering from the triples can cause the front fender to hit the radiator in Hard braking or a big bump, to avoid that you increase spring preload & end up with stiff riding high situation which also contributes to instability.

yes there is natural steering and wrestling match steering, I had radials for 3 years & went back to bias ply, if radials came in 110/90X18 I wouldn't have changed back.

now I have bias 110/90X18 and a bias 17 inch rear 160/70X17 and very very happy with handling, the bike is balance, both wheels are the same diameter so no weired uneven gyroscopic effects, leaning became natural.
we really can't compare sports bikes to vmax, they are two very different designs.

 

[RaWarrior]

PCW told me the limit for sliding the fork tubes was about 3/4"...any more and you run the risk of tagging the radiator with the fender on hard braking. I measured out exactly 3/4" when I did it and have never touched it.


I like the difference. It makes the handling feel more responsive, as said, "easier to upset". It leans in quicker and with less effort. I have Progressive springs and zero air pressure. I'd guess sag is maybe 1-1.5" when I sit my 190lbs-in-gear ass on it.

I also have the wider Python handlebar, which might aid things as well.

Probably one of those to-each-their-own things. It's free to try and can be put back to stock in a minute or two if you don't like it.

 

[firefly]

When lowering the bike's suspension there are MANY things to consider:
1- Consider the loss of clearance.
2- Are you going to stay with stock size tires or plan on radials later on? Radials commonly used are shorter than stock size tires.
3- Are you only lowering the forks or both forks & shocks?
4- Consider the rate of compression of the forks & shocks the ratio of compression should be close to equal for the best suspention response.
5- If using different size tires each tire will have different gyroscopic behaver which disturbs the stability of the bike, sizes within a few mm diameter difference are OK but not inches difference.
6- The bike's level, the bike should be leveled properly so the weight bias is not excessively forward or else the rear will fishtail in hard braking causing a high side.
7- Lowered front only causes excessive dive & loss of rear tire traction plus it puts more strain on front brakes & fork seals.
8- Even a different handle bar rise and pull back can have very significant handling changes.
9- Seat hight changes also affect riding position, center of gravity which also affects handling.
9- The weight of wheels and tire combination also affects handling, stock bias tires are heavier than radials, some after market wheels are heavier than stock wheels, some are lighter, the lighter the better for unsprung weight and improved handling.
So its not just lowering the forks & expecting great handling, the changes are subtle & affect handling in various ways, expect compromises in stability, cornering, tight turning and emergency accident avoidance.
my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[KosRider]

You got me thinking 2Fear... I've had my front shocks up about 1 inch in the tripletree since like forever ! It was like the first mod I did to the bike when new; I noticed the changes as others pointed out. Kinda liked it ! Since then, I've added the Ricor intiminators and new fork oil, (keeping the stock springs) which greatly improved the fork's performance. But the forks remained up in the tripletree about 1 inch.

For the upcoming Three Rivers, MI VMOA event this weekend, I think I'm going to set them back to stock level height to see what difference I notice. You may have started something here !! :worthy:

 

[2fear]

I just figured I would share my observation on this mod, I'm sure a lot of folks like it and it works well for them. All I know it wasn't for me and it feels so much better put back to the stock height, best of all this mod test was free! :cheers: