Techniques For Lowering a Custom Motorcycle Chassis
Even though American V-Twin and custom motorcycle frame manufacturers spend millions of dollars on engineering and research to set up their products for the best handling characteristics and rider friendly positions, many owners still want their bikes to sit a little lower. There are a lot of reasons for doing this ranging from supposedly easier handling, to just giving their bike the "slammed" look. And some folks, if they are short legged, do it to make it easier to have their feet touch the ground.
Without question, the lowest bike that you can put on the road that requires no chassis modifications is the rigid frame style. And because there is absolutely no suspension on this setup, you will have a low riding motorcycle, but riding comfort will be sacrificed foe that low riding position.
The most common types of frame suspension setups American V-Twin manufacturers use on their production line of motorcycles are the Swingarm and Softail type.
With the Swingarm style frame, the more preferred method of lowering the motorcycle is to replace the OEM shocks with a set of aftermarket ones that have a shorter center-to-center distance than the stock setup. There are several aftermarket custom motorcycle parts companies that manufacturer and sell these shorter style shocks for all the different models and usually when you buy a set they will come as a "kit" meaning that along with the new shocks, new bushings, springs and mounting hardware are also included.
There are also a couple of other ways to lower the rear of a Swingarm frame motorcycle without having to replace the stock suspension. A lowering kit can be installed which will drop the bike by moving the bottom of the shock further to the back which in turn allows the swingarm to sit at a greater angle. If you decide to use a lowering kit, make sure it is designed for the year and model of motorcycle you're riding. Don't let anyone tell one size fits all because it doesn't. A good rule of thumb to follow if you are considering lowering your motorcycle is try not to go any lower than 1" from your stock setup.
Another method that's been used in the past to lower a swingarm motorcycle frame was to cut the coils from the springs of the stock shocks. This really isn't the best approach to getting your bike lowered because you're just asking for all kinds of problems along with the high probability of a suspension failure.
If you own a Softail chassis motorcycle, to lower the bike the shocks need to be extended rather than compressed because the Softail rear suspension works by the shocks extending to pivot the swingarm. If you lengthen the stock shock, the swingarm will be in a slightly dropped position. Again, there are aftermarket lowering kits and shocks for these style motorcycles, with some of them being adjustable so you can set your suspension up for different types of riding situations. In fact, there are some "air-adjustable" suspension products that seem to work very good for riders who like to change riding heights on a regular basis.
Once you have your bike lowered to where you feel comfortable with it, check all of the applicable clearances carefully. Things like fender to swingarm clearance, belt to inner primary, tire to fender and tire sidewall to fender. Keep in mind that your bike is going to have a whole new personality compared to the factory setup.
For example, the headlight is going to shine where it shouldn't, so you'll need to make an adjustment on it. One of the most important things you need to check is the rear belt adjustment. When you lower rear swingarms to different angles, it will change how the rear belt rides and depending on what model you own, it could get too loose or too tight.
One other thing to watch out for after you lower your motorcycle is the kickstand. When you put your bike down on the kickstand after you've modified the suspension, it may look like it's going to fall over so you might want to think about replacing the stock kickstand with a new one that will take care of that problem! Just remember, with your motorcycle sitting lower, you may have to change your riding style as well as the places where you ride and don't overlook the fact that a new seat might do the trick for you instead of even messing around with the bikes suspension.
Mike Mathews has been producing Custom Bike Building Motorcycle DVD tutorials along with various other award winning informational creations, seminars and many other cutting edge custom motorcycle builder products for over 13 years. His works have been featured on the Internet... in numerous motorcycle publications... and even on TV. Thousands of savvy custom bike builders from all over the world have been trusting and using this information for various bike building projects and business applications. He currently owns and operates the only accepted and recognized custom motorcycle appraisal service in the industry which is used by insurance companies who specialize in custom motorcycle insurance policies along with many finance companies.
If you're looking for the best deal possible for full coverage custom motorcycle insurance, check out http://www.custommotorcycleappraisals.com
Michael Mathews
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