99 SV650S Front End Lowered?

[daveyrach]

Right, this has been bugging me i picked up my SV on Sunday, the guy says the front has been lowered as it has been set up for racing. Now i think all they have done is use standard forks and yokes and just pushed the forks furthur through the yokes, what do you guys think from the attached photo's?? The bike handles perfectly well and feels stable.

8520

8521

8522

[beabert]

If its the same as the sv650 x yes,the yoke is lower than mine.

[Biker Biggles]

From memory----
The forks should protrude about 6mm above the yoke on the faired bike.They should be flush on the naked bike.So yes yours has been lowered a bit more than standard.

[daveyrach]

Is that 6mm from the hex nut or 6mm from round surface of the fork, do you think it would just be a case of pushing them back through to where they should be??

[beabert]

Naked is 6mm too. From the manual.


http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b177/dansarchive/Untitled-1.png

[Sid Squid]

From memory----
The forks should protrude about 6mm above the yoke on the faired bike.They should be flush on the naked bike.So yes yours has been lowered a bit more than standard.
What he said. That's the right one right there.

[daveyrach]

Si i take it mine comes under the 'For the others' catagory?

[daveyrach]

Also, will i have to do anything with the headlight alignment if i raise it back up?

[hardhat_harry]

Its an old trick from CBR 600 Steely racing, puts more weight on the front end, I've never seem it used for Minitwin racing though.

[daveyrach]

So there should be no ill effects if i just lift it back up?? Trouble is it makes all the brake lines and speed sensor cables look too long!

[hardhat_harry]

No problems at all and your lines will fit too.

Just make sure you torque all the bolts up properly

[daveyrach]

Don't worry i am quite particualr about torque settings when putting my bike back together!

Thanks for all you helps guys

[barwel1992]

if you left it like that when the bike bottoms out one of 2 things would happen.....

1: the mudguard would hit the bottom yoke
2: the bottom part of the stanchion would hit the yoke

10mm is the most you can get away with

[daveyrach]

Well personally i hate it like it, i ride it 25miles a day, and the difference it make to the weight on your arms is huge compared to the 'standard' one i test rode.

I intend to change it back this weekend while changing the Exhaust

[yorkie_chris]

Its an old trick from CBR 600 Steely racing, puts more weight on the front end, I've never seem it used for Minitwin racing though.

Trick :smt082


It's an adjustment same as any other, you are kind of changing the free length of fork in relation to the chassis which will change rake at some conditions depending on the springs. This affects trail, weight transfer on brakes, all sorts. Just one of hundreds of setup options.

Most obvious thing is it reduces trail a bit and makes it turn in quicker. But with the stock biro springs last thing you want is more weight on the front.

[daveyrach]

Trick :smt082


It's an adjustment same as any other, you are kind of changing the free length of fork in relation to the chassis which will change rake at some conditions depending on the springs. This affects trail, weight transfer on brakes, all sorts. Just one of hundreds of setup options.

Most obvious thing is it reduces trail a bit and makes it turn in quicker. But with the stock biro springs last thing you want is more weight on the front.

It has had the front springs uprated, to what i don't know, as has the rear shock. I don't like it this low, does turn in quick now you mention it.

[yorkie_chris]

So bring it back up to stock again then, top of tubes (not the cap) flush with yoke.

You may need a bit more rear preload too. Then again that K4 shock is not right for curvy, too low, too soft.

Would question just what this guy thought he was racing when fitting such a short shock and dropping forks to point they are risking hitting mudguard. Personally I would go through that bike VERY carefully and check he hasn't "uprated" anything else.

[daveyrach]

I intend to, not i know the rear shock is adjustable but i have nver in my life adjusted one, do i make the spring loger or shorter on the shock, it's about half way down the adjustment at the moment

[kerby]

that bike looks like it would ride in an interesting manner if you hit cats eyes at a fair speed.

[NedSVS]

It is worth checking if the front tyre has been changed from the standard 120/60 to a 120/70. If it has, the extra height of the tyre has effectively cancelled out 12mm of the lowering done by sliding the forks through. If it has or was going to be used for racing, it may well have a 70's profile front tyre as this is a much more popular option for track use.

[daveyrach]

Rides fine, going to go over it and give a clean this weekend

[daveyrach]

Checked the front tyre it looks as though it has been changed for the 120/70 higher profile, question is if i raise the forks up to where they should be will it make a huge difference from a 'standard' tyre.

Also what is the difference between 120/60 and 120/70 i mean physical dimentions?

Cheers Guys

[barwel1992]

hmm considering theback is lower than stock and the tyre is bigger than stock your turn is speed will be slow as hell with the forks where there supposed to be basically the bike will look sort of like a chopper high at front low at back

[yorkie_chris]

/70 is steeper profile which will cancel that effect out somewhat.

Bring the forks down in yokes until it is safe (you can remove top caps and let forks drop down to check where full travel position is), if you feel it needs to turn faster. TBH I'd just put the forks to stock position though.

[daveyrach]

Now when i am on it it feels high at the back and low at the front, to look at it looks high back end wise aswell. I don't think the shock is off a GSXR tbh, how long is the stock one i will go measure it and see the diffenence

[daveyrach]

Will put the forks back down i think, shock is currently 13inches (ish) long, that's with the bike on its stand, that seems quite long to me.

[yorkie_chris]

Stock is 337mm, from top of my head K4 shock is 332.5. Ideally you want a shock that's 350mm+ but you won't find one on a stock bike.

[daveyrach]

So how have i manged to get one thats 290mm? it does look adjustable but this seems like a mssive adjustment to make. I know its not stock.

Unless of coarse i measured it wrong i did it with a ruler at work.

If i urn the adjuster this won't make the shock longer will it?

[yorkie_chris]

It won't make it longer but you have measured with some of the bikes weight upon it which will compress it a bit, especially being so soft.

Post a couple of pics lets see if we can identify it.

[Biker Biggles]

If its been messed with it may well have non standard length dog bones which alter rear ride height.

[daveyrach]

I am pretty sure all the linkage is standard, i attached 2 pics as i was asked to try and ID the shock.

Can't see a manufacturer on it. :confused:

8542

8543

Below is a pic of the bike from the guys ad, think it looks like it sitting fine, try and picture it with the front forks put back to standard rather than poking through 25mm

8544

[Biker Biggles]

Dunno about the shock but Id put some oil on that chain.

[daveyrach]

I intend to if the weather is good tomorrow, complete body work strip and clean. Would you believe the chain is only 7 months old, guy before me obviously didn't look after it

[daveyrach]

I am of the opinion i don't have a Gixer K4 shock as below is a pic of one and it looks completely different!
8545 :confused:

[barwel1992]

that aint no gixer shock you have.... looks like a kwak one, does it have a piggy back ?

ps i have the k4 one like you pictured

[daveyrach]

Excuse the ignorance what is a piggy back??

[barwel1992]

on the pic you posted the big black bit at the top of the shock after the spring, sticks out from the shock body

[daveyrach]

Yes it does, i just looked with a torch it's right up under the seat, i did notice it does say Suzuki Motor Corp on it!

[barwel1992]

hmm maybe srad ? is the back soft ?

[daveyrach]

Don't feel soft, bout the same as my '94 ZZR600 i had maybe a little firmer!

[yorkie_chris]

Yes it is SRAD, note shock body and preload threads are separate piece, shock body itself is actually steel. Later ones are alloy.

Much better for 1gen than K4, if a bit soft. You'll probably need preload pretty much full to keep the geometry right.


Front will be OK dropped or wherever so long as mudguard is not hitting radiator.

[daveyrach]

You are right actually, got a pic of a Gixer 600 SRAD below looks exactly the same.
8546:)

Is this OK for the SVs, not too long or too short? No probs raising the front back up?

[barwel1992]

YC whats the srad shock like for a k3 length and spring wise vs the k4 ?

sorry for thread jack

[daveyrach]

I read somewhere that the SRAD shock is 350mm from centre to centre, perfect accordng to yorkie_chris's previous post.

[daveyrach]

Yes it is SRAD, note shock body and preload threads are separate piece, shock body itself is actually steel. Later ones are alloy.

Much better for 1gen than K4, if a bit soft. You'll probably need preload pretty much full to keep the geometry right.


Front will be OK dropped or wherever so long as mudguard is not hitting radiator.

Does that mean screw the adjuster all the way down or up??

[barwel1992]

Does that mean screw the adjuster all the way down or up??

in other words take whole cap off let front drop down and adjust as nessosary to give propper clearance, but you will need a mate to help lift the front of the bike back up if you dont have any stands

[yorkie_chris]

SRAD shock is 345.


I think we are talking about different things. You highlight when I am talking about front end and then talk about rear preload (I think).

To clarify,
At the front, you can remove the caps, as barwell says, to check how much is safe to adjust. Or you can go with 10mm of tube stuck out. Which is easier and known to be safe.

At the rear you should screw the spring collar downwards to add preload until you have 10mm of static sag, this may not be possible due to the softness of the spring. Static sag is how much the suspension compresses with the bike stood upright on it's own.

[daveyrach]

Sorry I am confused, I under stand now how to adjust the back, but at the front it in not a case of just loosening the yokes and sliding the forks back down??

Thanks guys

[yorkie_chris]

Yes just loosen them and slide them down (make sure front end is supported though)