Does this look too low to you?

[Dean-J]

So for a while i've been thinking that the rear of my SV is too low, i can sit with both feet flat on the floor, with my knees bent quite a bit (Im 6ft but still). First i adjusted the preload on the shock,It was right off, wound that up a fair way so its now stiffer and poss half an inch tops higher than it was, but still seems low? I thought i had lowering links fitted, but turns out they are the standard items, so its not that either.

Here's how she sits:

http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq205/deangte/20111216_160535.jpg

Is that about right? or has someone changed something to make it that low?

Cheers.

[DJ123]

measure points from the bike to the ground (when the bike is completely upright) and compare this to figures of other curvy owners.

Is the rear shock a standard item, or aftermarket?

[TamSV]

The seat's had a fair bit of padding removed. The standard riders seat is pretty flat.

http://i918.photobucket.com/albums/ad23/tomSV/SV%20Project/BtidF0CWkKGrHqYH-CIEvLH4UTtBL8ZHIfJ.jpg

[Dean-J]

Aha! well that certainly will be playing a part in it then!

But even so, in your pic your bike looks to have a lot more clearance between hugger and undertray. I know they are taken from different angles, but still....

As far as i know, the rear shock is standard.

When i lift the rear of the bike off the ground, should the swingarm drop down a touch?

[TamSV]

It does look a bit lower but, as you say, hard to tell from the pic angles.

The suspension should sag a little under the weight of the bike so that's normal.

Longer dogbones is the usual way to lower them but if you've ruled that out I'm not sure what else it could be.

[Dean-J]

But thats just it, when i lift the rear of the bike the swingarm stays perfectly in the same position... there is zero movement whatsoever. My old bike ( completely diff kettle of fish and all that but...) when you lifted rear, the swingarm used to drop down about 1/2- 1". The SV stays solid??

Any ideas?

[TamSV]

Sounds like you've maybe now got too much preload. You want to set the preload for static and rider sag (as best you can with a standard SV shock). If your ride height is too low you need to look somewhere other than preload for the answer.

There's not much adjustment on the standard SV shock though. Has your shock got a reservoir on the top? It's possible someones fitted a GSXR shock which gives more adjustability but could be too short. Some of them had yellow springs IIRC.

[Dean-J]

Nope, no reservoir. As far as i can tell its the standard shock.

Thing is, even when it was wound right off i had no movement either. Im properly stumped!

[Sir Trev]

Your swingarm looks standard Dean. Perhaps you could measure the angle it sits at and hopefully another curvy owner could do the same. Or measure height to the top of the rear light...

Otherwise you're going to have to find another curvy and sit the bikes side by side.

[-Ralph-]

But thats just it, when i lift the rear of the bike the swingarm stays perfectly in the same position... there is zero movement whatsoever

This is wrong, you have a problem.

[Dean-J]

Im fairly sure i do, but what? The suspension works as it should, so id think that rules out linkage, dog bones and shock....so what does that leave?!?!

[Dean-J]

Oh, and with it on the abba stand the other day i can just about get the swingarm to travel upwards, just doesnt lower when bike is raised?

[davepreston]

bearings in the linkage prob shot, also double check its a sv shock eg length
strip and regrease linkages anyway as the micro dot put on in the factory will be well gone by now

[maviczap]

bearings in the linkage prob shot, also double check its a sv shock eg length
strip and regrease linkages anyway as the micro dot put on in the factory will be well gone by now

I'd go along with this. The bearings have feck all grease in them when assembled in the factory, as do the swingarm pivot bearings, so a good idea to strip it all down.

But you'll need the special ABBA adaptors which go on the footrest mounts so you can take the swingarm pivot out.

It'll be difficult to work on the linkage bearings with the swingarm in situ

[Dean-J]

Cool, cheers for input guys, ill get it stripped down in the new year and stick some new bearings in there. is it normal for them to be shot at 20k?

[maviczap]

Yes, they pick up a lot of muck down there

[Dean-J]

Yeah i suppose they would! Ok cool, well thats a job for when the worst of the weather hits and im not using the bike. May as well chuck a zx10r shock in while im at it i suppose!

[maviczap]

Yep do it all during the yucky weather