Fork level? Pointy.

SV650 pointy 05

I would like my handlebars a little higher.

Should the unit that hold the forks be flush with the top of the forks? Mine has a gap of a couple of centimetres (I figure it may have been lowered by the previous owner and I could raise it up again).

Pic attached. This is not actually a picture of my bike, but this is the bit I am talking about.


Is the default set up to have them flush, or is there always a gap? If the former, how big a job is it to raise the unit up that couple of centimetres to the top of the fork?

Thanks muchly

[Shawthing]

Yes sounds like someone has dropped the yokes down the forks ( probably for a slightly quicker turn-in)

Mine looks like:


To reset to vitually flush you would need an Abba stand or jack up the bike under the engine to take weight off the front forks release both top and bottom yoke clamps to each fork, reposition fork legs in top and bottom yokes and retighten clamp bolts to the correct torque.
Then check adequate available extension in all cables and brake/clutch lines ( stearing side to side and full extension of front suspension ).

[TamSV]

Raising or lowering the forks in the yokes by a few mil won't affect the position of the bars very much from a riding position point of view.

There does look to be a big gap UNDER the yoke though - from that pic it looks like the clipons have been slid down the fork (unless that's normal for a pointy). Can you raise the the clipons so they are flush to the underside of the top yoke?

Thanks both.

OK, so I have now been out to take a picture of mine (should have done this first). See attached. There doesn't seem to be any gap underneath, but is some space above compared to your picture).

The background to this is that I was happy with the riding position.

I then had padding put into the seat, but now the front seems to low (or the back too high).

I figure that bringing the handlebars up by a couple of centimeteres will equate to the adidtional height of the seat, putting me back in the position I started in.

Does that make sense?

Dropping the forks through the yokes will quicken the steering, especially a couple of centimeters. There is no reason you shouldn't have the top of the fork flush with the yoke, but it will make the steering more neutral.

Just try it and see what you think.

[Jayneflakes]

Yours looks like an N model, which means you have some easier options than with an S model.

You could try new bars, or go and find an engineer who will spin you up some spacers and longer bolts to raise your risers up. What ever you do, don't fit Ape hangers, folks on here really don't like them!

[Bibio]

your bike may have possibly been lowered and might have been lowered at both ends. i would check the rear suspension link bars to see if they are longer than standard before you go putting the forks back at the correct hight. if the rear has been lowered and you put the forks back then the rear will sit low and cause all sorts of weird handling problems.

Bloke who had my bike before me did this as he used to do track days on it, funny thing was he also put a higher profile tyre on the front cancelling out any effect dropping the forks made. I have since raised them back up.

Well the garage said this morning that making this adjustment would not actually make the handlebars higher up, which was what I actually wanted to achieve. It was only the bar height and riding position I was looking to change, not the steering, or forks for any other reason. Its not enough of an issue to replace the handlebars, so I guess I will just have to get used to it.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by daveyrach

Bloke who had my bike before me did this as he used to do track days on it, funny thing was he also put a higher profile tyre on the front cancelling out any effect dropping the forks made. I have since raised them back up.

Why would that cancel it? A sharper front tyre will feel to tip in faster and be more stable cranked over.