Like many (maybe most!) I would like my bike to be somewhat lower. I'm up to speed on the rear lowering and sliding the forks, but my question is one of unintended consequences? I know the pegs will touch sooner, but how about ramming the fender into the radiator, or the rear tire into the inner fender? Chain issues? Anything that makes lowering the bike unstable / dangerous / or potentially damaging to another component? TIA, steve

Responding to this, please use the search function Lowering Link will find hundreds of threads soon to be another Sticky


http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...ring-link.html Note post 6 of this thread shows a picture of how to!

http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...=lowering+link

I have had the lowering link on a MK-1 and now MK-3, when I say lowering link, I will say Moto Werk https://motowerk.com/

Maybe I wasn't clear in my original post. I have done the searches. I understand speedy's link, I understand how to put it on, I understand how to slide forks up to lower the front. What I am strictly asking ifs if there are any bad side effects, IE mechanical interference of other components, etc. Thanks, Steve

As in the title the only problem Known to me!

I had 30,000 KM on my 07 and now 12000 KM on my 2015. In my opinion and many others that have posted, it is more responsive and if you have a 32" inseam or shorter, you definitely will benefit from this. As to handling, I have been over to the point of scraping the pegs, if you bought this to use as a track bike then don't lower it, if it is to enjoy the twisties, then you are doing the right thing. If you plan to put knobbies on it and off road then again don't lower it.

I hope that answers your question.

Edit the biggest problem isn't mechanical interference of other components, but dropping the bike, that can do lots of damage, my 07 went over due to the kick stand 3 times, twice went over because I was on a crest of the road when stopping and couldn't flatfoot, over I went. My 2015, got lowered right from new, so far only have gone over due to 6 inches of gravel being dumped on the road, and once hard braking below 2KM / hr while avoiding a collision, my fault 100%, just a split second of inattention.

I like your enthusiasm "the pegs will touch sooner"... Are you touching the pegs to the ground now? If so I want to see some video. It has been done you really have to work at it. I got the foot peg lowering kit along with other lowering kit. I never put the foot pegs on because I thought he same thing as you. Now I'm pretty sure I won't be making sparks around corners and I should put the lower pegs on and try them.

If you want to test it out, I wouldn't mind seeing the video too. I can tell you two things, one I had Pilot Road 2's on my 07 when I did it and I would recommend you not try it with the Dunlops and or below 75'F , and that was with Moto Werk peg lowering on as well. Have someone assist you as the bike once going over is way more than one person can handle, but just observe how far over on the tire you need to be to scrape the pegs, I am talking as my 07 was fitted. My former bikes were DRZ400S and XL250R, before those several street bike 650cc class. Been riding over 40 years, and always learning! Years of riding doesn't =experience , I am sure there are people on this forum can ride way better than me , two come to mind, jdrocks and Fasteddiecopeman!

HA! No I won't be trying to touch pegs. I'm a mechanic, and I look at every component / component modification for the good and bad it presents. Sometimes it's all good; sometimes there's some bad stuff that comes with modifications. I actually developed the "kneesaver" peg lowerers for the concours 1000, so I know peg scraping is a function of height and lean angle. The higher the peg is at 90* from the ground the more lean angle is need til it hits. I know of folks who lower various bikes on the suspension, then blast the front fender into the radiator. I'm strictly trying to do my due diligence before I commit to buying the lowering link.

thanks for the replies. Steve

I took a Ron Ariel "Advanced Riding Course" several years ago, then in the following season (down here in AZ) I scraped the 'feeler' on the left 'peg several (5 or 6...?) times, but never on the right side.

Since then I ride a BIT more "circumspectly" (well - SOME of the time......!) and haven't done it again....

Lowering the bike, you lose the height advantage for Filtering - you now are closer to smacking the side mirrors of cars... or if you are in the USA you are safer as you go under the SUV's side mirrors

You do loose rear end travel as the geometry has changed, that is the rear wheel might hit the underseat pan before the shock bottoms out.

Lowering will also change the chain tension... so check that.

Side stand is the big issue. When lowering the bike you need to shorten or replace it with a shorter model from a different bike, as the bike will now sit more vertical and this means it could tip over easier if a fly lands on the right side handle bar.

If you use a lowering link, you will also have to be creative if you want to add a rear hugger as the link gets in the way when mounting ... and you could crack it as you reduce the space to the under seat pan.

http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...ight=skidmarks

posts on this subject and note pictures posts 40,64;69;70 , my hugger is now 8 years old and 42000 KM between the 07 and 2015 , both lowered bikes, so there are huggers and then there is;

Skidmarx Index

Products

OK, now to geometry. If I get this correctly, the motowerk lowerer claims to lower the seat by 1.85" . since the seat is ahead of the axle, it would seem it lowers at the axle even more than that. From my searching, it seems that the recommended fork adjustment is to lower the bike on the forks about 7/8". this would leave the front about 1+" higher than the back, relative to stock geometry. The result would be slower steering and more rake. Can anyone comment if I have the numbers right, and are folks noticing slower steering with a lowered bike?

Id there a lowering link that drops maybe 1" rather than 1.85" at the seat?

thanks, steve

Hyperpro's lowering spring for 2007-2014 Versys 650 lowers by 30mm (1.181102362204724"), and their lowering spring for 2015+ reduces ride height by 25mm (0.984251968503937").

Height adjustment - Hyperpro

http://hyperpro.com/wp-content/uploa...-Lowering-.pdf


The easy way would be to get the right bike for the height challenged in the first place; Ninja 650R.

Thanks Invader, I was just looking at that option. BTW, I got the bike I wanted, the 650r really isn't the same, but you already know that. Thanks for the reply! steve

Dude, you are overthinking it. I installed the motowerks lowering link and I raised the front fork tubes up to the horizontal lines and it is PURRRFECT! Hell, I wanted to get rid of the bike but after lowering it I installed new tires and I got a new little side bag to carry extra stuff in. I have been chasing my buddy on his cbr600rr and I am loving the versys. I weigh 150lbs, I am 5'6-5'7 and I have a 29.5 inseam. After lowering, height is perfect for me and the heavier weight feeling has gone away. I wish the versys would have been adjustable from the factory. Stop thinking about it and just do it

You will find many combinations of lowering in this forums. I haven't seen any that say it caused any damage or adverse ride quality. Moto werks rear link, slid the forks up in triple tree to the top of the taper and installed a kick stand from a ninja 650. I can flat foot with a 30" inseam.
I know of your work on the c10 but you may be over thinking this one. Just do it and enjoy the ride. You can always change it back if you don't like it.
Jeff

Jeff, having BTDT on modifications, I know that I want to research as much as possible before I commit, because sometimes things aren't as they appear. for instance in this case, the Motowerk part is advertised to lower 1.85 at the seat. If that's the case, how much is the bike lowered at the rear axle, which should be matched at the steering stem to achieve consistent geometry. It matters.

Nobody should take this as me bashing the product. I'm not. But just because I'm considering things others don't doesn't mean I'm over thinking it either. I see lots of folks sticking big tires on their trucks, because it looks so darn good. AFTER the installation they realise how much power and mileage the vehicle lost, and if used offroad it becomes worthless unless the gearing is done to offset the new tire circumference. This is what I mean "unintended consequences"... I'm just doing my homework before I settle on the approach I take.

BTW, I have a 2015. the Motowerk lowerer only drops the 2015 1.5". The front forks can slide up 1.25". there's a .25" discrepancy from stock. I think I can live with that if the 1,5" is at the axle. Steve

https://motowerk.com/pages/contact-us

On this site;http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...=lowering+link

He is a member, you could PM him , mention my user name, I have been dealing with him for 8 years.

I would suggest the preferred method would be to go to his Business site and ask there, again mention my user name there.

I put the Motowerk link on my MK-1 V a couple of years ago. Overall it really improved the bike for me in both handling and looks. And I have long legs, so I didn't do the mod to assist my reach to the ground with my feet.

I've noticed two, very minor, unintended negative consequences. 1) When using a Progressive brand rear shock, the new shock slightly interfered with the black plastic right side trim piece on full compression. The issue was solved by rotating the pre-load collar a bit (but not adding preload), and carving away the plastic a little bit for more clearance. 2) I adjusted all the preload out of the front springs in order to further lower the front even more. This seemed to have caused more front end dive on braking. If I get time, I may try correcting this with shorter, stiffer, progressive springs, and heavier fork oil.

Also, remember to loosen your chain BEFORE you install the lowering link.

Having the front end slightly higher compared to the rear didn't degrade the handling for me. It seemed the same or slightly improved. It's slightly more stable in the fast sweepers and in a straight line, but not by much. I have the peg lower-ers, and I ride the twisties at a brisk pace, with no peg scraping issues. At the same time, I installed the Yoshi two outlet exhaust, which increased the ground clearance, even though the bike is lower overall.

Oh, another unintended consequence - I have a fabricated bike stand that attaches to the bike through the "hole in the center of the frame". If I want to continued using it, I will need to weld in a new (lower) bracket on the stand for it to work with the lowered bike.

Wow. Well, just Wow.

I don't know where anyone got thinking that I may be dissing Motowerk. I am not. I have been to his site, I read that he is an engineer, I read about the construction, etc etc. But there are issues in the design / handling of ANY bike, that must be considered. Primarily in this case I'm interested in the effects of the change to rake and trail, which has EVERYTHING to do with the stability and handling of the bike. I'm not going to hold myself out as a suspension guru - I'm not - but the simple fact is that the front and rear need to drop the same distance to maintain the steering geometry. All of my questions have been about parts smacking into each other, or the effect on the steering because the front CANNOT be lowered as much as the link lowers the rear. Please reach out to Speedy on this if you don't believe me.

Actually I was thinking to call him myself, and if the answers line up go ahead and order the lowering link for the 2015. But please MR WIZARD, you don't need to be so protective of Motowerk's reputation. Good products stand on their own, and can stand the scrutiny of a discerning customer. Again, BTDT. Steve

Yes You have every right, I mentioned he is a member here, and also provided a link https://motowerk.com/pages/contact-us
In there is a phone number also, Monday to Friday. You have a valid point as to the difference. As to lowering the front, you will find the dimension is limited by the design of the shock.Any lower and the OD becomes smaller.

I mentioned about starting more than one thread, that was primarily to get the most response and reduce clutter. As to defending Speedy, he doesn't need defending, mention his name on any forum, see the response you get.

So when you call Speedy, please post your findings, however if it was me , I would prefer email, that way there would be no misinformation, at my age I don't remember everything, and tend to mix things up .

And yes I agree some of what you see in this thread is over the top, I will clean up my end!

http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...light=lowering Speedy Gonzalez

http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...light=lowering