I'm going to lower it!

A VFR800 Vtec on its side looks like a beached whale or a dead tuna. I figure I need -20mm (3/4") to firmly plant my foot on the ground or my toe into a rut to never let that happen again. I have just ordered a 20mm rear kit. I should drop the front the same amount right?

 

Okay so hope you are going with Lustracing lowering triangles?
Inch in the rear and raise fork tubes 10mm.
Oh and don’t forget to shorten the kickstand.
I also shaved my seat between the thighs and a touch off the top.



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Ah yes I remember when the UK was mixing inches and millimeters "Grind that plate down to 23.7 millimeters ....plus or minus 10 thou'! ".
Why would I take 25.4mm of the rear and only 10mm off the front?
The side stand concerns me. I don't like the idea of chopping it in the middle, but I suppose I could cut the end off and weld a new plate on.

 

If all you need is 20mm, you might not need to lower it. You can easily take that much off the seat. If you add some gel to it, you can actually shave a lot off the seat without compromising comfort.

Lowering the seat will also reduce the distance between seat and pegs which might give you a more comfortable position if you have short legs. And since you are not altering the overall stance, you won't have to do anything to fix that.

 

'snota good idea good idea to lower a bike until you have at lest 2-300 miles of riding experience on it. the longer u ride any bike, the smaller it feels to you.

 

Just back the bike up off it if not lowering right away.
No good doin It on your tippy toes


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um 1500 since I bought it at Christmas actually. Its not a riding problem its a home parking problem. .... every single day.

No idea what you mean.

 

Lead sled of a bike, you say you are 5’3, I’m suggesting if you need to back up the bike into a spot, do it off the bike since it’s over 500 lbs any you don’t want that puppy tipping over on you. I’m 5’6 and was backing mine up when I got it and glanced a pole with my right rear turn signal and OVER I went.
JMO


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Err... Nope. when/where? I'm 5'9 . Thank you for you suggestion but I didn't want to expand the topic into handling tips. I need to turn the bike off an uneven path, reverse the it down a narrow path/ramp with flowerbeds either side, then up a short ramp and through a narrow doorway into a small covered court yard. I can touch the ground at all times but not push off. Sure, if I could get off and push from the side that would be wonderful.

 

Oh must of been another post, sorry.




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From someone smaller than you, DO NOT LOWER it... You will screw up the handling. Get R&G Crash bungs, they will be perfect for you.

At some point on the basis its a fat top-heavy pig you may end up with it on its side..

Fear not, its been done by tens of thousands of people before you.

Another thought is level the foot path, make the ramp less steep, give yourself a footing on one side of the flower beds.. Life is only as hard as you make it.

 

I'm with Pete on this. To a point. You CAN lower it without messing up the handling. But you WILL have to do much more than just lowering the rear.

And with the new information about why you want to lower it, I have to agree that you might not have to. At 5´9 you are not quite a midget. I suspect you have only a little bit less of a footing on a VFR than I do on a Africa Twin and I can easily move that thing around even though I can't fully flat foot it on both sides. In fact, I was on just that bike earlier today and felt perfectly comfortable moving it around.

Technique and experience is obviously a big factor in how comfortable one is with such things. For example, if I have to reverse down a not too steep/long incline I don't even bother using my feet even though I can easily walk the VFR while straddling it. I just lift my feet slightly off the ground and let gravity do the work. I have done this down narrow ramps from trailers many times.

If you absolutely want to lower it, start with the seat, as I mentioned before. That way you don't change anything on the bike except the seat height.
Try this:
Take off the seat and put a small cushion in it's place, that is 20-30mm lower than the seat.
Try how that feels. If that lowers it enough for you (and the riding position is still comfortable), modify your seat or have someone do it for you.