Hey all, been a while.
I've been getting together a list of things I want to do for my spring tune-up before I get her back out on the road. When I bought my bike, the guy told me it had been lowered. Being my first bike, I didn't really think much of it, but now I realize it's caused me a lot of problems (6'1", 210 pounds). I really want to get it back up to stock height before I start riding again. I did some looking around, and the most common technique for lowering that I saw was the rear suspension link. I crawled under the bike today, but the rear link doesn't look like any of the aftermarket ones I saw on the internet. Is there some other way he could have had the back lowered? As for the front, the fork tubes are sticking out of the tree ~2 inches. is there some special way I need to go about fixing that, or can I just loosen the nuts and raise the front?
Thanks in advance for reading, I'm gonna go snap some pictures to put up, see if that helps anyone identify my issues.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

 

The forks can just be raised back up again by loosening the yoke clamps as you say.

However its hard to tell if the rear link is the stock length from the picture, guess the easiest way would be to measure it and post back on here.

Bear in mind that if you raise the forks and the back is stock height you will notice the turn iin wont be as quick anymore.


p.s. my posts take time from showing as i am still moderated, so apologies if this is a repeat anything said in the meantime

 

Thanks for the reply. I'll measure the link tomorrow, hopefully someone can tell me how long the stock one is supposed to be. I don't see that info in the manual anywhere. About the forks, how far out of the tree are they supposed to sit?

 

The top of the clip-ons should be about level with the little indented ring around the top of the fork, with the yoke being flush under them.

 

The rear stock link is 5 5/8 end to end and about 4 3/8 center to center on the bolt

 

okay, so.
I went out this morning and measured the link. It's dead on the 4 3/8" that thisguy said. So now I guess there are two options.
A)I've been wrong the whole time, and only the front was lowered. (not sure why anyone would do that) I checked the manual, and it specs the F3 as having a 31.9" seat height. Problem is I'm not sure how they measure that. If anyone here knows how I could fairly accurately measure the seat height, I'd appreciate a tip.
or
B)The rear was lowered by some means that don't include an aftermarket link.

It's that second option that worries me. Does anyone know of some other way a rear could be lowered? I can post pictures of whatever if that would help.
EDIT> To reiterate\clarify, I just tried to measure the seat height. Depending on where you measure from on the seat, the measurement can vary from ~24" to ~35". Where on the seat is the seat height measured from? Alternately, how can one quantitatively determine if the rear of his bike is at stock height?

 

Got an idea. I measured from the bottom of the helmet lock loop on the rearset to the ground. 24" dead. This is while the bike is upright, not on the kickstand. If someone with their bike at stock rear height could measure this interval on theirs, I'd be able to tell if I'm at stock or not. Thanks in advance.

 

They might of just lower the front . There is no parts needed to lower the front. The rear, the only way I know is having to change the dogbone. It seems like you still have the stock one on your bike

 

There is only so much you can say,

1. Raise front of bike off the floor so there is no weight on it

2. Loosen the clamp bolts on the upper and lower yokes

3. Loosen the clip-on clamp bolts

4. Lower fork tubes (or raise yokes and cli-ons, whichever way you want ot look at it) to stock height

5. Tighten clamp bolts

6. Lower front of bike to floor

7. Step back and admire your handy work


Its really not rocket science

You could even take some photos as you go and make a how to?