Hey there, shorter guy here with a couple of questions. Anybody here experienced with lowering their CBR? I have been looking online at lowering links and like the look of the Soupy's kits http://www.soupysperformance.com/homepage.html Wondering if there is an option for dropping the front height to match? Anybody recommend another kit from personal experience? I think a 1" drop would be perfect. 5'7" guy.

Thanks!

 

So nobody here has ever lowered their CBR?

 

I bought my 00 already lowered. I had her raised up this summer and found it much better to ride. She was slow in the corners when she was lowered and now I find that she rides much quicker in the corners.
As for what was used, the lady who owned it had a threaded dog bone installed. She had the front lowered to match the back. I am 5' 4" and can get the one foot down. I would recommend not doing it. Just my .02

 

I as well bought my F4 lowered an inch. There was a custom dog bone with three holes (+1, stock, and -1) the fork tubes had just been dropped through to match. (that's all you need to do for the front) I didn't really mind it until my mechanic reamed me out for tampering with Honda's precise geometry. Lowering a bike should only be done if it's for show, you're going to loose it's greatness if you do. I'm 6' 1" so I'm at the other end of the bike size problems. If it's more standover you want though, I'd try to slim the seat/subframe down. Never seen it done really, but I imagine it's very possible to get an inch out of there somehow. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I was wondering about the handling / geometry too and think I'll leave it exactly the way it is ... don't want to ruin the way it handles.

 

Here is my experience:

I have a 2003 F4i, and a short wife who wanted to be able to ride. So, after a lot of searching forums, I found that almost everyone says that lowering the bike with drastically change the handling of the bike and so on and so forth. Guess what, the majority of people only know what they have been told by someone who really doesnt know anything.

So, I lowered my bike, myself, 1" front and rear. The rear was with a soupys and the front was done by sliding the stanchions up in the clamps. It has been like this for 4 or 5 months now.

After math?

Well, the bike sits lower, duh. My wife can ride now, great!

Depending on how aggressive you corner, you will likely never notice any issues.

I occassionaly corner pretty hard and like to lay the bike over pretty far. My sissy stripe on the rear tire is less than a 1/4 inch on each side.

Yes, I have noticed that is I dont keep my toes up, I can drag the tip of my boot on the ground in a hard turn. Notice, I said hard turn, not the normal riding around.

I have drug my muffler, once. I was making a really hard right turn and hit a dip in the road while the bike was leaning pretty hard, compressed the rear suspension, and heard the muffler scrape.

I can no longer park my bike on the sidewalk at the gym because there isnt a ramp to go back down and my plastics drag as i ride off the edge.

If my wife continues with her lack of riding, I will probably raise it back up, mostly because I like the way it looks at stock height and I also tend to corner pretty hard and dont want to worry about my boots dragging. This has nothing to do with the way the bike handles, as it handles the same.

If you order from soupys, the link he sells on the site is -1 to -4 inches. He will make you one, for the same price, that will go from stock to -2 inches so you can easily go back to stock.

 

Ahem, changing the ride height, a.k.a changing the center of gravity, on anything with wheels will inevitably change the way it handles, no way around it. Not to mention it looks silly on our bikes.

 

Yes, but LOWERING the center of gravity is usually a good thing, and I LOVE the way my bike looks lowered. It's like 2" in the rear and 1.5" up front. I daily ride, + I drag race it at the track at least 2 or 3 times a month. I've moved my pegs up via my own home brewed rearsets, and only drag a peg if I'm close to knee dragging. If the OP plans any road racing type riding, lowering may not be the best plan, but for everyday riding, he'll probably never notice any negative differences, only the positives. Just MHO,

 

If you get on two similar bike, say and R6 and an F4i, both bone stock, they will handle different. Which one is better, depends on what the rider calls better.

If you want to lower your bike, do it, it's your bike. Don't base your decision on someone elses perception of what is better for you.

If you are looking to lower your bike because you are short, and that 1" will make you comfortable on YOUR bike, then do it.

I was just stating the fact that I lowered my bike 1" front and rear and the only thing I could come up with to complain about was the fact that I could drag my toes on a tight corner if I wasn't paying attention.

-Will

 

comeing from experience. sometimes lowering the bike is absolutely needed. My wife ownes the F4 and in order for her to ride it the bike must be lowered. Yea, the handeling is odd, but it lets her ride comfortably and in turn, lets her ride. You get used to the handeling after a while and as long as your not racing or riding hard, IE, if your just riding, its not a HUGE deal