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How to lower ninja 250?

ALANRIDER7 said:
Consider shaving the seat foam first.
Click to expand...

Thanks...
My dad has been riding motorcycles for 30+ years and he said lowering my bike would be best. I've read that a lot of you think the bike bottoming out will be a problem however he is pretty sure this wont be an issue much for me. I agree with him.
Also neither of us are sure why the handling would be any difference if the bike is two inches higher...
Pretty sure being able to flat foot on a hill would be nice.

I'm just a newbie and ride for fun, not going to be racing anytime soon.
 
lilmzsunshiiine said:
Thanks...
My dad has been riding motorcycles for 30+ years and he said lowering my bike would be best. I've read that a lot of you think the bike bottoming out will be a problem however he is pretty sure this wont be an issue much for me. I agree with him.
Also neither of us are sure why the handling would be any difference if the bike is two inches higher...
Pretty sure being able to flat foot on a hill would be nice.

I'm just a newbie and ride for fun, not going to be racing anytime soon.
Click to expand...

so everyone here tells u stuff will change, u two fail to understand why, and yet u still think he's correct in saying there wont be any issues.... :|
 
not real familiar with the bike. if the rear spring rate is adjustable, bring it down, and bring the fork tubes up in the triple clamps a hair, which will increase the trail and slow the steering, which for a newb might not be a bad idea, as you will be able to practice counter steering, peg weighting etc. with less radical results. reducing the fork oil weight and/or amount will also make the bike 'drop' even, though any change you make will have to be tested at full holler, then you have to be honest with yourself and say shit, after all that work, it still doesnt feel like an extension of my body/will. OR...
listen to your pa, who knows, take a ride to Hollister, and drop some bucks at Corbin. One inch of seat height will make a HUGE difference. Have fun!!:thumbup
 
channelcat said:
not real familiar with the bike.
Click to expand...
obviously.... the ex250 clip-on/bars prevent the fork tubes from being able to be moved up in the triples, so without a set of aftermarket clip-ons its not going to happen. also raising the forks in the triples decreases trail & increases rake, both quicken steering.
 
I have lowered a 2004 Hayabusa, 2009 GSX-R 600, & 2002 SV650s.

All were done using Pro-Tek lowering links for the rear. Additionally, I took all the bikes to Golden Gate Cycles (before they closed) to adjust the front suspension properly as well as cut and weld the kickstand so that the bike wouldn’t fall over. Using full fairing kits I have experienced scraping on the belly pan going in and out of gas stations and garages to fast.

On the Hayabusa and GSX-R 600 I put AirTech drag racing seat pans on to lower it more. I don’t recommend this for street use as it become very uncomfortable on long rides.

I personally have never had any performance issues from a lowered bike and my opinion is that I feel more confident being able to flat foot.



That’s just my experience and :2cents
 
lilmzsunshiiine said:
Also neither of us are sure why the handling would be any difference if the bike is two inches higher...
Click to expand...

So, since two of you can't figure out how the steering geometry is affected, then a problem must not exist.

Your logic reminds me of the guy who grabbed the high voltage power line because he didn't know how electricity worked. True story.

You do know that many of on this thread have 30+ years riding experience each, not to mention engineers/technicians/mechanics?
 
stangmx13 said:
so everyone here tells u stuff will change, u two fail to understand why, and yet u still think he's correct in saying there wont be any issues.... :|
Click to expand...

No one is explaining why these issues would occur because the bike is lower, and the way my Dad is explaining everything makes me feel more comfortable with the change. Also, it's not like I won't be able to raise it back up if there are issues.
 
Ol' Gravy Leg said:
So, since two of you can't figure out how the steering geometry is affected, then a problem must not exist.

Your logic reminds me of the guy who grabbed the high voltage power line because he didn't know how electricity worked. True story.

You do know that many of on this thread have 30+ years riding experience each, not to mention engineers/technicians/mechanics?
Click to expand...

He is also an engineer, technician, and mechanic
 
channelcat said:
not real familiar with the bike. if the rear spring rate is adjustable, bring it down, and bring the fork tubes up in the triple clamps a hair, which will increase the trail and slow the steering, which for a newb might not be a bad idea, as you will be able to practice counter steering, peg weighting etc. with less radical results. reducing the fork oil weight and/or amount will also make the bike 'drop' even, though any change you make will have to be tested at full holler, then you have to be honest with yourself and say shit, after all that work, it still doesnt feel like an extension of my body/will. OR...
listen to your pa, who knows, take a ride to Hollister, and drop some bucks at Corbin. One inch of seat height will make a HUGE difference. Have fun!!:thumbup
Click to expand...

dude, this is all terrible advice. in fact, most of it is wrong.

- springrates are never adjustable without replacement. preload does not effect springrate
- sliding the forks UP in the triples REDUCES trail because of the steeper rake
- reducing fork oil weight decrease damping which would be bad for anyone that just decreased available fork travel by sliding the forks up
- reducing fork oil amount, ie increase air gap, decreases the forks progressive "springrate" which is also bad for anyone that slid the forks up.
 
akasha said:
I have lowered a 2004 Hayabusa, 2009 GSX-R 600, & 2002 SV650s.

All were done using Pro-Tek lowering links for the rear. Additionally, I took all the bikes to Golden Gate Cycles (before they closed) to adjust the front suspension properly as well as cut and weld the kickstand so that the bike wouldn’t fall over. Using full fairing kits I have experienced scraping on the belly pan going in and out of gas stations and garages to fast.

On the Hayabusa and GSX-R 600 I put AirTech drag racing seat pans on to lower it more. I don’t recommend this for street use as it become very uncomfortable on long rides.

I personally have never had any performance issues from a lowered bike and my opinion is that I feel more confident being able to flat foot.



That’s just my experience and :2cents
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your experiences!:thumbup
 
lilmzsunshiiine said:
No one is explaining why these issues would occur because the bike is lower, and the way my Dad is explaining everything makes me feel more comfortable with the change. Also, it's not like I won't be able to raise it back up if there are issues.
Click to expand...

so the increased likelihood of bottoming-out bodywork after lowering a bike is not self-explanatory?

a lot of the issues here are slightly overstated because the forum tends to be filled with riders that like their bikes to turn as the OEM intended... or better. making such drastic changes to a motorcycles suspension could be very very likely be detrimental to that fact. those issues may or may not be lost on a new rider. however, there are plenty of posters already here that are ignoring that fact and only bringing up potentially dangers.

we could get into specifics of what changes to CG height, rake, trail, swingarm angle, sag, shock linkage ratios, and wheelbase to do a motorcycle... but thats a long conversation and the details seem kind of pointless now.
 
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lilmzsunshiiine said:
He is also an engineer, technician, and mechanic
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just because he is in no way means hes actually good @ any of those jobs. if hes worth his salt in any of those positions he should easily be able to explain to you how lowering a bike will affect the geometry of said vehicle....... unless of course hes a harley mechanic & if thats the case he could be really good @ working on harleys & still not have a clue about chassis geometry.
 
Ol' Gravy Leg said:
Having three occupations must not leave much time for the family.

Got me beat. My dad is just a Surgeon, Astronaut, and Fireman.

[edit: what Robert ^says^; too complex and would fall on deaf, unappreciated ears]
Click to expand...

Not all at once, he has progressed as he grew in age as most people do. (Many people go through a few jobs in their life)


Also, I appreciate all if the advice I get on here, but don't appreciate that a lot of you think I won't be able to comprehend if you explain to me the details.
 
elskipador said:
j unless of course hes a harley mechanic & if thats the case he could be really good @ working on harleys & still not have a clue about chassis geometry.
Click to expand...

Mostly Harley's, which is why he asked me to ask about the Ninja on the forum, so we can better understand.
 
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