Hi guys, My mates dad has just bought a 900 ss ie and needs to lower it a little. the preload is currently wound right up, so the first step is to back that off, then if its still a little too tall, a carby shock will bring it down a little further. What size C spanner is the I.E. shock? I've never had to touch mine at all.....
Altering the pre-load is not really the right way of dropping the height of a bike...........all it does is soften the rear spring to a degree where the static and rider sag is far too much ; thus screwing up the handling and the ride. If the rear shock is changed for a carbed model one, then the rear end will squat down thus screwing the front end handling; so the forks will have to poke through the yoke more to get the geometry and speed of steering back to where it should be......what you have to watch when doing that is that the front forks have enough travel without the mudguard clashing with the yokes. If you really have to alter the preload, use a soft metal drift and a hammer on the rings (if its a Showa, the rings are probaly steel ones, but others could be ally), because chances are you won't get the C spanner in the space available (if its anything like the carbed model)........ AL
Well I have found the C spanner that was in my old SSIE tool kit,I never used it,so. I don't know if it fitted my old rear shock,but I am more than happy to send it to you if you want it?
Indeed. Doesn't need to come down much, he's on tiptoes sitting on it. Previous owner was tall and heavy, and Paul is short and light. Preload has been wound right up for the previous owner so there is virtually no sag at all when he sits on it, so dropping the preload to the correct level may be enough.
That would be much appreciated. Let me know how much you want for it and I'll PayPal you the money. Thanks
The rear static sag at the correct preload setting will probably be about 10mm, so he will still have to get his short leg over the seat and when he sits on it, the rider sag will probably be about 25mm; so he might still have to invest in some platform boots.....:wink:
what about going with a carby shock, and dropping the yolks down the forks a little (within confines of the fairing / mudguard clearance?
Pm me your address,don't worry it is a gift,it's good to do a good turn,good karma etc,maybe I will win the lottery,if I buy a ticket!
It will help with the height, but watch how much you push the forks through the yokes.........It might steer a bit too quick or be wobbly at low speeds. AL
Can you not purchase a shorter spring? Then adjust the front end. Or smaller wheels, let some air out of the tyre's!! :biggrin::biggrin:
The carby shock is shorter, so the forks only need to drop by the same amount as the rear, and the geometry remains unaffected.
I've more or less already said that and so have you.............what he has to watch is by how much the front drops so that the front mudguard doesn't clash with hoses and the bottom yoke under braking........ A lot of carbed SS owners fit the longer IE shock to improve ride and handling; but the OP is doing the opposite if he fits an carby shock to the IE.........and he must make sure he gets the right carby shock.......the carbed SS had about four makes of shock, the commonest being the Showa and the Sachs Boge........I found that the Sachs Boge is only really suitable for the steel swingarm because the eyes are much larger which restrict the shock movement in the lugs.........so the OP will need to check the eye OD of the IE shock to make sure he gets the right carby one. AL
I might be exposing myself here to some piss taking but I invested some years ago in a pair of Daytona boots specifically made for the shorter legged gentleman. Before buying the 900ss I had a BMW GS and got my feet flat on the ground. The boots have a thicker sole to give you about 45mm lift. They don't look any different to any other boot and they are comfortable and have never let the wet in. They are expensive but I have hade these for nearly 10 years and its really worth it just to have that overall confidence of leg down safely without compromising on changing a bikes handling. If you want to check these out they are on the Daytona boots website and I think they are called Star or something like that.
