A question of necessity

[vdb]

I recently lowered the rear end of my 1996 GS500 approximately 2 inches.  It is much more comfortable for me and seems to handle fine.  Is it necessary to lower the front end?  The bike is handling without difficulty, but I will go ahead and lower the front end a bit if I must.  Please advise.  Thanks!

Vanessa

[scratch]

If it feels allright and handles to your satisfaction, then that is all that matters. This bike has very forgiving handling, which I guess includes modifications.

[Stephen072774]

naw, folks raise the back 2" all the time... I can't imagine that lowering it would be any worse.  As long as it rides and handles good you should be fine.

[dgyver]

The front should be lowered as well. Lowering the rear without lowering the front will slow down the turning, especially exiting a turn.

[Jake D]

The rake angle is different now.  Less steep.  Like a GS chopper, making your bike turn slower.  Lowering the front will restore and increase the rake, making the bike turn like it did when it was set up stock.  

But you may never notice.  

It is easy enough to lower the front.

[vdb]

Thanks for your replies.  I have one more question.  I do have directions on lowering the front end from the forum, but I was unclear about one thing.  There was discussion concerning "upright position" handlebars and clipon bars.  I have the stock handlebars so will I be able to lower them or would they be in the way of the forks?  One of the comments was that the upright position type would only lower 1 cm or less.  I honestly don't know the difference between the two styles (I assume I have the upright position type, but am unsure).

Vanessa

[Jake D]

If your bike is newer than an '89, it doesn't have clip ons.  Clip ons, I'm sure you know, are two piece handle bars.  One straight bar for each had grip. that attach to the tope tree or the fork legs.  

If that is the case, and you want to lower the front by more than a smidge, then check with Srinath.  He makes clip ons that attache to the fork legs.  That way, when you slid the fork legs up, they won't encounter the bars (which cross over the top of the fork tubes on post ' '89's).

Nice job searching!  Everything you need to know is right here!

[starwalt]

I honestly don't know the difference between the two styles

This is the current, post 89 type top clamp showing the "bicycle style" handlbar mounts. The black discs on either side of the bar mounts are the fork tube rubber caps. I shot this pic to illustrate the difference between the tube adjustments (incorrect adjustment) of my ebay project bike.



An 89 handle bar looks more like current sport bikes and not at all like a bicycle bar. The 2005 (and probably before) Kawasaki Ninja 500 has bars similar to the 89 GS500.

[weaselnoze]

the right side is higher than the left in the picture correct?

[starwalt]

the right side is higher than the left in the picture correct?

Yes in the pic, no in reality. This pic is from the front with the instrument bucket off. The high one is the left tube. You can see the inst. bracket mounts below the tube caps.

As I took things apart, pics of boo-boos were made. At some point though the bad things pile up and you just want to get on with making it better.

I got a great set of tubes off ebay last week. Nearly perfect! I just put those on because the originals were going to take too long to clean up and rebuild. Who knows? Maybe one day I will find progressive springs in a set?

[weaselnoze]

i was just looking at it and was trying to figure out the purpose of the picture