Can you lower the front end????

[Firefghter355]

Does anyone know if you can lower the front end of the bike to give it a more agressive look? If so, does it dramatically affect the handling? Just curious...I was looking at the gs500r online and I like the stance. just curious

[ecpreston]

well, you could get an easy half inch or more just by undoing the fork pinch bolts and sliding the forks up a bit 

[ben2go]

Be careful with sliding the forks up in the clamps.It makes the bike a little more darty feeling in the curves and can be unnerving.I done it and it was scary.If you cut the spacer in the forks, you'll have issues bottoming the forks on bumps and when braking hard.

[Firefghter355]

thanks guys

[gsJack]

Way back 100k miles and 8 GS500 years ago I put a 130/90 rear tire on my 97 and the steering was much quicker, very noticeable but not a problem.  A 130/90 will raise the rear a little over an inch and should give the same effect to the steering as lowering the front an inch. Makes the already quick approx 25.5* steering head angle about 1* steeper.

arctan 1/55.5" = 1.03*     *=degrees

More recently after having shrunk myself over 2" in height I lowered the rear of my 02 about 1" so I tried lowering the front 1/2" to compensate and had no problems with it handling wise but didn't have enough lean on the sidestand so I put it back where it was.  With the GenMars risers moving the handlebars out of the way the forks can be moved up till they bottom on something, not sure how far that is.  If you just put another set of handlebar clamps under the bars to raise them about 3/4" you can slide the forks up about an inch but be sure they don't hit the sliders against the bottom triple clamp when bottoming out the front suspension.