How do I un-lower my bike?

[JStrube]

The 89 GS I purchased was owned by a fairly short woman who had it lowered by her local bike shop.  She said she had the forks raised & a lowering link installed.  SHe also shaved the seat down.

My first question is, how long should the stock shock link be?  Mine looks like stamped steel.  I can get in to measure for comparison.  I definitely want to swap this out, maybe do a Katana shock swap as well.  Does anybody know if it is the same link?  I might get lucky & get both on E-bay.

Second, how should the forks mount in the triple trees?  I'm not sure if the top should be flush with the bar mount plate or the tree.  By my guess, it is only 1/4" lower, but don't know where stock should be.  Here is a photo of mine:



Is it stock or lowered?  I don't have a comparison for reference...

Now, how about the seat?  Looks like she shaved it some.  Do all seats interchange?  Is there a difference between E & F seats?  I'm a 225 lb guy, 5'10", so want some more distance to the pegs if I can get it.  It looks shaved, doesn't it?



Rode to work today, nice ride, a bit windy.  Small improvements & this bike will serve me well until my wife steals it!

Thanks in advance,

John.

[natedawg120]

The stock ones shouldn't be much longer than the ones that are currently installed and yeah they are just stamped steel.  As for the stock length can't help you there, i tried looking up the part on the parts fiche at bellssuzuki.com but they just give the part number, no dimensions.

Also with your forks i believe you are right, they are about a 1/4" to high.  The way mine was stock is the fork end cap was flush with the bar mount plate, but the nut to remove the end cap was left above the mount plate.

EDIT:  and yes it appears from the pic of your seat after comparing it to other stock seats in pics around here that it has been shaved a touch.  Probably no more than an inch.  But your pic is a bit close so it is hard to tell.  Nice mustang back there.

[gsJack]

Top of fork tube should be flush with the plate, it appears to be about 1/4" lowered as you say.  Stock links are 7 1/16" between the hole centers.  Seats are same for 89-00.  The 01 and later including F models are different. 

[The Buddha]

Seat is not shaved, but you do have the extra higher handle bar risers ... the old kerry mod.
Cool.
Buddha.

[qwertydude]

I don't get it if you're short why raise the handlebars? Seems kinda counter intuitive.

[JStrube]

I don't get it if you're short why raise the handlebars? Seems kinda counter intuitive.

Thanks guys!  I'll measure the links & see where they are.  She was about 5'2", maybe raising the bars made them feel like ape-hangers?  I'll lower the forks to level with the bar mount, then hunt for some links.  Shoot, I could just make some from some 4130 plate I have, they look simple enough.

The Mustang, I've had since '84...  quite fun.     The one behind that, my wife's convert, is a rusty POS, I've tried to get rid of it...

[jrains89]

when i bought my bike it was lowered about 3 inches, i was told to measure the stock links, and i thought i measured them as the stock size. but i bought some stock links just to make sure because they were cheap, and i held them up to the links that were on my bike and they looked no shorter, but i took them off and the stockers were a TINY bit shorter. Put them on and made a huge difference, about 3 inches. so, just by looking at them i bet you won't be able to tell.

[JStrube]

I measured my links.  They were 7-7/16 to 7-1/2" long.  Someone selling links on E-bay said that was a 2" drop.  He has raising links for $25 + $10 to ship.  Is that a fair price?

Thanks,

John.

[jrains89]

just get stock. i'm 6'1" and i'm at a confortable height now, you might be lookin too high