Lowering Bike with Adjustable Link

[Cody]

I just bought a 2012 FZ8 last week and the guy I bought it from included an adjustable linkage for lowering the bike. The bike sits at its stock height right now but I'm not exactly the tallest so I need to lower it just for better control of the bike. I was just curious if anyone else had done this before and if you'd have any helpful tips. Thanks!

 

[Umyaya]

Watch out for your triangle links to start bending and shit. How tall are you? You don't need to be able to 2 foot the bike...

 

[b-eock]

Yeah, when you're riding, why worry about your feet touching the ground... Has nothing to do with handling or riding. One foot is enough for stand still at lights.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Cody]

Yeah, when you're riding, why worry about your feet touching the ground... Has nothing to do with handling or riding. One foot is enough for stand still at lights.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

I'm not worried about my feet touching the ground when I'm riding, but if I'm on flat ground and put both feet down then I'm on the tips of my toes. It makes it hard to push the bike if I'm just sitting on it and need to push it, like out of a park space or something like that.

 

[b-eock]

Walk it out. Lol. And I'm not being rude, or at least I'm not trying to. Just trying to be helpful.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Darren]

I'm not worried about my feet touching the ground when I'm riding, but if I'm on flat ground and put both feet down then I'm on the tips of my toes. It makes it hard to push the bike if I'm just sitting on it and need to push it, like out of a park space or something like that.

I always walk the bike back out of parking spots or get of the bike and back it into a spot so when I leave, I don't have to walk it out. I also hip slide when at a stop to put one foot down. I'm 5'5" with short legs. LOL

 

[tjfisher]

I'm not worried about my feet touching the ground when I'm riding, but if I'm on flat ground and put both feet down then I'm on the tips of my toes. It makes it hard to push the bike if I'm just sitting on it and need to push it, like out of a park space or something like that.

cody i have the same issue dont let these guys mess with you ,if you want to lower your bike to feel safe DO IT. Ask how many things they have changed just beacuse they wanted to not for any other reason . I used a lowering link (soupy) until i noticed it was failing ( found durning tire change) now i made some lowering side plates out of 1/4 plate steel These won't bend like stock im sure of that

 

[Umyaya]

Ya those stock triangle things are so shitty. I was shocked yamaha would engineer that. I need to machine new ones sometime.

 

[Mdebuck]

So the link is a bad idea unless you make new triangle pieces?

 

[Datosan]

I was using triangle link lowering plates for my bike (see pics),it cost ~ $100 but gains more comfortable and confidence. In my view, triangle link change is more safety than the "dog's bone" link change, lower seat -30mm from stock height would be fine for almost riders

 

[Datosan]

@ Cody: hope you can find this on ebay

 

[Jafran]

So the link is a bad idea unless you make new triangle pieces?

I've been using the Soupy's lower link along with the stock triangle pieces for about a thousand miles and haven't yet seen the links bend. I check them occasionally. I don't believe there's a direct connection (no pun intended) between the lowering link and the bending of the triangles. I agree with others that the triangle pieces seem rather thin. My own personal suspicion is that the triangle pieces are marginal strength-wise for casual/smooth riding, but can show themselves to be inadequate when pushed harder than casual/smooth riding. I also suspect that keeping all joints of the shock linkage properly lubed helps the situation.

I dropped my seat about 3/4" with the Soupy's link. I like the bike better this way. It feels right to me now.

 

[Umyaya]

Where did you buy those? Link? I may look into that if my triangle pieces break.

 

[Mdebuck]

Thank you for the info