Page 1 of 2

Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:03 pm
by slyngej
Does anyone have any experience on how to lower a /5 front fork? I'm thinking maybe lowering it 1.5-2 inches.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:08 pm
by Bamboo812
Are you trying to make the forks below the triple clamp longer or lower the whole bike? In the first case you can get longer fork tubes or a top clamp that has dropped ends. In the other case, Toaster Tan and others sell top clamps that allow the fork tubes to be mounted higher.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 6:47 pm
by Major Softie
And, if you are talking about lowering the front end 2", that is going to lose a LOT of cornering clearance.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 4:21 pm
by slyngej
If buying top clamps to mount the tubes higher, how do you handle the middle/center nut?

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 6:28 pm
by Bamboo812
The top clamp will be in the stock position, only the fork tubes slide up higher and are clamped the same way the triple tree clamps them.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:01 am
by slothy
ya but sliding them up only well net you about 3/4" or so? before it hits the bar off the top of my head. unless you goto clip ons

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:21 pm
by Duane Ausherman
It makes no sense to do this. You will ruin the geometry of the very neutral bike, lost cornering clearance and stability.

Just buy a bike that is already what you want.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 1:24 am
by ME 109
Major Softie wrote:And, if you are talking about lowering the front end 2", that is going to lose a LOT of cornering clearance.
That may matter considerably, or not at all.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 3:01 am
by Major Softie
ME 109 wrote:
Major Softie wrote:And, if you are talking about lowering the front end 2", that is going to lose a LOT of cornering clearance.
That may matter considerably, or not at all.
What are you smoking today?

When you are making a left-hand turn on a bumpy crowned road (or right-hand turn if you drive on the wrong side of the road), there is no way in the world that dropping the front end 2" does not matter. Especially if you are dropping the rear as well.

It matters not at all at Bonneville. On a real road, it matters. Of course if you don't lower the rear as well, then you're probably gonna die at Bonneville from the wobble.

Re: Lowering /5 front fork

Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2015 7:17 am
by ME 109
Major Softie wrote:
What are you smoking today?
Same as yesterday.

My tongue in cheek comment was to do with bikes that are styling exercises over functionality.