want to lower '83 VF750F just a little

I am purchasing a 1983 VF750F by the end of the week. THe only things the bike needs to go get my liscense (and thus pass the inspection) are to fix the turn signals (the signal lights turn off and stay off as long as the blinker switch is on, methinks it is relay), the horn doesn't sound...maybe horn speaker itself or wiring, no biggie, and the height.....

I was about to buy a '84 VF700F and had sat on it and it felt just right, allowed me to have the ball of both feet on the ground at the same time, but after sitting on this '83 with new fork seals and all, i think the '84 was worn out, and on the '84 i am buying, i have to almost be on my toes to hold the bike up

Is there an easy way to bring this bike down just 1/2-3/4"?

I know adjusting the rear shock would likely do it, but that also takes out the rebound of the rear damper correct? and this may be the "ghetto" option as i dont have alot of $$ to drop in it.

But then again, maybe with my relatively light 170lbs. weight and relatively short 5'4" height, maybe adjusting the shock down a bit would actually put things where they need to be for a guy of my size........Not sure on how to properly adjust the suspension for myself anyways....

Any info appreciated

 

Hey, James. I was looking on Bikebandit.com last night about your shock. I could not tell from the diagram if it has an adjustment ring on the spring or not. You might be right in thinking of fabricating a lowering link. I had another thought after you left chat that, depending on how thich the seat is, you might beable to cut the seat foam down a bit so that you sit a little lower.

Vinny

 

i thought about that too.....but how would you do that? remove the cover, scrape/cut foam to desired height, then recover?

 

Thats about the cut and dry of it. An upulstry (sp) shop should be able to help out there as well. But if you do it on your own, just be sure to follow the contour of the seat itself to keep the shape.

Vinny

 

James.
I have that problem also,I too when standing am on the balls of my feet, but I just lean on one side and when its time to roll ahead off I go....
Balance,timing does it for me..

Falcon

 

well, the thing is, on the VF700 i looked at, i was on the balls of my feet on both sides at the same time, which felt fine, but this VF750 i am buying now, the owner has rebuilt the front end with new fork seals among other things, and so i think the VF700 was just sagging from age and worn out suspension....

like you said, i know i can hold it up, even if i had to lean to one side to get a solid foothold, but the problem lies in the driving skills test to get my actual liscense, they expect you to back your bike up a slight slope.......i can't back up a 500lb bike uphill on my toes....and if you can't back it up, you fail the test, so i have to figure out something

 

also see this page

http://www.vf750fd.com/blurbs/specs.html

according to that both front and rear are quite adjustable, i think the guy who owns it now has it adjusted way tight and high for him.....after all, not alot of midgets like myself...

 

Lower w/seat

Corbin and Sargent will make really great seats that will allow you as much as an inch lower .

We've dropped our SV650 almost 3 inches through seat and suspension mods (My wife is 5'1"). We like the handling that resulted, but keep in mind that if you screw w/ the suspension of the VFR, you might not like the results.:biggrin:

 

check the 750 closer

check out the height of the tires mounted on the 700 vs the 750 - they may be different sizes. check the fork tubes sticking out of the front triple clamps - one bike maybe is rasied or lowered more than the other that way. even tire air presure will change height slighlty. also if either bike has aftermarket springs in either the forks or the shock or even both that will effect ride height depending on how much you weight.
hope this helps ya!

 

yeah, the 750 i bought has a 130/90/18 rear

stock spec is 130/80/18

wonder if i could get away with using a 140/70/18, shouldn't be too much of a departure from the stock spec to make any difference, or maybe just a 130/70/18 if any exist

i think i am going to have my brother make some custom dogbones to lower the rear link a little, just a 1" or so