Lowering bike

[NightCrawler]

Well I'm just about ready to lower my bike. I already have the bones and I'm getting the tree clamp on Saturday. I found out it'll run me roughly $200 to have someone lower it for me, so just as I did with my exhaust I have decided to do it myself. The bones in the rear seem to be pretty obvious but the removal an replacing of the tree clamp seems to be a bit more involved.

I did a search on this and ran across a thread saying in order to remove the clamp, one has to carefully remove the 4 silver caps on the clamp to access the allen bolts. That was just about all that was said in that thread.

Is there more to it? Are those 4 bolts the only things holding the factory clamp? Is there some sort of step by step tutorial somewhere around on how to remove and replace the clamp?

I'm off to work now so can't post back until much later.

Thanks in advance.

 

[BigBSBusa]

How about the service manual? However, it is not hard, but be careful.

 

[Tufbusa]

Your bike has absolutley perfect geometry for riding. Are you sure you want to go from an every day great ride to a poser? The busa is so low already it drags the plastic when cornering hard. Just something to think about?

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[Sloto200]

Replacing the trip clam is actualy much easier to do than to replace the dog bones...Just like you said above it is straight foward. Remove those 4 bolts and remove the bars and swap everything over to new trip clamp. Word of caution though... put a towel on the top of your tank to keep from scratching it. To replace the dog bones you will have to have something support the weight of the bike or your swing arm/suspension will bottom out after you remove the bolts from the rear shock. If that happens your bike could fall over..

 

[spr0cket]

For rear I'd recommend the following sequence:

Remove rear belly pan plastic (4 allen head securing bolts, all accessed from beneath bike)

Remove exhaust midpipe and muffler assembly each side. (this is optional, but allows far more access and leverage to get a stright socket on the dog securing bolts without stripping the bolt heads)

Loosen the bolts securing the current bones - they need to have the bolts "broken" so some leverage is required and it's easier to do whilst bike is on side stand well balanced. The bolts should also insert from alternate sides of bike.

Once bolt have been loosened, insert a regular car jack under the rear of the exhaust headers just before they split out to mid pipes. A block of wood or carpet on the jack will help prevent any scrapes.

Slowly raise jack, you're looking to lift the bike enough to raise the rear wheel totally off the floor, therby unlaoding the suspension linkage.

You can then proceed to undoe and remvoe teh linkage bolts.

Installation and reassebly is pretty much just a reverse procedure.

Just be sure to torque the cushion bolts to the recommended tightness.

 

[tdcfrank]

Hope this helps you:

1999-2006 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa Dog Bone Installation

1. Remove the (4) screws using a 4mm allen wrench that hold belly wing in place. Remove belly wing.
2. Support motorcycle in away that allows you to move suspension up and down with the motorcycle tipping over. Do not use the kick stand to support the motorcycle to install the dog bones or change hole position.
3. Support the suspension to keep it from moving before removing factory dog bones or changing hole position.
4. Using a 17 mm and 14 mm wrench, remove factory dog bones.
5. Install aftermarket dog bones.
6. Raise or lower suspension to match aftermarket dog bone hole position desired. Torque1* hardware to 110 ft/lbs.
7. Remove all devices used to support motorcycle and place back on kickstand.
8. Replace belly wing and hardware. Torque1* hardware to 10ft/lbs.

 

[Shibumi]

Hope this helps you:

1999-2006 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa Dog Bone Installation

1. Remove the (4) screws using a 4mm allen wrench that hold belly wing in place. Remove belly wing.
2. Support motorcycle in away that allows you to move suspension up and down with the motorcycle tipping over. Do not use the kick stand to support the motorcycle to install the dog bones or change hole position.
3. Support the suspension to keep it from moving before removing factory dog bones or changing hole position.
4. Using a 17 mm and 14 mm wrench, remove factory dog bones.
5. Install aftermarket dog bones.
6. Raise or lower suspension to match aftermarket dog bone hole position desired. Torque1* hardware to 110 ft/lbs.
7. Remove all devices used to support motorcycle and place back on kickstand.
8. Replace belly wing and hardware. Torque1* hardware to 10ft/lbs.

Nice!


Just an F.Y.I., it might be helpful to have a buddy around to help move the rear tire up or down as needed to wiggle the bolts out and back into place. Helped me a lot. Also some people (me, for instance) have had an issue with the new links clearing brackets and such, I had to use my angle grinder and carbide cutoff wheel to trim the end hole off the dogbone to clear. Don't let that put you off, the links are typically aluminum a hacksaw and sandpaper would do the trick, and may not even be necessary but forewarned is forearmed.

P.S.- Nice avatar, anyone you know?

P.P.S.- Welcome to the board!

 

[tdcfrank]

No, If you are talking to me. I don't think anybody knows me. Like what i see so far on the board. Alot of topics to check out.

 

[mrninja9]

Your bike has absolutley perfect geometry for riding. Are you sure you want to go from an every day great ride to a poser?

to a poser huh hmm i think ,maybe you should reword that cause there are alot of guys here that ride lowered and still take the corners like me and buss05 so i guess i am a poser hmmm oh well better a poser than a loser

 

[300Busa]

I like the lowered look, but I don't feel right being six and a half feet tall on a lowered bike.

 

[mrninja9]

i am 6'5 no problem

 

[300Busa]

i am  6'5  no problem

How much did you drop it?

 

[upztoyz]

I dropped the back one hole which is about 1.5 inches and added the polished billet triple up front a dropped it 1 inch. I been digging into the corners pretty deep since I tightened up the suspention and I have had no issues with the plastics. It's funny to see we're called posers by fellow members. I'd say posers don't have the balls to crawl aboard these rockets on wheels. But again I'm 5:6 and I've already spent a grand fixing the road rash from losing my footing.

 

[Jynx]

I just replaced my upper triple clamp.

Use a tiny thin blade screwdriver and slip it under the little plastic chrome caps, then twist it to pry them up.

Then take off the clutch and front brake levers by removin the 2-bolts with the clamp on each side. Then loosen the bolts on the triple that hold the levers. To pull the levers out you may have to muck with the wires and pull them up a bit to get enogh slack to slide them out all the way.

Then use a 14mm box end wrench and put that on the nut on the bottom, then use allen wrench or allen socket set to remove the 4 bolts. Viola...the stock upper removed.

Then put the new one on in the exact reverse order.

 

[crunch320]

Well I'm just about ready to lower my bike. I already have the bones and I'm getting the tree clamp on Saturday. I found out it'll run me roughly $200 to have someone lower it for me, so just as I did with my exhaust I have decided to do it myself. The bones in the rear seem to be pretty obvious but the removal an replacing of the tree clamp seems to be a bit more involved.

I did a search on this and ran across a thread saying in order to remove the clamp, one has to carefully remove the 4 silver caps on the clamp to access the allen bolts. That was just about all that was said in that thread.

Is there more to it? Are those 4 bolts the only things holding the factory clamp? Is there some sort of step by step tutorial somewhere around on how to remove and replace the clamp?

I'm off to work now so can't post back until much later.

Thanks in advance.

I too would love to see a step by step for the clamp install.I have a trac clamp I have been putting off because I wasnt sure exactly how to do everything,and I didnt want to throw off the front end.Dont you have to loosen the lower clamp to slide forks through upper clamp?I have tamper resistant torx for the ignition other fasteners but I have also heard about shimming something with certain bolts or ignition switch or something to that affect.I just hate to go into something like this blind and end up in trouble.I searched all over here and sh.org and just couldnt find anything real clear.Any and all help is appreciated,Thanks,Nick.

 

[Jynx]

To slide the forks up...just install the top triple as mentioned. Then figure out how much you want to lower the front. If you are going flush with the top clamp, or if you are extending above, very easy...just loosen the lower a LITTLE, then push the front of the bike down until you get them to the position you want...measure with a micrometer if you want accurate adjustments.

It is easier for the whole process if you have a front stand that grabs the hole in the lower clamp...and if you want individual fork movement, take off the front wheel and fender.