Short legs

[Mom]

I ride a 1988 Yamaha Radian 600. Lovely old bike, that fits me. A bit on the heavy side but I can cope. The sidestand has a kink in it and leans her over quite a long way, so it can be tricky to pick her back up off the stand, especially if there is a bit of a camber on the surface. I have to look where I park to maximise any slope to my benefit. I can touch the ground balls of feet or one foot flat, one balls.

Actually I should have said I used to be able to touch the ground etc. I put a new tyre on the rear, completely different profile and what a huge difference to the way she handles, zooms around corners smoothly, instead of leaning, leaning and then she falls intot he corner all of a sudden. Horrible way to go round corners. So the tyre profile has improved the handling out of sight, but it has also raised the bikes overall height and I cant touch the ground. Well I can, absolute tippy toes, and very precariously. I dropped her last weekend in a carpark attempting to stop, put my foot down how I used to and hit fresh air, and over she went :pinch: Now when I heave her up off the side stand I almost go over the other side as my foot does not hold much on tip toes :gob:

So, this is a problem and I thought someone on here would have a fix for me. Is there a way to sucessfully lower a bike of this vintage? I can probably get some of the foam removed from the seat, it is already quite narrow, so I cant do that. I really dont want to put training wheels on her, or wear platform boots, so anyone got any bright ideas?

[Edbear]

You've come to the right place for "bright ideas"... :yes: Unfortunately I'm right out of them at the mo. I know someone who can reupholster the seat, but apart from that and backing off the rear suspension a notch or two - which may not help the handling - I'll have to put my thinking cap on...

[Kickaha]

Shorter rear shocks and drop the forks through the triple clamps to match

Its a matter of finding the right shock with the right spring rate and the handle bars may not let you push the forks through the triple clamps very much

Reupholstering the set will help but you are also removing padding

[Mom]

You've come to the right place for "bright ideas"... :yes: Unfortunately I'm right out of them at the mo. I know someone who can reupholster the seat, but apart from that and backing off the rear suspension a notch or two - which may not help the handling - I'll have to put my thinking cap on...

I dont think the rear shocks have any adjustment in them :pinch: The worst of doing the seat is it has just been recovered, it looks beauiful and now I want to hack into it :lol:

[Kickaha]

I dont think the rear shocks have any adjustment in them :pinch: The worst of doing the seat is it has just been recovered, it looks beauiful and now I want to hack into it :lol:


The only adjustment the rear shocks are likely to have is preload which wont really do anything

[Mom]

Shorter rear shocks and drop the forks through the triple clamps to match

Its a matter of finding the right shock with the right spring rate and the handle bars may not let you push the forks through the triple clamps very much

Reupholstering the set will help but you are also removing padding

You are a hunny. Thanks for this. i will go and hunt down some shorter shocks. I just checked and I can lower the front a good inch :D That will put me back to where I was before changing the tyre.

Now to get hold of me old mate _stain_

[Edbear]

The latest craze in Japan is to lengthen one's legs... :sunny:

[Mom]

The latest craze in Japan is to lengthen one's legs... :sunny:

Pick me - NOT!

[CHUNKY MONKEY]

Mr Minute can add an extra soul on your riding boots which will help

[Mom]

Mr Minute can add an extra soul on your riding boots which will help

I dont want an extra soul though, I have enough troube containing the one I have now :innocent:

I might investigate getting an extra layer of sole fitted to the boots I have though, if I cant get my BB lowered to suit.

[CHUNKY MONKEY]

I dont want an extra soul though, I have enough troube containing the one I have now :innocent:

I might investigate getting an extra layer of sole fitted to the boots I have though, if I cant get my BB lowered to suit.

My laughing was out loud!
What is a BB?

[Mom]

My laughing was out loud!
What is a BB?

Tee hee

BB? Is what I ride. Once upon a time she used to be known as the Blue Lovely. That was because she was blue, and behaved. Then she became unruley and did some terrible things to frustrate and annoy me and she sometimes caused me to use small short words, still I called her the Blue Lovely. Then I decided to fix her up a bit. Obviously she did not like what I did (no bling, just overhaul and repair stuff) so she decided to show me her displeasure once again, she earned the name Blue Bitch (BB) have a hunt around the forum you will understand why I called her that (it is a compliment).

A bike I never want to part with despite her foibles...

BB, BL, wonder what she will be next time I take her out?

[Edbear]

My laughing was out loud!
What is a BB?

Bra size..? :shutup:

[LBD]

Suggest you read the attached from the latest Rapid bike mag....issue #60

www.rapidbike.com.au

work done by www.shocktreatment.com.au

You may need to zoom in a little to read the text.

Slide sequence is 1 3 2 4

[Mom]

Bra size..? :shutup:

Obviously you are feeling HEAPS better :wings: You may need to get your eyes tested however :pinch:

[Kickaha]

Suggest you read the attached from the latest Rapid bike mag....issue #60

Some quite good scare tactics in there and probably best practice but also quite expensive

[Mom]

Some quite good scare tactics in there and probably best practice but also quite expensive

I wont attempt anything internal in the forks, we simply dont have the gears here. I also dont scare easy. This bike is an old clunker, she does not need heaps spending (though she may want it LOL) I am lucky to have a forward and lateral thinking workshop close by that I can go to and get them to do just enough to sort things without me having to remortgage the house.

I wish I had better skills myself, to own a bike like mine you really need to be able to do it for yourself, else it costs arms and legs, or you cant find someone with a lateral thought process., that wont charge you an arm a two legs.

I dont need this bike to perform to up to date technology, I dont thrash it, or take too many risks. She is what she is, and I want her to be as good as she gets, at a height I can ride her without shortening the clutch lever :pinch: My biggest fear is I am going to shorten the front brake lever as well :facepalm:

[LBD]

Some quite good scare tactics in there and probably best practice but also quite expensive

Yes n no...after my $$$$CF front mud guard got caught in my radiator and broke off during a stoppie/angry energency stop, I can clearly see the risk of sliding the forks up through the triple clamp.

[LBD]

I My biggest fear is I am going to shorten the front brake lever as well :facepalm:

Synto make short clutch and brake leavers....no need to take to your own with a hacksaw.....:innocent:

[Mom]

Synto make short clutch and brake leavers....no need to take to your own with a hacksaw.....:innocent:

So now he tells me, and you have given me an idea. I am quite liking my short clutch lever, perhaps I can shorten my front brake lever WITH a hacksaw. Insurance and all that :pinch:

Thanks for your input guys, I really appreciate ti.

[LBD]

So now he tells me, and you have given me an idea. I am quite liking my short clutch lever, perhaps I can shorten my front brake lever WITH a hacksaw.

I fitted the short levers after the stoppie I mentioned aerlier....two fingers on the Brembos are more than enough ....last two fingers still around the grip do not get squashed between the lever and grip

[Mom]

I fitted the short levers after the stoppie I mentioned aerlier....two fingers on the Brembos are more than enough ....last two fingers still around the grip do not get squashed between the lever and grip

Terrible admission here, I am really liking the short clutch lever. So much so I am not going to rush out and replace it. I dont use much rear brake, are two fingers on the front going to be enough if I REALLY have to stop fast? Somehow a handfull of contolled pressure on the front is very reassuring. I wonder if I would grab up a larger than needed set of front anchors if I was only using 2 fingers?

[LBD]

I guess it depends on the agressiveness of the brakes, tackiness of the tire, road surface, weight of bike and ...the firmness of your hand shake, two fingers or three if I move my hand to the center are enough with the brembo's

[FJRider]

Bra size..? :shutup:

You now have all our attention now ... :yes:

Pic's to confirm Mom .... :innocent:

[FJRider]

All said and done ... a new pair of riding boots ... with thicker soles (Adventure types have thicker tread) go shopping / looking ....

[F5 Dave]

yeah one has to ask about the new tyre. Is it too big for the rim on the bike?
I mean if its changed it that much. . .

If it has altered the steering to how you like it shorter shocks would take you back again before the raise, so a tyre would be cheaper & not as fraught with uncertainty of just lowering the back with some misc shocks which is a shitfest of potential problems.

The extra sole on the boot will give you a cm, most decent shoe repairers should do it ok. I've seen platforms, but if you go crazy you won't be able to change gear. 1 should be fine. It may be possible to lower the front sliding forks through but there is a limit.