Lowering link for a Bandit 250?

[3L4NS1R]

My friend brought a 96 Bandit a few weeks ago, her first bike, and she's struggling to learn on it because she's on her toes when she puts her feet down. Went into Colemans today to ask about lowering links, but alas, there be none for a 250 bandit.

So now I think my options are to try get as much lowering as possible with the suspension adjustments (maybe half an inch possible?), or I can try get a metal engineer to make a pair of links with a longer neck.

First question: Which holds more potential for success? Should I even bother with the suspension adjustment, considering we're aiming for about an inch to inch and a 1/2 of lowering?

Second question: Can anyone recommend a metal guru who'd be able to take the factory link and copy it, adding more length to it?

Any other suggestions muchly welcomed!

[Hitcher]

Be very careful when lowering your bike using linkages, such as "dog bones". Lowering is a task best given to professionals. Having your bike bottom out by jamming the tyre against the underside of the frame is not particularly clever, particularly if you're two-up at the time.

[F5 Dave]

Sage advice above, it is easier to manufacture something than check if it is safe in operation. also it is easy to make something that handles dreadfully & scrapes hard parts on the ground. Yes you can adjust the preload down a touch on both ends without going crazy. But getting some boots modified with an extra sole will give a cm & not be too clumpy. Shaving the seat foam to reduce & narrow will get a bit too. Quite often you don't need to get too much to make it all work.

[PrincessBandit]

Can she look into having her boots built up? I struggled a little with the height of my 650 bandit and through a combination of dropping the front, softening the suspension out to the max (I'm relatively light) and having my boots platformed I'm now a very happy camper.

Boot alteration might be less problematic than lowering her bike.

[3L4NS1R]

Can she look into having her boots built up? I struggled a little with the height of my 650 bandit and through a combination of dropping the front, softening the suspension out to the max (I'm relatively light) and having my boots platformed I'm now a very happy camper.

Boot alteration might be less problematic than lowering her bike.

All sound suggestions! Will pass those on...

And avoiding lowering with links would definatly be preferable. Will have a look at the preload, and see what we can get from that.


Cheers for the advice! KB never fails. (tentatively bold statement there...)

[3L4NS1R]

Success! We took ?down? the preload, now she's nearly got her feet flat on the deck. We'll take the bike out for a test run this weekend, if needbe we'll shave the seat! Found a mean youtube vid for it, doesn't seem too hard!

[Pixie]

Boot alteration might be less problematic than lowering her bike.

Plus it has the added benefit of making her look like the pinball wizard

[3L4NS1R]

Plus it has the added benefit of making her look like the pinball wizard

That cannot be underrated.

[Hitcher]

Success! We took ?down? the preload, now she's nearly got her feet flat on the deck. We'll take the bike out for a test run this weekend, if needbe we'll shave the seat! Found a mean youtube vid for it, doesn't seem too hard!

Just take care that you don't bottom it out. I would recommend not carrying pillions with the bike in that condition.

[Pussy]

Just take care that you don't bottom it out. I would recommend not carrying pillions with the bike in that condition.

Another bit of good advice.
I would be inclined to reduce the seat thickness and set the sags to a more "normal" figure

[3L4NS1R]

Just take care that you don't bottom it out. I would recommend not carrying pillions with the bike in that condition.

Yeah, was thinking that... But she's very light, and a learner, so not taking a pillion any time soon. We'll be attempting the seat shave soon though, just so we can have the preload a couple of clicks from the bottom.

[stanleychung]

My recently acquired bandit 600 had lowering links installed by the previous owner. I couldnt figure out why it was handling like a pig in terms of the bike became quite resistant to change direction. It did straight ahead fine but when it came to corners it didnt handle particularly well.

My last service about a week ago I had the standard links reinstalled and never looked back since. Now not only i dont have to worry about my bike toppling over when on its sidestand (thats another thing you have to worried about when you lower the bike), it now handles with a greater confidence. I think for a learner this would be even more important.

Please consider other means of getting closer to the ground. Lowering links should be a last resort and be left to people that understand suspension geometry. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.