17" front on a V85?

[Huzo]

Huzo, I did go back and look at it. I bet your 1 or at least 3/4" below the fourth line. Could you take a pic and measurement of the top of the fork like I posted?
Thanks in advance.

Yes, when. I get home.

[Kildareman]

The state of my Strada:
Front lowered (forks raised through clamps) - 20mm
Rear Shock factory M-25mm & Top Sellerie seat - sent them standard seat and they do their magic.

My seat height now is just 800mm.  The Strada handles perfectly with this set up.

When I need to service the Shock factory shock I have the OEM shock fitted with the Hyperpro shorter spring.

[skippy]

Well externally the maximum travel would be when the dust seal contacts the casting on the bottom of the fork lower.  But travel in USD forks is internally limited slightly before that happens.  I am not clear on how, exactly - I think sometimes it is an internal bump stop, and in other cases at the end of positive travel the piston blocks an oil port leading to hydraulic lock.

All of the above is true..... except when sliding te fork tubes up in the triple clamps. Now a limiting factor that may need adressing is the front wheel contacting the front of the alternator cover under extreme hard braking when the forks are not only compressed, but also bending back under the weight of the bike behind them. Even upside-down forks deflect under heavy loads.

Skippy

[ridingron]

How much deflection do you estimate you're getting during extreme hard braking?

[YellowDuck]

I feel like my point was missed.

There is a limit to how much you can lower the front by raising the forks in the triples, either because they physically can't be moved up past a certain point, or because you create some kind of potential wheel clearance issue at full compression.

When you run out of room to do that, the next best option is put more sag in the front, first by taking out all of the externally adjustable preload, and after that by cutting down internal spacers or installing shorter springs.  The limit is when you don't have enough positive travel left, and so you start bottoming the forks out during regular use, or possibly the point where you have zero installed preload on the springs at full extension (but I doubt it).

Of course by doing that you sacrifice positive travel, but the V85 has long travel suspension (170 mm) so there is some room to work with and it might be a good solution for someone who needs to get the front of the bike 25 mm lower or so, if they are never getting close to using all of the travel anyway.

[Cam3512]

I bought a 1” shorter Bitubo shock from Hamlin.  They raised the fork tubes to match.  Here’s mine…

[Bulldog9]

I bought a 1” shorter Bitubo shock from Hamlin.  They raised the fork tubes to match.  Here’s mine…

Well, in a picture, that settles how far you can raise the fork on a V85....  ANy clearance or contact issues while at full compression? Great Post Cam.

[Cam3512]

Well, in a picture, that settles how far you can raise the fork on a V85....  ANy clearance or contact issues while at full compression? Great Post Cam.

Zero issues.  The bike feels much more “planted” after the lowering.  On highway and curves. Lower CG?  But I don’t do any hard core off road.  Occasional dirt or gravel.  Mines a 2020 BTW, don’t know if there’s any difference in the front end with the newer models?  Also, it needed a modified shorter side stand, and I don’t even bother attempting to get it on the center stand by myself.

[PeteS]

Zero issues.  The bike feels much more “planted” after the lowering.  On highway and curves. Lower CG?  But I don’t do any hard core off road.  Occasional dirt or gravel.  Mines a 2020 BTW, don’t know if there’s any difference in the front end with the newer models?  Also, it needed a modified shorter side stand, and I don’t even bother attempting to get it on the center stand by myself.

The trick is get a 2x4 or 2x6 and cut a taper on one end so you can roll the back wheel over it. It will be just as easy or easier than stock to get it on the centerstand.

Pete

[Vagrant]

Thanks Cam. I just raised mine a touch farther than yours. If you look at the low part of the leg it tapers inward and you might be 1/8" from there. I went right to the start of that taper tonight. I'll ride it tomorrow and see what I think.

[skippy]

How much deflection do you estimate you're getting during extreme hard braking?

To make such a calculation we would need a tremendous amount of proprietary information regarding the physical and mechanical properties of all of the components between the contact patch of the front tire and the lower triple clamp. Such as the modulas of elasticity of the inner and outer fork tubes, the exact spec mean inner and outer diameters of said components, the stiction of the spec tire (couldn't even begin to comprehend all the variables of all of the tires available).
When we have all of this information we can play it into a formula that accounts for the full, laden weight of the bike, the distance between the axle and the lower triple clamp, amount for said modules of elasticity, and swag the total deflection of the fully compressed forks, of a fully laiden bike, at maximum grip, with the upper fork tubes 1" closer to the axle than designed.
Or,
We can remember the cautionary tale Kevin Cammeron wrote about decades ago about his observations while building for,  and supporting race teams, when he observed the evidence of Racers pushing their fork tubes further and further up the triple clamps in an effort to lower the front, tighten the steering, and improve upon what the factory had already designed. The evidence Kevin observed was scorched tires, and polished exhaust headers with a noted decrease in rider performance as the lap times plummeted when, as he surmised,  the front tires were pinched between the axle and the folding bike behind giving way to the modulas of elasticity in the components of the front end.
This observation scared the he'll oit of (then) young Kevin, and he later wrote about it as a cautionary tale about fracking about in stuff you don't know.

I remember this story decades after I read it and I, of course recant it in a brief, paraphrased version here. But it is a real observation about things many, pedestrian, riders don't consider when mucking about trying to make a motorcycle they want with a motorcycle that the factory built.

With all of this said, have I ever slid the fork tubes up into the triple clamps in an effort to quicken the steering geometry of my bikes? Yes, yes I have. Did I do this with full knowledge of the potential consequences in mind? Yep! Now all of you can consider the implications of mucking about with your OEM geometry.

Skippy

[ridingron]

I think that would be some rather extreme braking (with ABS too), in a really rare extreme situation, for the forks to deflect enough to matter. Rare, as in finding chicken teeth.

[Cam3512]

Thanks Cam. I just raised mine a touch farther than yours. If you look at the low part of the leg it tapers inward and you might be 1/8" from there. I went right to the start of that taper tonight. I'll ride it tomorrow and see what I think.

Sounds good.  If you need me to make an exact measurement, let me know.

[Vagrant]

To finish my lowered V85/roadster story I have raised my forks to the max as far as I'm concerned. I left the beak off and am now tickled S...less with the results. Low enough for stubby me to flat foot easily. I feel much safer on pull offs and the handling with the low front and shorter rear is fantastic. No negatives that I could find after riding 200 miles yesterday, 50% of it tight curves. The only slight fitment issue is at full lock side to side on the H bars it just touches the gauge cluster but it is rubber mounted and just moves 1/8". The C stand needs to be ridden up on a 2x4 to put it up as easy as stock or it takes an extra hand. No biggie.
I highly recommend this for shorter riders.

[Huzo]

The stands can be shortened.




This is how it works.
https://youtu.be/I8ayA_fDON0?feature=shared

[inditx]

To finish my lowered V85/roadster story I have raised my forks to the max as far as I'm concerned. I left the beak off and am now tickled S...less with the results. Low enough for stubby me to flat foot easily. I feel much safer on pull offs and the handling with the low front and shorter rear is fantastic. No negatives that I could find after riding 200 miles yesterday, 50% of it tight curves. The only slight fitment issue is at full lock side to side on the H bars it just touches the gauge cluster but it is rubber mounted and just moves 1/8". The C stand needs to be ridden up on a 2x4 to put it up as easy as stock or it takes an extra hand. No biggie.
I highly recommend this for shorter riders.

I like your finished result, good on ya!
Question, do you ever ride 2 up?
If so, results?
Thanks,
inditx

[ridingron]

Glad it worked out!   

Just be careful if you do extreme hard braking, you'll bend the forks. 

[Vagrant]

Glad it worked out!   

Just be careful if you do extreme hard braking, you'll bend the forks. 

Ha! If you bend these forks odds are your already dead anyway.

[Vagrant]

Index, never but I used to weigh 250 so that was almost 2 up. For a fully loaded trip last year I cranked the rear and front two or three turns and it was fine.
FYI, without the beak I think there is way less buffeting. I noticed on a newer 1250 GS their beak is a lot wider.