Lowerd suspension or not

[Robie2sheds]

Hi guys and gals😁
I am not sure whether my bike has a lowering  kit or not as i have said my front forks are thru 25mm lowering the front end. But it sit ok on the side stand its not been shortend or filed. So am asking someone if they could check measurements  with mine.
Starting at the bottom  of shocker down to lower link 68mm then up to swinging arm 78mm then back to shocker bottom 63mm
Thanks in advvance. Rob.😊.
Forgot to say its a2017 xh.

[Gramps99]

There is an easy way to know  if your bike is lowered.  Does it go on the centre stand like any other bike?  If yes, it is not lowered. If it takes a real heave, special technique, and effort, then its been lowered.

Another giveaway is that the front forks where they come through the top yoke should protrude by 15mm or so if lowered, instead of being flush, although I have known lowered bikes not to have this done (amazingly).

The side stand has to be shortened, or the bike will topple. Looking underneath the bike at the base of the shock, the two plates  with three bolts through them will undoubtedly be marked by a manufacturers name if they are lowering plates.

My bike was lowered when purchased, it did affect the handling but not in a particularly bad way, it made it a little faster on turn in to bends, and marginally easier to manhandle around the garage. I now ride on standard Honda height, with seat lowered, I figure Mr Honda knows best.

Off topic , but unless you are very challenged in the in seam,  I would lower the seat rather than the bike, remembering to remove the front underseat rubber bungs that lift the seat front.  Unless you are capable with  tools and  torque wrenches, leave lowering plate fitting and fork height resetting to the experts.
Enjoy your bike.

[Scimitar]

  

I suspect that someone before you has simply lifted the fork legs, in the guise of lowering the bike.  I think you are in danger of the forks bottoming out on to the lower triple clamps with a 25mm fork protrusion.

If the rear has also been lowered then it is still going to be tricky to compare measurements, since other bikes might have different sag settings. The original Honda triangular plates on the lower rear shock location are silver-phosphated steel plates that look like this:-



As Gramp99 says, you will find it extremely difficult to raise the bike on its centre stand (if you have one). Also, unless it has been shortened, the side stand will leave the bike too upright and it will fall over to the right when you sit on it with the side stand out.

So, first see if your plates look similar to the photo. If they do, then you have not been lowered on the rear. Strangely, you seem to have been lowered on the front, and by an excessive amount too!  This will have sharpened the rake angle, reduced the trail and could make the handling more twitchy - the bike will turn in quicker. Even with a 30mm lowering kit on the rear, you would normally only raise the forks by 15mm max, NOT 25mm. Without a lowering link (i.e. with the original Honda link), you are unwise to alter the front fork position at all, for the reasons above. Hope this is making sense.

Keep us posted and we can go from there.

[Scimitar]

I forgot to give you the dimensions of the Honda triangle plate, as shown in photo.
Distance from top left hole to top right hole = 60mm.
From top right to bottom hole = 62mm.
Bottom hole to top left = 65mm.
If you can manage to measure this on your bike with the plate in position, then it might give you a clue if yours is  standard Honda or possible aftermarket lowered link, such as Lust Racing.

[Gramps99]

Good answer scimitar, I completely missed the 25mm comment...

I wonder if Robies bike was owned previously by someone who lowered the front end for a reason, even if the reason and adjustment was misguided?
I found my front rather boingy - too much travel  when front  braking - I am a big chap. I eventually adjusted the front suspension away from standard setting after talking to  honda at a trade stand, and also noticing 2 crossrunners at shows had been adusted on the front end -  more preload.

If Robies front end was adjusted to semi lower the bike by a previous owner, it just goes to show that a new to you bike needs to be gone over  carefully.

[Haddo]

Stock height. Bike on side stand right hand side....Centre of rear hub hole to bottom of front tab on grab rail ( the little hook bit hanging down for straps) = 620mm. I suspect lowered would be 590ish.
Sorry tried to download images but this site is just to difficult to bother with.

[Scimitar]

Hi Haddo. Re photos - you had done most of the task correctly, since both photos are now showing in the Photo Gallery. At that stage, all you need to do is double click the photo, scroll down a bit and you'll see   "BBCode for Forum posts".  Hover your pointer over the wording and you'll notice the word 'COPY' appear on the right hand side. Click the COPY word, then go back to your post, right click and insert it in your post where appropriate. It sound a lot more complex than it actually is. 

[Haddo]

Cheers. Stock height on side stand R/H Side

[Robie2sheds]

Hi guys
Sorry for delay to your answers, my bike has definitely been lowerd checked my measurements  with a 2017 model at cmc canock and it was the same as scimitars measurment. Riding i found it a bit to eager into corners so I've lifted the front 15mm from 25 and try that for a while need better weather for that, as i dont do salted roads.
On another note I've  been busy put a rear hugger on,exteda fender and a small mud flap, made a steel belly pan underthe front stops all the crap going under the front,stainless rad cover.when i bought bike its only 2years olld 6thousand on clock but rear paniers were bady scored  dealer took a fair amount of price, got a local paint man restore them also strengthening  bottom corners where  they had cracked weak point.traded in my nt700v.  So got a nearly new bike with all the extras for under 5grand. Love it hope to see some of you in the flesh soon.will sort a couple of pics soon.
Rob.