Whats the best way to lower an FZ6?

[briand]

Hi,

I am going to buy a new bike next week. I really like the look and versatility of the FV6, but I am a fairly new rider and I am short 5'4" to be exact. I am a little concerned about the height of the bike. I live in San Francisco, so it's an easy drive to Corbin for a lower seat. If that still isn't enough, what else can I do?

Thanks

 

[CHEMIKER]

Hi and :welcome: to the forum!

The lowered seat is a great start. You should start with that and see how it works for you. You may not need much lowering and you might find that with more experience you can handle the bike well without being able to flat foot. I am 5'5" with a <30" inseam and ride the bike stock. I can't flat foot but I manage. I'm a lot more stable than I used to be.

For the seat, if you don't want to go the Corbin route, start calling local upholsterers. Other folks on the forum have had foam removed from the stock seat by local upholsterers to lower it.

You can also go to a cobbler and have thicker soles put onto your boots. They'll work for riding but probably won't be as comfortable to walk around in.

Lastly, a company named Metisse makes a lowering kit to lower the rear 1" at the shock. Here is a thread about it:

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-mods/6037-metisse-lowering-kit.html

Good luck with the purchase and with the lowering!

 

[briand]

Thanks

I'm gonna check it out. I'm also going to look for boots this weekend that can be resoled with thicker soles. There is a place in the Bay Area called Aftershocks. They said most bikes are $700-$750. And that they can lower the bike with out effecting the handling. They also strongly suggest I go the seat route first.

I'm crazy about the FZ6 and if I can make it happen for me, I'm going to.

 

[dean owens]

i actually just bought my bike from a lady who is 5'4". for her at least, she tried everything she could and never got the bike in ridable order for her. the bike was lowered, there are risers for the bars and the seat was modded. in the end, it was just too tall and too top heavy for her. she's looking into something like an sv650... hoping that the v-twin engine will put some of the weight lower and help her stabilize the bike a little better.

not saying it can't be done, just saying that it couldn't be done for the 5'4" woman i bought mine from. good luck.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Isn't the FZ6R a lower seat than the non-R? Plus that seat is height adjustable. Just a thought.

 

[lonesoldier84]

Easiest way tbh:

And, if those dont work:

 

[OneTrack]

Hi,

I am going to buy a new bike next week. I really like the look and versatility of the FV6, but I am a fairly new rider and I am short 5'4" to be exact. I am a little concerned about the height of the bike. I live in San Francisco, so it's an easy drive to Corbin for a lower seat. If that still isn't enough, what else can I do?

Thanks

I'm 5'8" with a 29" inseam. (Standard British Issue)
The ONLY thing that irritates me from time to time is the seat height of my FZ6. I will probably go the lower seat route, but I will tell you this:-
The more I sit on an FZ6R the more I like it....I can flat-foot an FZ6R, but not my FZ6.
Try the FZ6R on for size....it may not have the same high-end grunt as the FZ6, but by all accounts (surprisingly, considering the lower spec on many items), it doesn't lose anything in any other department.

 

[SANGER_A2]

There was already a thread on using the FZ6R seat and the concensus was you'd need to swap the rear end too as it's not the same as the FZ6 in many respects.

I shaved my seat to reduce height and it made a massive difference. I'm going to try and add gel to it to make it more comfy though.

Instead of a lowering kit - I would buy the replacement springs that Hyperpro sell. They lower the bike 30mm front and rear and cost less than the metisse lowering kit! Also they will perform better than the stock springs as they're progressive. I'm planning to go for that when money permits!

Higher bars are great for us shorter riders. I've tried up and back risers, straight up risers and taller bars (Renthal high road bars) and I prefer the Renthal road bars for looks and comfort. They also vibrate about 500% less than the stock bars! I'm hoping to use them along with risers at some point but all the cables etc will need lengthening!

 

[pedwards89]

Remember if you go the lowering shock route, you also need to drop the forks in the yoke (Triple? US). This maintains the geometry of the bike, but beware it does cause the bike to 'Turn in' much quicker.

And, you will have to shorten the side stand, otherwise it will fall over when you park up.

 

[SANGER_A2]

the side stand, otherwise it will fall over when you park up.

Yeah that's what's worrying me about doing it!

 

[dean owens]

Instead of a lowering kit - I would buy the replacement springs that Hyperpro sell. They lower the bike 30mm front and rear and cost less than the metisse lowering kit! Also they will perform better than the stock springs as they're progressive. I'm planning to go for that when money permits!

you gotta link to the specific springs you're speaking of?

Higher bars are great for us shorter riders. I've tried up and back risers, straight up risers and taller bars (Renthal high road bars) and I prefer the Renthal road bars for looks and comfort. They also vibrate about 500% less than the stock bars! I'm hoping to use them along with risers at some point but all the cables etc will need lengthening!

i have back/up risers. it'd be nice to get another inch or two. what are these bars you're talking about? you got a link?

 

[crabby117]

i actually just bought my bike from a lady who is 5'4". for her at least, she tried everything she could and never got the bike in ridable order for her. the bike was lowered, there are risers for the bars and the seat was modded. in the end, it was just too tall and too top heavy for her. she's looking into something like an sv650... hoping that the v-twin engine will put some of the weight lower and help her stabilize the bike a little better.

not saying it can't be done, just saying that it couldn't be done for the 5'4" woman i bought mine from. good luck.

I'm 5'4". I had the Matisse lowering link installed. I intend to get the seat shaved a little, but I'm in no rush to do so. The riding part is the easy part. It's the being stopped part that's a little challenging. Especially if I'm stopped on a slope. But I've done fine so far.

 

[SANGER_A2]

you gotta link to the specific springs you're speaking of?


i have back/up risers. it'd be nice to get another inch or two. what are these bars you're talking about? you got a link?

The USA distributor for the springs has info here with another here. I'll be buying mine from a seller in the UK.

The bars I have are Renthal Road Bike High Bars. Much better than the stock bars but I'm struggling to find any heavy 13mm bar ends! In the US, the Pro-taper ones are similar.

Put your bike onto full right and left lock and check your brake line and clutch cables etc. You'll find that with risers, you won't have enough cable to use high bars as well. You could use the high bars instead (which I prefer). I'll do a writeup on how I installed mine later. You could always have risers and high bars - but you'll definitely need longer brake lines (I'm going to buy some longer steel braided ones at another time) and probably other cables extending too!

 

[bluenova]

I'm about 5' 4" too, but have no problem I can get my left foot on the ground easy peasy (right foot is of cause on the brake). The only time I have a problem is when I need to reverse, then I have to get off and push it normally.

 

[dean owens]

... I'll be buying mine from a seller in the UK.

... You could always have risers and high bars - but you'll definitely need longer brake lines (I'm going to buy some longer steel braided ones at another time) and probably other cables extending too!

thanks for the links. you say that the springs are cheaper than the lowering kit but on that site it's $270.00 and the lowering "kit" is about $200.00 with shipping. is it cheaper in the UK? is that why you'll be ordering from the UK seller?

about the bars and cables.... yeah, i know i'll need longer stuff. that's for later on down the road. i think i'll be ok for a while. i'll only worry about getting bars to bring them further back if it starts to be a pain in my back and shoulders. i went for a 2 hour ride yesterday and i was ok. tired and sore because i haven't ridden since october.... but in general it felt good.

again, thanks for the links.

 

[SANGER_A2]

thanks for the links. you say that the springs are cheaper than the lowering kit but on that site it's $270.00 and the lowering "kit" is about $200.00 with shipping. is it cheaper in the UK? is that why you'll be ordering from the UK seller?

about the bars and cables.... yeah, i know i'll need longer stuff. that's for later on down the road. i think i'll be ok for a while. i'll only worry about getting bars to bring them further back if it starts to be a pain in my back and shoulders. i went for a 2 hour ride yesterday and i was ok. tired and sore because i haven't ridden since october.... but in general it felt good.

again, thanks for the links.

I live in the UK. Which is why I will be buying them from the UK. I've found them for £169 which in my book is a much better value than using the rubbish stock springs still and paying £££s for the privilege! They are progressive springs. The stock springs are linear. Progressive springs are better than linear for riding on the road whichever way you look at it!!! :Flash:

If you shave your seat it makes the bike more comfy on arms and back because you're lower and this makes you closer to the bars. This was another benefit I noticed when shaving mine. Also, I put on a gel bad recently to see how I liked it and found my arms and back getting more tired as I had to stretch and lean more to reach my bars. I'm still going to use the gel pad - but I'm going to chop a chunk of the seat foam out (the little that's left) and use it there so the seat is still nice and low.

 

[howzmyroost]

Remember if you go the lowering shock route, you also need to drop the forks in the yoke (Triple? US). This maintains the geometry of the bike, but beware it does cause the bike to 'Turn in' much quicker.

And, you will have to shorten the side stand, otherwise it will fall over when you park up.

Hubby did this on mine and it works like a charm. No problems with the stand. I'm 5'6" and its more than flat foot now.

 

[SANGER_A2]

Hubby did this on mine and it works like a charm. No problems with the stand. I'm 5'6" and its more than flat foot now.

Ooh good. I really didn't want to have to mess with any of the stock parts. I don't mind replacing them but don't want to have to modify anything while the bike is in warranty.

 

[chimneydoc]

Hey I'm short on one end too. All I do is shift my butt just a little to the left and put my left foot flat on the ground. With a few practice tries it will become second nature to you, it feels natural to me. I haven't given it much thought of lowering the bike. All you need is to have one foot on the ground. Try it before you spend the money. I'm about 5' 3" and this May I will have had my bike for Two years.

Doc

 

[briand]

Hey I'm short on one end too. All I do is shift my butt just a little to the left and put my left foot flat on the ground. With a few practice tries it will become second nature to you, it feels natural to me. I haven't given it much thought of lowering the bike. All you need is to have one foot on the ground. Try it before you spend the money. I'm about 5' 3" and this May I will have had my bike for Two years.

Doc

This works pretty well.I am learning how to shift off the seat and get one foot flat on the ground. I still am looking into lowering it a little, but it's pretty manageable as is.