Need Help: Lowering a '97 ZX600 C

[Aerik]

Well, I bought this bike for my wife (who's about 5'1'') to learn on, and she's doing well, but she is just barely tall enough to 'kickstand' herself when she stops. She can't touch the ground well enough to back up at all, and she managed to drop the thing when it tried to stall because she couldn't actually get a foot solidly on the ground without leaning the bike too far.

I really need to lower this thing, and I'd love some advice and any good ideas on parts/ brands.

I have a lowering strap and a set of Ninja 250 lowering links that came with a friend's bike, but the links are dinky and flimsy (made for a 250, duh!) and everything I've read says running straps on a street bike is a REALLY BAD IDEA.

Halp?

[magley64]

If you weren't so far away I'd be down there in a flash to help you out...

there are a few strategies... one you could make your own lowering links for the rear (not really that complex if you've got some spare steel, some decent tools and a welder)

you could buy a spare set of fork springs and cut them. (this way you still have the originals to put back to stock height if you want to sell it later)

[MidgetTodd]

Wow that thing is pretty low I'm surprised she cant touch. I think the rear shock is a air shock isnt it, can you let any air out?

Edited March 28, 2010 by MidgetTodd

[Aerik]

Yeah, she's only 5'1'', and she can just barely touch with her tiptoes when it's upright, not enough to actually hold it upright or push (like backing up).

I'm gonna have to go check that shock now. Magley, that's a good idea about the fork springs, also.

[Aerik]

Is this it? Sorry, I know nothing of air shocks (unless you count the air ride on semis and Caddies). I'm assuming I can just have her sit on it and let air out till she's comfortable?

[MidgetTodd]

I would try it.

[Aerik]

Gonna try it now, thanks!

[magley64]

pshhhhhhh! lol

[Aerik]

Only a half-second of 'psshhh'. No movement. Basically, there's no air in them already.

On to the next idea, I guess.

[magley64]

Only a half-second of 'psshhh'. No movement. Basically, there's no air in them already.

On to the next idea, I guess.

suspected that... people don't realize just how short 5'1" really is...(my current g/f is 4'11") I might have to lower the twinstar to teach her to ride...

[Aerik]

Yep. It's a pain. I guess I need to look for links. The current ones are 6.5'' between the centers of the holes-- I guess I need to get some that are an inch shorter than that.

[MidgetTodd]

Put a set of wheels from a scooter on it. Or tape blocks to her feet.

[Aerik]

Put a set of wheels from a scooter on it. Or tape blocks to her feet.

[Zach]

Depending on the geometry, you may actually need longer links.

[Aerik]

Depending on the geometry, you may actually need longer links.

I think I understand what you mean, but the way the bike sits, I think they would need to be shorter. The seat's fairly far to the rear. Of course, I know damned near nothing about motorcycle suspensions.

After all, I'm a cruiser guy- my normal ride floats and wallows like the mobile couch it is.

[Zach]

I think I understand what you mean, but the way the bike sits, I think they would need to be shorter. The seat's fairly far to the rear. Of course, I know damned near nothing about motorcycle suspensions.

After all, I'm a cruiser guy- my normal ride floats and wallows like the mobile couch it is.

Depending on the linkage, extending the links may move the bottom of the shock closer to the ground, thus lowering the bike. I don't know by not seeing it in person.

[shittygsxr]

Yea raise the forks up through the triple trees and buy a lowering link. the shock is nitrogen charged just like almost every other shock on every sportbike. Todd where do you come up with this advice???

[Aerik]

The triple trees have a cap thingy on them where the bars mount, so I can't just move them down that way, although I have seen where they sell new ones with deeper caps for that purpose.

[shittygsxr]

make sure you find someone to put the nitrogen back in your shock

[Aerik]

Sell the 600 and get her a 250.

I was initially looking for a 250, but they're all going for way more than I could justify spending right now for a bike she'd outgrow in a few months. And at any rate, having sat her on my buddy's 250, the ride height's damned near the same on the 600-- I'd have had to lower that anyway.

Her crash wasn't a matter of the bike being too powerful; she just couldn't reach the ground firmly enough to catch herself when it stalled out, so it basically fell over under her at a stop. She had just spent roughly 3 hours happily putting around the apartment complex, and only ran into trouble when she stopped or started.

In truth, if she had a bit more experience, she could probably manage this bike at its current height. Right now, though, she really needs to be able to get a firm grip on the ground (to keep the bike level) when she's taking off from a start.

I tried telling her to just get taller, but that didn't work.

Now about the air shock-- What's this about nitrogen? I know nothing about these things, but there was barely any pressure in it when I tried to let the air out. Where would I go to get nitrogen put into it?

[shittygsxr]

I was initially looking for a 250, but they're all going for way more than I could justify spending right now for a bike she'd outgrow in a few months. And at any rate, having sat her on my buddy's 250, the ride height's damned near the same on the 600-- I'd have had to lower that anyway.

Her crash wasn't a matter of the bike being too powerful; she just couldn't reach the ground firmly enough to catch herself when it stalled out, so it basically fell over under her at a stop. She had just spent roughly 3 hours happily putting around the apartment complex, and only ran into trouble when she stopped or started.

In truth, if she had a bit more experience, she could probably manage this bike at its current height. Right now, though, she really needs to be able to get a firm grip on the ground (to keep the bike level) when she's taking off from a start.

I tried telling her to just get taller, but that didn't work.

Now about the air shock-- What's this about nitrogen? I know nothing about these things, but there was barely any pressure in it when I tried to let the air out. Where would I go to get nitrogen put into it?

They are not "air shocks" you cannot adjust ride height on them by " letting the air out". The shocks are charged with nitrogen and there is a very small volume in there so even a couple hundred psi will drain quickly. Someone just gave you really poor advice without knowing what they were talking about.

[MidgetTodd]

Yea raise the forks up through the triple trees and buy a lowering link. the shock is nitrogen charged just like almost every other shock on every sportbike. Todd where do you come up with this advice???

Wow that thing is pretty low I'm surprised she cant touch. I think the rear shock is a air shock isnt it, can you let any air out?

Like I said there, "I think and can you" didnt say for sure. Was guessing because one of the bikes we had here had an adjustable air shock on it though it was that C model he'll have to look under there and make sure but I'm fairly sure it was that one could be wrong though. As far as the nitrogen most tire shops have it now.

[shittygsxr]

I see three different models of kawasaki 600 cc bikes for 97

Ninja ZX-6R

Ninja ZX-6

Ninja 600R

the zx-6r and zx-6 have the following rear shock

Bottom-Link UNI-TRAK with remote reservoir, gas-charged shock, adjustable preload, 19-way compression and 4-way rebound damping

the ninja 600r has the following rear shock

Bottom-Link UNI-TRAK with air adjustable shock, 4-way rebound damping

Todd- sorry about jumping on your advice, I searched zx600 and only saw the gas charged shock. If it is the 600R then it is air adjustable

[MidgetTodd]

Its an odd sport-touring type model has several wierd things about it that all the others I've been around didnt have. Its deff not a ZX version.

[Benyen Soljax]

If you find a bike you want to keep, and you need to lower it, you'll definitely want to cut the springs (forks and rear shock) at some point. When you install lowering links and move the forks, the suspension still has its original travel length, even though the bike is now closer to the ground. This means that when doing heavy braking or any other load that strains the suspension, you risk bottoming out on other parts of the bike instead of the suspension bottoming out. When you cut the springs, it shortens the length of travel of the shock so that the shock bottoms out, stopping bike parts from meeting. Plus, you don't need links and stupid looking forks when you cut the springs.

Like I said though, you probably only want to do this if you plan on keeping the bike around. This is a more $$ and labor intensive route, and not all that necessary if shes just a beginner, but it is something to think about.