From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed May 28 22:03:30 1997 Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 01:55:50 -0400 To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com From: Don Eilenberger Subject: BMW: RE: Lowering the K1100LT Cc: Joseph Luther Reply-To: Don Eilenberger >Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 13:45:28 +0000 >From: Joseph Luther >Subject: BMW: Lowering the K1100LT > >Thanks to the many who responded to my post regarding dropping my KLT. >One Prez suggested I post a request for info on lowering this bike. > >So, how aboout it? How can the K1100LT be safely lowered for the >benefit of us "inseam challenged" riders? > >Joe Luther >Nebraska >K1100LT - "EXIT" Hey - you're a TALL guy! I've got on a very good day 28" between my crotch and the ground. Step 1 - taller boots. Don't laugh. Many moto boots have thin soles.. guess they figure you're not gonna walk much in them. Look for ones with 1/2-3/4" thick soles. Every little bit makes a difference! I wear Dexter hiking boots - which have a nice 3/4" knobby sole (and are waterproof - guaranteed - to boot! {pun intentional}) Step 2 - tires. Other people will tell you what to use, but there are lower profile tires. Problem here could be rim bending.. especially if you have the safety 3 spoke rims.. Step 3 - suspension. Which you asked about. Works Performance makes a 'short' shock, 3/4" shorter than the normal shock. This is a dual-spring jobbie, no adjustments for compression/rebound dampening, but it works OK for me. Progressive makes a short shock, but it's their bottom of the line model and hasn't had a good review here.. DON'T get the new single-piece progressive adjustable if they tell you it can be adjusted shorter. BTDT - it can't. They lied. And then denied it. The front should be lowered equally (keeps things in tune so to speak). I put Progressive springs in my K and made the spacer 3/4" shorter than recommended. There was still preload on the spring.. Together - all of these will make the K rideable for you. You may also consider looking for someone who wants to trade the 'low-seat' option with you for your normal seat. It lowers you another inch or so at the expense of some storage space. I had Mr. Russell custom make a seat for me, where I requested help with height. His solution was to move the seating position about an inch forwards (which is fine for me - I actually requested it - instead of bar-backs - short legs USUALLY also equals short arms) and he made the very front of the seat (the U by the gas-tank) as narrow as possible. When paddling the bike you tend to move fowards into the U, the narrow part further fowards lets you use your legs straight down.. this helps. The bike is rideable by us normal height guys - just takes a bitta work. Dunno what the Chermans where thinking of when they designed it for giants! best, ======================================= Don Eilenberger Spring Lk Hts, NJ, USA deilenbergerNoSpam@NoSpammonmouth.com ======================================= From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed Jul 23 09:47:30 1997 Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 09:12:29 -0400 To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamfacteur.std.com From: Don Eilenberger Subject: BMW: K fork height Reply-To: Don Eilenberger It has been questioned: >Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 10:48:09 +0200 >From: Thomas Machts >Subject: Re: BMW: Front Forks > >George wrote: >>Presidents All, > >>I'm re-installing the front forks on my 92 K100RS and the book (Clymers) >>says . . . Push the fork tube up until the top surface is 6 mm above the >>top surface of the upper fork bridge . . . I think I remembered the fork >>tubes being flush with the fork bridge. Thats almost 1\4" difference and >>wouldn't that make some change to the handling? > >>Thanks > >>George Basinet >>San Jose, CA > >George, >On my 86 K100RT the tubes are about 1mm (~flush) above the top surface >of the upper bridge . This is the result of them being set from the lower >bridge following my manual (180mm if I remember correctly). Maybe 6 mm do >no harm either. Don't know about the differences in the handling. > > >Thomas Machts >Grenoble-France The actual distance is NOT going to be that important (stock setting is flush - but the top of the tube, not the plastic snap cover is what is supposed to be set flush).. Think about it - the amount of difference in the handling is going to be very small - so small that you'll never know it. We're talking about 1/4" or so out of 4-5 inches of travel (travel depends on the forks - the original had more than 5", the sport forks somewhat less). This difference would be less than the difference between the preload with an empty fuel tank vs full. FWIW - I *purposely* set my fork legs as high as I could in the triple clamp to help lower the bike (about 1/4") for my normal (29" inseam) legs.. I also used a shorter spacer in the front end (1/2" shorter) to give me a total lower front of 3/4", which matches my 3/4" lower rear suspension (Works short shock).. both these leave me with more or less the stock geometry - but a shorter wheelbase (by some timy - small amount). To actually make changes you'd notice - a significant change to one end or the other will be required... (can we say chopper?) Best, ================================== Don Eilenberger, Spring Lk Hts, NJ deilenbergerNoSpam@NoSpammonmouth.com ================================== From "Bob Anundson" Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 07:53:50 -0700 Subject: BMW: Re: 4'11" and wants a bike Chris I have a Russell which replaced my low rider seat. It did not improve my ability to plant my feet on the ground. In fact it made it worse. I didn't understand at the time I ordered it that I should have instructed Russell to "keep the drop the same". I do like my Russell. The original seat was unbearable after a couple of hours. However don't expect the Russell to improve your drop. http://www.concentric.net/~Daylong/ You might call Portland Motorcycle in Portland Oregon. They have done a number of lowering jobs and probably could be rather specific. The bike I saw them do had a low rider seat, a short rear shock, lowering of the front forks, and low profile tires. This made it very difficult to put up on the centerstand according to a friend of mine who broke the bike for the owner and of course you loose some ground clearance as well. The gal that rides it lives part time on both coasts (has a bike in Portland Oregon and Boston) and if press I suspect I could locate her through my friend. Also if you go ahead with this and don't have the bike try and find one with a low rider seat already. There is quite a bit of difference between the two seat styles and I suspect it would be a real hassle to convert the standard seat to the low rider. There is also a short riders web site but I apparently didn't save it in my favorites file (Sorry). Regards, Bob Anundson (28" inseam, 6 foot trunk, 5' 2" limbs in an overall package of 5' 7") Bob Anundson 8768 SW Iroquois Drive Tualatin, OR 97062 bobaNoSpam@NoSpamteleport.com v 503 692 2841 f 503 692 7906