Lowering SV 650

[Greeves TFS]

My girlfriend has decided to ride and has chosen my SV 650 for her new ride. One problem...she is 5'-2" barefooted and the SV is too tall for her. I have bought a corbin seat which will lower seat height approximately 1". I want to lower it a couple more inches without messing up the geometry. I know you can get a shorter dog leg and raise the forks in triple tree but has anyone done anything with no noticable change in the ride? Any help would be appreciated.

:help:

[VFRinAustin]

Is this an SV or SVS. If it is an SVS one thing you might try is to change out the rearsets to ones from an SV, it makes it a little easier on the pegs. As for lowering closer to the ground, the only way I know of is by changing out the lower suspension "dog bone" to be shorter.

Good luck

[bluedogok]

There is a rider who is 5'-0" tall on the ST.N site who rides a Suzuki SV650S
In the past she has had some info on changes made to her SV to adapt if for the inseam challenged. Bluepoof (http://www.bluepoof.com). Another rider who is 5'-2" rides a lowered Suzuki Bandit 600.

Here is another link: Home of the Short Bikers (http://www.ki.org/sbl/)

My wife (5'-2") sat on a stock SV650S and the lowered Bandit 600 when we were in Eureka Springs. She felt more comfortable sitting on the Bandit, but liked the feel of the SV better, mainly due to the narrowness of the SV I think. The inline-4 on the Bandit kinda sticks out there a ways for her liking. Her favorite right now is the Moto Guzzi Breva 750, but it would be awhile be she would get one of those.

I talked to Snoopster on the Newbie ride and she probably has some info on her GS500 that might relate to an SV also. One thing she and the Bandit owner said needed to be done on a lowered bike is to cut down the sidestand.

[Tourmeister]

Talk to Patrick at Motorcycles Unlimited. He has done the same thing for his wife's SV. He can get the dogbone thingy for you as well. Don't forget, you will need to shorten the kickstand as well so the bike won't stand up too straight when on the stand. As long as you lower the front and rear the same, the handling should be about the same. You just lose ground clearance and shock travel. This really is only an issue if you are riding the bike really hard, which I doubt your girlfriend will be doing anytime soon, but who knows...? As for the Corbin, that might actually make things worse. The actual height of the seat may be closer to the ground; however, the seat is usually wider at the crotch than the stock seat which makes you have to spread your legs farther thus making it harder to reach the ground. Patrick also knows a guy that does seats. You might want to take the stock seat to this guy and have better foam put in and have it custom shaped for her. It is not real expensive, certainly less than the price of the Corbin ;-) Lastly, get her some decent riding boots with about a 1" thick sole/heel. That is not so thick that it should cause problems operating the controls but it will go a long way towards helping her feel planted on the ground.

Adios,

[bluedogok]

I think the Suzuki Gel Seat is suppose to help lower the seat height without the widening effect of the Corbin that Tourmeister mentioned.

[Greeves TFS]

Thanks guys, yea Dog Bone.....

It is a 99 SV650. I have heard and read bad things about messing with the geometry that the factory painstaking set. I was just wondering if anyone has a lowered bike and could they tell the difference. I don't want the wonderful handling of the SV go down the tubes. Maybe I'm asking for too much or there is such a slight difference that an average can't feel.

Bluedogok, does you wife have boots with regular heels or what? I believe the seat and maybe some boots can get what we need. She can sit on it but she has to lean to one side. Once the experience comes that is no big deal but for now it is.

[Greeves TFS]

Yikes........

Well I already bought a used Corbin for 100 with Atomic Gel so we'll try it first. If it is too wide, back on eBay.

I just don't want the bike go in a pitching fit trying to make her high side. I know as a rookie, she has a long way to go to know how well the bike handles.

Thanks guys,

I will call Patrick.....

[Greeves TFS]

Made a mistake...seat is a Sargeant with Atomic foam. Looks lowered but will put it on bike soon to find out.

[Squeaky]

Can't wait to see if the new seat does it for her - let us know once you've got it on there.

[Greeves TFS]

The sargeant seat does lower the seat and inch or so. I really don't like it but if it gets my girlfriend on the road great. Feels like sitting on a rock! Now we are going to get her some one inch sole boots! Has anyone rode or know someone that has ridden in boots with 3" heels? Looks scary to me but they offer them.

[Tourmeister]

Feels like sitting on a rock!

They do break in. However, the firmer foam is more comfortable in the long run because it actually supports you. I recall when I first put the Sargent on my VFR that I thought the same thing. But it was an exceptionally comfortable seat.

Adios,

[Greeves TFS]

I stumbled onto something that may work to lower the seat height. Ride height adjusters. 280 Canadian which is what about 150 US. Any feed back on this?



www.adjustmenttech.com

[glorybox]

Any luck getting her on the SV? I lowered my Triumph Speed Four with an adjustable dog bone (so it can be raised back up for "normal" riders). I rode the bike for about a week before I lowered it, and didn't notice any adverse affects afterwords. They did indeed have to shorten the kickstand. The whole thing was pretty expensive since I had the dealer do it, but well worth it in my opinion. My bike has a comfy seat so I didn't want to mess with it if I could help it.

I have a pair of high-heeled boots I ride in if I'm riding to work, but I wouldn't recommend it. They get hung up on the pegs and are more distracting than helpful. My favorite riding shoes are actually a pair of Timberlands that are taller than they look.

Casey

[Tourmeister]

I'd like to see how they are installed and fit the bike.

Casey, welcome out of lurk mode ;-)

Adios,

[Greeves TFS]

No haven't lowered it yet. She is puttering around on a Night Hawk 250 until she gets her road legs. As for the boots, I think you are asking for trouble if you have heels. Lifting up and off pegs is not natural. I found a website that has an adjustable dogleg which I planned to do once I quit traveling.

[Tourmeister]

which I planned to do once I quit traveling.

And when might this be...? I don't know many people that travel quite as often as you ;-)

Adios,

[Greeves TFS]

Off to Spain again October 1 then to South Africa later in the month. No one under me wants to travel so I have no choice. Apparently I cannot force them to travel which sucks big time. Darrell travels too. I wonder if he would go to South Africa instead of getting married?

[Tourmeister]

With all the security issues involved now, I can easily understand why no one wants to travel. It is just a total pain in the fanny. The thought of having to get on a plane to go somewhere is just not very appealing lately. Now getting there by bike... hmm...? Paddle tires? :-P

Adios,