650 TA handling

[barkingbiker]

Anyone ever messed about with dropping the yokes to make the beast steer more quickly? We're going to be travelling with mucho luggage for a year or two and the bikes feel very ponderous and wayward around corners (like a bleedin' camel in fact).

I'm wondering if dropping the frt forks would quicken it up or just muller the handling completely. I've tried pushing the stanchions up without much success so I'm going to have to ask a garage to do it - hence wanting to get it right first time.

Any ideas? Thanks.

BB

[Lutin]

Not sure about dropping the forks, but you do know that you can adjust the preload on the rear shock, don't you?

Yes it is a fiddle, as to get reasonable access you have to remove the right hand side panel, battery and battery tray. But if you are intending to load the bike up and leave it that way for some time, then it is probably worth doing.

[Paul-S]

Not sure about dropping the forks, but you do know that you can adjust the preload on the rear shock, don't you?

Yes it is a fiddle, as to get reasonable access you have to remove the right hand side panel, battery and battery tray. But if you are intending to load the bike up and leave it that way for some time, then it is probably worth doing.

The other way of adjusting the rear preload is to spray the shock with WD40 or GT85. Leave to soak in. Loosen the top locking ring with a hammer and drift or very carefully with a long screwdriver and hammer. Then using your hand on the shock spring, rotate it clockwise. The adjusting ring at the top of the spring should then rotate also creating preload without trying to get a C Spanner in. I've done this a few times and takes 5 minutes max.

No stripping needed, but side panel needs removing

[barkingbiker]

Thanks for the hints. I've actually dropped the rear by taking off some preload on the missus' bike to help her get her feet down (as well as a low seat). I ended up taking the shock off and putting it in a vice to adjust it - the 5 minute version sounds better. Her bike could do with lowering a bit more, so dropping the yokes on the forks a bit more (I only managed to shift them 6mm) might help.

I've not touched the rear shock on my bike and even at 6' tall don't really want the bike any higher.

BB