Lower front end on 1100 vstar

 

Has anyone cut the spacer's in the fork tube's on there 1100 vstar?
Just wondering how hard it was to do, how much did you cut off, and how
does the bike handle now that it is done.  Thank's in advance to anyone
who can help.

 


Curtman wrote:

You want to *lower* the bike by cutting the preload spacers inside the
fork tubes?

That's definitely NOT the way to go. If you cut the spacers, that will
decrease the preload and the steering will become very vague feeling,
especially as you try to start turning into a corner. When you first
try to turn the bike, the front end will actually out track and the
motorcycle will head off in the wrong direction at first, if you cut
the spring spacers shorter.

Cutting an inch or so off the springs will let the front end sit lower,
but the springs will be stiffer. That doesn't make logical sense, but
it's true because there will be fewer working coils left in the spring.

If you just want to lower the front end of the motorcycle, loosen the
clamp bolts on the triple clamps and let the stanchion tubes slide up
through the clamps. It's best to do this with a jack under the frame so
you can control how much the fork tubes slide up the triple clamps.

Be sure that your front fender can't hit anything when the springs
bottom out. I had to move the horns and the oil cooler on a motorcycle
when I lowered the front end 3/4ths of an inch.

Lowering the front end this way makes the machine harder to steer, it
will take more effort to get it to start turning, but speed wobbles and
speed weaves will go away.