Dropping the Triple Clamps

[c20500]

 

EXACTLY!

 

 

Bob, what clip on's are those with the risers? from a different bike? btw, your mufflers I bought that I cherrybombed are working nicely.

 

Regards,

Charles

[ponti_33609]

Bob, what clip on's are those with the risers? from a different bike? btw, your mufflers I bought that I cherrybombed are working nicely.

 

 

Hi Charles,

 

Glad the exhaust worked out! Good eye and much controversy on the setup. The previous owner (older guy than I am) had lots of trouble with the riding position. He had the dealer raise the forks/lower the triple about an inch and set the stock clips and riser on top of the tree. My calculations is it changed the rake to about 23 degrees or so. Quicker steering. I never changed them back as I got use to them this way. Many others here have raised the forks but not sure a full inch. Also note that the majority of my riding is short city commutes as well. I think if my riding was longer and less city I probably would have flipped them back.

 

Regards,

Bob

[docc]

Bob, what clip on's are those with the risers? from a different bike? btw, your mufflers I bought that I cherrybombed are working nicely.

 

 

Hi Charles,

 

Glad the exhaust worked out! Good eye and much controversy on the setup. The previous owner (older guy than I am) had lots of trouble with the riding position. He had the dealer raise the forks/lower the triple about an inch and set the stock clips and riser on top of the tree. My calculations is it changed the rake to about 23 degrees or so. Quicker steering. I never changed them back as I got use to them this way. Many others here have raised the forks but not sure a full inch. Also note that the majority of my riding is short city commutes as well. I think if my riding was longer and less city I probably would have flipped them back.

 

Regards,

Bob

 

Whew! It's not "TPS", but a Red Frame dropped 32mm . . .

 

Mine's down 8mm. I tried 13mm and it was ungood. (3mm is the stock standard and stands the fork cap just above the triple tree).

 

Maybe we should have a new thread: "How Low Can You Go?" (I'm sure Ponti is the winner!)

[ponti_33609]

Whew! It's not "TPS", but a Red Frame dropped 32mm . . .

 

Mine's down 8mm. I tried 13mm and it was ungood. (3mm is the stock standard and stands the fork cap just above the triple tree).

 

Maybe we should have a new thread: "How Low Can You Go?" (I'm sure Ponti is the winner!)

 

Well, actually 25.4mm I think, but yeah........you're right!

 

Bob

[raz]

Whoa, and this is a "short frame", right Bob? Pretty interesting considering the former discussions on this forum.

 

I raised my fork legs 10 mm on my pre-historic frame with a 70 profile rear and that made a huge difference to the better. That raise is what the (60 profile rear) Daytona RS came with. Since then I mounted a 60 profile rear but I'm pretty disappointed with the results (probably because it pretty much exactly negated the fork raise). Maybe I should just raise it another 10 mm.

[ponti_33609]

Whoa, and this is a "short frame", right Bob? Pretty interesting considering the former discussions on this forum.

 

I raised my fork legs 10 mm on my pre-historic frame with a 70 profile rear and that made a huge difference to the better. That raise is what the (60 profile rear) Daytona RS came with. Since then I mounted a 60 profile rear but I'm pretty disappointed with the results (probably because it pretty much exactly negated the fork raise). Maybe I should just raise it another 10 mm.

 

Hi Raz,

 

Please keep in mind what I said earlier though. I ride in the city, usually at speeds of less than 40mph, no "twisties" in the city either. If I rode like most of you folks I think I would have switched her back to stock. For my riding however, and because I do not know how she handled originally, I do not have an issue and seems to steer similar to an old Kawasaki I had in the 70's. The "old" guy I bought her from said he had the dealer raise it due to back pain he had. I rode her, got use to it and have simply not changed her back. I saw some pic's here in threads that seem to have them raised up a similar distance??

 

Bob

[raz]

Got it. And I won't hold you responsible anyway But I think I dare trying it out. New steering damper and all, and still 5 mm less than yours. I'll be careful.

[docc]

I've moved this discussion to a new thread since it's important and didn't need to clutter the TPS thread it came from.

 

Good stuff! Carry on!

[Dan M]

I was at about 14mm on my long frame after suspension set up and it was great all around with the stock 180/55 rear tire. When I switched to the taller 170/60 it lost it's "riding on rails" feel in the high speed sweepers. I raised the front to about 10mm and it's still quicker turn in than before but regained the stability.

[docc]

I was at about 14mm on my long frame after suspension set up and it was great all around with the stock 180/55 rear tire. When I switched to the taller 170/60 it lost it's "riding on rails" feel in the high speed sweepers. I raised the front to about 10mm and it's still quicker turn in than before but regained the stability.

 

Dan, your '02 'long frame' LeMans has the clip-ons mounted above the clamp, yes? Is that 14mm the stock positition just allowing room to attach the clip-ons?

 

(The RedFrames came with clip-ons under the clamp and only 3mm extended above the clamp - just the fork cap in other words.)

[Dan M]

Dan, your '02 'long frame' LeMans has the clip-ons mounted above the clamp, yes? Is that 14mm the stock positition just allowing room to attach the clip-ons?

 

(The RedFrames came with clip-ons under the clamp and only 3mm extended above the clamp - just the fork cap in other words.)

 

When stock, the cap was flush with the top of the handle bar clamp. I moved it up form there. (measurement is of the fork tube and cap exposed above the handle bar clamp) Right now they are slightly less than 10mm.

 

I'm thinking the LeMans fork tubes are longer than the Sport to accommodate the handle bars. No?

[docc]

 

 

I'm thinking the LeMans fork tubes are longer than the Sport to accommodate the handle bars. No?

 

For sure.

 

The way I came up with 32mm drop on Bob's Sport was to measure the width of the clip-on which is ordinarily below the clamp and add the 3mm thickness of the cap. I should subtracted the thickness instead since his is flush with the top of his clip-ons.

 

That still makes for 29mm and a whopping big drop! If the fork springs are original and the rider is over, say, 185 pounds, the turn in must be very abrupt with some tendency for wobble. I had tried mine at 10mm (+ the stock 3mm), but found it more stable and reliable on turn in at 8mm (including the cap thickness).

 

Bob's used to the big drop, but most of the rest of us might find it like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!