Lowering the rear end, taking out the shock absorbers. New Project

[Sprockets]

What do you guys think? Is there any possibility of cracking the frame if I change the rear shock absorbers to still metal bars? I want to radically lower the rear end, cause I wanna make a fiberglass mudguard very close to the wheel. I have already bought a low profile wheel (well... lower than stock one) and I'm planning to change the seat (I definitely hate the Fat Ass look my GS has) for a fiberglass one, with coils like old harleys
Also, I'm only 1,7 mts height, and 60 kilogrames weigh (kinda 5.5 feets height, 132 pounds weigh) and my Suzy 550E is enough for me by now, the problem is that the bike is too high!
I have decided to change the tail design after this weekend's motorcycle meeting, in Mercedes, that is about 100 km far from Buenos Aires.
I'll be updating this thread with fotographs of the bike in front of the Lujan's Basilica, such a beautifull place here.:-D
Greetings!
Emanuel

[bobo]

you would be better off getting hold of some 'lowering blocks' so you still have suspension man. no bounce equals one ruined backbone...b.b.

[jimcor]

Yeah, I'd say you've got a good chance of cracking it.

So. Ask yourself: "How many bikes without shocks do I see being ridden regularly? How come everybody doesn't have them? Does my GS think less of me because I think it looks the Fat Ass?"

[RotaryRodder]

if you soften up the front suspension and have springs on the seat you will probably be alright, I ride my dads rigid harley sometimes and its pretty comfortable that way.

[tracy borchert]

blocks

you would be better off getting hold of some 'lowering blocks' so you still have suspension man. no bounce equals one ruined backbone...b.b.

You could get lowering blocks,it would be stiffer,but not completely solid.You would have a little rear suspension.I had struts(solid bars in place of the shocks) on mine years ago,needless to say they didn't stay on there long.:shock:

[RotaryRodder]

do those make any noise when coming from unloaded to loaded? (moving around)

[gs650girl]

hmm

well I just got done moving my shocks on my 650. What we did was cut the bolts off where the shocks mounted and welded on bolts more towards the front, so we moved the shocks forward. It made a huge difference for height, as I'm 5'6" and had to lean to one side, now i can put both my feet on the ground.

[Sprockets]

You could get lowering blocks,it would be stiffer,but not completely solid.You would have a little rear suspension.I had struts(solid bars in place of the shocks) on mine years ago,needless to say they didn't stay on there long.:shock:

Hi Tracy, would you please post more pictures of the lowering blocks?
I need a pic from the back of them, because, as I can see, they're only secured to the swing arm with one bolt. (may be 2, but I cant see the other one). Those things are pretty impossible to get here in a motorcycle shop (I'm in the ass of the world) so the only way is to make them at home.

One more doubt, after lowering the rear of the bike, when you carry a passenger, doesn't the wheel touch with the mudguard when you go through a hole in the street? here we have some holes like craters.
Didn't you had to stiffen the springs? Thanks!

[tracy borchert]

do those make any noise when coming from unloaded to loaded? (moving around)

No they don't RR. Sprocket, Bought them from a local dealer for like 25 bucks or so. They have worked out very well, they lower the back end of the bike 2" and only have two bolts each. They mount from the bottom of the shocks to the swingarm. They kick the shocks back towards the rear axle. The only downside to that is that they take out the spring of the shocks and make it a stiffer ride kind of like a hardtail. But thats not a big deal to me I like the way it rides. I have to take them off when my wife rides with me cause its to stiff of a ride for her. You can take them off in about 15-20 minutes. They are on and off my bike in the pics I've got posted. I could get better pics of them if you like. No, the wheel doesn't bottom out with a rider or do you have to stiffen the shocks.:-D Tracy

[tracy borchert]

No they don't RR. Sprocket, Bought them from a local dealer for like 25 bucks or so. They have worked out very well, they lower the back end of the bike 2" and only have two bolts each. They mount from the bottom of the shocks to the swingarm. They kick the shocks back towards the rear axle. The only downside to that is that they take out the spring of the shocks and make it a stiffer ride kind of like a hardtail. But thats not a big deal to me I like the way it rides. I have to take them off when my wife rides with me cause its to stiff of a ride for her. You can take them off in about 15-20 minutes. They are on and off my bike in the pics I've got posted. I could get better pics of them if you like. No, the wheel doesn't bottom out with a rider or do you have to stiffen the shocks.:-D Tracy

[Sprockets]

I'll better try the lowering blocks before my backbone start complaining

Well Tracy, I'll try to make those lowering blocks. (I'm quite sure i'm not going to get them in a local shop (they only have pizza man's motorbike accessories)

As I could analyze, the angle of the shocks radically changes to make it more difficult for the swing arm to travel up letting the wheel touch the mudguard (but, for a safety reason (you can't imagine how the "beautiful" paving-stones from Buenos Aires are used to test my patience:shock: ), i'll put a rubber bumping post inside the shock absorber and hold with some seals).

I'm planning to fabricate them using a solid stainless steel part.
As soon as I finish them i'll be posting the photographs. Thanks!

I've post a pic of my bike in front of the Lujan's Basilica, take a look.\\/

http://www.bikepics.com/members/Sprockets/80gs550/

Greetings!
Emanuel