Longer vs shorter wheelbase

[makenzie71]

One swingarm is about 2" longer than stock, the other 2" shorter. Which one to go with....?

[Octain]

Whats wrong with stock?

[makenzie71]

2 things are wrong with the stocker....primarily, I don't have one. Second, it won't fit an FZR600 wheel.

[Datsa Noydb]

Whichever one fits with the Kehin carbs.

[salty_monk]

Longer will make it more stable at speed & less likely to wheelie off the line.

Shorter will make it turn much quicker, could cause it to become "twitchy" if you go too far & cause headshake.

On a GS shorter could also put even more of your weight over the back wheel, there is enough back there already (we're already rear) so I can't see it improving handling from that perspective.

[SqDancerLynn1]

I would go with the longer one. I assume you are using a larger tire, so you may have clearance issues going with the shorter swinger and the big tire

[salty_monk]

With the longer one you'll need to check chain clearance around the pivot area at full extension/compression to make sure it clears

[makenzie71]

I understand the issues with handling...I don't think it'll be that dramatic. I was just more interested in which way you guys would go?

The longer would be easier but the bike is going to be 100lbs lighter and the twitchy/wheely thing kind of appealed to me.

[JEEPRUSTY]

I understand the issues with handling...I don't think it'll be that dramatic. I was just more interested in which way you guys would go?

The longer would be easier but the bike is going to be 100lbs lighter and the twitchy/wheely thing kind of appealed to me.

If that is the case you answered your own question.
Not that big a deal to swap em anyway is it?

[makenzie71]

The short swingarm will be more difficult because of bearing size, but I like the idea of the shorter one. Mostly because the longer one will slow down handling.

The longer one just needs the bearing tube from the stock GS arm slipped in and it works.

Basically easy = not quite what I want but what I want = hard. So I thought I'd just reach out for some unbiased opinions.

[JEEPRUSTY]

Well I am lazy adn assume as with most handling response issues, that the rider will adjust. After all the range is not much different than the extremes of chain adjustment.

[makenzie71]

I did learn something...the kat swingarm (the longer one) will be easier because the baearing tubes swap, but it's wider at the pivot. New problems.