My XS

[perurider]

Here are a couple pics of my XS....I like it but its kind of high for me, I have rear shocks all the way down are there other ways to shorten it down to my height? 5'8""

[lee_dutcher]

nice looking bike you got there....to lower your bike you either have to cut a spring in the shocks using a dremel (cheap way) or buy a set of harly shocks and make them fit using a brass bushing.....

[ambidextrous]

nice bike!

you could always buy some shorter shocks

other then that, thats about all i think you can do

maybe get a seat with less padding in it too i guess

[b1lock]

Pretty bike. I had one of those once before I ruined it. I bought a set of one inch shorter back shocks and then lowered the forks in the triple clamps an inch.

[MrOzz]

Welcome to CH11. Very nice XS you have there.

[dbeardslee]

Welcome to the site. As was mentioned you can install shorter shocks - but not too short or it can cause problems with the u-joint. You can also install a 16" special rear wheel. Between the two you should be able to get it 1.5-2" lower. Be aware - after you do it your mufflers are going to drag more easily. You can also have the seat re-contoured. It won't lower the bike, but it will put your but lower to the ground. And raising the forks in the triple tree is a very good idea - not only will it lower the bike a bit, it will make your steering a little faster too.

Peru, In? Galahad's truck stop used to be my usual stop when I was running a big truck.

[XS1100 Newbie]

I can't get both feet on the ground on mine either. Doesn't really affect much, you just need to be careful at stops. I got used to it, so i don't even think about it. If i could get both feet, other than my toes on the ground, i wouldn't know what to do. Don't park somewhere you need to move it with your feet, cause you look funny off the bike pushing it out of a parking spot. Ask me i know!

[petejw]

you can also loosen the pinch bolts on the forks
and drop the tubes down a bit as well,
theres a cpl of threads around about lowering
the bike if you do a search using the search button above.

youll also find that youll probably need to cut and shorten both
the side and center stands.


nice bike and welcome aboard.

[perurider]

Thanks gents, and I never even thought about how it would affect the stands....I know about pushing w/my feet...I used to have a Kawasaki Z1-R 1000, also tall...huh must be just me!?!? Maybe I should wear taller shoes...he he

[81xsproject]

I never understand the 'bike is too tall for me' thing. I don't have disproportionately long legs and am only 5'6". I have a stock seat, stock length shocks, fork tubes at the stock height, and can put both my heels on the ground. Are folks looking for more than that? Maybe it is the 17 inch Standard wheel vs. my 16 inch Special wheel.

[perurider]

could be the wheel cause i am average inseam and i can only touch with my toes on the ground.

[psycoreefer]

I'm going to throw this out there and maybe someone else will come along and tell me what a stupid idea it is....

if you need new tires, get some with a lower aspect ratio - for example most seem to be running 130/90/17 in the back, if you switch to a 130/70/17 your still the same width, but you've dropped the bike almost an inch because the sidewall of the tire is shorter. I'm considering this for SWMBO's bike, she doesn't like it if she can't touch.

[mrdigitech]

Wondering as well

Could I put a lower profile tire on the back? In need of a new tire now and would love to lower the bike if possible.

On that note. Could I put a larger wheel on the front and a smaller wheel on the back? Do I need to worry about the position of the engine, say if it tilts more than it is designed will fluids still circulate properly??

Thanks!

[psycoreefer]

I wouldn't think you'd have any issue with the engine, your talking a few degrees different, it probably changes more riding up a steep hill then it will with tire/rim/wheel changes.

I'd think the bigger concern would be the effect on handling, if you drop the rear of the bike it effects the geometry of the front, which effects handling. Then if you go and raise the front it makes it even worse.

I'm planning on dropping the front (via sliding the tubes up in the clamps) and the back (via tire profile) about the same 1 inch, should keep things handling like they should.

[crazy steve]

I'm going to throw this out there and maybe someone else will come along and tell me what a stupid idea it is....

if you need new tires, get some with a lower aspect ratio - for example most seem to be running 130/90/17 in the back, if you switch to a 130/70/17 your still the same width, but you've dropped the bike almost an inch because the sidewall of the tire is shorter. I'm considering this for SWMBO's bike, she doesn't like it if she can't touch.

You need to be careful if trying this; changing aspect ratio affects tire sizing in both width and height, although on motorcycle tires it's not always true. Generally speaking, for the same size tire (i.e. 130) if you go down in aspect ratio (from 90 to 70) the tire gets shorter but also wider. The thing you need to really check is width; you can't go any wider than 5.45" (and that leaves only .050" clearance at the swingarm) or the tire will hit. 'Everybody' is running the 130/90-17 on the rear of the standard because that's the only size available that actually fits in there and is rated for the load and rear fitment.

There's some 'smaller' 130-17 tires out there, but all I've seen have been for front-only applications; most definitely not recommended for use on the rear and with lighter load ratings besides. Best tire option? Swap to a 'special' 16" rear wheel; this uses a 1" shorter tire. But this will only gain you about 1/2" at the seat so if you want more, shorter shocks are the only real choice. In the front, you can slip the fork tubes up higher in the trees but this will make the steering faster with the reduced trail.

'78E original owner