After riding my new Terra for a couple days, I found it a bit too tall for my modest inseam. Even with the spring pre-load at its lowest setting, only my tippy-toes could touch the ground on both sides. Rather than wait for the bike to settle over time, I decided to install a Kouba Lowering link. They offer two different height options… I chose the bigger link that drops the rear by 1¾”. The part arrived in just two days and only took about 15 minutes to install. Comparing seat heights before and after install, it appears to lower the seat about 1 inch and the rear end about 1¾” as advertised. One unexpected benefit is that the bike does not lean over so much with the kick stand down. I am pleased with the result since I can now comfortably plant both feet on the ground.
Also being of modest inseam I had asked my dealer to lower the bike. He had agreed but when I arrived after driving 300 plus miles I found he had only lowered the front end. He told me the lowering link was not available so of course I asked him to contact me when he got one for me. Putting this into perspective, I could ride the bike and toe my left foot for stops but could not put my right foot down enough to put the kickstand down. I would have to land somewhere with a curb for my right foot. I researched and found koubalink and contacted them. They said the link was about 2 weeks out before they had some to sell. I asked he I could buy now and they send when they could and they said yes. A short 2 weeks later I received the link, I commend them for sticking to their promise. After unsticking one of the nuts I installed it in about an hours time. I can now put the kickstand down and am so very happy for that. With the forks lowered at the triple tree and the link it outs the bike just where it feels comfortable. I may lose a bit of travel but I'm fine with that.
Hmm...I've never been a fan of Kouba links on real dirt bikes but I think this might work for my daily commuter Terra, and it would be a fairly inexpensive option for me. I am 5'1" and when I get my left toe down on the ground my right leg is just barely long enough to keep my right toe on the rear brake. Sliding from side to side is a dicey proposition at best, so I'm just real selective as to where I stop. For example, on crowned roads I ride in the right lane so that I have that extra inch I so desperately need What I really need to do is re-spring it for my weight (119 as of yesterday ) and that, alone, will cause the bike to ride lower since I'm not getting near enough sag out of it.
Keep us up to date on the new springs Woodsy. I might do the same if you find a good source. I thought about lowering mine too, but after this weekends off road ride, I know now that can't sacrifice any ground clearance.
I ordered the 1" kouba link this am and will drop the front as much as I can before hitting the bars......we'll see
Will do! I think new springs is all I really need. Hell, I got no sag whatsoever at the moment. Anyone know the stock spring rates on the Terra? I'll give Les at LT-Racing a call. If anyone can set me up properly it's Les
Girl, we gotta talk. I dunno how old you are, but at 32 I'm working damn hard every day to PREVENT sag! I know it's a loosing battle, but i spend most of my days wave chasing so I gotta try and keep them looking up for as long as I can ! ha ha ha Actually had long talk story with my brother today about shocks and whatever. He said the terra was super over sprung for me (I'm 118-120ish too! Go girl!!) Anyway, I don't remember half of what he said, but I do remember that whichever of the sags that was the one of me sitting on it wasn't even close to what it was supposed to be. Brother2 was going to talk to Brother1 and see what they could do in the shop and/or find a new spring for it. Luckily, both of them are still uber into dirtbikes still as adults and know all the parts places and whatever to order that sort of stuff so I'm hoping they can figure it out. There's a guy in town they know that does this sort of stuff, but he's lurky and creepy and just...no. Anyway, glad to know there's another chick terra rider out there!!
I just turned 50 but I'm in much better shape now than I was at 32. The only sag that concerns me is that on the Terra
ha ha hah. that's funny. like most people, I'm guessing you don't spend all day, every day, in a bikini top! Looking at this list of bikes for you, I'm guessing they're your passion like surfings mine. I was likely in better shape at 20, but, really, who wasn't? Between surfing and riding horses across the farm, I've only been to gym a couple of times and i'm still able to stand next to those 20 year olds with confidence. but i am getting older--something those lil bitches don't mind pointing out!!! I'm hoping that in 18 years, I'll still be in same spot! i'm also hoping that my brothers get this sag on the terra sorted.
So that's the thing that makes it lower right? It looks like a big letter "H" or something? Does that make the spring better if you're light too? I don't think so, right?
I never heard of Kouba until recently. I saw Scotts on ebay looking for a bash plate. I look at em and they look like aluminum. Is this correct? This concerns me as for strength and durability. I did some preliminary research, reading on the tensile strength of steel and aluminum, and not convinced this is for me. In this application the load is not a compression load, so a failure would be horrible. An example. Chains. They typically are made of hardened steel. Because of the pulling and stretch they do not use aluminum. In a repeated jarring of pulling as in the link, how long before it fails? Under normal or moderate use would it ever fail? How were they tested? Koubalink people are not in at the time to answer these question, not until later this month.
Aluminum is plenty strong if the right alloy is used and the design is correctly engineered. Commercial jetliners are made almost entirely of aluminum. Yes. including the wings. High performance motocross and trail motorcycles have aluminum frames and swingarms and other structural parts. I consider the fact that the Terra/Strada does NOT have an aluminum swingarm to be a shortcoming. I think that extensive use of aluminum on the Terra/Strada could probably save 20-30 lbs of weight. Nothing wrong with steel, though. Kouba links have been around for a long time and used on many bikes. I have not heard of any failures, but haven't researched it either. It should be up to the task.
Although we would have never purchase our TR's for the price we did. In my book, if it did save that much weight, I would have still shelled out a few more bucks for one. I love my TR but the weight....This bike has 136lb over my TE510. After a day on fire roads and tight D/T you sure do notice it.
Abby, I have only used a lowering link on one bike, my Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe, I experienced no adverse handling of any kind and I didn't lower the front forks to match the drop to the rear. I'm no expert, but from what I've read these things do what they are intended to do, put us stop light challenged riders in a more comfortable situation.
+++1 Although I'm still going to do it (shave some weight) with eg. exhaust change into aftermarket 2-into-1 system (~18lbs save to my knowledge).
SOFTER SPRINGS if you need softer springs on the TR the easiest way is to ADD a spring to the top of each of the existing springs, if you can't get proper ones. The standard preload spacer is quite long. Find a spring of close to the same diameter and approx. stiffness. Get another washer to put between the two springs and cut the preload spacer. The standard spacer only puts about 10mm preload on the spring so it must be reasonably stiff stock, so a softer spring would be a good option. EDIT: Sorry this is meant to relate to the forks only. The rear can be difficult, though not impossible to use this method.
I bought my Terra with the intention to use it as a one up lightweight ADV bike for a trip to south America, carrying a lot of gear and weight. With my 5'9" I was only able to tipytoe it - not good with a heavy load. Thought I wouldn't mind trading ground clearance for flat footing. Installed this in my rear shock: It replaces the lower spring retainer in the rear shock. Lowers the rear of the Terra by 30mm, dropped the front accordingly and I can (almost) flatfoot. Huge boost of confidence for me. Here is the retainer it replaced: Sorry about the crappy picture. Here is a shot with the lowering link next to the unchanged rearshock.
