TR650 Lowering Options

[AUS_TR650]

I'll slide up the forks by 20mm as suggested in the instruction sheet...

I'm a lot happier now that I've done this. Just come back from a spirited ride in the hills and it is cornering similar prior to lowering. Was also stable at high speeds on straight sections.

 

[Greg Jetnikoff]

Aus_ Tr650, where are you in Aus?

 

[arsprod]

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.

I'm a newbie on this board but have been lurking for awhile - interested in the TR650 but am also a stub (5'2"). This weekend at Mid Ohio I found out about the Kouba Link and my hope is renewed! Bobzilla, I'm also in Indy and would love to see your bike some time. Thanks folks,

Aaron in Indy

 

[Bobzilla]

I work at Bicycle Garage on the southside, give me a call to check out my TR. You will dig it and have to go get one right away.

 

[arsprod]

I work at Bicycle Garage on the southside, give me a call to check out my TR. You will dig it and have to go get one right away.

Hah! I just walked out of BGI downtown (daily bicycle commuter)! Will do next time I drive, thanks!

 

[pkplex]

I had a new link shoved in and the front forks raised a bit. I can tip toe both feet on the ground and walk the bike around like that, but only just. Still, the bike seems quite light that it is all quite manageable. Have to kind of do a spastic stand back and kick kind of thing to get a leg over when there is luggage on the back though

 

[BangCrashWallop]

Hi all. Also being short in the leg, I've fitted the 1-3/4 Koubalink and dropped the forks. Definitely better, with the added bonus of being more stable at high speed. But I could do with going lower. I also thought that it's a bit high geared, especially when trying to navigate more difficult off-road stuff. I know I could change the gearbox sprocket, but I wondered whether I could kill two birds with one stone. The Strada version is fitted with an 17" rear wheel and I read somewhere that there was a spoked version. If I could get one (big if) and fit it to the Terra with an appropriate dual-sport tyre, would that both lower the gearing and lower the seat height (without affecting suspension travel or seat/footpeg distance)? Sounds like a perfect solution.....! Has anyone tried this or got any thoughts on the effects of doing it?

 

[AUS_TR650]

The Strada version is fitted with an 17" rear wheel and I read somewhere that there was a spoked version. If I could get one (big if) and fit it to the Terra with an appropriate dual-sport tyre, would that both lower the gearing and lower the seat height (without affecting suspension travel or seat/footpeg distance)? Sounds like a perfect solution.....! Has anyone tried this or got any thoughts on the effects of doing it?

The Terra with ABS has a 17" spoked rear wheel. You would have to reprogramme your instrument panel or ECU as there would be speedo error.

 

[John_Belgium]

Dear Hansi,

Thanks for your pictures of the special ring to lower the bike. Where or how to order this kind of ring ?

Regards, John

 

[Hansi]

Dear Hansi,

Thanks for your pictures of the special ring to lower the bike. Where or how to order this kind of ring ?

Regards, John

here you go, John :
http://www.mizushop.de/index.php?cat=c53788_TR-650-Terra-from-12-Typ-A8.html

 

[DJOV]

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.

Hey there, your story here is very encouraging. I'm 5'6" and 124 pounds but thin and not muscle-y; I'm looking at the TR as my new forever bike. All the "problems" listed in various threads are hardly problems compared to the serious carb/engine/cheap-o parts issues that will leave a person helpless on an abandoned fire road... I once owned a KLR 650, lowered and dialed in, but it was still pretty intimidating when I stopped on a camber, with the bike loaded, and while I was a new-ish rider. (The 7 gallon gas tank at my chest didn't help!) I was happy to sell it to a 6'2 19 year old kid who, by now, has travelled half the world with it, as should happen with the KLR. Anyway, I have better skills and I'm optimistic that I'm gaining strength... The TR seems perfect - I'll get the lowering link for the 1.75" and get a custom seat to shave the extra 1" off the top. If you're riding this bike withOUT either of those, I'm impressed. I'm in Seattle, WA; I'll look for you again when I get the bike in hand. Thanks for this post. You obviously have a little riding experience

 

[DJOV]

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.

I know this post is like, 100 years old, but in case you're reading it still... I'm trying to picture how this works and I can't. I don't know enough about mechanics - but how does a THICKER spring retainer make for a LOWER rear? And if I want to lower my TR, is this ring preferred over a lowering link? Or would you dare use both together for an even lower bike (but then there'd be no clearance.. I know there's a limit to what can be useful... Just curious an opinion of which lowering method is better/more reliable/lower. Thanks.

 

[John_Belgium]

Well my dealer installed the lowering ring and before he already let the fork go down also a 30 mm or so. The bike is lower now and it is easier to put my leg over the saddle and to manoevrate with lower speeds or standing still or parking the bike. My ring was 125 euro, but I think it is a elegant solution and gives shorter people a lot more confidence in this all/offroad bike. In fact it is one of the lowest all/off road bikes or maybe the lowest, I do not know. I do know that for many years let's say the last 20 years I never looked at off road bikes, because they were always much to high. (Especially BMW and KTM seems to be build for 2 meter people minmum).

Regards, John

 

[Baddrapp]

BMW has a smaller wheel sensor ring( tone ring) for a 17 inch wheel. Just install the ring on the rear wheel. I believe it was Wunderlich that has the smaller tone ring.

 

[danketchpel]

Here's another option for effectively lowering the bike.

Seat Concepts now has a low version of their seat which looks pretty sexy in the photo. It's $160 for foam and cover. They will install it for you for $20, not bad.

"New wider and 15mm lower seating area is more comfortable than stock while giving you a lower seat height."

 

[drzcharlie]

3/4" isn't a lot but then when you have a 29" inseam like me it feels like a lot.

 

[CatskillBill]

Here's another option for effectively lowering the bike.

Seat Concepts now has a low version of their seat which looks pretty sexy in the photo. It's $160 for foam and cover. They will install it for you for $20, not bad.

"New wider and 15mm lower seating area is more comfortable than stock while giving you a lower seat height."

On the Seat Concepts website, on the page describing the low seat, there is a note at the bottom stating that the picture is not a pic of the low seat...it's a pic of the "stock" seat. I emailed them asking for a pic of the actual low seat and they replied that they didn't have one (??). I'd sure like to see a picture of the actual low seat before I pull the trigger.

 

[engineerk9]

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

I suffered similar, i weigh close to 100kg, & sag was less than 20mm - Terry Hay at shock Treatment, lowered the rear shock, changed the 10.30 kg spring for a 9.80 kg that was also 10mm shorter, the front was lowered by 20 mm internally plus 10 mm extra preload to compensate for the Safari tank
Very pleased with the results, Birdsville Track loop was 4,500 klms, 900 klms desert
The lowering links are not the go, be warned

 

[engineerk9]

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.

That's reducing pre-load only, would give a lot more sag, which is good - I'd expect 60-70 mm sag

 

[danketchpel]

On the Seat Concepts website, on the page describing the low seat, there is a note at the bottom stating that the picture is not a pic of the low seat...it's a pic of the "stock" seat. I emailed them asking for a pic of the actual low seat and they replied that they didn't have one (??). I'd sure like to see a picture of the actual low seat before I pull the trigger.

Well that kinda sucks as I thought the seat in the image was pretty nice looking and not much like my stock seat.