Shock Height and ride difference?

[MPDano]

Hello all,

I have my fork tubes right at the first notch on the top cap, which seems to be stock height. I was wondering what the ride difference would be to lower the front end by raising the tubes? Just a curiosity.

[DohcBikes]

It will affect both the ride, and more importantly, the handling.

No offense but it takes about one minute to get first hand experience in this area. Believe it or not, that's how most of us here learned the answers to these questions...

[MPDano]

It will affect both the ride, and more importantly, the handling.

No offense but it takes about one minute to get first hand experience in this area. Believe it or not, that's how most of us here learned the answers to these questions...

Yeah, I know I figured it would affect it, but how so? No offence at all taken, although it's a valid question as it really takes a lot longer to raise or lower the fork tubes than a minute. At least for me

I just figured someone here has done it and has a bit more riding info to add.

[DohcBikes]

The search function is also a great tool.

It will reduce the trail. It will steer harder. It will affect the load your suspension is subjected to. Every bike and every rider is different. For example, the bike in my avatar has the tubes raised, but it also has the rear lowered, but it also has a smaller front tire, but it also has smaller rear tires, but the springs aren't stock, but, so you see, it is best to just do your own testing. We don't even know what trike you ride yet

Try it, you might like it, you might not.

[MPDano]

The search function is also a great tool.

Yes sir, advanced search is always my first stop. I didn't find anything. Thanks for the info posted, that helped loads.

[MPDano]

Here is an example of what I was talking about. Looks like he had them dropped almost an inch.

[Red Rider]

Here is an example of what I was talking about. Looks like he had them dropped almost an inch.

For an 85-86 250R, that was how they were designed to be assembled by the Honda dealerships. There is a line scribed around the circumference of the fork legs that lines up with the top of the top triple clamp.

[MPDano]

For an 85-86 250R, that was how they were designed to be assembled by the Honda dealerships. There is a line scribed around the circumference of the fork legs that lines up with the top of the top triple clamp.

Ahh, ok. So the 1st Gens are different?

[Red Rider]

Sorry, I don't know much about the 2nd Gen 250R's, and even less about the 1st Gens. In the magazine test of the '85 250R (most likely Dirtwheels) they said the bike exhibited a little headshake under hard braking. They mentioned how the forks were set up from the dealerships, so they tried lowering the forks all the way down, so only the plastic caps protruded above the top of the top triple clamp, and this seemed to lessen the headshake. My brother had an '85 & I had an '86, and we both lowered our fork tubes because of that test write up. We never noticed any significant difference in the handling one way or the other, but we only moved them 1". Unless you plan on going from one extreme to the other (completely raised to completely lowered), I doubt you'll notice much change in the steering/handling either.

[Dirtweed]

Ahh, ok. So the 1st Gens are different?

There is not as much travel in the first gen in the first place. Pics of the brochure show the triples almost at the top of the tubes.

http://www.offroadvintage.com/USERIM..._1982_US_4.jpg