Kawasaki Vulcan Forum banner

need advise for customizing

5K views 31 replies 10 participants last post by  Dent6 
#1 ·
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some input regarding:

lowering links- those of you with the 2" drop links, have you had any bottoming out? I'm a fat boy but would like to drop the bike but don't want to be bottoming out every time I hit a bump ( which there are a lot of in Louisiana).

Chromers - I'm looking to have the wheels chromed anyone had experience with Excaliber plating in Fulton, CA? Any suggestions ?


thanks, Dogg
 
#2 ·
Just how big a boy are ya'" :)

Smedlin can advise you on the chrome, he's had enough done to cover a third world country.
I've done the homemade drop kit with the 1/4" steel plate and I tightened up the shock almost all the way up. The only time I've bottomed out is hitting a goodly sized chug hole 2 up with gear. We probably had around 400lbs on it at the time give or take 20. When I'm by myself, even with gear I've not had a problem. Took a 875 trip in August with no issue. At the time I weighed in at 195 but I'm down to 189 as of Tuesday:)
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've got the 2" lowering link . Has its pros & cons.
I'm 195 and have also ridden with a passenger = 300 in total
Pro's....looks
Cons..... bad over-all ride.

I've played with the spring set-up and dampening adjuster and it still rides like crap
in the sense of... rough roads it feels like your riding a rigid.
Bumps translates to your butt coming off the seat.

On smooth asphalt rides.... great.
But I've learned to love and accept it.
Not to bad considering most of my riding is on smooth roads.

[/IMG]
 
#7 ·
mine where done same place as sarge.

I have the 2 inch drop kit on mine. I never bottom out (and I'm not a small guy).

Even ridding 2-up with the wife, I don't buttom out unless I hit a speed bump. And the wife is almost as tall as I am..
 
#8 ·
Where did you guys the 2" drop kit? I see Kyrocket made his, but who manufacturers the kit?
 
#10 ·
Ditto on Mean Cycle.
I previously made the same 1/4" thick homemade ones and I discovered that they twisted a bit under the weight of the rear going over uneven surfaces over a 5000 km stretch I had them on for.
So I yanked them and bought the Mean Cycles ones.
I found the ride a bit more better with the new ones on as well.
 
#11 ·
Did you guys feel the need to lower the front as well. Saw that mod on mean cycles too but don't want to spring for it it isn't really necessary. How was your tire wear after doing the rear?
 
#13 ·
na, no need to drop the front also. I only did the back.

I used the same one, from mean cycles. It's easy to install, and you can really tell the difference. Looks SOO much better without all that white space showing.
 
#14 ·
Ok I think I'm on sold on the idea. In reading the install instructions on Mean's site though it talks about carving away some of the underbelly of the seat for clearance I'm guessing. Did any of you find that necessary? I have a $1000 Ultimate Seat that I ain't real keen to takin a knife to for any reason. If that's a must I may just have to continue looking at all that white space under me.
 
#15 ·
I have a mustang seat and the underside (the pan) is shaped different. No modification needed.

I don't know how the ultimate is shaped.

Also, I moved my power commander out from under the seat. It's possible I didn't need to, but it looked like the mustang was putting a little bit of weight on it.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Here is a comparison of how the fender/space looks with and without the 2 inch drop.

The first is an older pic of my bike, before I went "wild" and knifed it. You can almost see the top of the tire.




The second pic is recent. The fender comes well down over the tire.

Looks so much better.

 
#17 ·
Here is a comparison of how the fender/space looks with and without the 2 inch drop.

The first is an older pic of my bike, before I went "wild" and knifed it. You can almost see the top of the tire.


The second pic is recent. The fender comes well down over the tire.

Looks so much better.
I don't want to beat this horse to death, but I just put a 240 on the rear. Didn't I read that you did as well? No problems with the wider tire? Seems like one thing leads to another with this mod. Thanks,

 
#18 ·
 
#19 ·
kyrocket You made your own lowering kit. I want to lower my 900LT.Did you weld longer bars on to the ome or make the hole thing. How long do you make the links and i would think you weld them on right. I am a light weight so not worried about bottoming out.Just need to get a little lower to feel right. Thanks for any help.Davego Tampa.2008 900 lt
 
#22 ·
And remember, that's the stock seat they are talking about.

What get's in the way (with the stock seat) is one of the rubber mount thingies on the bottom of the seat. It has to be removed, since the bike sits close to the battery now.

The mustang seat didn't have to be modified at all.

perhaps your ultimate one either.
 
#24 ·
This bike scrapes in the corners already.
I sure wouldn't want to lower it. ;)
Don't you guys go around corners where you live ?

JJ
You still ridin with floorboards? :)
 
#30 ·
Sorry V2KPastor,I thought people bought big powerful bikes because they like to twist the go stick.
My bad. :eek:
Streight roads are boring.


JJ
Not everybody.......and IMO NO ROADS are boring on a V2K Beastie :waving::waving:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top