👍 ...soooo easy to do ! Thanks a lot for showing more an more useful "tricks" arround the CRF 250 L . (I'm a 63 year old "beginner" ... riding bikes since 4 years ) Greetings from Germany!
I’m 72 and did exactly the same thing but I checked the degree angle of the forks before the lowering link and adjusted the forks to match the stock setting which was 30 degrees.
Excellent! I have been told so many times that this is a really easy job to do BUT with your video I can now see what people mean and would be prepared to do this myself. Thanks a lot. Confidence is a wonderful thing. I now have more!
Any time you do something for the first time, you get a little nervous. But if you dig into it with a brain working, you can usually figure it out,---and man, that is just a cool feeling I love. :) To heck with all the goofy hippies telling about how to be happy. Real happiness, because we have a brain that can figure things out, comes from personal achievement. Somebody does not want us to achieve.
Good for you Mark. So many UA-cam channels trying to scare people away from actually lowering the seat height but rather suggesting the shorter rider put their body through all kinds of contortions to get one foot to just touch the ground (unless the ground slopes away then you are on the ground with a bike on top of you). My bike has a stock rake angle of 24 degrees so fitting shorter rear shocks increased that angle a tad but all was well. Depending what barrow you wish to push that can either make the bike less nervous or less agile, it's actually fine being more directionally stable but still corners nicely. Best modification I ever did.
Thanks for your informative video. I agree that ground clearance is not too important especially if you are going to do trail riding and not take huge jumps… lowering the bike will certainly gives more confidence to any short riders …thanks again 😎
I used to be 6' 2", now 6' 1". My Honda 450 RL with an accessory seat is hard for me to swing my leg over. I installed a lowering link that makes it much easier to mount and dismount.
What the heck, Mark? Since I am getting a new CRF300l Rally shortly, I just happened to be scanning bike vids and, low and behold, here you are with a good CRF video. I watch your fitness videos all the time, but didn't expect to see you over here in Honda CRF land. I thought the matrix was getting wobbly for a moment. Best wishes to you and your lovely wife...and keep up the good work.
“...but the biggest impact on this bikes geometry is when it’s horizontal in a ditch ...” LOL...as a new off-road rider, I’ve bee there so many times, and a broke fibula 4 months ago, I am ready to sell the bike BUT your vid may keep me riding ...
Thanks for the info - I bought a 2020 CRF250L today and I'm realizing I'm just too short for it :( I will be installing a threaded lowering link similar to this and adjusting the front forks!
Greetings, As always another brilliant detailed video production 🇺🇸🍾🎉🇺🇸 After installation how much the motorcycle lowered? Thank you so much for assisting me and keep producing more videos.
Good show - Those "Bar Risers" made it all work - IF the Cuba Link lowered the rear 1 inch and you raised-up the Fork Tubes 1 inch-up from the Stock Setting. Then the Fork Rake and bike geometry is matched to Stock OEM. High speed stability should remain the same. Lowering the C G a Few Hundred Pounds has Huge Benefits in Cornering. Enjoy - Cheers
Great video, thank you, just subscribed. However I didn't get the info on how much lower the bike is now? The original seat height is said to be 88cm. Thank you.
I really like the video, installing a koubalink on my 18 rally now , but koubalink talks about adjusting the sag when lowering, is it necessary? Is there a video for that? Also when you lowered your bike did your chain get tighter?
There is a Pulling force on it, tension, but not spring tension. When they went from dual shocks on MX bikes to single shock with linkage, (I think Honda was the first in 81), it did a couple of good things. It created a better center of mass, (more mass closer to center between the wheels), and the linkage designs, which are all pretty much the same today, offer more design adjust-ability for a rising rate. They found that when the piston in the shock moves faster as the travel is compressed, it worked the best, and they could design more rates with a linkage than the dual shock offered. I am not sure if it made the bike lighter.
I lowered my YZ250 2-stroke a bit, but changed my mind on the "lowering link" and put the stock link back on. Why? Because I found out, (and should have known in the first place before I bought it.), that it does not shorten the travel, (like a top out spacer in the shock does), but it "shifts" the travel into your fender. So for example, if the link lowered the bike 1", and you use all your suspension travel, (and you should be for best performance), the rear wheel is going to try to go into the fender 1 more inch, (the knobs already hit the plastic when stock when you bottom, and you can tell by the marks under the fender.). So, for one possible example that can happen when riding, if I bottom on a bump, I don't want it to basically "brake" (on the fender, and maybe break the fender), when I want the wheel to roll over the bump. It could help you crash in some situations.
For me on my KLX250 I don't care, as I will be riding it very slowly off-road, and want to put both feet down easily. I had great fun on a little KLX150S doing that and find the 250 too tall for such stuff. So I adjust the suspension as low as it will go, lowered the forks and ordered a lowering kit - my aim is to make it as low as a Honda Cub seat. Then I'll be happy :)
So I have got a yzf250 and I'm thinking of putting on a lowering kit on like this, does the front suspension have to be lowered and what would happen if I didn't do this
I have put the Kouba link in a CRF300L just now. I also have 30 mm bar risers. How far did you raise the tubes trough the top clamp in your video? What do you think would be the safe maximum? Thank you for this video.
I installed links on my DR-Z 400 and it made a world of difference! Much more confident now. I come from a motocross background and I was wondering how to set up the rear shock with these links installed? The "sag" setting has been taken out completely and I don't know where to set the spring preload for my light weight of only 130lbs. Anyone have thoughts?
Hi Mark. Sorry, I have different question, about the skid plate. I got a crf250l as well, and looking for some ideas to upgrade. What skid plate do you have on the crf250l? How is fixed the back part of it? Did you fix it to the frame? Thanks, and have a good day. 😉
Looked at a new KLR 230 for my adult daughter, abit tall I believe, dealer would lower for $450, which seems high, but it is new. Thoughts? btw- bought a yam 50cc quad for the kiddos
Sir please suggest or recommend how to properly lower the height of my HONDA XR200, my height is 5'4, iwhat is the best adjustment without altering the smooth suspension?? Standard size us 18 rear and 21 front...i prefer 17 rear and 18 front, and scrapping the saddle, and sliding up the fork? Best suggestion sir please
Looks like you might have installed the new lowering link upside down...the lettering is upside down. Wont affect how it works...just the aesthetics. I wish you did side x side comparison of the 2 links. Is the new one slightly longer?
Hi, thank you for this. Can I be a pain and ask how much total fork is now above the clamp to level yhe bike? And how much lower is the bike overall? I'm looking at this as I'm just borderline not flatfotted and of road sometimes there's no ground under my foot! 😂 Thanks again 👍✌️❤️
How much does that lower it? Buddy has a 250L and its a touch to high for me. I was thinking of getting a 300L with the hopes of lowering it at least an inch.
I went through everyone's responses... No one has asked the most important question which is this. All these efforts on lowering the bike has to have an effect on the geometry / handling / suspension. Was it better or worst? Thanks.
Hi Mark! I really liked the way you explained everything. Kudoos!! Can you make similar video on Himalayan BS4 bike too. It would be fine if you could review height lowering steps for same as bike may not be available in your area. I would really appreciate this help. Thanks :)
Looks like you lowered the front by 20mm or so - how do you know the front wheel font hit the fender upon full compression? The travel portion of the fork (silver stanchions) are about 230mm while measuring the tire to bottom of the fender looks like 220mm -> meaning there is about 10mm of travel that won't clear upon full compression :S
Thank you!!!! Looking forward to doing this! With lowering the front forks would I need risers for the handlebars for the forks to fit? Or is that mainly for comfort when riding long distances?
Benefits for both lowering and ridding. Bar risers make stand up riding better. Somewhat depends on your height and bar specs and your height and arm length. Also helps when sitting in the attack position to square your arm strength into the bars.
Thanks for the instruction. Does anyone have the torque spec? I always use blue thread lock. I wipe/clean the parts and apply fresh marine rated grease .
I wouldn’t use lowering links as yes it does change the geometry- even with lowering the front through the triples . Besides space lowering the suspension ( which isn’t cheap ) all i do is lower the seat and forks through triple clamps around 10mm max . This can lower pretty much any bike by around 2 inches with affecting handing ( only quicker turn in )
Measure from frame to ground at front and rear. Figure out the % differential percentage. After lowering the rear take another measurement at the rear and figure out what the front should be to get the same % differential. Raise the forks to achieve that measurement. Your bike will then have the same geometry as stock. All measurements taken with the bike upright and unsupported.
👍
...soooo easy to do ! Thanks a lot for showing more an more useful "tricks" arround the CRF 250 L .
(I'm a 63 year old "beginner" ... riding bikes since 4 years )
Greetings from Germany!
Thank you for making a simple concise video on this. Everyone else's video I watched was overcomplicating this
I’m 72 and did exactly the same thing but I checked the degree angle of the forks before the lowering link and adjusted the forks to match the stock setting which was 30 degrees.
Thank you for that info!
@@vosburght How many mm does that equal to rise forks?
Your apprentice did a fantastic job !! Thank You for the video.
Excellent! I have been told so many times that this is a really easy job to do BUT with your video I can now see what people mean and would be prepared to do this myself. Thanks a lot. Confidence is a wonderful thing. I now have more!
Any time you do something for the first time, you get a little nervous. But if you dig into it with a brain working, you can usually figure it out,---and man, that is just a cool feeling I love. :)
To heck with all the goofy hippies telling about how to be happy. Real happiness, because we have a brain that can figure things out, comes from personal achievement.
Somebody does not want us to achieve.
Good for you Mark. So many UA-cam channels trying to scare people away from actually lowering the seat height but rather suggesting the shorter rider put their body through all kinds of contortions to get one foot to just touch the ground (unless the ground slopes away then you are on the ground with a bike on top of you). My bike has a stock rake angle of 24 degrees so fitting shorter rear shocks increased that angle a tad but all was well. Depending what barrow you wish to push that can either make the bike less nervous or less agile, it's actually fine being more directionally stable but still corners nicely. Best modification I ever did.
Thank you!! Quick, to the point, I appreciate your concise explanation!
Thanks for this I was hoping someone was going to do an installation video on the kouba lowering link.
Thanks for your informative video. I agree that ground clearance is not too important especially if you are going to do trail riding and not take huge jumps… lowering the bike will certainly gives more confidence to any short riders …thanks again 😎
I used to be 6' 2", now 6' 1". My Honda 450 RL with an accessory seat is hard for me to swing my leg over. I installed a lowering link that makes it much easier to mount and dismount.
Glad I watched this. Easy job, I was worried about the front forks, but overall very easy job.
What the heck, Mark? Since I am getting a new CRF300l Rally shortly, I just happened to be scanning bike vids and, low and behold, here you are with a good CRF video.
I watch your fitness videos all the time, but didn't expect to see you over here in Honda CRF land. I thought the matrix was getting wobbly for a moment.
Best wishes to you and your lovely wife...and keep up the good work.
Hi great job easy & a good approach to each job u do on the bike .
“...but the biggest impact on this bikes geometry is when it’s horizontal in a ditch ...”
LOL...as a new off-road rider, I’ve bee there so many times, and a broke fibula 4 months ago, I am ready to sell the bike BUT your vid may keep me riding ...
I broke my right hip last year. That was at 7 miles on the bike. She's now just broken 10k today. DON'T LET GO!
Your son is so funny! He makes the video enjoyable and informativeive
Great video. Good camera angles. That’s how you make a video!
An impossible task without a sidekick! Good job kid!
Thank you so much!!! This was totally helpful and we got the bolt off!!!
Outstanding "How to"! Thanks you two!
Great video. Well explained. I'm a shorty great fix for me
Great video, especially raising the forks, didnt think of that
The young helper made me stay to the end of the video. Awesome!
hello brother love your guide lines thank you so much ....my height is like 5.7 inch so it good for me ...love from nepal.
Thanks for the info - I bought a 2020 CRF250L today and I'm realizing I'm just too short for it :( I will be installing a threaded lowering link similar to this and adjusting the front forks!
Did it work out ?
Excellent video! Thanks a lot!!!
Great video thanks for the walkthrough
Excellent video, thanks!
Easy peasy, much appreciated!!
Great video!
Greetings,
As always another brilliant detailed video production 🇺🇸🍾🎉🇺🇸
After installation how much the motorcycle lowered?
Thank you so much for assisting me and keep producing more videos.
Good show - Those "Bar Risers" made it all work - IF the Cuba Link lowered the rear 1 inch and you raised-up the Fork Tubes 1 inch-up from the Stock Setting. Then the Fork Rake and bike geometry is matched to Stock OEM. High speed stability should remain the same. Lowering the C G a Few Hundred Pounds has Huge Benefits in Cornering. Enjoy - Cheers
Wheelbase is shorter...that has negative effect on the high speed handling when on the highway. Shorter wheelbase is better for slow speed turning.
Great video, thank you so much!
Great video thanks !
Great video, thank you, just subscribed. However I didn't get the info on how much lower the bike is now? The original seat height is said to be 88cm. Thank you.
I really like the video, installing a koubalink on my 18 rally now , but koubalink talks about adjusting the sag when lowering, is it necessary? Is there a video for that? Also when you lowered your bike did your chain get tighter?
Watching because Mark told me not too. Still quite an entertaining video!
Having automotive experience my brain told me there would be spring tension on the link similar to an A arm in a front suspension. Super easy indeed!!
There is a Pulling force on it, tension, but not spring tension. When they went from dual shocks on MX bikes to single shock with linkage, (I think Honda was the first in 81), it did a couple of good things. It created a better center of mass, (more mass closer to center between the wheels), and the linkage designs, which are all pretty much the same today, offer more design adjust-ability for a rising rate. They found that when the piston in the shock moves faster as the travel is compressed, it worked the best, and they could design more rates with a linkage than the dual shock offered. I am not sure if it made the bike lighter.
I lowered my YZ250 2-stroke a bit, but changed my mind on the "lowering link" and put the stock link back on. Why? Because I found out, (and should have known in the first place before I bought it.), that it does not shorten the travel, (like a top out spacer in the shock does), but it "shifts" the travel into your fender. So for example, if the link lowered the bike 1", and you use all your suspension travel, (and you should be for best performance), the rear wheel is going to try to go into the fender 1 more inch, (the knobs already hit the plastic when stock when you bottom, and you can tell by the marks under the fender.). So, for one possible example that can happen when riding, if I bottom on a bump, I don't want it to basically "brake" (on the fender, and maybe break the fender), when I want the wheel to roll over the bump. It could help you crash in some situations.
For me on my KLX250 I don't care, as I will be riding it very slowly off-road, and want to put both feet down easily. I had great fun on a little KLX150S doing that and find the 250 too tall for such stuff. So I adjust the suspension as low as it will go, lowered the forks and ordered a lowering kit - my aim is to make it as low as a Honda Cub seat. Then I'll be happy :)
Great video mate, how much disk you you lower the front forks?
Very well explained
Great vid ....... as looking at the new 300 that's coming out soooooon.
Hope you paid your staff well lol
I suspect he gets enough through his apprenticeship to cover room and board + extras!🤣😂🤣😂
Thank you thank you thank you!
manteb gan joss ...lanjutt
Great video. Can someone confirm if these links are used then I’d be suitably sat on the bike, I’m 5’7” ?
SICK!! 👌🏾
Thank u .iam from nepal mount everest
So I have got a yzf250 and I'm thinking of putting on a lowering kit on like this, does the front suspension have to be lowered and what would happen if I didn't do this
I have put the Kouba link in a CRF300L just now. I also have 30 mm bar risers. How far did you raise the tubes trough the top clamp in your video? What do you think would be the safe maximum? Thank you for this video.
fancy puttin it on upside down....nice and easy tho ...deffo gunna do this to my crf450
Super video for my friend jockey :-)
thank you vrey much!
I installed links on my DR-Z 400 and it made a world of difference! Much more confident now. I come from a motocross background and I was wondering how to set up the rear shock with these links installed? The "sag" setting has been taken out completely and I don't know where to set the spring preload for my light weight of only 130lbs. Anyone have thoughts?
Hi Mark. Sorry, I have different question, about the skid plate. I got a crf250l as well, and looking for some ideas to upgrade. What skid plate do you have on the crf250l? How is fixed the back part of it? Did you fix it to the frame? Thanks, and have a good day. 😉
Hi Mark
Just a quick question
Do you raise or lower the front fork the same among as the back was raised or lowered??
Cheers mate
Looked at a new KLR 230 for my adult daughter, abit tall I believe, dealer would lower for $450, which seems high, but it is new.
Thoughts?
btw- bought a yam 50cc quad for the kiddos
Sir please suggest or recommend how to properly lower the height of my HONDA XR200, my height is 5'4, iwhat is the best adjustment without altering the smooth suspension?? Standard size us 18 rear and 21 front...i prefer 17 rear and 18 front, and scrapping the saddle, and sliding up the fork? Best suggestion sir please
Looks like you might have installed the new lowering link upside down...the lettering is upside down. Wont affect how it works...just the aesthetics. I wish you did side x side comparison of the 2 links. Is the new one slightly longer?
Any idea of the seat height drop? ty.
lmao@0:50. So adorable the way she's holding her hands like a child that did an oopsie.
Hello , nice vid . Is the optional helper for rent ? and How much cost it ? ☺
Is this the same process for the Honda 250L Rally?
helpful thanks a lot
I watch every mark Lewis training video but UA-cam algorithm keeps recommending me this one of video of him lowering a Japanese photocopier
How much does this mod lower the seat height?
Maybe obvious but I assume you lower the fork tubes 1.75" to match the rear link?
Hi, thank you for this. Can I be a pain and ask how much total fork is now above the clamp to level yhe bike? And how much lower is the bike overall? I'm looking at this as I'm just borderline not flatfotted and of road sometimes there's no ground under my foot! 😂 Thanks again
👍✌️❤️
Nice video How far do you lower the forks? What is the overall decrease in seat height? Thanks for identifying bolt and nut size. Torque settings.
kouba claims 1.75"
How low can the kouba lowering link lower the bike..will it lower it to about 3 - 4 inches?
Do you have to adjust the chain ?
Ok cool... but how far should the forks come up ??
What if it looks like your bike dosent have a place to add a lowering link? Am I just sol?
What about cleaning the linkage and pins and putting it all back with some grease?
Hi Mark, what the height of you bike lift or what height is required to lift crf250L?Thanks
is this similar to the 150L?
How much does that lower it? Buddy has a 250L and its a touch to high for me. I was thinking of getting a 300L with the hopes of lowering it at least an inch.
I went through everyone's responses... No one has asked the most important question which is this. All these efforts on lowering the bike has to have an effect on the geometry / handling / suspension. Was it better or worst? Thanks.
Thank you ... ❤
What bike lift is that you have, are you happy with it?
Hi,
How much did you lower it by?
Thank you
Great video! Just a question, is it possible to make an extra hole at the botton of the rear shock to lower the bike?
No!
Is zeta loring link lower crf250l 1.75 inch?
Hi Mark!
I really liked the way you explained everything. Kudoos!!
Can you make similar video on Himalayan BS4 bike too. It would be fine if you could review height lowering steps for same as bike may not be available in your area. I would really appreciate this help.
Thanks
:)
Where can we buy the kouba link of crf 250?
Will this work for the 300 L I believe so right
Do they make lowering links for a 2012 TE511?
Looks like you lowered the front by 20mm or so - how do you know the front wheel font hit the fender upon full compression? The travel portion of the fork (silver stanchions) are about 230mm while measuring the tire to bottom of the fender looks like 220mm -> meaning there is about 10mm of travel that won't clear upon full compression :S
Can u do this with all dirt bikes?
You did not mention shortening the kickstand. How many inches was the bike lowered. The links did not look much different from one another. Thanks
doesnt answer questions so i wont ask by how much did it lower the bike
Thanks!!!
How far did you drop the front fork 3/4"???
Does this work the same for the 450L?
May I suggest simply eating lots of pies and chocolate.
It’s more fun than wrench work. And will lower the bike nicely.
Thank you!!!! Looking forward to doing this! With lowering the front forks would I need risers for the handlebars for the forks to fit? Or is that mainly for comfort when riding long distances?
Benefits for both lowering and ridding. Bar risers make stand up riding better. Somewhat depends on your height and bar specs and your height and arm length. Also helps when sitting in the attack position to square your arm strength into the bars.
Thanks for the instruction. Does anyone have the torque spec? I always use blue thread lock. I wipe/clean the parts and apply fresh marine rated grease .
35# rear bolts
I wouldn’t use lowering links as yes it does change the geometry- even with lowering the front through the triples . Besides space lowering the suspension ( which isn’t cheap ) all i do is lower the seat and forks through triple clamps around 10mm max . This can lower pretty much any bike by around 2 inches with affecting handing ( only quicker turn in )
thanks..
I have a lowering link for my 650 it's 1.75 for the rear how much should I raise the tubes up in the front the same distance or just one inch?
Measure from frame to ground at front and rear. Figure out the % differential percentage. After lowering the rear take another measurement at the rear and figure out what the front should be to get the same % differential. Raise the forks to achieve that measurement. Your bike will then have the same geometry as stock. All measurements taken with the bike upright and unsupported.