Lowering question.

Back in my younger days, I was into Hot Rods, big time. As poor boys and custom parts not available, we build our own lowering kits etc.... On coil spring front ends we would heat or cut the coil springs to lower our cars. Worked out well for cars, back then. My question is, why couldn't I do the same with my rear coil over shocks? Just cut them down a little to get the height I want. I'm sure there's a shock stroke length I'll have to stay within, but why wouldn't this work?

My back likes a little shock travel.
Plus said tire stays in contact with the pavement for no excitement when a bump is encountered midturn.
My .02.

dont cut coils on a motorcycle shock ,when you lose the spring retainer on a big bump youll know why! :woohoo:
set the preload on your shocks to limpest setting and try that

Thanks wireman, I knew there had to be a reason no one was doing this. Makes a lot of sense.

If you have serviceable shocks then you can make a spacer like I did in the pic below. Otherwise you could measure the free length of your shock and find some shorter ones on Ebay. If you get shorter shocks I'd recommend putting the bike on a stand, removing the springs, then temporarily installing the damers, move the rear wheel up and down to make sure you have enough clearance.

-

sportster shocks seem to be a common lowering shock seems like they are 11 1/2 also.you know they are used to supporting weight .

leon

-

martin_csr wrote: Vulcan 500 shocks are a direct fit to a KZ. They're ~11.5" eye-to-eye & come up for sale on ebbaayy often.

Any idea if there are particular years for those Vulcan 500 shocks we should be looking for?

Also, anybody happen to know the eye-eye measurement on our stock shocks? How much lowering would this get us?

-

martin_csr wrote: Stock Sportster shocks are ~13.25" eye to eye. You'd have to get Hugger or lowering HD shocks.

correct it is the shocks for the sportster "low" i was thinking of.
they are 11.5 you still have the wider eye that martin mentioned.

leon

I wish someone, with more time than most of us have, could find out which oe shocks would be a direct fit (or very close) for a large KZ at 11 to 12" height - eye to eye. It seems like a hot topic.