lift kits

what i need is for my bike to stop rubbing the exhaust when i make left turns. i ride this bike like it is a sport bike while im rocking a delkevic 4 into 1 so i keep scraping on left turns. on right turns, i get low enough to have rash on the epb. i want to know the best way to get lower on corners. i think the best bet would be a longer swingarm and shocks to lift the bike. i honestly just don't know where to start.

should i just streetfighter it?

What shape is the suspension in? Are the fork springs old and compressed? Is the fork oil old? Are the shocks the crappy, worn out, sagging factory units? Have you checked for proper sag at each end?
Getting the factory pieces up to snuff might well cure most or all of your problems. Old, worn out suspension pieces will allow the bike to sit too low, and may fully compress in corners.

TexasKZ wrote: What shape is the suspension in? Are the fork springs old and compressed? Is the fork oil old? Are the shocks the crappy, worn out, sagging factory units? Have you checked for proper sag at each end?
Getting the factory pieces up to snuff might well cure most or all of your problems. Old, worn out suspension pieces will allow the bike to sit too low, and may fully compress in corners.

to be honest, i don't know. i can sit on it and rock it while recording video if it helps. 

EDIT: rear shocks are aftermarket, and have only a small amount of play.

Agree on checking sag.  Tons of info on the internet on how to do so.  Also, some photos of the bike so we can see the shocks may help.  If the replacement shocks are too short you are fighting an uphill battle regardless of spring sag.

Here is a pretty good article.

www.motorcyclistonline.com/suspension-se...1-part-i-setting-sag

If you can easily rock it back and forth while sitting on it, I'd bet real money that the springs and fluid at both ends are worn out.
Good springs, new fork oil, and shocks that actually work can transform a bike. If you are going to be an aggressive rider, then you really need to invest in some top notch suspension. At the very least, I think you should be looking at new fork springs from Racetech, Progressive, or maybe Sonic, along with some new fork oil a little on the heavy side. Out back, a quality set of fully adjustable shocks will work wonders. None of this will be cheap, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for.

thank you. 

im having a terrible day today. my ac went out last night and i got about 3 hours of sleep and decided to work on some projects i haven't had time for in over a month due to 100*+ weather. so im exhausted, hot, and have a sinus infection. i just dropped my baby on my foot because a little gas spilled on the ground while i was trying to get the bike back on the center stand and i slipped. i shouldn't be working in sandals. luckily my other bike was in the driveway. 

but i digress .just rebuilt the points and she fired up for the first time in over a month. running on all 4 cylinders with new condensers and coils.

i have koni shocks on the rear

on the center stand they don't really move when i lean forward or back. normal use is around 30 mm on both with highs of around 80mm on the front from hard braking. this is me measuring the wear lines on the rods as well as getting on and watching them while i rock the bike. i know it's not the best method, but it is what i have atm. 


EDIT: on my f800gs i rub on the center stand on both sides when turning. on my kz900 i rub on the engine protection bar when turning right and on the header which sticks out a little further than the epb on the other side. 

i took measurements with pictures by taking the bike off the center stand and leaning forward and back. i marked the travel using a silver sharpie, then measured the travel with weight off the tires on the center stand. 

Why not  ask a pro  with Koni shocks 
Click on the restocycle  ad at the left top of this page and contact Nils the owner to see if he can help you
Dave

I hope your foot is ok. It souns like you need to curl up in some ac and take a nap.
Koni shocks were a popular upgrade back in the day, but I think it has been several decades since the company has made any motorcycle shocks. They have recently been reintroduced to the market under the Ikon brand. That is Koni with the letter I moved. They may be ok, but that is a long time for those little rubber seals to last. If they do seem ok, check their length (center of top mounting bolt to center of the bottom mounting bolt) to be sure they are not shorter than the factory shocks. Some short-legged folk will mount short shocks so they can reach the ground while seated.
If the shocks prove good, then you can focus on the front. The very best option there is to install a modern set of Ohlins male-slider forks. That will entail different triple clamps, brakes, et cetera, and is quite pricey. I think the best you can do with the factory forks is what I mentioned above. If Racetech makes their Gold Cartridge Emulator Valve for your bike, they would be an amazing upgrade.
When you are rested and feeling better, maybe you can talk a couple of buds into coming over to help you measure sag, to see what you have to start with.

I just saw your pics. If I understand correctly you have about 20mm from completely unloaded to bike weight alone, ie, not on any stand, but without rider. If so, I think that is about the most you want. Measuring with you on it will require helpers. Only the unladen(fully extended) measurement uses a stand. Bike alone and bike with rider have to be taken with stands up, or you will get bogus readings.
Conacting Nils is a good idea.

TexasKZ wrote: I just saw your pics. If I understand correctly you have about 20mm from completely unloaded to bike weight alone, ie, not on any stand, but without rider. If so, I think that is about the most you want. Measuring with you on it will require helpers. Only the unladen(fully extended) measurement uses a stand. Bike alone and bike with rider have to be taken with stands up, or you will get bogus readings.
Conacting Nils is a good idea.

20mm is with me on the bike vs unloaded. i leaned forward to mark the front and sat on the back of the seat for the rear. 

EDIT: yup, time for breakfast and then i'm going to sleep. i fixed my ac, got the bike running well enough to do about 90 on the freeway, and cleaned and oiled both my chains. runs like a bat out of hell. tuning still isn't right. close, but not perfect. 

After you are rested, read the article I linked to. Leaning forward and sitting on the rear of the seat will give bogus numbers. To get correct numbers, both stands have to be up, your feet need to be on the pegs, and your butt and hands need to be in riding position. That is why you need two friends. One to balance the bike, and one to measure.