Lowering Front End on Kz650

Hey Gang-I'm considering slightly dropping the front end on my '77 650-maybe an inch or 1.5" Any opinions and suggestions on this mod? I would like to hear from members who have tried this and their comments on handling and performance changes.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

lower the rear of your bike as much as you can then lower the front of bike to level it.if you lower just the front you will take rake out of frontend and have no high speed stability. goodluck,happy lowering!

I put some 76 KH500 forks on mine (SR650) lowered it two+ inches and it also shortened the wheelbase. my question would be if I get hi speed instability coud I correct it with a steering damper, I have an H2 unit on the shelf

I just lowered my front end about 1/2 an inch. That's all the Clubman Bars will let me. I haven't done anything to the back end. I'll have to let you know how she handles in a few weeks or more as, you must know, we still have a bit of snow up here.

Others that have done it like it.

Ya Rob-I hear ya man! Still a ton of snow on the ground up here in the Great White North but the warm weather is coming over the next 2 days. I was hoping to get my playground's Italian winter sports car (my Zamboni ice resurfacer) out at the rink for one more set of laps. Looks like my Zamboni season is pooched along with the ice.

On the topic of the high speed stability issue, I am more concerned about getting a good launch off the lights (including my plans to run the 1/8 drags this year,) thus my inquiry about lowering the front end. I rarely even take my bike on the highway as it is built more for rippin' around town. Top speed spurts used to be my bag but they don't spin my crank anymore as I have seen too many high speed bike wrecks caused by tank slappers or over-confident bikers slapping into oncoming 18 wheel tankers.

Years ago I shook off the need for high speed when I was lucky enough to snag a media ride with the Canadian military's Snowbirds precision flying team. After doing 4G's positive and 3G's negative loops @ 500 mph along with 8 other jets, I decided that nothing else would come close for sheer speed thrills.

Call me a little older and wiser now but I get my adrenaline rush now from banging the bike through the gears, light to light or just lazily cruising 'round town. I figure dropping the front end a little will give the bike a little more agressive stance and a better weight transfer when I launch hard.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

Wouldn't lowering the front end put more weight on the front, removing weight from the rear thus reducing traction on the rear wheel when you need it while launching? I would think that lowering it all would be the most effective way... it's like a car... 50/50 weight balance is optimal.