How do they lower seat height?

[Superfly3176]

I'm just curious I see a lot of sports bikes @ 32-33" seat height. My inseam is only like 30-31" and I'd like to be able to flat foot a motorcycle. How do they lower them, do they do it at dealership and how much do they typically cost? I'm not looking for anything right now but I see bikes like this triumph @ 32.7 inches.

[Gummiente]

Motorcycle safety courses will teach you why you only need to have one foot on the ground at a stoplight... unless they've changed the curriculum since I quit teaching them a few years ago. If you really want a sportbike, lowering the suspension simply so you can flatfoot it can result in some problems. Lowering is usually accomplished by switching to a shorter shock(s) in the rear and/or changing the mounting points and/or geometry of the linkage. This results in less suspension travel, which translates to a harsher ride. The front end can be lowered by sliding the forks up an inch or two in the triple trees and/or shortening the internal spring length. This also results in less travel and a harsher ride, but also actually shortens the wheelbase, which can have a profound effect on steering and handling.

IMO - and keep in mind I don't own a sportbike, never have and never will - it's best to find one that fits you out of the box and make upgrades to the suspension (better shocks, etc), rather than mess with the geometry by lowering it.

Oh, and don't forget that your inseam will lengthen a bit once you have boots on.

[Superfly3176]

When I took the course last year, the instructor said it's better to go with whatever you are comfortable with. He said that if you have only 1 foot on the ground and are comfortable with that it's fine, but if you're more comfortable with two there's no reason not to.

[Gummiente]

When I took the course last year, the instructor said it's better to go with whatever you are comfortable with. He said that if you have only 1 foot on the ground and are comfortable with that it's fine, but if you're more comfortable with two there's no reason not to.

Hmmm.... I'm guessing you live somewhere in the USA then? I'd heard the MSF had changed some of their course content.

[csspostal]

One foot on the ground at the stoplight is way I was taught last year when I took the course. All though I see a lot of people two feet down at lights.

[Wrider]

Personally it depends on the situation for me.
Anyway they lower seat height in any of several ways.
1. Lower the bike
2. Shave the seat
3. Some bikes have adjustable seats

Keep in mind that suspension will compress when you are on a bike, effectively lowering the bike.

[HYPERR]

Keep in mind that suspension will compress when you are on a bike, effectively lowering the bike.

You must compress it all the way to the bottom.

[csspostal]

This is how Harley Davidson lowered the Buell Blasts seat height.

[Wrider]

Keep in mind that suspension will compress when you are on a bike, effectively lowering the bike.

You must compress it all the way to the bottom.

Hey! Not all the way! There's still a good half inch on most for bumps and such!
Ya know how they set up race suspension to be stiff as heck? It is for me automatically!

[boscoe]

Generally you can lower a sportbike about an inch without totally compromising the handling too severely. Some brands have pre-made kits. You can adjust the front clamps and alter/swap out the rear shocks.
As others have noted, there's really no need to flat foot. But you do need to be able to get at least the toes of both feet on the ground to maneuver around a parking lot. Unless you are very, very tiny this shouldn't be a problem since modern sportbikes are very light. It could be an issue with a 600-pound sport tourer.