|
|
New user
Posts: 3
Whidbey Island, WA | Hi all. Had my 2012 Vision for a couple months now and I absolutely love it, but of course no stock bike is perfect (even at $20k+). The next (and biggest) "issue" I want to address, after thinking an awful lot, is the height. I'm 5'10 and can flat foot it when stopped, but just barely. Even after riding a couple months it still feels tippy on occasion when stopping, and there's no way my wife could ride it safely. But I DON'T want to compromise the ride quality (one of my main reasons for getting a new bike) or bottom out over every bump like my last ride did (06 Yamaha Roadstar with a 3 or 4" slam). I also spend a lot of time just sitting on it every day not moving, which with the height & lean angle on the stand just isn't comfortable at all.
So I've started looking around at lowering options. Hmd520 seems to have some very well thought out kits, but then I got to thinking about their air ride kit. The lower the bike is, the more comfortable it'll be. An air ride sounds like the best of all worlds (regular height for hiway cruising, couple inches down for stop & go in the city, drop it all the way when I'm waiting around for the ferry), but I'm really concerned about the durability of something like that for daily riding & bad weather. My bike is my primary ( and right now ONLY) means of transportation so it must be 100% reliable, and I ride year round rain or shine.
Anyways, I'm rambling. Thoughts here? I'm willing to invest the $$$ for whatever's gonna serve me best but its got to work right every day. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | Seems if you put a small compressor pump attached to the rear shock, would work. Then you would have air ride and adjustability. The bike sits quite a bit lower when you let all the air out of the shock. |
|
| |
|
Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | Witchdoctor has lowering kits alot cheaper than HMD (not bashing HMD). The way the Vision (and X bikes) suspension is laid out, a lowering "kit" shouldn't affect ride quality. It'll just be lower. Check out Witchdoctors YouTube video about lowering a XC/XR. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 4278
| I lowered mine by 2" I ride in tennis shoes. I'm 210
You have to do a shorter kick stand so there is weight on it. Riding solo I have 40psi in shock and add for friend.
You have to add psi to shock right a way or when you bottom out you will crack inside of bags. I did and sealed if with some silicon.
Yes you might scrap here and there but you will learn to lean with out doing it. You should slid forks up to bring the front end down to keep the balance weigh correct. Its very simple to lower the headlight just read your owners book.
|
|
| |
|
Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | Have you thought about having the seat cut down some? I think the 8-ball seat is 1" lower than the stock Vision seat (someone please keep me honest). |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 231
Desert Hot Springs (Palm Springs area), CA | ScoreBo - 2012-09-21 9:25 PM Have you thought about having the seat cut down some? I think the 8-ball seat is 1" lower than the stock Vision seat (someone please keep me honest). Indeed, the 8 ball seat is 1" lower than stock as well as the suspension for a total of 2". |
|
| |
|
New user
Posts: 3
Whidbey Island, WA |
Thank for the input. When I say air ride, I'm referring to THIS: An air spring. Completely replaces the stock spring/damper, not just a compressor on the factory air shock. Trying to find someone who's actually used one.  |
|
| |
|
New user
Posts: 3
Whidbey Island, WA | I favor hmd's kits just cuz they're so inclusive. Front & rear lowering parts + kick stand + skid plate + bag inners on the 3" kit so nothing hits on bumps.
My bike came with the heated seat, so since I paid for it I'm not sure if I want to loose it for a re-cut seat *yet* need to give it one winter first, but I'd like to do something about the height BEFORE I have to deal with it in the rain.
Not real worried about scraping, I don't ride very aggressively and I've yet to get anything to touch down, I'm more worried about the engine/frame hitting when going over a speed bump like my old bike did.
ETA: is there any way to get an email when a thread gets new posts? Can't seem to find anything in the settings where it usually is, here I thought y'all were just ignoring me :p
Edited by Metalhead 2012-09-24 2:09 PM
|
|
| |
Lowering options, air ride vs 2/3" vs ???