Is it OK to run the lower shock ONLY?

[vtech007]

Just temporarily.

I am planning on performing the full front and rear suspension swap to lower my Firebolt - Scg forks, lower triple tree and shock. I have been actively seeking someone on this forum to swap with for 6 months now, to no avail. I conceide that I am going to have to buy these parts outright. Due to cost I would like to spread out the project by replacing the rear shock first and then the forks at a near future time. Does anyone see a functional problem with doing this? And aesthetically, is the bike going to look like a bad attempt at a Firebolt chopper, with the forks being longer? Thanks for your answers.

 

[jakestolar]

just slip the front shocks to match

 

[xtremelow]

If you are just going to cruise the bike it should be fine but if you plan to push the bike the geometry of the bike will be messed up and the weight distribution will be as well with the back sitting low and the weight shifted backwards.

I would just ride the bike with all the matching parts and swap them all at once rather than doing half the job now and the other half later.

Another option would be to (I know some members hate this idea) to slip the front forks about 3/4" to help with what is mentioned above.

My first setup I rode with an Scg shock out back and slipped forks in the front for a full season. One problem I did have was the amount of travel will allow the fender to slip the front motor mount (but not the tire) if you hit a hard bump, pot hole, come down hard from wheelie, etc.

Don't forget you will need to modify or replace the kickstand.

My old slipped fork setup

Before the slip and drop in the rear

After with Scg shock and slipped fork. Bike sat the same as my fiancé's Scg but I did have the issues with the extra travel in the front even with it setup with a stiffer setting.

My cut down kickstand cut out 1".

 

[firefighter1c57]

My forks have snaprings on them that prevent them from slipping through the triple, I'm assuming you removed those?

 

[vtech007]

Thank you for the great advice so far. I will have to check if my bike ('05 Firebolt XB12R) has the snaprings on the forks as mentioned above. So can those just be removed to slip the forks? I would only use the bike in cruising mode until I do the full fork swap and not push it performance-wise. And regarding the warning of the front fender - I assume you are saying being able to slap the front motor mount in a full excursion of the fork travel - can any think else be done without messing up the ride too much, like replacing the fork springs with aftermarket heavier or performance fork springs, replacing the fork oil with heavier fork oil. Keep the advice coming. I'm loving it. Thanks again everyone.

 

[oh9bolt]

You can remove the snap rings to slip the forks.

You can see the groove where the snap rings go in xtremelow's first picture.

 

[xjnation]

My bike is an '03 low, I am currently running factory low rear with standard (3/4" taller) front forks. Does not look bad and I find no issues with handling.

 

[twoguns]

or just buy forks. i bought some two weeks ago and they just arrived. sorted.

 

[vtech007]

Yep - like I said to start this thread, gonna do the full suspension swap in time, but due to cost, proposed the concept of doing the shock only first (as phase one), and then the forks and lower triple tree (as phase two).

So I ordered a new "low" shock today, and and it looks like I may install it and then may give slipping the stock forks a try.

Thanks!

 

[JOEL9]

This is look you're really after huh vtech..... (kidding)

 

[vtech007]

Thanks for the pic, JOEL9. That is a sweet look - but I am doing this much more for practical reasons than aesthetics. I would like to be able for the bike to be low enough for my lady friend to ride it. But that is still a sweet looking R ! Although there is maybe, what, an inch at the most of fork travel...?

 

[vtech007]

My new "low" SCG shock is scheduled for delivery on Tuesday. Hope to install it and slip the forks by the end of the week.

 

[vtech007]

Shock was delivered today. Off hand obvious visual differences:

Scg shock has hellow spring vs. blue spring on the stock XB12R shock

Scg shock is 2 inches shorter on a nominal setting out of the box (12.25") than the stock shock measures still mounted on the bike (14.25").

I plan on doing the swap tomorrow and will update.

 

[vtech007]

^^ looks like I'm not going to be able to do the swap until this weekend. Will update then.

 

[MotoX6]

That blue race pipe is awesome

 

[vtech007]

HELP! OK, I am trying to slip my forks the above recommended 3/4" but they won't go. What am I doing wrong? Here is what I've got. Apparently the top fork lock clips have not been on since I got the bike, I fully loosened the clamp screw on both of the upper fork clamps and fully loosened both of the clamp screws on both of the lower fork clamps. I can take a flat head screwdriver, insert it in the slot of each fork clamp and flex it to wedge them further apart. The forks did slip about a tenth of an inch but then no further. I even took ratchet tie down straps and wrapped them from the front wheel and the top triple tree and tightened them up and all that did was bottom out the compression of the forks and that's all - it didn't move the forks any further up into the triple trees. I have slipped the forks on other motorcycles in the past without a problem. Do I need to remove the front wheel and move each fork independently? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[tseldon]

the forks themselves have a retaining ring on the upper part of the fork. you actually have to slide the forks down from the upper triple and take that retaining ring off the forks then they will be able to slide farther up the top triple.

 

[vtech007]

GOT IT! Thank you for your advice. Actually xtremelow PM'd me and said (quoting): "You need to take the upper fork clamp all the way off (so loosen all 3 bolts on the upper clamp and the center stem nut too) and remove the slip rings (Metal O-rings) then the forks will slip."

So with that advice, that is what I did today. So the front is done now. I will get the shock installed tomorrow and will update again once that is done. (Yes, with pics!)

Thanks again, guys, for the advice.

 

[vtech007]

So I completed the swap today. Installed the new Scg shock. As mentioned above, slid the forks the recommended 3/4". I am 5'10" with a 30" inseam. Now with the bike lowered I can put both heels flat on the ground (barely). My girl friend got on it and she can place both feet on the ground (but not flat). I think we are good to go, but I may go with the Lowering Kit from Street Fighters, Inc.: Lowering Kits


Here are some pics:

Here is the new Scg shock before installation:

Here is how the bike looks now: