How many of you have lowered your Venture?

[Who Dey]

I am just curious as to how many of you on this site have lowered your bike? I just bought an 08 Venture and it was a bit too tall for my liking and i had the dealer put a rear lowering kit on the bike and i gotta tell ya that it is so much better now then it was that it is unbelievable! The kit dropped the bike about 1.5 inches and now i have much better control of the bike then i did when it was at the stock height. The bike seems to handle better also and it doesn't appear to have hurt the ride any either.

 

I just thought i would post this for those of you who may have been considering doing this to your bike but maybe were afraid to. Hopefully this post will help a few vertically challenged folks like myself enjoy their bike more. When i first bought the bike i was really nervous about the bikes weight when i would come to a stop etc, now i don't worry at all about it. Hope this helps.

 

This bike is awesome and i cannot believe you don't see more Ventures on the road then what you do. I don't feel like the Goldwing or the Ultra Classic either one has anything on this bike, especially when you factor in the price. The RSV a great touring bike at a great price and should not be over looked by anyone when considering a touring bike.

[wizard]

I lowered mine a half inch in the back, and 1 inch in the front. I like it.

[whozleft]

Which kit did they use to lower your ride?

[Seaking]

I am just curious as to how many of you on this site have lowered your bike? I just bought an 08 Venture and it was a bit too tall for my liking and i had the dealer put a rear lowering kit on the bike and i gotta tell ya that it is so much better now then it was that it is unbelievable! The kit dropped the bike about 1.5 inches and now i have much better control of the bike then i did when it was at the stock height. The bike seems to handle better also and it doesn't appear to have hurt the ride any either.

 

This bike is awesome and i cannot believe you don't see more Ventures on the road then what you do. I don't feel like the Goldwing or the Ultra Classic either one has anything on this bike, especially when you factor in the price. The RSV a great touring bike at a great price and should not be over looked by anyone when considering a touring bike.

 

I simply added more pressure to my rear suspension and it helped a lot.. Not as much as a lowering kit mind you but enough to make the difference..

 

You know where the big diff is between the Venture and Goldwing? Its when you trip off all the shrouds, fairings and extra plastics. On the Venture, it will look like a large curiser.. on the Goldwing, it'll look like Ma Kettle without her nightshirt.. (poking mind's eye out on that one!)

 

Goldwings, AKA "Geezer Glides", are a class up from the Venture, but right now I'd sooner ride my Venture.. I don't feel I'm old enough for a Gold Wing (or rich enough)

[KiteSquid]

By lowering the bike, you also decreased the maximum lean angle, and that increased the minimum turn radius your bike can make.

 

 

Instead of lowering your bike did you think about re-contouring the drivers seat?

[pearlyvereen]

Seaking, a stripped-down Goldwing is a

Valkerie, and if your description is correct, I'm envious of Pa........LOL

Ken:337:

[troopedo]

i simply when to the shoe repair place , he cut the sole in half added 3/4 of a inch glued the thread back on and no more worries, cost $85 . this is at least a cheap way of checking the desired hight ajustment. worked so well have not bother to do anything esle.

[Who Dey]

Which kit did they use to lower your ride?

 

 

 

Not for sure but i believe it was the Barons kit.

[Seaking]

Seaking, a stripped-down Goldwing is a

Valkerie, and if your description is correct, I'm envious of Pa........LOL

Ken

 

lol.. hi Ken.. if you strip down a Goldwing it doesn't look like a Valkerie (nice bikes those)..

 

A stripped down GW looks like a bike frame with an engine on it.. I had seen one in the shop and it looked quite naked without it's clothes on..

 

Cheers M8

[Owen]

I lowered mine 1" front and 1" rear. I went the expensive route which some felt was foolish... There was no way I would be able to handle this bike, 2 up, and loaded for travel. Being somewhat short in stature, 30" inseam, I had the dealer lower the rear of the scoot by 1". They installed the Barons lowering kit. The difference in seating is very noticeable. Now I can sit flat footed with my feet out away from the bike by about 6" on either side. Before my feet were right next to the bike. This gives me the stability I needed for riding 2 up. The handling changed a lot and handles like a big pig in mud! And of course the lean angle has changed. The front kit was back ordered for almost a month. It finally arrived and has been installed.It was from Barons. It is also a performance upgrade. It was about $250. It replaced the springs, added gas cartridges and retained the stock air suspension. The handling on this bike is now nothing short of remarkable compared to having only the rear lowered. The bike no longer wallers around like a pig in mud. The steering is crisp without being 'twitchy'. Now a full lock u-turn with a passenger takes a mere 14 feet. Not bad! Also the 'top heavy' tendencies of the bike are all but gone (as much as a 850lbs bike can be). The front end is no longer soft. It is firm but no noticeable stiffness on bumps and pot holes. The handling is wonderful! Road 275 miles yesterday and enjoyed it all!

 

Thumbs up to Barons for their front and rear kits!

Front kit number BA-7503RS

Rear kit number BA-7530

 

p.s. Had to modify the kick stand so the bike was not too upright when parked.

[ibents]

By lowering the bike, you also decreased the maximum lean angle, and that increased the minimum turn radius your bike can make.

 

 

Instead of lowering your bike did you think about re-contouring the drivers seat?

 

 

 

I'd have to agree with "KiteSquid", many of the post's on this site talk about installing leveling links to "raise" the rear end to allow for better low speed handling which is when you really need it because of the weight, also almost everyone that has the links installed say the bike handles better!

On cornering I would tend to think that if its lowered instead of peg scraping you'd have them digging in which wouldn't be cool and could be quite painfull.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am.

 

Ian

[Seaking]

I'd have to agree with "KiteSquid", many of the post's on this site talk about installing leveling links to "raise" the rear end to allow for better low speed handling which is when you really need it because of the weight, also almost everyone that has the links installed say the bike handles better!

On cornering I would tend to think that if its lowered instead of peg scraping you'd have them digging in which wouldn't be cool and could be quite painfull.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am.

 

Ian

 

The boards on these bikes fold up so that when you over lean the bike, the boards come up out of the way.. the sound of the scrape scares you into levelling up the bike. When you're used to doing scrapes you learn the right angle to make it happen and push hard on the boards to get the sparks flying. Of course, this is extreme and take practice and is very very risky (one man one kit).. But once you add the titanium bolts to the bottom of the board to make contact first, you get an early warning AND a spectacular display of sparks =)

 

The Boards on the VStar and Venture are 'almost' the same, you can interchange them but the VStar boards have the sacrifice skid pad. I no probs exchanging mine with newer VStar owners who could then pretend to have the look of someone not afraid to lean their bike.. made them look less newbie lol..

 

Thanks for posting the Baron part numbers.. might be worth the while..

[KiteSquid]

By maximum lean angle, I mean when the frame hits the ground, and the bike then slides out from under you because one or the other tire comes off the ground.

 

 

I have done it...

[KiteSquid]

The Boards on the VStar and Venture are 'almost' the same, you can interchange them but the VStar boards have the sacrifice skid pad.

 

My 2007 RSV driver's boards have sacrifice pads from the factory.

[wizard]

Which kit did they use to lower your ride?

I did it the cheap way. I bought a smaller diameter tire for the back, about $85.00, and then lowered the front by moving the forks up in the triple tree, $0.00. There are great instructions for lowering the front, in the tech forum for 2nd generations.

[Jerry W]

I have lowered the front of my RSV and recently purchased the Barons kit to lower the rear. I have not gotten around to installing the rear lowering kit yet, but do not see anyh problems with ground clearance. I do think I will need to shorten the kick stand when I install the rear lowering kit. I rode a 1996 royal star before I bought the RSV and did not have any problems with ground clearance and the Royal Star sits much lower than the RSV.

[padavidj]

Well when I went out to the garage this morning to fire up the old Royal Star I was surprised to see that the rear of my ride was lowered for me (i.e. I had a flat tire). I guess after 12000miles on the stock Bridgestones I can't complain. The thing that gets me is that after a full day of riding yesterday with my wife and getting to take my 10 y/o on her first motorcycle ride, then the tire decides to go flat !? I am ordering the Dunlop Elite 3 for it this week.

 

Dave:bang head:

[GeorgeS]

Must have picked up a nail on that ride !!

 

Good choice on the new E-3 !!! I just installed one on my 89, about 900 miles, and very happy with it so far.

[Who Dey]

By maximum lean angle, I mean when the frame hits the ground, and the bike then slides out from under you because one or the other tire comes off the ground.

 

 

I have done it...

 

 

 

lol, well since i don't ride my Venture like a sport bike i don't think that i will have to be worrying about that happening. I really don't think i would have to worry about that happening no matter what. I can still lay the bike way over in the twisties with no problem at all. Lowering the Venture 1.5" in the rear is not a safety concern at all.

 

I also own a Suzuki M109R and it is lowered 2.75" and i don't have any problems with it either.

Edited September 3, 2008 by Who Dey

[WIKD]

Lowered the front to make the ride height level. Did wonders for handling.

[Who Dey]

Lowered the front to make the ride height level. Did wonders for handling.

 

I will probably end up doing the front also.

[Seaking]

My 2007 RSV driver's boards have sacrifice pads from the factory.

 

Oh cool, I'll have to check to see if I can spot others around here like that..

 

Cheers

[RussLightwing]

hi EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT PERHAPS A 150/80/15? BUT WHAT TIRE DID YOU USE? THANKS rUSS:stirthepot:

[Hulign]

My 2008 RSV is lowered front and rear. Haven't shortened the sidestand yet but might one of these days. If you are riding 2up a bunch you might want to find my post about the long bolt in the rear fender, or you might add an extra rain groove to your tire.

 

Other than that mine handles great... no complaints and I would do it to the next one I buy as well.

 

Good Luck

 

Frank

[elmicko]

Instead of lowering your bike did you think about re-contouring the drivers seat?

 

I started with having the Butler seat mod which helped a bunch, but didn't overcome my inseam deficiency. I just lowered the front last week by raising the forks in the tree by an inch. Took it out Sunday and hit some twisties and had no issues at all. Actually, the only thing I noticed was that the bike handled a whole lot better, but some of that could be the new progressive springs.