Concerning Lowering.

[bokobob]

I have a 07 1600 nomad with stock exhaust...am wondering about what would be "different" if I had the bike lowered? I don't know the distance I would want to do....Would I still be able to install a car tire "someday" if desired?

I am 5'9" and 185 lbs 29 inch inseam..now can flat foot with no problem but it is difficult to maneuver bike at crawl speeds in parking lots, etc., mostly related to feeling top heavy and wanting more of a feeling of control of the bike in such slow moving........would lowering help this? I have no problems with the bike at highway speeds..Cosmetics are not on my radar screen...I am thinking function, not style..

Are there any major maintenance problems associated with lowering? (for example, would it be more difficult to service the tire, the rear drive adn so on?)

I would not in any circumstance consider raking the front end..

Of course, I'd appreciate hearing about suggested vendors/parts etc., for lowering "kits"...

Thank you for all opinions..

[macmac]

It's hot, and this isn't your best idea. You will reduce lean angle more than it is. That will reduce how it is faster than a walk.

A better suggestion and more so becuae you can flat foot the bike and are with in 1 inch of my height, but weigh more by over 30 lbs is to just manhandle the low speeds.

Sit up straight and push the bike down to turn sharp. Practice in a parking lot i do each and every Spring and at other times for kicks to plain get better. I use a box of cheap crackers to mark out my courses, and the birds sure don't mind any.

Lowering can cause all sort of flukie behavior, and should be done when someone just insists to buy a wrong bike, and then make it fit them.

If you think the 1600 is nasty go ride a 1500! They are mean in a parking lot.

[cactusjack]

By installing a car tire on my bike, it had the unintended effect of lowering it. I didn't want a lower bike necessarily, I have a 32 inch inseam. Since then, I scrape my pipes if I am not extremely careful exiting driveways. A Nomad isn't easily (or inexpensively) lowered, and would require purchasing shorter rear shocks.

Maybe this is an option that may work for you?

[macmac]

Cj the bike didn't get lower, it got more stable. Nice boots.

[blowndodge]

He wore those at the Custer dinner dance... Dances like hell too!

[macmac]

Well them boots will get 32" legs to about 36" off the ground. That could be handy in a back room bar.

[phred]

Originally Posted by macmac

If you think the 1600 is nasty go ride a 1500! They are mean in a parking lot.

I ride a 1500, whats the differnce with a 1600 in a parking lot?

[bokobob]

LOL at the booster shoes....I'm listening to what is said...Just practicing my xss off might help...I remember Dixie Dick riding his bike one day when we were on an outing and he turned it around in a very narrow arc...so, I will just practice, but not in this heat...

Thanks for all comments..

[billmac]

The Nomad is long, heavy and bulky when moving without the help of centrifugal force (- 10mph)

I think we have all felt that weight and bulk your feeling.

In my opinion, lowering it will not change that.

Riding a 2009 or newer Nomad will help. Its shorter frame makes it more nimble at those slow speeds.

[macmac]

Phred, read up on trail angles. There is a few degrees difference from the 1500 to the 1600. The diff makes the 1500 rock solid at high way speeds, and the 1600 suffers for it. On the other hand the 1600 is better in a parking lot. A trade off in degrees where degrees really count.

All of this is geometery, rake angles, the opposite of caster, A caster on a shopping cart steers because it is behind the center of axis. You steer the cart from the back and the ft wheels must follow.

A trailer must be down in the head to the ball to gain caster, and if the trailer is head up to the ball it will raise hell steering the bike.

Trail is alone with rake since it is all bassakwards. A sport bike with a steep ft end will try to pull caster and for it you get a Royal tank slapper which sometimes on a track will toss off a rider and then the bike regains it's composure and rides off alone.

Kinda nice the Nomad hasn't got that habit. That what we have wives for )

Maybe BD can explain this a lot better than I can, if not Cj might. And then it is a engineers night mare figuring what trail will be on a unbilt bike . There is a vast mystery in trail angles.

It can make or break a bike model.

[ringadingh]

The 1500's are a heavy sluggish feeling bike at low speed, but like mac said they are great on the highway. Riding the 1600's is a lot more nimble in comparison. Id probably leave the lowering alone since youll end up scraping a lot easier in parking lots and cornering.

[timebandit]

Don't lower the bike. Get yourself a RLAP DVD, (ride like a pro) practice what he shows in the video.
Even better, if you could take the course, then you would learn the proper skills for all your slow maneuvers in parking lots and others.

Look where you want to go, use back brake and master the clutch friction sweet spot!