It’s not uncommon to hear people say that the saddle height of a motorcycle would be perfect with a few millimeters less.
It’s also true that the trend towards higher saddles on motorcycles, especially those with an adventurous vocation, is a reality.
So why are saddles so high?
There are two main reasons for high saddles.
Firstly , in the case of adventure bikes, the aim is to achieve greater off-road capability. Manufacturers increase ground clearance, which directly affects saddle height.
Secondly, the space occupied by the mechanics. We’re thinking of the bulky engine, the air filter box, the battery, the suspension, the numerous electronic management modules, and so on. Despite the engineers’ feats of compression, the whole thing demands space between the two wheels and under the seat.
If you’re over 1.83 metres (six feet) tall, bikes built with seat heights below 850 millimetres won’t cause you any problems. However, a BMW R 1250 GS with a vertiginous seat height of 890 millimetres, in difficult terrain, can put you in a difficult situation. If you do, there’s a real risk of losing your footing and rolling your bike on its side. It’s preferable to be a person of a certain height, but not everyone is.
There are alternatives
If you’d like to subtract a few millimeters from the height of your motorcycle saddle for comfort or better control, there are alternatives.
The saddle
Some manufacturers offer a slimmer replacement saddle that brings you slightly closer to the ground.
If the manufacturer doesn’t offer a lowering saddle, the option is to have yours modified. This can be done by an upholsterer or a specialist saddlery manufacturer.
Suspension
Suspension lowering kits are available for most motorcycles. These kits require the replacement of a few suspension parts, which will reduce the motorcycle’s ground clearance.
My Choice
My test option is the MotoWerk suspension lowering kit. The test bike is a Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE.
Reason for modification
When riding on uneven terrain, the bike’s seat height (840 mm) makes it difficult to maneuver at very low speeds.
The lowering kit for this Versys simply includes the rear suspension levers. It specifies that the bike should lose 30 millimeters in height.
Installation
Place the motorcycle on the center stand on stable ground. It will be necessary to support the rear of the motorcycle to prevent it from crashing to the ground.
Remove the front footrest support plate to gain access to the rear suspension lever mounting bolts.
All that remains is to remove the three suspension lever bolts and nuts.
When installing the lowered suspension lever, take care to position them correctly. Otherwise, the height of the motorcycle will be greatly affected. Reverse the removal procedure to complete the installation.
Be sure to tighten the bolts to the recommended torque for your own safety.
Lowering the front suspension
It’s also important to lower the front suspension to maintain the bike’s original ride height and fork caster angle. This is the angle that provides stability and steering heaviness. Changing the fork angle will result in a very different behavior of the bike at high and low speeds.
In the present situation, loosening the calipers on the front shocks was enough to allow them to be moved to lower the front of the bike.
A few more adjustments before finishing
The bike’s suspension is now lowered. With the bike lowered, it’s no longer possible to rest it on the side stand without it tipping over to the opposite side. So I have to cut the side stand to allow the bike to regain its original inclination once on its stand.
I take the opportunity to add a wider “flat foot” to prevent the stand from sinking into the soft ground.
Finally, the lowering of the suspension affected the drive chain tension. A simple adjustment of the chain tension to the manufacturer’s specification will suffice.
Time for a test ride
The first kilometer on the road, everything’s perfect. When I stop, my feet are in contact with the ground. It feels great. I go back for a second try, this time with my partner. It’s still great until I push the bike more aggressively into a curve. A surprise! The center stand suddenly makes contact with the road.
Back home, I remove the center stand. It will have to be modified before I get back on the bike. I notice that other manufacturers of lowering kits suggest removing the center stand.
Third test
I’m back on the road with my wife. Every time I turn a corner, I worry that something might come into contact with the pavement . That’s it! This time, it’s the “flat foot” of the side stand. Not a very pleasant feeling. Back to the workshop. I modify the tip of the stand to increase its clearance from the ground.
Fourth test
Back on the road for another test. This time, all’s good. The suspension lowering kit has slightly modified the suspension’s response. It’s a little softer, but without altering the ride. To my surprise, the bike’s overall handling remains virtually the same.
The pluses :
- Better foot contact with the ground
- Safer
- Easy to install
Minuses:
- Requires some additional modifications
- Catalytic converter sometimes comes into contact with speed bumps
- Slightly softer suspension
Conclusion
In conclusion, removing those 30 millimeters from the motorcycle is for some a question of safety. With a good-quality lowering kit, you can access a wider range of motorcycle models despite your size. Some motorcycles, like the current Versys, have encountered a few pitfalls in the modification process, while others suffer no mishaps at all. A simple Internet search will tell you.
