I'm 5'7" 155lb, 29" inseam, new motorcycle rider. After putting the first ~750miles on my KLX I definitely need my feet to be closer to the ground. On flat ground I'm about 70% on the ***** of my feet. Fine on the street, but get on rocks or uneven ground and I have a lot of trouble. Even mounting/dismounting, I could really use the bike being 1-2" lower.

I've been looking at options and I cant decide if i should get the low Seat Concepts seat or should make a set of ~1" lowering links (or both). If 1" lowering links seriously affects handling, especially front end stability, I'm not interested. But I'm also worried that the lower Seat Concepts seat is going to be more uncomfortable than the stock seat because it's thinner. Also leg/sitting geometry and handlebar distance

Any thoughts?

 

Lowering links do effect the leverage at the shock. My bike came with 2" lowering links, as a small 120lb lady owned the bike. I switched to 1" lift links and had to dial back a fair amount of the preload for my 200lbs

 

You can raise the forks in the triple clamps maybe about 1 inch or whatever, then lower the rear an equal amount and it will have same geometry as stock.

Lowering the rear more than the front will increase rake and trail, which will slow the handling a bit. Make it steer slower. If it doesn't bother you then it is no problem.

If the bike is a keeper you can do it the way the flat trackers do - insert travel limiting spacers in the shock and the forks. Lowers the bike by shortening suspension "at the top" while maintaining geometry and proper bottom limits. Takes some calculations to figure the rear spacer, the front would be nearly 1:1.

 

 

I a likewise vertically challenged and I opted for "all of the above". Seat Concepts seat, 1" lowering links and raised forks in the front. I am happy with the results, but I don't ride particularly hard offroad. Note that your kickstand will have to be shortened as well.

 

Similar height/weight/inseam? Are you flat footing now? the seat you got is the "low" seat concepts?

 

Hi lkdr, funny, I just picked my bike up from my suspension guy yesterday. Took a ride and then this AM I took a longer ride.I had a 1" lowering dog bone on it. The suspension guy recomended going back to the stock linkage. He said it is better to lower both ends internally as much as you wanted. The different length dog bone changes the behavior of the rear travel, the geometry of the moving linkage if you will. I had the lowering link in the rear and raised the fork tubes 7/8's of an inch which is about as much as you can before the fork tube tapers. That also means I lost an inch of ground clearance. So I bought the 1" lower seat concepts seat. I must say even the 1" lower seat concepts seat is way more comfortable than the stock seat, no worries there. Only negative to the seat concepts is your legs are a little more folded up while sitting, I still find it extremely easy to stand and move around on the bike, the seat does not get in my way.

OK, so I now have stiffer springs front and rear, stock dog bone and seat concept 1" lower seat. The suspension is way better and feels more balanced front to back. The bike seems more nimble and turns better now too IMHO.
I am 5'10" but only a 29" inseam, I can touch both feet with the ***** of my feet but not quite flat foot it, but almost. I expect my new stiffer springs will settle in with some more time.

My two cents worth,
Fred