Ok wife had to have the bike lowered. So I:

Used the Kouba links #4's "2 inch kit" (as low as they make em)
Raised the front forks as much as the handlebars would allow.


That got me the "Honey it's still to high" remark so I:

Cranked the nut on the rear shock up about 3/4 of an inch. It is now "acceptable".

I know I lowered ground clearance, and there is a chance the rear tire could rub on a hard impact, but the chance of a "hard impact" happening is zero.

I'm thinking that by cranking up the rear shock nuts, all I really changed was ride height, correct or did I make the suspension softer?

 

You might want to ride the bike before your wife to make sure you haven't adversely affected the handling. On my bike anyway without adding risers you can only drop the front about 1/2 inch maybe slightly more and you dropped the rear by 2. This would slow the steering some so maybe nothing bad will come but I'd test it to be sure. By cranking the shock you changed the preload and if you loosened it you decreased the preload and yes you did soften the suspension and again another reason to check it out to make sure it has no bad habbits now.

 

he about hit it. definally ride it some and hit some bumps (size depends on what you plan on riding), if it doesnt with you it probably wont with her. also when you ride it, note how it handles. with big changes like that, its far from factory now and may need more tuning to get it 100% right (more the rear than the front). if appropriate, i would think (im my head, not fact from what i know) get a bit stiffer spring and you could let the preload out more and have it close to stock spring rate. the link alone, again im not a rocket scientist (yet), would call for a stiffer spring to be the "stock" spring rate because the change in geometry. anyone care to fact check me?

 

I will just say if you decide to go a differnet route to lower I would suggest contacting
John at Motopro. I consulted him when I lowered my GF's but she probably needed more lowering than your wife. When I was looking at the options it sounded to me like lowering links are OK for small adjustments but large adjustments change the way the suspension works too much.
I had him shorten the front forks and also shorten the rear shock. I will say it was not cheep but I cant remember what it cost as I ordered stiffer springs front and rear for my bike at the same time.

 

Amateurs, surrounded by amateurs.
If you want advice on lowering a bike you need to consult a proper dwarf.
Move aside gentleman.

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=22655

Bur seriously, regardless of how much softer the rear is now, it sounds like you will have dropped the rear too much compared to the front. This will effect handling. The front can only be dropped a small amount unless you get some bar risers. Which aren't usually required by the vertically challenged.

You will get away with soft suspension if your just tootling along. Hitting bumps at speed will be the problem. Bearing in mind that the spring rate is the same its just the preload that is reduced. I imagine that the lowering links will effect the spring rate but not by much.

But the bike should be balanced, IMO.
Steering will be slower, turn in will be affected and the weight will be biased rearward. But, if it feels OK and the bikes not pushed, you might get away with it.

 

The spring rate doesn't change.

The wheel rate changes because of the difference in moment (leverage). It is a substantial difference, but your wife is probably light, and the wheel rate was probably is too stiff to begin with.

 

Lowering links are covered here

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...lowering+links

and on the Kouba site

 

Thanks for the advice. Interesting reading!

I'd like to move the front forks up further than I have, and then crank the rear back up some, but I don't see any way to do that. I've moved them up till they almost hit the bars and are on the edge of the taper at the top clamp. I know I can get bar risers, but how do you deal with the skinner part of the front fork? If I raise it past the tamper how is it going to clamp properly?

OH! I like the comment "your wife is probably light"! Guess by my post (using the word "wife") you can figure out I'm not gay, but how do you know I'm not into big fat chicks with hairy backs? She could be a real whopper of a woman! (She's not!) Then my post would have been titled:

"Bike will not pull wife up hills. What do I do?"

LOL!

 

I'm guessing that most chicks willing to hop on a 250, and hit the trail are in suitable shape, and lighter than the 180 lbs the stock spring is rated at. Especially if you have to lower it that much to fit.
Of course, YMMV, and we all have different tastes. I'm OK with that.

 

You're right, "most chicks" that can ride a 250 would be about that size. After lower it, my wife can ride it now. I just have to remind her to keep both hands on the bars. If she lets go, her knuckles drag the ground.