Lowering a 96 Speed Triple questions

[Retro-Racer]

Howdy all. Just dropping in from the twins boards to get some advice to help a friend. He has a 96 Speed Triple and wants to lower the back to get more sure-footed at stops. He's somewhat inseam-challenged.

So, I'd like to know how much you can lower the bike without really slamming it down? Something lower, yet still looks and rides OK. Case in point, you can lower a Bonneville 1" and the bike still works and looks right. He's no canyon carver I assure you.

Additionally, I recall from some years ago being told that there was a change to the stock suspension around 1996 and the serial number will indicate which version it is. True?

/Mike

[DEcosse]

Moved to T3 forum

[KitNYC]

You can lose about an inch of ground clearance by flipping the eccentrics on the rear axle; raise the fork tubes through the trees about the same amount to maintain similar handling.

IIRC the rear shock was the same from '94-'96 for Speed Triples, but the forks may have changed. Haynes will have the VIN list and stock height above top yoke.

Cheers,
-Kit

[Buckwheat]

^^ Yes, exactly correct. Beginning with the '96 model, the tops of the forks were more or less flush with the top of the triple clamps (as the fork supplier changed form Showa to Kayaba...or maybe the other way around, but beginning at VIN 29156).

So flip the rear eccentric adjuster knowing that you have room to raise the forks in the triple clamps by that same amount.