honest opinions: lowering a CB1100

[misterprofessionality]

This is most definitely not for my bike, i find the CB1100 to be a perfect height. However, my wife has expressed interest in getting a CB of her own once she's ready to upgrade. The thing is, her feet literally swing free when she tries to sit on mine. she's 5'2". the initial conclusion is that the bike just isn't for her, but there's a lot of talk (positive and negative) about lowering bikes, and whether it's a good or a bad idea. after all i've read, i tend to think it's a seriously bad idea, but i could be convinced otherwise by anybody more knowledgeable than i.

The goal: if she's ever going to have a snowball's chance at riding a CB1100, the seat cannot be higher than 29" even. that'd have her up on her toes. The stock seat is 31.5", so that's a healthy 2.5" of lowering that needs to take place. sounds like an AWFUL lot.

What i understand to be the detriments of lowering: poor handling. poor ground clearance. poor suspension. all of these combined have the potential to completely ruin a bike.

What i expect will have to be done: The seat will have to be swapped out for one that's MUCH thinner. i think you could get at least 1" out of the seat, maybe more. next, the front and rear suspensions would have to be lowered about 1.5", maybe less if i can get more out of the seat. this means sliding up the forks ( i guess?) and replacing the rear shocks with shorter ones. finally, replacing the muffler with something more up-swung, and replacing the rearsets with something a little more high and tight so that the pegs dont sacrifice so much ground clearance.

so, give me all your expert opinions, is this even a good idea? If not, I want to be able to tell her in an informed way that it's never going to happen. conversely, if a CB1100 with a 29" seat height can be achieved without ruining the bike, I want to hear all about it. i'd love to be able to tell her she can do it.

[alprider]

" feet literally swing free "



what is to high is to high....all lowering ways are ok if you reach somehow the ground already
.
.

[misterprofessionality]

agreed. the stock bike is WAY too high. the first time she tried to sit on it i laughed at her. that's why she started asking about lowering.

[Rocky_imp]

I have no answers or suggestions, but I think the question is whether such a small woman can handle the weight of the CB.
She may be strong as an ox for all I know, but maybe another model that fits her would be a better choice.
That said, I've seen some small ladies "rassle" Harley's around with no apparent problem.

[peterbaron]

Agree with Rocky: "the question is whether such a small woman can handle the weight of the CB."
Before doing anything, I would educate myself about this task, prior $tarting. Google is your friend.
You may start here at no cost to you at all:

[url=https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&ei=MtI1XevfF8u1ggeH0ZGIBQ&q=how+to+professional+lower+motorcycle&oq=how+to+profesiona+lower+motorcycle+&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.33i10.1511.31649..35832...0.0..0.236.4042.21j13j2......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0j0i22i30j0i13j0i7i30j0i8i7i30.BU7g0hHJynA]https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&e...U7g0hHJynA

Good luck

[misterprofessionality]

Agree with Rocky: "the question is whether such a small woman can handle the weight of the CB."
Before doing anything, I would educate myself about this task, prior $tarting. Google is your friend.
You may start here at no cost to you at all:

[url=https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&ei=MtI1XevfF8u1ggeH0ZGIBQ&q=how+to+professional+lower+motorcycle&oq=how+to+profesiona+lower+motorcycle+&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.33i10.1511.31649..35832...0.0..0.236.4042.21j13j2......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0j0i22i30j0i13j0i7i30j0i8i7i30.BU7g0hHJynA]https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&e...U7g0hHJynA

Good luck

you're both quite right. it was a concern of mine too, but then i discovered that she can apparently handle an indian scout with very little issue, which has just as much weight as the CB1100. obviously, it's distributed differently, but i had her stand up my CB using blocks under her feet (lol) to check the height and see just how many inches she would need. with a 2.5" block under her feet, she can stand up the CB no problem, and even reports that it feels comfortably balanced. on the surface, it seems (really surprisingly) that the weight is not such an issue. i wouldn't have believed it if i didn't see it for myself, but that's what i get for understimating her.

[alprider]

if you reach the ground with both feet complet is the weight seldom a real problem....you should only still first check your parking place , in wich direction you should put it there....by the goldwing i had for this problem still a reverse gear.......

[misterprofessionality]

if you reach the ground with both feet complet is the weight seldom a real problem....you should only still first check your parking place , in wich direction you should put it there....by the goldwing i had for this problem still a reverse gear.......

good point. i should make her walk a scout backwards around a parking lot and see if she's still game after that lol.

[LongRanger_imp]

I have no experience with lowering a CB but I think you've identified what it'll take to do it. The centerstand will probably have to go -- not for clearance reasons, just because it'll be too long to deploy.

[alprider]

if you reach the ground with both feet complet is the weight seldom a real problem....you should only still first check your parking place , in wich direction you should put it there....by the goldwing i had for this problem still a reverse gear.......

good point. i should make her walk a scout backwards around a parking lot and see if she's still game after that lol.

good point. i should make her walk a scout backwards around a parking lot and see if she's still game after that lol.
well i mean...too many sidecars have no reverse gear..so you must still look befor you park is the ground some how at an angle
centerstand ? and the sidestand must be shorter.....