Lowering Ninja 300. For Dummes.

[Shurup]

Finally lowered the Ninja so now my fiancee can actually reach the ground.

Was a piece of cake to do and probably took less than one hour total, with her brother giving me a hand.

I started this tread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/658031-lowering-the-bike/ and began asking questions even before deciding and purchasing the bike. Thanks to all that replied and especially to Gsxrnz as his post was spot on. I since went on internet and googled for components to lower the suspension on Ninja 300 and was glad there was a lowering kit from Roaringtoyz.com for the new ninja, that included everything I needed. By the way, I purchased the kit for less from another online bike store and not directly from roaring toyz. The kit included: dogbones for the rear, handlebar raisers (spacers) for the front, and a lower kickstand.

The dogbones have 5 holes let you chose the height starting from the stock and all the way down to 2" drop with 0.5" increment.

Handlebar spacers are 1" giving you up to 1" drop of the front suspension.

No special tools were needed for the installation, just a set of alan keys, sockets and wrenches, screwdrivers and a car's screw type of jack.

1. Remove the exhaust's guard as it's on a way to remove the top bolt holding the dogbones.

2. Next, from the shifter side, remove the dogbone nuts and you can remove that side stock dogbone.

3. Place a jack under the oilpan, we need to remove the weight from the rear suspension. Crank it up slowly until you can pull of the bolts by hand.

4. Remove the exhaust's side dogbone, secure the new dogbones with the top bolt (nut is hand tight).

5. Lower the jack until the bottom hole lines up with the proper hole in the dogbones and install the bottom bolt + nut.

At this step you can get on a bike and check if it's at the proper height. I first dropped it 1" down, GF said the bike looked funny (??? it looked fine to me, just a bit lower). She was comfortably sitting on the bike, touching the ground with her bare feet. Anyways, I lifted it back up 1/2" and we checked again, now with her wearing her riding boots (1/4-1/3" shoe sole) and she was still comfortable on a bike.

Looking at the bike at that point I didn't really feel the need to lower the front (bike looked pretty much the same as before), but since I've already had the parts purchased and wanted to keep it as leveled as it was in stock, I went ahead with working on the front. I did one side at a time. (Note, I also read that raised handlebars give you more upright position, for a short person like my GF, she wouldn't need to reach too far, was hoping for the more comfortable riding position).

6. First step is to remove the tiny black plastic caps covering the hex screw heads, take the screws out and set the handlebar aside. Then check with the ruler or tape how far the fork's tube is sticking out (mine has 1/2" both sides). After that loosen the top triple clamp

and the bottom one

Pull (push) the tube through to how much drop you want and tighten the clamps. I dropped the rear by a 1/2" and so the front was going down a 1/2" as well. the total for the fork's tube to stick out was 1" in my case.

7. Slide the handlebar spacer over the fork tube and reinstall the handlebar using the longer screws (supplied with the spacer).

8. Repeat the steps 6 and 7 on the other side's handlebar.

Next is a kickstand, again, with the bike being lowered only 1/2" it was OK with the stock one, but since I've already had the parts and the stand by itself accounts for like 60% of the kit cost (plus it looks fancy! ), I went ahead and replaced the stand too.

For this part you (obviously) will need someone holding the bike.

It's straight forward - remove the old one and install the new one in it's place. The only thing is, on the stock stand, the mounting bold went from inside out, with the nut on the outside and on the new stand, the bold goes from outside in, with the nut on the inside. For this, for the bolt to clear, I had to remove the switch's arm.

Important! When reinstalling the arm, check that it sits properly on the switch, start the bike in Neutral, with the stand in, shift into gear while holding the clutch, engine should keep running, now kick the stand out and the engine should stop. If it's right then tighten the switch arm screw.

Tip: it's easier to install and remove the stand's spring when the stand is in.

If I were to do it again, I would have only bought the 1/2" drop dogbones and saved the money. The total for the kit + shipping (I shipped in to my Canadian address and picked it up on my last trip there) was around $200 while the dogbones only can be had for around $30-50. I think the bike dropped more than 1/2" as prior, my GF was nowhere near the ground on one side if touching the ground on the other side, that or the suspension sagged since she was riding it last time (I was giving it some proper breaking in myself ). I thought I'd have to go full 2" drop on the rear and that's why I purchased this kit.

Hope it will help someone some day. Honestly it was a very easy install.

[Phatcharanan]

It would have been easier to find a taller fiancee. ;-)

[ll2]

It would have been easier to find a taller fiancee. ;-)

well, you know love!

[brfsa2]

only photo missing: the actual happy fiancee on the bike !

[Shurup]

That may come later, will ask her how she feels about a photo for the boys. Nothing dirty or too sexy so don't get your hopes too high.

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app