Lowering the 1400

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RapidRoy
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Lowering the 1400

Post by RapidRoy »

Hey fellas, I'm looking to lower my 99 VS1400.

I had 11'' shocks on my 92 VS800 and really enjoyed the way it looked and handled. I ended up finding them on ebay for around $80, they were used and had some marks on them but they did the job.

What works good for the 1400's ? I have my eye on these right now,

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SUZUKI-VS1400-14 ... Eq&vxp=mtr

If anyone has any experience with these post up! Or if you know of anything better or cheaper I'd be interested in hearing about those too.

Old photo of my 800 with the 11's

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BABIS
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by BABIS »

the lowest you can go with a stock 1400 is 11,5" ; I suggest also to lower the front end about 1 inch
We declare that the splendour of the world has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A racing automobile with its bonnet adorned with great tubes like serpents with explosive breath ... a roaring motor car which seems to run on machine-gun fire is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace.

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Blaine
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by Blaine »

I have the same shocks (11.5) on my 05 s83.

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RapidRoy
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by RapidRoy »

Blaine wrote:I have the same shocks (11.5) on my 05 s83.

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Awesome! How do you like them? Did you get them from the same guy? I noticed he has the black shock with chrome springs but they are a fair bit more than the plain black ones.

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Blaine
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by Blaine »

I like them.....Can't go wrong for the money........My local dealer ordered mine for me....$130.00......I see lots on e-bay in the 130.00 range.....The ones in your link are a little over priced./
If at first you succeed,don't be surprised.

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RapidRoy
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by RapidRoy »

Blaine wrote:I like them.....Can't go wrong for the money........My local dealer ordered mine for me....$130.00......I see lots on e-bay in the 130.00 range.....The ones in your link are a little over priced./
Good to know! On top of the $179.00 there is $15 shipping, and $33 import fee. Then the exchange rate on top of that. I'll probably try and find something used or wait until the price comes down.

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Fred
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by Fred »

Lots of speed bumps ( sleeping police men) round here-- no way do I need to lower it. In rainy season 18 inch could be possible just trying to get home.

I have raised mine --looks clean and modern.

Oh --on the 18 inch flooding thing-- my battery is under the seat just rear of the back carb.

RapidRoy
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by RapidRoy »

Fred wrote:Lots of speed bumps ( sleeping police men) round here-- no way do I need to lower it. In rainy season 18 inch could be possible just trying to get home.

I have raised mine --looks clean and modern.

Oh --on the 18 inch flooding thing-- my battery is under the seat just rear of the back carb.

How did you fit that back there? Wouldn't mind seeing photos of that mod. What did you end up doing with the space where the battery normally goes?

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Fred
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by Fred »

RapidRoy wrote:
Fred wrote:Lots of speed bumps ( sleeping police men) round here-- no way do I need to lower it. In rainy season 18 inch could be possible just trying to get home.

I have raised mine --looks clean and modern.

Oh --on the 18 inch flooding thing-- my battery is under the seat just rear of the back carb.

How did you fit that back there? Wouldn't mind seeing photos of that mod. What did you end up doing with the space where the battery normally goes?
Thanks for your interest. My bike is quite heavily modified such as fuse box and relay shifted. The battery sits just behind the rear carb, the top of the battery is just flush with the carb mouth giving me just enough room for a small Kn type filter. The battery frame is nothing more that a light frame made from Holy bar,-- you know that strip steel with holes in it used as a universal car radio attachment. The earth is a strap of alluminium which also holds it in place. The battery fits in snug and is easy to check. The fuse box and start relay did not need to he moved for the batt re position I just did

The original battery box is still there doing nothing more that site the regulator.

PrinceMo
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by PrinceMo »

Struts will get the bike the lowest and make it look the best.
You can lower the bike to about 9 1/2 inches
The fender can be just 1 inch from the tire or less.

The trade off is the bike will be rigid.
That means great looks but no shocks.
If the roads in your area are good it is no big deal.
However if you have big pot holes it can hurt.

I think i have a pair of custom made adjustable struts that I may be willing to sell.

Here is a picture.
They can go even lower.

http://www.streetbikerider.us/SP/36093

m2h
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by m2h »

PrinceMo wrote:Struts will get the bike the lowest and make it look the best.
You can lower the bike to about 9 1/2 inches
The fender can be just 1 inch from the tire or less.

The trade off is the bike will be rigid.
That means great looks but no shocks.
If the roads in your area are good it is no big deal.
However if you have big pot holes it can hurt.

I think i have a pair of custom made adjustable struts that I may be willing to sell.

Here is a picture.
They can go even lower.

http://www.streetbikerider.us/SP/36093
Hi man, just had a look at the ^^^^^^ and really like the look of that seat. Is it a stock S83 base re worked or a custom? I want to
do something with mine for longer trips.
:cheers:
M2H
" Old Guys Rule!" :rock:

PrinceMo
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by PrinceMo »

That is a corbin gunfighter seat.

It needs to be recovered or repaired.
The pan and padding is good.
Maybe it can be sewed.
I was planning to sew it but i found a deal around my birthday i could not pass up.
You can go to www.corbin.com i think to see what they sell for.

I will sell it for $100.00 plus shipping.
Im not sure but maybe corbin will recover it for less than a new seat.

The reason I bought the corbin seat is they let you pick the color and leather or cloth or vinyl.
You can have flames any color.
The seat can be a number of textures and colors.
The top can be one color and the sides another.
They may have Kevlar too.

Dont take my word check out the site.

PrinceMo
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by PrinceMo »

Here is the link to corbin.
The seat new is almost $500.00 +

You can call them to see what they charge to recover.

You may be able to get out for under $200.00 if you buy mine and have it recovered.

http://corbin.com/suzuki/intruder1400.shtml

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OldMan
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by OldMan »

I have them on my My Vs 1400. Really happy with how they compliment the lower and shorter fender.
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RapidRoy
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by RapidRoy »

For sale in my area are two pairs of sportster shocks around 11.5 - 12'' height, they are asking $150 a pair.

Anyone know if they will fit a 1400? I sure they would fit, maybe have to change the bushings, not sure %100 positive though

Here's what the look like,
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bbf
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by bbf »

I don't have the ones you posted..... but I have the progressive 11 1/2" shocks. I absolutely love them. They were a little cheaper than the ones you have posted. But with shipping and all I think I paid about 190 to the door if I remember correctly. But if you ride solo and want the fender to hug the fender then get a fender blank and cut to how you want it to look. If you look in the photo op section I have a pic of mine posted there.

hammerite
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by hammerite »

I read somewhere, I forget where, it might have been this very forum, that the 98-2004 Marauder rear shocks fit but it's something like 11" eye to eye, but need one of the bushings swapped out from the old as it's internal diameters is smaller or something like that.

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Skipper
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by Skipper »

RapidRoy wrote:For sale in my area are two pairs of sportster shocks around 11.5 - 12'' height, they are asking $150 a pair.

Anyone know if they will fit a 1400? I sure they would fit, maybe have to change the bushings, not sure %100 positive though

Here's what the look like,
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There really isn't much too shocks, assuming the diameter of the spring and top cap/shroud of those isn't too big to touch the fender should be fine. Coming off a sporty I doubt they would be.
The bushings will be standard, not metric. Probably 1/2" think our intruder uses studs of about 14mm?? You'd probably have to drill the bushings slightly larger as I doubt they'll push out of the rubber. Also on that note: the bottom mount of the right shock uses a bolt, it's smaller than the studs, 10mm. Dia. ?? Maybe? Can't remember.. so there you'd need a smaller bushing.
Regarding those shocks, if you didn't notice, the set on the left have a progressive wound spring and the right set are a straight rate. Take your pick.

Still on the same topic, do you live in Canada by chance? I have a set I may consider selling...

RapidRoy
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Re: Lowering the 1400

Post by RapidRoy »

I ended up getting the stock sportster shocks for $100. Got them home, no where near close to fitting, the bushings were 1/2'', the intruder shocks were 9/16'' so I reamed the sporty shocks out and they slid on but stuck out too far, so then I had to grind down the bushings/rubber on either side.

Then they slid right on. The bike was 13'' stock before, now it sits at 11 - 5/8''.... I don't think I would want it any lower I already scraped turning into a parking lot :lmao:

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