Dog Bones?

[Decoke Dave]

   How much is reasonable to lower a fzs 1000 by using longer dog bones before causing any other issues?   Could do to go down by say 20mm, is this reasonable?  I know the bike will be more awkward to put on the centre stand, any other issues?  Where is the best place to by some decent finished ones, don't want any old shite.

[PieEater]

Shorter dogbones to raise the rear have a couple of noticeable potential benefits. They alter the weight distribution of the bike putting more weight on the front which improves steering responsiveness making the bike more agile through corners. They also alter the suspension geometry effectively increasing the compression damping which potentially improves the handling further especially if the shock is old, tired and / or OEM.


I have no experience with longer dogbones but I imagine that you will get the reverse effects of fitting shorter ones so if considering fitting them I would recommend lowering the bike down the front forks ~15mm if not already done and increasing the compression damping on the rear shock if available / working.


You can sometimes find polished / chromed / painted dogbones but to be honest they are so hidden away from sight you only get to see parts of them when you are on your knees cleaning the bike.


Have a look on ebay for FZS1000 lowering kit.

[teecee90]

I think mine is lowered by 25mm. No problems at all. Its a bit harder to put on the centre stand, but still perfectly manageable.

[PieEater]

An alternative to lowering the bike would be to get the seat re-profiled so you are sat lower but I don't know how much that would affect comfort.

[kebab19]

An alternative to lowering the bike would be to get the seat re-profiled so you are sat lower but I don't know how much that would affect comfort.

The main issue is the width of the seat, particularly at the front where seats are often tapered. Even with her lowered you may still find her a bit of a challenge as the wide seat forces the legs slightly outwards.
At  5' 8" and with a 29" inside leg, mine has a reworked (slightly lower) seat, forks up through the yokes 10mm and dogbones that drop the back end a fraction, probably around 6mm. You could also shave the rubber seat bungs underneath the seat to lose another couple of millimetres in seat height.