Length of the GZ shock??? And GZ handlebars??

[abadflea]

Ok so you can probably guess what I want to do, but i'm wondering what the length of the shock is from eye-eye and from top to bottom. I want to drop the rear a bit for looks. And want to just find some shorter shocks.
Also what are the size of the bars so i can start looking for different bars. Ones that go a bit more angle out. And on top if that can you get different risers for that? Are they a standard size bolt that holds the risers on?
I have looked for this stuuf on the web a bit and i had trouble finding any thing on it.
:??:
Any info would be nice

[jonathan180iq]

Do you own the bike? If so, just go out to the garage and measure the shock yourself. As for the handlebars, you have 7/8" bars. The standard bars are something like a 4-5" rise. I don't think they are very pretty either but changing them out is a little more involved than you think and it will also change your riding position pretty drastically, especially if you switch over to drag bars. You'll be shifting your weight and your head forward. As for the mounts, if you own this bike you should be able to see that the 7/8 bar is simply bolted between two clamps on "dash board"

The weight shift will increase the load on the front forks and change the dynamics of the steering.

The change if your body position will alter your ability to see whats around you.

I don't know how tall you are, but I'm only 5'11 and having tried different handlebar positions I can tell you I feel more aware with the ugly stand up bars.

You also need to know that removing the throttle and other controls isn't as simply as just sliding them off and then sliding them back on some new bars.

[jonathan180iq]

HANDLEBAR RISERS

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-Handle ... enameZWDVW

IF you insist of changing the bars to something a little flatter, I would suggest that you at least use these to keep the riding position close to stock. You can improve the looks of the bike without altering the ride this way.

[abadflea]

Ohh wow alot of good info there thanks. No i do not have the bike yet i just thought that someone else may have tried to lower the bike a bit also. I was looking at 1" DI drag bars but i'm glad you told me about the size. And i was for sure going to move the flatter (drag) bars back up and maybe even back ,more stock position. Useing a taller riser and maybe even one that is pitched back. I just like the look of the flatter, straight bars. Not so much "ape hanger" style.
i'm 5'10" so i'm close to you height. I see how it would change the steering and what you see around you.

[Dupo]

Just remember one thing, your cables are only so long. You said you wanted a drag bar which wont affect the cables anyways, but just keep that in mind. I'll tell you right now, that finding alteration mod parts for this bike is near impossible. They just do not make many aftermarket parts for this bike. Mainly because they know its marketed as a starter type bike and they know people don't keep these all that long (yes, there are many who do keep them, but they are marketed as starter bikes). So there just isnt a demand for aftermarket parts.

That said, there may be a short shock that will work for the bike. That you would have to find out on your own by going to some place that deals in custom work and trying to find something that would work. You could also cut the shocks and crank up the preload. Problem there might be, since these shocks arent all that tough, that it might bottom out. Keep in mind, that lowering the rear and not the front will ever so slightly decrease your low speed maneuverability. But will increase the stability in a straight line at speed. Not enough that you'd even notice, but thought i'd throw that in there. My spirit is lowerd in the rear 1.5" and the forks extended 3" upwards. I dont notice much of a difference in low speed maneuvers ... just a tad though, nothing to even bother me.

As for handlebars, i was gonna go with drag type bars on my GZ too. I sold it before i could do that and got myself a bike that has stock drag bars instead. Change the steering? No, i doubt it would. Have trouble seeing in your mirrors, yes most likely. You will need to find risers to make up the difference in drop from the stock 6" rise in the bars, or atleast close to that. Not sure where you could get something that high though for this bike. Nothing is impossible though.

I am having trouble agreeing with jonathan about putting drag bars on affecting the dynamics of the steering though. The only thing its going to change is you will lean a little bit forward. Not all that much really. Leaning forward or back wont affect handling of the bike. It'll affect your back more than anything lol. The only thing that affects dynamics of steering is if you change the ride height in the front or rear, change fork oil weight, springs ...etc. The most dramatic change would be in ride height though. As i explained above, if you lower the rear and not the front it changes low speed maneuverability and 'at speed' stability. Lowering the front and not the rear does the reverse. Its fine to drop the rear and not the front, i have done this on my bike and noticed no ill effects. I dont even notice the low speed difference (ok a tiny bit, but still, no big change). On my 750 i changed to a small solo seat and 4" forward controls and moved my drag bars a bit... i hunch over more than i did before and it does not change the steering dynamics at all.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by jonathan180iq

HANDLEBAR RISERS

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-Handle ... enameZWDVW

IF you insist of changing the bars to something a little flatter, I would suggest that you at least use these to keep the riding position close to stock. You can improve the looks of the bike without altering the ride this way.

I looked at those a while back. They look more like spacers than risers. Maybe my eyes are getting old but it appears that the bottom of the spacer is flat. In that case it would sit on top of the original riser and leave an unattractive gap under the spacer. A little too homemade looking for me. It would seem that a cleaner looking alternative would be to have a round spacer made that would fit under the bottom of the original riser and use a longer bolt underneath.

Cheers!

[jonathan180iq]

As for changing dynamics of the steering, I was referring to loading the front forks. I used drop bars on my Kawi and the steering was altered quite a bit. It made the bike more twitchy, as the front end was a bit more compressed and the weight over front of the bike changes steering feel.

[Dupo]

Ah ok, thought you were referring to what i explained.

I still don't see it making a difference with drag bars... it really doesnt lean you over more so than just dropping your arms and shoulders down a little bit. Only way you would shift weight to the front is if you flipped your handlebars upside down like our other member had done on his gz and actually lean into the front. Drag bars on my shadow do nothing more than give me a lower stance sitting on the seat.