How-to: Adjust your forks for a 70 series tire.

[ochlocracy]

This one is pretty simple. It will take you about 30 min tops. I am going to explain how to adjust the front forks to compensate for the larger tire up front, thus keeping the bikes geometry.

You may also need to adjust your front fender, as the tire heats up it will balloon up and scrape the front fender possibly damaging it. On my ’99 I had to move it up (after I damaged it, cause my shop put the 70 without telling me) On my ’04 I took the same chance driving home on the 70 not trying to heat it up too much. I got home without damage and then actually didn’t bother to adjust it and took it out for 6 hours the next day aggressive riding without any damage. You choose.

You will need

4mm hex
5mm hex
6mm hex
Measuring tool
Small jack
An extra set of hands.

Start off by removing your clip-ons there are 4 bolts all together, two of them are located underneath the black plastic covers.




Then remove the 1 blot holding your brake fluid reservoir to you triple tree



Now you should be able to remove you clip-ons by pulling them up over the top of your forks.




Now with your clip-ons off you need to take a measurement. Measure from the top of the upper triple tree to the top edge of the fork tube. You only need to measure one side, they should both be the same anyway. Now add about 8mm to the measurement you just found. This is how high the forks tubes should be when we are done.



Next use a small car jack and place it under your headers and jack you bike up; the jack, your side stand, and the rear tire will support the bike.

Here is a pic provided by AFC (rear stand and wood not required)


Once the front tire is off the ground you need to loosen the lower triple tree bolts, they're 2 for each tube. (located behind my cables in the photo)



Now this is where you might need an extra set of hands to help stabilize the bike and loosen the upper triple tree. Stand in-front of the bike and hold the front tire, it is going to fall through the triple trees if you don’t. Now loosen the upper triple tree.



With the upper triple tree bolts loose push the fork tubes up and measure, once you have them in position tighten the upper triple tree bolts and then re-check the measurement. If they are within spec. then tighten the lower triple tree and put back on the clip-ons.


Now, to add a few more things to this how-to. First off this is what happens when you don’t adjust your front fender on a 1st generation R6.



Second in the how-to I said to adjust to about 8mm higher, this can be different depending on what brand tire you bought, how much tread you have on it, and just how you think the bike feels. I first adjusted my forks to 10mm higher, and then noticed my front end sort of tucking in the corners so I brought them back down to 8mm and they seem great now. This is on my ’04.

On my ’99 I didn’t adjust the forks at all, the bike felt so much for solid with just putting the 70 on there.

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[RajunCajun]

Great write up

I assume this would be same effect before/after on a 03 R6.


Keep up the good work

[sportbiker]

Nice write up ..

[madchild]

if your jacking up your bike with a car stand...wouldn't it put a dent in it?

[ochlocracy]

Originally Posted by madchild

if your jacking up your bike with a car stand...wouldn't it put a dent in it?

No

[AFC]

Originally Posted by madchild

if your jacking up your bike with a car stand...wouldn't it put a dent in it?

As ochlocracy said:




Like it says in the how-to, most of the weight of the 400 LB R6 is still supported by the rear tire and the sidestand using this method.

[Cesario]

thanks again och, you're a life saver.

[Shrewd]

Thanks! I appreciate all your how-to's!

[serpentracer]

nice ochlocracy, One thing I read someplace is how to know how much to lower.
the article said to measure both tires diameter using a string or one of those tape measures tailors use. use the difference in the two measurements for the amount to raise the forks.

[ochlocracy]

Originally Posted by serpentracer

nice ochlocracy, One thing I read someplace is how to know how much to lower.
the article said to measure both tires diameter using a string or one of those tape measures tailors use. use the difference in the two measurements for the amount to raise the forks.

Yea that is on the sport rider site. I thought about including it but they ask you to check you old dia. and your new dia. Well most of us would have already replaced the old tire. Also since we all have the same bike, it will be the same for everyone.