Lowering the Tiger 800

[CarlS]

if you are one of the many people that want to have both of your feet on the ground at a stop the Tiger 800 can be lowered on the cheap.

If you remove the rear shock spring there is a height adjustment on the lower eye of the shock that will give you enough adjustment to lower the rear of the bike about an inch. Then all you have to do is raise the forks in the triple tree and the bike is lower. The bike still has plenty of lean to use the sidestand unmodified but you'll have to be as strong as a bear if you want to use a centerstand without modification.

You can also lower the bike with with Dogbones, that is changing the length of the linkage. However this changes the suspension rate. Linkage type suspension allows for easier tuning of the suspension. This is because as the suspension compresses the leverage changes in affect creating a progressive affect in the suspension. With suspension without linkage you typically use a progressive spring and you also have to have progressive damping rates which make it really hard to adjust for changes in spring rates and damping as they have to match. With the linkage type suspension the spring and damping can be constant rate wich allow for much simpler adjusting and tuning at the factory level and for the rider.

By changing the length of the linkage you change the progression rate of the suspension. This will either make it progress much more quickly in effect making it feel like it's bottoming before it uses full suspension travel or make the top half of the suspension so soft that you are using most of the suspension travel just sitting on the bike. Whether it gets stiffer or softer depends on how the particular linkage was designed.

By shortening the shock you don't change any of this and the spring and damping rates still match and you still have full use of your suspension travel just as if it were stock.

 

[T-RIDER]

Hi Carl, only noticed this post today.

 

[CarlS]

Thanks, Johann.

 

[JillGat]

I lowered my Tiger about a year ago with the kit from www.soupysperformance.com . Mostly I was concerned about putting my feet down on gravel or unlevel ground. The bike handles great and I feel much better about it.

 

[CarlS]

One needs to feel secure when he/she puts her feet down. That is important. I am glad the lowering kit worked for you. I like Soupy's products; he carries quality stuff.

 

[keystiger]

Great post and info Carl.

 

[tigermoto]

Hi Carl,

if it isn't too much trouble, would you mind providing me with some further detail on how to do the lowering? I can take it to my dealer, but thought I might give it a try myself. For example, removing the rear shock spring-- the whole part, or just undoing the bottom bolt? Is the height adjustment obvious as to how to turn it? Raise the forks by...giving them a lift up with my arms, or adjusting something mechanically in the triple tree?

Many thanks-g

--If you remove the rear shock spring there is a height adjustment on the lower eye of the shock that will give you enough adjustment to lower the rear of the bike about an inch. Then all you have to do is raise the forks in the triple tree and the bike is lower. The bike still has plenty of lean to use the sidestand unmodified but you'll have to be as strong as a bear if you want to use a centerstand without modification.--

 

[CarlS]

Hi Carl,

if it isn't too much trouble, would you mind providing me with some further detail on how to do the lowering? I can take it to my dealer, but thought I might give it a try myself. For example, removing the rear shock spring-- the whole part, or just undoing the bottom bolt? Is the height adjustment obvious as to how to turn it? Raise the forks by...giving them a lift up with my arms, or adjusting something mechanically in the triple tree?

Many thanks-g

--If you remove the rear shock spring there is a height adjustment on the lower eye of the shock that will give you enough adjustment to lower the rear of the bike about an inch. Then all you have to do is raise the forks in the triple tree and the bike is lower. The bike still has plenty of lean to use the sidestand unmodified but you'll have to be as strong as a bear if you want to use a centerstand without modification.--

I have not lowered my Tiger 800XC; so all I know is what I have read or other folks have told me. I have lowered other bikes using a lowering link, which is pretty simple. Yes, it is obvious as how to turn the height adjustment on the shock. I would have the dealer do this unless, you are pretty handy. That is a strong spring. The lowering link you can easily install yourself.

You raise the shocks in the triple tree which lowers the front end. You loosen the triple tree and raise the shocks through it. The idea is to raise the shocks the same amount that you lower the rear. This keeps your geometry for handling the same. You can do this easily.

 

[k7tnt]

You raise the shocks in the triple tree which lowers the front end. You loosen the triple tree and raise the shocks through it. The idea is to raise the shocks the same amount that you lower the rear. This keeps your geometry for handling the same. You can do this easily.

How much can you lower the front end of the bike? I'm new here and looking at the Tiger. I will have to lower it some to fit me. Thanks for any info. Richard

 

[CarlS]

Richard, I don't know the limits. You can only lower it until something will hit when the front shocks are compressed. Just looking at mine, I would say that it would take about 2 inches before mine would hit. That is just a guess. A Triumph tech can probably tell you exactly.

 

[The Seeker]

Lowering the front should only be equal to the amount you lower the rear.

-- Posted with TapaTalk

 

[CarlS]

Spot on. One does not want to change the geometry as that affects handling. Lowering the front and rear equally does not change the geometry.

 

[k7tnt]

Yes, that is what I'm looking to do. Needed to know the limits on what can be made for the rear of the bike. 2" will work for me. Have also thought about HyperPro progressive lowering spring front and rear that maybe over all better for me as I'm only at 155 lbs 5'4" with 29" inseam on the good days! What do you Tiger owners think? Thanks Richard http://epmperf.com/lowering-links.htm

 

[k7tnt]

Now I just can't get this 800 Tiger out of my head.

 

[hemibee]

Take this as just an observation and not fact since I ride a Girlie instead of a 800, but 2" should not be a problem. A friend was looking at the 800 and she actually rode one that was said to have been lowered 2" front and rear. Just looking at the bike it did appear it was 2" lower than stock by the way the bike fit her and when I sat on it, it did feel lower but I couldn't swear to it being 2".

If she had bought it, I would measure it to be sure. She got a better deal on one of them BMW things that was also lowered and height wise it was within a sneeze of the same height as the 800.


Sent from somewhere using Tapatalk

 

[CarlS]

Here is another link to for lowering the rear. His parts are quality. I used them to lower my wife's Yamaha. I have never used HyperPro.

http://www.soupysperformance.com/tiger800.html

 

[k7tnt]

Yes, I like the looks of this very much. Thanks Richard

 

[CarlS]

You are very welcome.

 

[The Seeker]

Hopefully, and it's something to consider, the side stand will still work OK and not need to be shortened

-- Posted with TapaTalk

 

[hemibee]

Good point AJ.