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This is how to lower the bike using the dogbone on this website: http://www.tobefast.com/r6.htm
First, you need to take the weight off of the swingarm. I did this by putting a broomstick with something wrapped around it (so it doesn't scratch) under the seat so that it is pushing up on the battery box. Then I rested the stick on two chairs on opposite sides of the bike.
Now with the rear tire off of the ground, there is no pressure on the rear spring, so you can take the old dogbone out. If you don't know what the dogbone is, maybe you shouldn't try this. When you take the dogbone out, the tire and swingarm will go to the gound (it is still hooked up to the frame though).
After you have the dogbone out, you are going to have to put the bearings that are in it into the new lowering link. You can do this safely, and easily if you have a vise.
Using two sockets, position the dogbone in the vise so that there is a socket that is bigger than the bearing on one side of the bearing to be removed, and a socket that is ever so slightly smaller than the bearing on the other side of the bearing.
With the dogbone and sockets in the vise, start cranking down on it, and the smaller socket will push the bearing out of the dogbone, and into the bigger socket. Do this to both bearings. These are needle bearings, so don't drop them, or you are screwed.
When you have both bearings out, you can install them into the new lowering link. Use a little bit of grease in the new one, so that the bearings will slide in easier.
Using the top of the vise, you can lightly tap the bearings in with a hammer (LIGHTLY!!), then you can press them into place using the same method as taking them out.
It should be noted that when you install it on the bike, the nuts on the lowering link have to be toward the rear of the bike. Put the forward end on first, slide the mounting bolt through, but don't tighten yet.
Then lift the tire and swingarm up until you can slide the bolt through the rear of the link. Now you can tighten both bolts down to specs. (I don't have the specs, I just tightened it down enough to be sure that it wasn't going to come back off, probably around 80ft. pounds, or so.)
Then you can dop the bike down from its perch, and sit on it, and make adjustments to the link as needed to obtain the ride height you want. After you have it where you want it, tighten both nuts down. I highly recommend using lock-tight, as engine vibrations tend to make things come undone.
You REALLY should lower the front, too,. To do this, you just loosen all the triple tree-to-fork bolts, and slide the forks evenly up the tree. A little goes a long way in this dept. I lowerd mine 1 1/2". (Be sure to support the front of the bike, not the front tire, before loosening it all up).
People say that lowering a bike screws up the bike's suspension, and makes it handle like crap. This is not true if you do it right. If the front and rear are lowered evenly, the bike will handle just like it was designed, if not better.
Now that I have lowered mine, it handles better than it did stock in the turns. The center of gravity is lower, and you can really get down in the turns with confidence.
One more thing I should mention is that after you lower it, the stock height of the kickstand isn't going to work anymore. You can either cut it in the middle somewhere, and weld it back together, or you can blow $160 on an adjustable kick stand (rip-off). I cut an inch out of mine.
Good luck, and if there are anymore questions, or if you want me to clarify something, let me know.
:drink
First, you need to take the weight off of the swingarm. I did this by putting a broomstick with something wrapped around it (so it doesn't scratch) under the seat so that it is pushing up on the battery box. Then I rested the stick on two chairs on opposite sides of the bike.
Now with the rear tire off of the ground, there is no pressure on the rear spring, so you can take the old dogbone out. If you don't know what the dogbone is, maybe you shouldn't try this. When you take the dogbone out, the tire and swingarm will go to the gound (it is still hooked up to the frame though).
After you have the dogbone out, you are going to have to put the bearings that are in it into the new lowering link. You can do this safely, and easily if you have a vise.
Using two sockets, position the dogbone in the vise so that there is a socket that is bigger than the bearing on one side of the bearing to be removed, and a socket that is ever so slightly smaller than the bearing on the other side of the bearing.
With the dogbone and sockets in the vise, start cranking down on it, and the smaller socket will push the bearing out of the dogbone, and into the bigger socket. Do this to both bearings. These are needle bearings, so don't drop them, or you are screwed.
When you have both bearings out, you can install them into the new lowering link. Use a little bit of grease in the new one, so that the bearings will slide in easier.
Using the top of the vise, you can lightly tap the bearings in with a hammer (LIGHTLY!!), then you can press them into place using the same method as taking them out.
It should be noted that when you install it on the bike, the nuts on the lowering link have to be toward the rear of the bike. Put the forward end on first, slide the mounting bolt through, but don't tighten yet.
Then lift the tire and swingarm up until you can slide the bolt through the rear of the link. Now you can tighten both bolts down to specs. (I don't have the specs, I just tightened it down enough to be sure that it wasn't going to come back off, probably around 80ft. pounds, or so.)
Then you can dop the bike down from its perch, and sit on it, and make adjustments to the link as needed to obtain the ride height you want. After you have it where you want it, tighten both nuts down. I highly recommend using lock-tight, as engine vibrations tend to make things come undone.
You REALLY should lower the front, too,. To do this, you just loosen all the triple tree-to-fork bolts, and slide the forks evenly up the tree. A little goes a long way in this dept. I lowerd mine 1 1/2". (Be sure to support the front of the bike, not the front tire, before loosening it all up).
People say that lowering a bike screws up the bike's suspension, and makes it handle like crap. This is not true if you do it right. If the front and rear are lowered evenly, the bike will handle just like it was designed, if not better.
Now that I have lowered mine, it handles better than it did stock in the turns. The center of gravity is lower, and you can really get down in the turns with confidence.
One more thing I should mention is that after you lower it, the stock height of the kickstand isn't going to work anymore. You can either cut it in the middle somewhere, and weld it back together, or you can blow $160 on an adjustable kick stand (rip-off). I cut an inch out of mine.
Good luck, and if there are anymore questions, or if you want me to clarify something, let me know.
:drink
