Sometimes the best things in biking are free. You know, an evening wheelie session in an abandoned industrial estate, dragging a peg through a favorite bend or even a cute girl blushing as you blip the throttle at a traffic light. An oftentimes neglected freebie is the abilitity to drop the front end for a more aggressive stance and harder holeshots. But you can’t lower the front without matching it in the rear, and that’s where the freebies stop. It was good while it lasted.
The extra stability and improved looks are what prompted me to slam the R1, but to set it straight I needed a lowering link for the rear and a Google search led me to Roaring Toyz. For under a hundred bucks the billet link allows five positions; from a half-inch all the way down to three (intended for drag strip use only). A bearing is already pressed and the part is ready for installation—you simply have to determine how low you want to roll. The stock kickstand will work fine provided you don’t drop too far, but to keep proper weight on the stand you’ll need to consider an aftermarket unit or a cut and weld job on the stock one.
Some around the office have expressed concerns about ruining the bike’s handling, but even on twisty roads it hasn’t negatively affected the handling. It’s certainly not as quick to turn, but I’m not trying to set lap records down any country roads. Slightly slower steering is worth the sacrifice for better straight line stability (for me). And, she’ll still wheelie just fine.
A GYTR seast cowl came straight...
A GYTR seast cowl came straight from the Yamaha accessories catalog. Fitment is absolutely perfect and it installs in seconds, adding a dramatic appearance upgrade.
The stock turn signals certainly weren’t helping me achieve a sleek and mean look, so off they went in place of flushmounts from Greggs Customs. These are absolute top shelf parts, no question. They’re the only indicators we know of that are made from billet aluminum, making them extremely durable and assuring a perfect fit.
The appearance issues out back are mostly solved thanks to a GYTR seat cowl. It took the place of the rear seat and obviously the fit was perfect—it came from Yamaha’s accessory department after all.
This month’s mod collection pretty much concludes the bolt-on items I had originally mapped out. While I didn’t totally dial in the tail section the way I had hoped, the bike has taken a nice stance.
Dropping the forks through...
Dropping the forks through the triples is the quick and easy way to slam the front, but you'll need a lowering link to drop the rear to match.
The billet lowering link comes...
The billet lowering link comes ready to install with a pressed bearing and five height options - from mild drop to belly flop.
It's amazing that suzh a small...
It's amazing that suzh a small piece of billet aluminum can alter the bike's overall appearance so dramatically.
Next Month: Putting it all to the test out on the road.