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Before
After

Lowering Your Front 1.5" for Almost Nothing

Disclaimer: I can not be held responsible for anyone screwing up their bike or accessories when attempting this modification.
While it worked well for me, I can't guarantee other people's workmanship or prevent their mistakes.
You undertake this at your own risk!

To go along with my rear lowering, I wanted to lower the front too for that long, low look.
Barons has a kit that was about $110 at the time. It's $140 now.
Being tight on funds, I wanted to find a cheaper way out.

TJ on the Road Star Riders forum [see Links] had just purchased a kit.
Someone else mentioned that they heard of making your own spacers and lowering it, and asked TJ to measure his kit spacers.
[Reference RSR message thread: 59382.1]

His measurements were:

Length: 38mm or 1-1/2"
OD: 32mm or 1-1/4"
ID: 22.50mm or 7/8"
wall thickness: 4.75mm or 3/16"

Here's a drawing he made:

[also reference RSR message: 59382.28 for this drawing]

Parts Required - Here are the parts required for my particular build/set-up:

Pipe/Tubing - 2 Lengths
About 1-1/4" OD x 7/8" ID x 1.5" long (or however low you want to go - 1" long for 1" lowering, etc.)
Material can be just about anything. Aluminum, steel, etc. See what you can find at the hardware store.
That's all!

How to build it:

Step 1:
Read over and make notes on the several pages in the Roadstar Service Manual which shows how to disassemble the front fork assemblies.
You need to have a good feel for what order things come apart and go back together.

Step 2:
Look over the Baron instructions to see where they indicate the top-out spacers go.
Baron's Installation Instructions (as of 6/19/07):
http://baronscustom.com/page/download.html?type=pdf&file=20070301164230.pdf&name=BA-7522-00%20INSTALLATION%20GUIDE
Look for the location in the lower left corner of the installation instructions diagram:

The top-out spacer goes between what is known as the damper rod and the damper spring, which slides over the rod (can't recall if that is the terminology in the service manual).

Step 3:
Modify Your Stock Fork Springs
If you look at the Barons kit and instructions, they include new lowering fork springs (which are shorter than the stock ones) and PVC pre-load spacer material.
NOTE: We're not talking about the small damper rod spring that the top-out spacer is shown fitting between it and the damper rod.
We're talking about the long fork springs you removed through the top of your upper triple tree after taking off the fork caps.
So...since you don't have the kit and you're doing this yourself, ignore the part of the instructions and diagram that mention the Barons Lowering Spring and PVC PreLoad Spacer (shown at the top of the lowering springs).
When you re-assemble all the fork parts with the 1.5" long top-out spacers, one of the last things you will be doing is putting the long fork springs back into the top of the upper triple tree and screwing down the fork spring cap nut. I tried like crazy, but couldn't get the cap on. The stock length spring was just too long and too stiff to push it down far enough. I suspect the ride would have been much too stiff had I somehow managed to use the un-modified stock spring.
Instead I chose to take a cut-off grinder and cut 2" from the spring. You could also only cut 1.5" to accomodate the top-out spacers exactly, but I wanted a slightly less firm ride. So I went with 2". After cutting off the 2" I needed to make the end flat and smooth like it was before the cut. I heated the spring slightly while bending the exposed, raw cut coil down to the coil immediately below it, then belt sanded it flat (for the fork cap to sit on evenly).

That's it!
Just make sure you take your time, read and re-read the Service Manual dis-assembly instructions as you carefully progress.
You will have to remove your front forks entirely. I had heard that others managed to do this mod (using a kit), by leaving the forks on the bike, but I honestly can't see how it could be done. Working with the instructions and having it laying on the bench makes it very easy to see what's what.

Home | Photos | "How To" | Links | Contact

Parts Required - Here are the parts required for my particular build/set-up:
Pipe/Tubing - 2 Lengths About 1-1/4" OD x 7/8" ID x 1.5" long (or however low you want to go - 1" long for 1" lowering, etc.) Material can be just about anything. Aluminum, steel, etc. See what you can find at the hardware store. That's all!

How to build it:
Step 1: Read over and make notes on the several pages in the Roadstar Service Manual which shows how to disassemble the front fork assemblies. You need to have a good feel for what order things come apart and go back together.
Step 2: Look over the Baron instructions to see where they indicate the top-out spacers go. Baron's Installation Instructions (as of 6/19/07): http://baronscustom.com/page/download.html?type=pdf&file=20070301164230.pdf&name=BA-7522-00%20INSTALLATION%20GUIDE Look for the location in the lower left corner of the installation instructions diagram: The top-out spacer goes between what is known as the damper rod and the damper spring, which slides over the rod (can't recall if that is the terminology in the service manual).
Step 3: Modify Your Stock Fork Springs If you look at the Barons kit and instructions, they include new lowering fork springs (which are shorter than the stock ones) and PVC pre-load spacer material. NOTE: We're not talking about the small damper rod spring that the top-out spacer is shown fitting between it and the damper rod. We're talking about the long fork springs you removed through the top of your upper triple tree after taking off the fork caps. So...since you don't have the kit and you're doing this yourself, ignore the part of the instructions and diagram that mention the Barons Lowering Spring and PVC PreLoad Spacer (shown at the top of the lowering springs). When you re-assemble all the fork parts with the 1.5" long top-out spacers, one of the last things you will be doing is putting the long fork springs back into the top of the upper triple tree and screwing down the fork spring cap nut. I tried like crazy, but couldn't get the cap on. The stock length spring was just too long and too stiff to push it down far enough. I suspect the ride would have been much too stiff had I somehow managed to use the un-modified stock spring. Instead I chose to take a cut-off grinder and cut 2" from the spring. You could also only cut 1.5" to accomodate the top-out spacers exactly, but I wanted a slightly less firm ride. So I went with 2". After cutting off the 2" I needed to make the end flat and smooth like it was before the cut. I heated the spring slightly while bending the exposed, raw cut coil down to the coil immediately below it, then belt sanded it flat (for the fork cap to sit on evenly).
That's it! Just make sure you take your time, read and re-read the Service Manual dis-assembly instructions as you carefully progress. You will have to remove your front forks entirely. I had heard that others managed to do this mod (using a kit), by leaving the forks on the bike, but I honestly can't see how it could be done. Working with the instructions and having it laying on the bench makes it very easy to see what's what.