Topic: Lowering a 1979 CB650

[Hush]

Well it's a case of be careful what you wish for this week, I have been playing with the idea of building my partner a real bike as her beloved chinese pink 49cc scooter just doesn't do it for me and I'd love her to have something that could keep up with my CB650.
I had been watching a very nice CB650 on an auction site and some guy pops up in the question section and says he has one locally that is lying in storage and does anyone want it for parts?
Well i have been preoccupied this week with a family funeral but today I found the guys number and gave him a buzz, fully expecting that some other lucky stiff had got down on it.
But no, he's still got it and it is the twin of my ex Police CB650PZ with a mint motor that has been prof rebuilt, bike is in not such pristine condition but that's what I'm here for eh.
Anyhow, last week end Jaffa (partner) was tooling around the back yard on my bike, taking 16 goes at getting the beast to turn when she got it wedged.
She found my bike too tall for her, I know I can lower the rear a little simply by using the rear shock adjusters but the rest of the bike is a solid lump.
Before I commit to another rebuilt (I'd just hate that eh  a shed full of bikes....Yuck! ) I'd like to be certain I can lower the 650 in some way to make it more user friendly for a 5 foot nothing gal.
She's had bikes all her life, last road one was a CB350 so that aint a problem but what can I do to drop it a few inches?

[troppo]

You should be able to lower it an inch or two with lowering blocks on the rear shocks mate.
A lot of the blokes doing bobbers seem to use them so i dont see why you couldnt get them for a 650

[Hush]

True, resetting where the rear shocks attach.
Wonder if removing some fluid from the front forks would make the bike too unstable, I remember extending the forks on one of my old Suzis just by letting the forks travel to their furthest point then adding fluid so they couldn't return, front end bumped like crazy but all summer I had that chopper look lol.

[eurban]

You should be able to slide the forks up in the trees about an inch or so.  . . .Why not just do a custom seat with a lower seating position?  Use high quality foam and it could still be quite comfortable. . . .In the US anyways, the later 650s had much more of a cruiser look with a significantly lower seat.  Sounds like the bike you found is an earlier model?  Perhaps the later style would be better for her?

[martino1972]

hush,my man.....you havent been paying attention to my tread....just weld some chain links instead of shocks in the back...much lower then that you cant get em...

[cb650]

A rear comstar of a 80 or 81 is a 16" instead of your curent 17 and you couldnt tell the diff to look.  Might need to chang the side stand too.   And a set of shock a little shorter.  Cut the seat down some also and you would be there.