I have a Yamaha XT250x and its a bit high for my short legs, especially when I want to go off-road. So I wanted to lower my bike. The first and easy option is to cut the seating a bit. A job that was done within 15min at the local motorbike-shop for 100thb. It makes a different, both in height as in comfort. Well never mind the comfort as the bike is not intended for comfortable long trips.

Second and a bit more difficult option is to lower the suspension. I then I do not mean the change the pre-load of the suspension but changing the link-rod that connects the rear-suspension with the swing-arm / frame. I checked on internet and I could order them from internet for about 3000thb per piece. Bit expensive for a test. So I found a small hardware shop that could make a set of 2 for me for 400thb.

The orginal link-rod (3c5) is 116mm long and I had that extended to 125mm (the size of the lowering link-rods I saw on internet). At home I replaced them and indeed it is amazing how much in lowering is made by only 9mm longer link-rods. As said on the internet-site one should now also change your side-stand.

But as also mentioned ..... you loose a lot of driving comfort and some people say that you should not do serious off-road driving anymore. And bloody right they are! Made a small highway & off-road trip yesterday. Big fun but I am going to put the standard link-rods back again! Wow what a difference in driving comfort!

Maybe I should try new link-rods of only 5mm longer as a comprise between driving comfort and lowering the bike?

Chang Noi