Attempting to lower a bikes height by pre-loading suspension

[Horsey McHorseface]

Pre-loading suspension with ratcheting straps, and why would I want to do that? In relation to transporting a bike, using a vehicle with insufficient rear door height (Honda CR-V SUV, door 95cm). Your average superbike being around 112cm tall at the front and 102cm at the rear.

Checking on suspension travel, on for example YZF-R1’s, forks have 120mm of travel, and 120-130mm at the rear. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_YZF-R1#Specif...

A/ is it possible to lose say 10cm front and rear, using the straps, and B/ potential to inflict damage on suspension, with the compression process – baring in mind, the straps will be loosened off, once the bike's inside the CR-V, where there’s greater headroom to clear the approx 112cm.

[moto_traxport]

Horsey McHorseface said:

rear door height (Honda CR-V SUV, door 95cm).

Your average superbike being around 112cm tall at the front and 102cm at the rear.

is it possible to lose say 10cm front and rear

Real world answer is probably no.

Even your own figures suggest we need to shrink it by 17cm at the front.

It might be actually possible if it was a Guiness book of records challenge type thing by taking the screen off, undoing the bolts on the triple clamps and wiggling the forks up through the yokes a bit then strapping the front end down a bit, then leaning it right over ..... Just no, not really - ride it home, hire or borrow a real van / trailer.

Edit. They're not much under 90cm bellypan to fuel cap. As a proper comedy squeeze you could take the wheels out of it and slide it in on a rug or buy some wheelbarrow wheels from B&Q. You would need at least 3 people and a fair few hours to load it this fashion as they do weigh 200 odd kilos. No again really.

[Jazoli]

I'd say yes you probably could do it, and no there should be no lasting damage, its how you are going to get it in without the bottom of the bike grounding out as there will be no clearance under the bellypan if the suspension is compressed.

Hire a van, £50+fuel, if you can afford to buy an R1 (for example) you can afford to hire a van

[trickywoo]

User name suggests op may know someone with a horse box.

[anonymous-user]

trickywoo said:

User name suggests op may know someone with a horse box.

Unless he's just a really ugly fker

[Steve Bass]

Try the following:

Take off the screen, it's a fairly high item and will reduce the total height significantly at the highest point of the bike

If you still can't get the front low enough, now try strapping the front suspension down. If still no joy, release one of the top triple clamp pinch bolts then release the fork cap. Take care to make sure the spring doesn't cause any risk then once the fork is opened, stuff a rag into the open fork leg with a plastic sandwich bag around it. Stops oil being discharged as the car goes over bumps.

Now try strapping the front suspension. Should need half the effort

Regarding the rear, measure the height to the rear of the seat. If it's over 95cm it'll be by a small margin and you should be able to strap across the seat to the pillion pegs to pull it down. Load the rear first with a helper or two and set the strap in place.

Should fit ok.....

[BOR]

Let air out of front and rear tyres. - 5-10cm

Slacken triple-clamp bolts and move forks up by 5-10cm if possible.

[Rubin215]

Save yourself the hassle and either buy a bigger car or rent a van...

[underwhelmist]

I’ve got a CR-V but I’ve never thought of trying to get my bike in it. If you get the height down it’ll still be a bugger to keep upright as you push it in. Once it’s in how are you going to keep it upright, or are you going to let it lean against the side of the car/windows?

Reminds me of that thread where someone was trying to invent a roof rack to carry his bike