Handling

[vicar]

A mate of mine has a ETZ 251 he is cafe racinging he has raised the rear by extending the shocks with 50mm brackets his plan now is to drop the forks 50mm to improve the stance. I have offered to help him out of the ditch but he thinks I am scare mongering . What you you think if it's not a good idea let me know and I will pass on you collective thoughts and you might help to keep him alive.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

he may scare himself the first time out
if raising the rear raised the bike then fhe fork angle got steeper
dropping the front will make it even steeper
if bike is short wheel base it will be very quick in the stearing

test ride with care

dave

[MichaelTorre]

Improve the "stance" ?

Is he posing ? :- )

I see a tank slapper in the making.

Better to learn how to properly counter steer, than need a computerized steering damper.

But hey what do those engineer's know , eh ?
(crack on)

Best regards,
M.

[vincentm]

I race MZ's and we do drop the forks through the yokes by a few inches. The rear height would remain the same or be shortened slightly not raised.
We use rearsets and clip ons to make a more sporty riding position.
They do steer quickly bordering on twitchy but tankslappers are not common, steering dampers used to be common but most have been ditched now.
For the road, I assume this is more about looks than handling.

[MichaelTorre]

Ok then.
Very good stable bike.
M

[arry_b]

A 251 has the shortest wheel base of the 250cc bikes, there's nothing "spare" there to compensate for a reduction in trail or an increase in the steering angle. He's also going to carefully check for clearance between the front wheel/mudguard and the exhaust when the forks are compressed.

How's he going to secure the forks into the top yoke? There are no clamps on the original yoke, so he's going to have to think how he's going to secure the top of the tubes, or it'll all be extremely wobbly. And won't pass an MOT like that.

I reckon he'll make it to the first corner. Bring bandages.

[vicar]

The front end is remaining as Mz intended , but to give him credit he is making it look good and very shiny he is 6ft 4in and not thin so it will be squashed into submission