Fast way to lower a 400ex

[Blackguywithouta400]

I needed a fast cheap way to lower the front of the 400 for flat tracking. Since it was going to be my first flat track race i didnt want to spend any money on something i didnt like so i came up with this idea to lower the front of the quad about 3 inches in 2hrs time

Heres a picture of it before

[Blackguywithouta400]

Lowerd Front end

[Moto92]

So are you going to tell us what you did or just tease us with the pics?

Looks like you just bolted on some "L" Brackets.

[Crypted1]

Blackguyona400... That set up for flat track, may not be the best set up. I understand you don't want to spend a lot of money, we all didn't when we started racing. But those brackets you placed on top of your suspension towers to move your shocks up, therefor lowering the front I don't know if there are very safe. The first and MOST inportant rule of any type of racing, SAFTY. Those brackets might roll and brake when your sliding through a corner. Not to mention you changed the geomentry on the frame. Now the frame will stress in places is was not designed to. My advice is take the brackets off and run the stock set up. So what the front won't be lowered, your just seeing if you like it anyway, right? If you stick with it then figure out how to lower the front.

[JabberJaw]

I find that, mounting a medium sized cow on the handlebars, gives you just about the right amount of squat. Just don't roll your bike, or they'll site you for 'cow tipping'!

[TrengaBlaster3]

if you were making a bracket anyway, whynot make ones that go up instead of out and you would still have some angle on your shocks instead of being straight up. Are lowering kits that expensive??

[Blackguywithouta400]

I looked at the frame geometry very careful when we made this. All the bracket does it move the shocks up 3” and out about 5” the bracket is one whole piece of steel its 3/8 hardened stuff I picked up at the shop I don’t think it will be the deciding factor if this works or not. My understanding of the front geometry has most of the force going vertical on the mounts by using the existing mounting points the energy should be transferred back on the frame. As for the shocks being straight this is going to offer less leverage for the aarm making it harder to compress the shock and giving a little bit less lean in the corners. All and all the points made are very good; by the way I would never ride something that I felt was unsafe. I’m going to take it around the practice first and see if feels and holds up. Really at this point the money for the other lowering brackets wasn’t the reason for making this one but the time it would take to get them here since I would have to order them and I only decided to race Thursday night. But I enjoy making things so it was ½ the fun anyways

[Blackguywithouta400]

differnt angle

[400exRacerX]

When you paint your steering stem make sure you don't paint the bushing surface.

[Blackguywithouta400]

1st.
My steering stem is Powdercoated and lubed every weekend.

2nd The bracket held up over cource of a night of 3 practices, 2 heats 2 main events

I was able to take 3rd in the 4 stroke Main & 1st in the under 30 main beating a guy on piped banshee he just could not hang with my motor comming out of the corners all and all a very fun night and found out i need some Hoosiers bad they work alot better then stock tires
:devil :D

If any one wants the pattern of this bracket let me know because im taking it off to run MX this saturday.

i want the pattern and measurements please.

[beerock]

hey black guy what about side flex?

it looks like if you hit the rider in front of you while racing. well it looks like it will bend backwards, how bout making some sort of support going across the whole piece of metal

to make a T shape for strenght, and lessening the possibility of it bending back.

[Blackguywithouta400]

I hit my buddy scott really hard and flipped the bike over and nothing happened at all, there really shouldnt be that much pressure from front to back i could put some brackets on there but i think it would just add weight, its pretty strong as long as u dont use thin steel.

[beerock]

how do you know that your friend put all the pressure on that piece of metal?

now that ive looked at it, you could use a piece of piping and get the same effect, possibly lighter DEFINATELY stronger

[Blackguywithouta400]

Be my guest to improve on the design as you wish, im sure I could have made is stronger or better but in the time crunch it was what I came up with. I will never really know how much pressure was put on the bar when I hit my buddy so I don’t know if it will be strong enough for your liking, there no patent so if you can make it better go for it.

If the bar took a direct hit by the top of the shock im sure it would bend some but it would be very hard to have a direct hit up there with the plastic on. You would hit so much more with your plastics on. Anyways make it so it works for you maybe the picture will inspire someone to come out with a product

[knighttime]

Your design looks good and strong. The six-pack engineers who are so worried about its' strength don't comprehend how strong that steel is that u r using.:cool:

I'd like a pattern to make one in case i ever do some flat track racing.:cool:

Originally posted by knighttime
I'd like a pattern to make one in case i ever do some flat track racing.:cool:

knighttime you will have to remove the custom beer huggy holder from the handlebars to compete in flattrack,,you are aware of this correct..:eek:

[knighttime]

How will I be able to drink on the straightaways then?:eek:

[MOFO]

Originally posted by knighttime
How will I be able to drink on the straightaways then?:eek:



The funny part is that he is serious too... :D



Eric