6" lowering kit

[thegoochking]

I have a guy that lives about 2 hours from me that fabricated a lowering kit to drop his rear 6" ive been wanting to lower mine quite a bit and 6" seems like it would bring it prey low.

[Charles S Otwell]

I don't know what kind of bike he has , But I'm pretty sure you don't have 6" of travel to spare on the Magna. I know that several members have lowered there Magnas, I think I have even seen where someone turn one into a hardtail ( to each his own)  . Someone more familiar with the Cobra lowering kit can jump in with how much is a practable amount. Some of us have attained the lower stance by lowering the seat height. I think lowering the seat and a modest amount with a lowering kit could possibly help you achieve the look, or the rider stance your after without compromising the Magna's excellent handling ability. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but what ever you do to rear you'll need to do to the front  to maintain the Magna's handling.  Just my qwn opinion  .

[thegoochking]

The guy has a magna he is selling it and it also has a custom rear fender, he says its a 6" lower in the rear and he said he had to fabricate it himself due to the fact that nobody makes them to go that low. I also found a guy selling one that is lowered so much that he states it needs to be walked over speed bumps. I want to get her as low to the ground as i can any get some bars that are higher and closer so i can lay bak and relax once i get some foreward controls. I love the speed and the way the magna moves and the great engine which is why i got it over any other cruiser, but i like the feel of the shadow or the v-star more. Im just trying to fit it more to my liking and i know it can be done.

Here are some pics i found of magnas that habe been made to look how i want mine or similar to what i want.



mainly this one, the rear sits nice and low.

[thegoochking]

Heres a picture of the bike that was lowered 6"

[Sledge Hammer]

My bike was lowered when I took it for the test ride. I had it restored to factory ride height as a condition of the sale. In lowered form, the steering was faster but because ground clearance was reduced, the handling was compromised because the mufflers dragged so easily.

[Magniac]

I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to wrap my head around the idea of anyone wanting to do that to a perfectly good Magna.  But that's just me . . .

[thegoochking]

Well i like the look and feel of a lower bike, i know that the magna has a rocket engine in it but it isnt a rocket, i prefer the feel and looks of the lower bikes but love the performance and engine of the magna. So for me lowering it would just make it more of the perfect bike for me, where i live there realy arent any mountainy twisties to go tearing down for the incredible ground clearance it has to make a difference.

[Greg Cothern]

If its what you want then go for it!  Heck its your bike and you have to like it and make it yours!

You can accomplish the lowering in a couple different ways, first you can install a Cobra rear lowering kit and get shorter shocks this will lower it quite a bit..  I would also slide the front forks up through the triple tree's a bit to even out the lowering on both ends.  Make sure you shorten your kickstand to work with the shorter stance.

You can also make it a rigid out back but this is not preferred by lower backs all over the world...  LoL.

[thegoochking]

how would i go about making it a rigid back?

[Greg Cothern]

I have seen folks use steel tubing in place of the shock absorber.  THIS IS very tough on ones backside, not too mention can very easily  upset the handling of the bike.  Where as normally the shocks would soak up bumps now you have nothing, also you are MORE likely to loose rear traction in this setup.

[thegoochking]

Oh god deffinetly not something i want to do lol i just recovered from 2 slipped discs in my back,  dont need a stiff rear to nock them back out.

[roboto65]

Progressive makes a 11" rear shock and with the cobra rear lowering kit that would give you alot !!!!!


http://www.progressivesuspension.com/prodSearchResults.aspx?yearID=1999&makeID=40&modelID=431

[thegoochking]

Alright guys if i was to decide to make my magna a hardtail by modding the suspension how would i do it, i dont get to do much long rides so i dont think the hard ride will bother me much. I can always make a solo seat with springs o help with the roughness. I want to drop her about 5-6 inches. I know people use steel struts or something like that in place of the shocks to lower it. How would i do this mod.

[Greg Cothern]

Well I would start by putting the bike on a lift and removing the rear shocks.. Then lower the lift till the bike is where you want it in rear suspension height.  Then you can get your measurements for strut length.
Will need mounting eyes such as the shocks have, then simply quality weld in the length of steel tubing and your ready for extreme lower back pain!!!!!!!!!  LoL.
NOW if you wish to skip that last part some, I would go with the Cobra lower kit and short shocks as previously suggested and I think you will be suprised how low that will bring the Magna down in altitude..

[thegoochking]

Well the cobra kit only drops it about an inch and a half i think so to get close to how low im looking to drop her, the shocks would have to give me 3-4 inches od lowing. I havent seen shocks anywhere to lower the magna more than an inch and a half which with that and the cobra kit would do a max of 3 inches.