Hi All. I'm planning to go to 16 inch bars (I'm 5'11") and want at least shoulder level grips. But I'm wondering if I also (planning on) lower the suspension in the back two inches...does that technically mean my reach is raised 18 inches by doing both of those changes? ie....maybe it would be better to get 14 " bars and 2 inch susp drop to make the same 16" difference.... yes I think too much, but rather know if possible before I spend the money on the bars and then end up going smaller...have a good one, thanks in advance.

 

Uhm, no. Nothing you do int the rear suspension has anything to do with the front height.

 

Lowering the rear suspension will not change the reach to your bars while sitting astride the bike. It will lower the saddle height ,and change the rake slightly. Others may comment on other effects of this change.

 

hammer nailed it!

 

JMHO: If you have the perfect height bars for you, lets say level to the shoulders. If you drop the rear of the bike, your bars will "seem" to be taller because "your" rear is sitting lower to the ground, but the bar height did not change. With bike level, your eyes were above your hands, lower rear of bike, now you may be looking between your hands.

A windshield is a good example. With bike flat, you just look over the shield. If you lower the rear, your now looking through the shield. Kinda like when your going up a hill, everything looks normal, but when you get to the top of the hill, you need to look lower, you'll be looking through the shield until your on flat ground again.

Tom