FAQ: Does shortening/raising dog-bones change the suspension's geometry?

just wondering if the SV suspension design means that using different the dog-bones to raise/lower the ride height has any effect on the swing-arm leverage on the shock itself.

walter

Swing arm leverage? If you are reffering to mathematically then yes there will be a difference in leverage. If you are refering to a noticabel swingarm leverage such as making the spring feel softer or harder then you will notice very little. If you do there is preload adjustment. If you mean actual bike geometry, then a raised rear end will allow for quicker turning, lower rear end will allow for slower more stable turning.

Is that what you are looking for?

I got my rear end raised an inch. All it really did is make e the bike feel lighter (quicker turn in like mentioned above). It does change the bikes geometry, but only a little tiny bit.

As mentioned, it won't change the suspension action or effective spring rate much.

Increasing the shock length or adding preload to the shock spring will raise the rear end and will put the suspension in a "softer" part of the curve. Reducing the shock length or reducing the preload will lower the rear and put the suspension in a "stiffer" part of the curve.

Note that the changes are due entirely to changing the angle of the cushion lever in the as-ridden position.