Lowering a 2001 CR125

I just picked up a 2001 CR125 and it is a little tall for me, I'm 5.5 and 120lbs, the guy I bought it from was real close in heigth and weight about 5lbs heavier than me and said he had all suspension set for him. He raced this bike some and said the suspension was set to land good. I have read where you can cut the seat down and where you can purchase the lowering link for these. I was wondering if I could just adjust the rear shock on it by the adjusting nuts agaist the spring or would that be a bad idea?  

why ruin a perfectly good bike by lowering it? sell it and buy a crf230 or xr200.
ricky carmical raced his kx 80 with no seat foam becase with it he couldnt touch the footpegs never mind the ground AND he crushed the guys who could.
by the way what do you think will happen when your leg touches the ground between 400 lbs of bike, 20mph of inertia and terra firma? SNAP CRACKLE POP! "injury forces sale"
after a serious accident i was 119 lbs and had very little use in my left leg. 5'6" on one side and 5'3" on the other. I learned proper technique from gary baily school and rode an it175. Check the seat hieght on the 83 IT175(about 4" taller than yours)
ride smart not hard  
90 KTM 250
90 KTM 500
86 CR 80
76 KM 100

II'm just looking at lowering for the sake of coming to a stop and on take off, bike is fine while riding just issues when not going. I like my bike and don't want to sell, just want it tailored to me.  

I can think of many Professional riders that have their bikes shortened. Carmichael, Stewart. Those guys all suck right? Yes they shortened their bikes.

Here's what you can do. Mind you this is irreversible with the parts you have so if you make an error, you need to replace them.

Seats: you can shave the seat down. Now as you take material away, this gives you a wider seat, so your legs still have to get around that. It does lower your butt but may not be the results you were looking for. Try finding a used seat and start with that, see if you like the results.

Shortening the subframe. Where the subframe mounts to the frame at the lowest spot, see if you can elongate the hole. I had done this on my 01 CR 250 and was able to lower the seat an inch. If you are handy with welding you can lower the bottom about 5mm which translates into inches at the top. You will need to adjust how your pipe mounts and the air boot. I would start with small steps first. And remember once you do this if you dont like it you would have to replace the parts.

I hope that helps.  

Yeah to lower a bike in IMO isnt a good idea, you can put les preload on the spring, but you will have a sloppy suspension that will bottom out extremely easily, so rather get another bike or get eat some growing cereals! LOL  
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2006 YZ250

- FMF Gold Series Fatty
- Yamaha Racing Graphics Kit
- Twin Air Filter
- Vforce 2 Reed Valves
- Clarke long range tank
- Cycra Handguards
- Longhorn Triple Clamps
- Pro Grip-Grips
- Pro Taper Handlebar
- Renthal o-ring chain and sprockets

most riders that shorten thier suspesion do it for HANDLING reasons NOT so they can touch the ground. carmichael used to ride his 80 with no seat foam (less than 1") because his feet wouldnt touch the footpegs. yes all of those guys you mentioned do or did lower, BUT also had tens of thousands of dollars worth of suspension mods.
if you must touch your feet on the ground send your shocks out to a good suspension shop and tell them how short you want it. just lowering the sub frame? did your rear wheel touch the fender well when bottoming before lowering? what do you think will happen if it is now an inch lower?
just because the pros do it dosent mean that its right for the average rider.  
90 KTM 250
90 KTM 500
86 CR 80
76 KM 100

I wished it was just a matter of eating some growing cereal. Been eating for 37 years and probably done growing. It is odd that I posted about which bike to buy before I did buy and most said the 125. More specific 500paul said:

"ricky carmical was shorter then you are and won everything. get the lager bike CR125 AND get some proper riding instruction (like GARY SEMICS ECT)
The cr 80 has small wheels which do not translate well for heavier riders
IF bike hieght is a concern how about a crf230?  
90 KTM 250
90 KTM 500
86 CR 80
76 KM 100 "

So why now after I bought it are you telling me to get another bike?????  

You can lower the subframe quite a bit before the wheel will rub, I have gone 10MM and my CR never rubbed. Most the factory bikes lower the subframes and leave the suspension alone. It doesn't change the geometry of the wheels in relation to the frame. Everything is centered just with a lower seat height. Lowering links work, you will find the suspension is slower though. I have lowered every bike I have owned. The caveat of lowering links, you must lower the forks as well. The links for the 2009-2010 CRF's lower the rear end, they also slow the suspension ratio.

Handling also means with respect to someone with short legs to bring them in comfort of riding. Those tens of thousands of suspension mods are, hand made parts, springs to the weight of the rider and valving per rider preference. Stock or Hand made, they are near identical aside from manufacturing imperfections and valving routing.

Scottsdale isnt racing pro, this guy is looking to make his bike comfortable. I doubt at 120lbs he will bottom out. In fact the stock spring is probably too heavy for him. Ideally I would spring the bike to his weight before doing any of this and see how it all works. Stock rear was 4.8 for 125 lbs it is recommended 4.3 Remember if you change the rear you must change the front.

There is no reason to tell this guy he got the wrong bike, he will adapt.

http://old.racetech.com/evalving/SpringRateCalculation/dirtspring.asp?brand=Honda&yr=2001&ml=CR125R&formuse=form1&SpringType=Fork&bikeid=137  

500Paul said it best in my opinion! No reason to add on.  
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DIABETES SUX!

WOODS THERE YOU ARE! please reply in my thread "anti freezing coming out of waterpump"

PLEASE WOODS OR CHECK YOUR PM!!!  i really need exact help with that!  
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2006 YZ250

- FMF Gold Series Fatty
- Yamaha Racing Graphics Kit
- Twin Air Filter
- Vforce 2 Reed Valves
- Clarke long range tank
- Cycra Handguards
- Longhorn Triple Clamps
- Pro Grip-Grips
- Pro Taper Handlebar
- Renthal o-ring chain and sprockets

500paul:
why ruin a perfectly good bike by lowering it? sell it and buy a crf230 or xr200.
ricky carmical raced his kx 80 with no seat foam becase with it he couldnt touch the footpegs never mind the ground AND he crushed the guys who could.
by the way what do you think will happen when your leg touches the ground between 400 lbs of bike, 20mph of inertia and terra firma? SNAP CRACKLE POP! "injury forces sale"
after a serious accident i was 119 lbs and had very little use in my left leg. 5'6" on one side and 5'3" on the other. I learned proper technique from gary baily school and rode an it175. Check the seat hieght on the 83 IT175(about 4" taller than yours)
ride smart not hard

I just read this and Im sorry, that is a ridiculous idea 500. Sell the 125 for a 230 or xr 200 is not even close to what he needs to do and lowering a bike(if done correctly)is not a bad thing. Women do this all the time and its very helpful. you can get a 230 but will have to redo the suspension if you really wan tto ride because the suspension is weak and not worth crap. The bike you have is great and my girl rides a 99 yz 125 that is stock hirght and wieght, she just rode a lowered kx 250f which was perfect for her. The KX was professionally lowered and rides amazingly. Also, you will not ruin a bike by lowering it, you can always go back to stock setting if you wish, its not a perminant alter.  
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MIKE
Phoenix, az
(07 yz250)
(99 yz125)


Every bush has its day (sanders, 2009)
Lack of enthusiasm is for the weak and timid. (alex, a.k.a. yz250 forever)

"I know much about nothing at all"(Maple, 2009)

My nephew is short and rode a YZ125 for a few years, the only thing he had to do was shave the foam in the seat down.  He has trouble on hills if he doesn't make it and has to dismount.  Try riding it for a while before you decide to change it too much...  
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NW Montana
Where the pavement ends and the fun begins  
2005 KTM300exc

Here is a picture of his altered seat on the YZ125:

 
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NW Montana
Where the pavement ends and the fun begins  
2005 KTM300exc

 
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NW Montana
Where the pavement ends and the fun begins  
2005 KTM300exc

if you lower the suspencion you will replace your fork seals way more often as well  
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2000 YZ 250
Balls to the wall