Can the Imperial 400's seat height be lowered?
2 Answers
In fact, it cannot be lowered because, in a sense, it only adjusts the softness and hardness of the seat. Such a subtle change will not have a significant impact on the overall seat height. Appearance of the Imperial 400: In terms of appearance, the Imperial 400 largely inherits the design essence of the first Imperiale from 1956. At that time, the iconic single-cylinder transverse egg-shaped engine of the Imperiale 125 was one of its distinguishing features, and its low center of gravity was well-reflected. The Imperial 400 also strives to replicate this design on its double-cradle frame as much as possible. Powertrain configuration of the Imperial 400: The Imperial 400 is equipped with a 374cc single-cylinder air-cooled 2V engine, delivering a maximum power of 15.5 kW (21 Ps) at 5500 rpm and a maximum torque of 29 Nm at 4500 rpm. Based on the data, the engine is relatively focused on performance at low RPMs.
I've been riding my Royal Enfield 400 for almost two years, and lowering the seat height is definitely doable. The first choice is to replace it with a thinner seat pad - lowest cost with instant results. After shaving off 3cm from my bike's seat, I could flat-foot the ground wearing sneakers. Adjusting the rear shock preload can also drop it by about 2cm, but be careful not to overdo it and compromise cornering stability. If that's still not enough, you'll need to spend big bucks on shortened shock absorbers, though this alters the bike's geometry requiring extra caution when cornering in wet conditions. Last time after modifications, my 160cm-tall friend could tiptoe both feet during our mountain ride! Recommendation: try thick insoles first before deciding.
