Here's a step by step guide with pics on how to remove your rear suspension and lower your Yamaha Raider.
1. Remove the exhaust system.
2. Jack up the bike. When I've got my bike on the lift I use a scissors jack. If you don't have one of these a regular bike jack will be fine.
3. Get that bike up high! Then place a few blocks of wood under the rear tire and lower it back down.
4. On the right side of the bike you should now be able to see the rear brake cylinder. 3 of the bolts need to be removed (Marked with an R) and 1 of them loosened (Marked with an L). Start from the left.
This is what it should look like after you do the above. You'll have to slightly push the brake cylinder down so you can get at those 2 larger bolts that are above it later on.
5. On the left side of the bike is the horn. You'll have to remove these 2 bolts so that you can drop it out of the way.
This is what it should look like when you're done. You're doing this so you can gain access to those 2 large nuts that are behind it.
6. Go back to the right side of the bike and locate the 2 bolts I'm pointing to. You'll need 2 17mm sockets, 2 extensions, and 2 socket wrenches...this works the easiest.
This next part is ALOT easier if you have someone else to hold a wrench on the left side of the bike. Loosen, about 3 turns should be enough, but DON'T REMOVE the front (to your right) bolt. It's the rear motor mount bolt but it has to be lose.
Now completely remove the rear bolt (on your left). You'll probably have to fiddle with your jack, up or down, in order to relieve the pressure on the bolt so you can slide it out. There's also a spacer on the bolt so watch for it.
7. Now move toward the rear of the bike about 1 & 1/2 feet and locate the bolt I'm pointing to on the bottom of the rear of the shock assembly. The assembly is silver gray.
Use your 2 17mm sockets without the extensions and remove the nut and bolt. You'll quickly realize that once you remove the nut and bolt you won't be able to slide the bolt out because it's too long. So, sloooooooowly lower the jack just to the point where you can slide the bolt out from the side. If you lower it too far you'll bang the belt guard with the fender. Don't ask me how I know this.
8. If you've done everything correctly you should now be able to slide the entire shock and spring assembly out the rear as shown below. See that spacer I've drawn the circle around? It's got an arrow showing where it goes. There's one on the other side too. They have a tendency to fall out and roll away when you remove the assembly. Don't ask me how I know this either.
Here's what the entire assembly looks like once you have it removed.
9. This plate (circled) running down both sides are known as dog bones. When you remove them they do kind of resemble dog bones. To remove them just remove the nut and bolt (yellow arrow) and slide off. Replace them with the lowering dog bones of your choice. Then reverse the entire process to put your bike back together.
