Couldn't really find an answer searching but based on my search I'm not sure I'll find one. I'm deciding between 412's (stock, 12 or 12.5) or 12" Touring air shocks. Which would be the better option? I ride mostly 2 up. Total weight is about 350. I appreciate any help you can give.

 

Neither IMHO. They both only have around 2" total travel which may be fine solo, but your passenger needs a darned sight more care taken of her if she is to ride further than round the block! Cheap shocks give a cheap ride and The Most Important Passenger In The World will thank you for buying shocks with better quality dampers and more travel, to cope with bumps and potholes.

 

Thank you for the input. I am new so am still learning. What would you suggest?

The reason I had the listed options in mind is because of the following. Firstly I don't want to shatter the stock flow of the bike. The 48 has 11" stock shocks, I believe. I think 13 is kind of pushing it but I could maybe do that. And secondly we can ride for about 5 hours all in town before our butts start yapping. And that was before the new seat so I expect to be able to get even more out of it. So it's not like I am in serious need of shocks. It's just something that I would like to add if it doesn't break the bank and gives a nice bump in comfort. If I can achieve a nice gain over stock with just spending a few hundred bucks that is great. That would be ideal. Like I said though, I am new so I am open to feedback and personal experiences.

 

Let me open up the discussion a little, before going back to shocks. I have a SuperLow, which as its name suggests was very low when new, at both front and rear. So I have investigated ways to improve its ride, but have also done the same with my Glide, so have experience with two bikes.

In the case of the forks, I found the Sporty had more sag, after I sat on it, then the travel that was left over, for me to ride on! A bike with 4" total fork travel was riding on around 1 1/2" of available travel! I suspect your 48 is doing much the same. To improve things up front I actually replaced the springs, but also reset the sag, so the front rides around an inch higher, but I now have about 2 1/2" of travel to ride on.

So my SuperLow is now a Super-not-so-Low up front! To balance things up and improve the ride at the rear I used longer shocks, actually 13" long. They have just over 3" of total travel, which with the correct spring rate gives me around 2" to ride on. So I have better damping back there, plus as much available travel as the total travel on the original shocks.

I only ride my Sporty solo, but on my Glide Mrs B and I occasionally tour, loaded to the gunnels. The extra weight of a passenger is something cheaper shocks cannot cope with. They may be on the limit of your 'few hundred bucks' budget, but I strongly recommend you call Howard at HDF sponsor Motorcycle Metal. He will build you shocks with the correct rate springs that will take your breath away! He gives good discounts to members, so drop HDF into the conversation!

 

I vote for the air shocks, I love mine solo or two up.
I run them at 0 PSI solo and about 10 PSI with a passenger and never bottom out.

 

If on a budget...12 inch OEM Ebay priced air shocks, Schrader valve connector kit, Harley air pump, and a nice seat for the passenger.

Else many say Sportster suspension is well, lacking. You can spend $1000s upgrading suspension parts and personalizing to your weight and riding style.