I took apart one of the shocks that was stock on my Nightster.



I basically just wanted to take one apart. Before I put it back together I got the idea. I removed coils until the spring rate was the same as the pair of seat springs I originally had.



Removing that much spring will make the shock bottom out and it would basically just be a rigid strut. I don't want it shorter, I just needed the spring rate reduced by 2/3 so I had to have something to take up the area where there was once a coil. Sent my buddy a text with some dimensions and before I needed it I had this spacer.



Before I reassembled it I removed half of the bump stop to take advantage of as much travel as it has without bottoming out metal to metal.





Modified my seat to accept the eye mount.



If you noticed, the front pivot is a leaf spring eye.

I positioned my seat pan to share the same angle as the backbone and positioned my seat shock to share the same angle as the springer front end.



Once everything was positioned the lower shock tab location was laid out for me.



Here's how it flows.









You might think that it would be super stiff but I was actually worried that it would be too soft...and it is alot soft but not too much. If it turns out to be too soft I can adjust the shock in the exact same manner as it was originally designed to stiffen it up in 4 or 5 graduations.

Thanks for looking

 

Absolutely awesome! I love your ideas Mr Reed!

 

fvck mike....that's trick! this bike is going to be sick! btw...you making any of those nifty seat hinges like you made for your buddy's nightster? everything out there seems to be crap and i like the pivot bushings you added to yours.