I have an 03 egc and was wondering what the. Length of the stock air shocks are. My wife has a bad back and I'm looking into a bit longer shock to help negate the clunk when bigger bumps are hit, and will regular coil overs work better than the air shocks thanks

 

Pretty sure - 13"

I went to Works performance - pricy but made all the difference and their CS is Great

Call them - they will build a shock to fit YOU and YOUR Wife..

 

the stock shocks are referred to as "13 inch". they have a 2.75" travel.

start by adjusting teh air pressure, see if you can make them work- otherwise there are a number of suppliers- the premium probably being Ohlins...there are some good threads on them, but many of those riders are looking for a performance shock which can be harsh ( corvette vs cadillac).

I like the air shocks for a floaty cadillac ride. ( I am am a back surgery guy)

the stock shocks were revised in 2009 with different valving- I think the 1983~2008 version were a softer ride

Mike

 

The stock air shocks are pretty cheap things, with poor damping, which is the cause of the clunk and other discomfort you both suffer while riding. Longer shocks are not necessarily the solution, but shocks with better quality damping are. So rather than looking around for a different set of cheap shocks, give serious consideration to buying some decent ones. We have a sponsor who will custom build you both a set of Ohlins that will solve your problems in a stroke!

Mrs B and I don't have back problems, but our Ohlins have transformed our comfort, especially on long rides. They have never bottomed out, even when hitting a railroad crossing at speed (darned thing just jumped in the way out of nowhere!), smooth out potholes and even small surface irregularities a treat. We can ride further in a day and still feel comfortable at the end of the day, ready to ride the following day. Life is transformed!

 

What's your budget?

 

Not true at all. Just the opposite. The stock shocks are very harsh. We change to get a more plush ride not to firm things up. As mentioned above it's a damping issue.

 

Very true! Unfortunately there is a lot of misunderstanding where suspension and shocks are concerned. In the case of our Harleys the stock shocks and most aftermarket ones can give a reasonable ride for a solo rider, however once our favourite passenger is on board things change!

The extra weight out back adds to the load on the shocks, which most brands are unable to cope with well. In addition Mrs J gets a different riding experience and is subjected to bumps and thumps that are worse for her than Mr J up front. Add her bad back and 'we' need to provide her with a superior riding experience.

jaxdwg, you can do as many of us have and hunt around for a cheap solution, buying perhaps several different sets of shocks and finding that none of them solve the challenge. Or you can do as some of us do eventually and call Howard at HDF sponsor Motorcycle Metal. Mrs J will thank you and you can take all the credit for giving her a comfy ride!

 

John, that's the wrong question! What is needed here is a solution that works and works well. It's more a question of how long will it take to afford the right ones, if necessary.

 

The reason I asked is that Howards stuff is pricey, but that's what I would suggest if he can afford them. I'm puzzled by the notion of "harshness" with his stock air shocks though, I haven't experienced that even with high air pressures in mine. [Edit] My bad, harshness was mentioned by someone other than the OP.

 

I agree about prices for Ohlins, however they are excellent value for money, not something that can be said for many brands of shocks! Harshness may not be the best word, but our experience of before and after Ohlins is that our previous shocks were uncomfortable - and harsh will do as a description.

Our Ohlins are just plain smoother, all the time and over every surface. It means we are more relaxed, more comfortable, simply riding along on a decent smooth-looking road. When the surface gets poorer, we continue to enjoy a smoother and less harsh ride. You really should try them, if you haven't! It's not for nothing that we Ohlins owners encourage others to try them.

Life will never be the same - it's the only way to travel.....