This thread deals with Progressive Suspensions Touring Link for 2009 and up Touring Models and in particular, fitment of the Touring Link on my 2011 Ultra Glide Classic with V & H Power Dual Headers.

My experience with Direct Cycle Parts and Progressive Suspension Customer Support has been excellent.

I shopped around and found that Direct Cycle Parts had the best price for the Progressive Suspension 2009 & Up Touring Link of $164.95 less their online $5 bucks for a free shipped, no sales tax price of $159.95.

On 2/14 I call DCP and spoke with John in the Order Department regarding fitment of the 2009 Progressive Touring Link on my 2011 Ultra which has Vance & Hines Power Dual Headers installed. Seems there was some talk that the 2009 Touring Link was having fitment problems with Stock Headers but Progressive was now making available a revised bracket and were sending them free of charge facilitate installation. John indicated he was not sure but would called Progressive and get back to me. I'm on the east coast and DCP is on the west coast. Around 8pm my time John called but I was unable to answer.

On 2/15 in the AM I called Progressive Suspension Customer Support and spoke with Frank, Sales Administration Manager, regarding my concern about fitment of the Touring Link with the V & H Power Duals Header. Frank indicated that they had not heard of any problems with fitment, was aware of the Stock Header fitment issue and assured me that if I needed the same revised bracket he would send it to me for free. Later that morning I called John back from DCP. I told me that he had spoken with Progressive and reiterated what Frank had told me too. Based on this I decided to go ahead and order the Touring Link.

Order was placed and on 2/15 I received emails confirming the Order and that is was in Processing. On 2/18 I received an email indicating that the Order was going to be shipped on 2/19 and that DCP would let me know the following day what the Tracking Number was. Sure enough on 2/19 I received an email with the Tracking Number indicating that the package was originally going to be delivered on Monday, 2/25 but had been changed to delivery this Friday, 2/22. Sure enough the package was delivered this morning.

So, I am happy to report my complete satisfaction with both Direct Cycle Parts and Progressive Suspension. Frank from Progressive was kind enough to email me the installation instructions back on 2/15. Since I live in Pittsburgh, PA and we've been having nothing but winter weather here, I decided to go ahead and prep my bike for installing the link. The X-Pipe Section of the Power Dual Header is pretty close to the bottom screw hole where the Touring Link would attach to the swingarm pivot point. I choose to remove the muffler hanger bolts from the saddle bag supports on each muffler, remove the bolts supporting the cross pipe, loosen the two mounting bolts for the Header and finally loosened the two exhaust flange nuts on the rear cylinder. Doing this gave me enough free play that I felt I would be able to install the lower bolt of the Touring Link without any hinderence. Now that I have the actual Kit, the bolt is only 1" long so maybe I didn't have to go through all the above. I was bored anyway and needed something to do.

So, installation will be either tonight or tomorrow and I will update this Thread with my observations. Hopefully after old man winter leaves here I will continue to update this Thread with the Links performance. Now, I know everyone is saying that the 2009 & up frame is suppose to have eliminated the whallowing of the older touring bikes but I've have lowered my bike front and back and still experience whallowing in cruising speed turns. It's my hope the Touring Link will either reduce or eliminate the whallowing. Suspension wise, I have top notch components installed with the Progressive Monotube Cartridge Front Fork 1" lowered Kit and JRI'B 12" Rear Shocks.

 

I've been contemplating a 09+ touring link so I'll be watching for your input. Progressive advised me that they thought I'd have no fitment issues with my V&H propipe. I'm in WI so I have plenty of time to see some results

 

The price is good, but can't say so much about the reviews. Good luck!!
Let us know how it works out.
Look at post 52 digerv's.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-report-2.html

I would like to go with a glide pro.
http://www.glide-pro.com/?gclid=COj2...FQXpnAode3kAPg
That would be the ultimate, but the most pricey too.

 

I saw digerv's post. He indicated that he modified the Link in order to make it fit due to his V & H True Duals and didn't feel there was any improvement. Digerv's didn't indicate how he modified the Link to make it fit so it's hard to tell if his modification had any performance impact on the Link.

I'll post up how my install goes and how the Link performs as best I can.

 

Subscribed - Was going to oreder for my '12 Ultra, was not aware of the fitment problem w/stock pipes.

 

Give Frank a call at Progressive Suspensions and ask him about it. I believe it has to do with the CAT. They are aware of it and have a revised bracket. It may even be that they are now sending out the new 2009 and up Links with the revised bracket.

 

So now the new frame needs some after market gizmo.
It never stops

 

i have a 2012 SG and have the tour link with stock exhaust. The cat hits the bracket provided and a new one was immediately sent to me, install was easy, bike ride's solid as can be now. Between the 944's and tour link it feels like it was made for the twisties!!

 

Well, after dinner went down to the garage and installed the plate that goes over the swingarm pivot point. I'm glad I loosened up the exhaust system. Without doing that I don't think I would have been able to install the lower bolt. I have an extra long 1/4" ball end allen socket which made installing the lower bolt possible. Even though I loosened the exhaust I still didn't have a straight shot to the lower allen head bolt.

Tomorrow I will tackle installing the transmission bracket and then the link. A quick look at the relationship of the crosspipe and the link and I don't think there will be a fitment issue. I'll take some pictures and post them as I'm progressing with the install.

 

Okay, installation update. I finished installing the touring link this morning. To be honest it would have been better and easier if I would have removed the entires exhaust system, especially the Header and the crosspipe. For sure remove the crosspipe as it gets in the way of installing the two bolts on the back of the bracket.

I've posted some pics.

After the install I took the bike out for a ride. Officially while under accelleration you can not feel any meaningful vibration. Let off the gas to slow down and you will definitely feel some new vibration. Nothing that is not tolerable and after riding for a while I really didn't physically react to it. It didn't go away, I just got use to it. As far a eliminating the whallowing I would say anything under 70 mph the answer is yes. Over 70 the jury is still out.