Same thing here,944's and monotubes. Shopped around and got both for about $700. Feels like a new bike.

 

There is no comprimise in a good suspension set up, on almost all stock set ups be it dirt bikes, quads or what ever.

I rode dirt bike and quads and built them for cross country to desert riding and with out doing any engine mod I could beat any one of the ones with big motors and NO suspension work. Believe me I had 5K of shocks on a 4 wheeler that does not include longer swing arm and link, total front end a arm rework and geometry, more than I paid for the quad itself...crazy? Ya but you do get what you pay for..the science of the set up is exactly that a science.
Will I spend another 5K on my 05'....maybe still gotta get wheels..am I comfortable enough with the ride not to upgrade shocks..eh I could be..it was good enough to get me to Sturgis and back..so OP you do what you want and enjoy it...30K uhhhggg.....

 

When I get a few bucks together I will be doing the fork upgrade. Funny how some won't even bat an eye at putting 1-5 thousand dollars worth of chrome, stereo upgrades(my radio hasn't been turned on in 4 years), ape hangers(like that improves the handling,LOL) custom paint, fancy wheels, and God only knows what other junk on their bikes, then stand and pontificate on how improving the handling and suspension isn't worth the money. Maybe it isn't to them but to me, it's worth every penny.

 

Ya this ^^^^^ my point exactly aftermarket suspension is light years ahead of what the factory puts out in any form..

 

Many would argue that ape hangers do more for comfort of your back/neck/shoulders than suspension would....

 

They can argue that all day long but they ruin the handling. Plus I would ask a question or 2 regarding this supposed comfort of apes, how many of these riders that have apes that claim that the high bars help their back/neck/shoulders, walk around with their arms in the air?

 

Even if you put a new saddle on an old horse... the ride may be better but it's still an old horse.

 

I had a pair of Howard's Ohlins #3-3 on my '09 streetglide. They didn't cost near the published price with the forum discount. The install and adjustment is actually pretty easy. Howard has a "special" personality but I enjoyed talking with him and found him very responsive and helpful. The shocks greatly improved the ride. I did that and monotubes upfront for around $1000. They turned that bike into a very comfortable bike. I sold them for $600 when I sold my bike. On my '13 Roadglide Ultra with the 13" shocks I haven't really felt the need to upgrade the suspension yet. My wife is very comfortable on the back.
I may think about it when I hit about 20,000 miles after this summer and change my fork oil (I know that it says you don't have to do it until 50,000 but its my excuse to do a blacked out front end. Shhhh don't tell the wife.)

As far as Apes go I will disagree with the previous poster. I will say that I have never ridden a touring bike with bars taller than shoulder level but have ridden with bars at shoulder level, my Streetglide (pics in my profile) most recently. My current bars are slightly below the tops of my shoulders with the stock seat and at the tops of my shoulders when I have my C&C seat on the bike. They greatly enhance the comfort of my bike. I don't think they address the same area as shocks do though. They are more upper back where I think shocks are lower back. They do not negatively affect the handling either at slow speed or high speeds. Most folks that ride with me would say I ride fairly fast especially through the twisties. Sometimes folks with short arms will find the width of a lot of apes/mini apes a problem when riding and turning in slow speeds in parking lots.

 

It seems to me that most Bagger riders buy the bike and if it doesn't do what it says on the tin, chops it in for another.
I am of the relisation that all bikes are built to a price and any improvement is a must so what ever you do to a bike in your hands, has to be better than stock no matter how new it is!
I would rather improve my old machine which I have come to respect and trust than fork out thousands of dollars just for a so call improvemant over the last model.

 

Interesting posts, you-all.

Why am I willing to drop $5,000 into my suspension on a 12-year-old bike? (1) Because it's paid for and I don't intend on selling it. So, it's not a "value added" thing. Steelerdude1 made a good point. But, my EG is 12 years old & has 67,000+ on the clock. (2) Do I really want to collect a couple of extra handle bars, a couple of extra windshields, and miscellaneous parts here & there as I "personalize" a new ride after spending 6+ years personalizing through trial-and-error what I have. Uhhhh . . . not really.

I considered buying a 2014, putting the shocks that come on it on my '02, & putting Howard's Ohlins on the new bike. That would give one cushy ride. Then, depending on how I felt the handling was at the 1,000 mile service, I'd consider adding the Ohlins cartridges & sending the fork tubes to Howard to make them compatible with the Ohlins.

Then, my 95 year-old Depression survivor/Pearl Harbor survivor Dad asked me why would I buy a new Harley and put another $3,000-$5,000 into it? While shekels are tight, that's a very good question.

I may still buy a new one, but it will be after he's gone. Why? Not only do I like the 2014's ride, the Brembo brakes (over what I have BTW, anyone have a pair of Touring front Brembo calipers for sale?), the linked ABS, and the twin cooling, I like the more powerful and more economical engine & longer-wearing tires. But, I'm 66 years young, and wonder how many more years of riding do I have? Will there be enough to justify and amortize a $30,000 bike? Don't know.

I'm really trying to "be content with what I have." I flew a Cessna Skylane for years, and, after several annuals & an engine rebuild at 2200 hours, it seemed everything was new except the tin of the airframe & the seat frames. I think a good Harley is like that, too. It will be reliable in the long-term and, over its lifetime, everything will be replaced.

Maybe someone can figure out how to do what I've done in a better & more efficient manner. That would be cool!

Ride safely, you-all.