I'm like Screwball & M3, I've never really been able to feel much difference in 20# or 40#'s, I thought it was just me, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I've always run 20# with just me ( I'm 165#) & 27# fully loaded for a long trip & it's seemed to work.

 

You guys are just hard-asses.


In developing different products for air suspension, we've been using a couple of different tools that measure two factors when hitting a bump.

1. The amount of movement of the body of the bike (this shows what was NOT absorbed by the shocks)

2. The acceleration of the movement of the body (this shows how "sharp" the bump feels)

We measure over the same bump, at the same speed, with the same load, same tire pressure the only variations we make are in the PSI in the shocks. For time saving purposes we measure in 5 lbs increments.

There is a substantial difference at different PSI's, in both the amount of movement AND the acceleration of the movement.

Some of us are more sensitive to it, and others don't perceive it. But the amount of movement and how fast that movement occurs can be Double with just a 10 lbs PSI difference in the shocks.

Any yes, we are hitting the bumps at the same speed (cruise control), and in the exact same location... There are some roads in our area with Long strips of duct tape on the road for tire alignment in hitting the bumps.

 

A nice set of progressive coil overs would fill that bill, I have them on my 2012 Hannigan. I love the fact I don't have to worry about checking air pressure. For the life of me I don't know why HD hasn't gone that direction, they got wise years ago when they went away from air in the forks on their baggers. They just need to wise up on the rear suspensions.

 

Been there ... tried that ... problem is progressive doesn't make them for the 2015 tri .. I have seen where a member put some on a trip upside down (so he could get to the adjacent ring) .. but I'm hesitant to do that if the manufacturer doesn't support it. So far ... the Tri is the first bagger I've owned that held the pressure.

 

You would have to ask Progressive. I haven't had a bagger yet which would hold the pressure if left for a month, maybe I've had bad luck, but all of my dads have also had to have air added when stored for an extended period of time.

 

OK, here we go. I have an 09 with progressive 416-1643A's on it.
I weight 250 and the wife about 145. I have tried running these at 25 psi and and 35 psi loaded and when we hit these lousy Michigan speed bumps that are everywhere, it still bounces and hits hard. Even with 20 psi in the rear tires. I wish I could try the 444's mounted upside down for a week to see if the bumps would be a little softer.
Kevin, would you say that the springs in the 444's would be a little softer for rebound than a typical air shock? Just wondering....almost ready to pull the plug on these.
thanks for any concerns/advice.....
Diesel

 

When properly installed they'll hold(factory would be luck). I put my RKC shocks on my Nightster with a liq. filled gauge and filler on the handlebars(multiple fittings). It hasn't lost a pound in 14 months. When riding I watch the gauge bounce from 40 to 60+.
The RKC held air after I reinstalled them.

 

Wish I could help with your question. I do not have any experience with the 444's. My efforts on the TG & FW have been to get the best ride possible out of the stock air shocks. I can say this, as little as 2 psi can make a significant difference in the ride on the stock air shocks. On the stock air shocks, because of the valving, less air is not always softer, and more air is not always harder. There is a sweet spot, that is different for each person. It will take a bit of experimenting to find it (moving up and down at 2 psi at a time), but once you do, it can be surprising how nice of a ride the stock shocks can give.

 

what Kevin said I did just that, worked for me I'm 185 bride 129. just sayin take time and try try again. fearless

 

Been riding on a variety of different road surfaces over the last week, and at different speeds.

Discovered that some surfaces we get the best (most comfortable, smoothest) ride as high as 40 psi, on others surfaces, it is better at as low as 25 psi.

(yes, long, straight stretches thru Texas, NM and AZ at 75 to 85 mph gave us a lot of time to play around with the PSI)