I lowered my street glide 2", and would have gone 3", if it didnt mean that my hardbags wouldn't fit. I was gonna have to modify my bags, by making a larger shock cut out so the bags would fit around the new shock location (severe agnle), and pretty much would most likely destroy the bags by doing that.... I can put my toes down, but i cant move the bike unless the ground is 99.9% flat. Hell, i cant even reach the kick stand. i was able to move up the left floorboard and i can just barley reach the middle of the kickstand, i have to really really reach to get it.

Its very pathetic, but i have really short legs. when i had it dropped 3", i STILL couldn't touch the ground flat footed. Im 5'6" but have the inseam, of someone like 5'1". My wife is 5'3" and has longer legs than i do. lol

Then i thought air ride.... I see kits for $250-$500.... that awesome, and most say that ride is better with an air kit.

So, i have few questions.

-Since i would most likely end up riding it with air ride in the lowest position (without rubbing tires on anything) a good portion of the time (i know i can raise when im riding, and lower it when i need extra maneuverability, like in a parking lot). What does that do to your ride, when your riding it with air ride and the shocks pretty much dumped? Can you ride it at the lowest setting? How will the ride be? What are the risks? Are they meant to ridden at the lowest height?

-Does anyone here have theirs installed with extended/stretched bags? Do you scrape your bags when cornering? if so, what height do you think you were at when you scraped?

I have extended (4.5') bags on the way, and dont want to ruin them.

This is embarrassing, lol, thank you for your help..

 

I feel your pain! Ill be following!

 

Sad that no one responded, so ill list what i've found out jreynolds.


Looks like a few short people methods are the Air Ride kits, and the next is getting the seat shaved by a place like meancitycycles. there is also some "reach seats"

I ordered the air ride kit, and will install that next week. If that still doesnt get me to the ground, then i will have to do a seat mod. Ive read that doing the "skinny seat" mod from meancitycycles can give people up to 3" of more reach, and its supposed to be comfortable. I would be afraid that it wouldn't be as comfortable... i dont know, kinda stopped looking into that while im doing the air ride.

As far as my questions above, if researched the following:

-You do NOT ride in the lowest position, its a Hard rigid ride, and scraping, and bottoming out is a factor, you air up to "around" the stock height, and then just let air out when you need to, then pump back up when get going. I have a handle bar mount switch, so on the fly air adjustments should be quick and easy. Also doing the fairing mounted air gauge, to better assist on where i will be with the ride adjustments and adjust more accurately.

Scraping... i have my stretched bags on now, and they are the ebay 4.5", with my current 2" lowering kit, until the air ride is installed. I have been on a few twisty roads, and have not scraped, or even come close. and since ill most likely ride and a similar height with the air ride, i don't think i will scrap. I did however, scrap the bottom tips of my DNA/CFR's, but that was a shitty driveway that everyone scrapes on.


I'll post some more after i get stuff installed.

ALso thinking about some kind of eletric motor that can do the kick stand for me.... dont know where or what or how or how much $? but its a thought.... Ive heard of some electric kick stands, but for like $800, F' That. I would just need some kind of lever that swings over and pushes the stand clock wise, or counter clock depending on how installed... in theory.

 

Hey,
You will definitely go for a lowered seat for starts
For your side stand you will need install an extension tip so you can reach it better with your foot.
Also look into to shortening your side stand as the standard length will set your bike too straight with likely hood of falling over. When lowering your bike.

With the air suspension you will be able to bottom you bike completely down which will make it easier for you to get on. Check the bags clearance as you already mentioned.
You can as well install front air suspension and this will give you additional reach with yr legs, though not so much as with rear air suspension.

What you might look at is as well this:
You can install an electrical stand which will make your life easier. It is installed underneath the bike and has 2 short stand that flip out. With this assembly you would not get yr bike as low as technically possible.

 

I had my seat shaved and gel inserts added. Very affordable and extremely comfortable. Also added a new custom seat cover. Call Stacey at Seat Outlawz in TN. 931-526-2208. He is Aawesome. One of the best experiences I have had customer service wise since I owned a Harley.

 

I have installed it and put a few hundred miles on it. I love the ride, is very smooth and it being lowered helps with maneuvering the bike. Unfortunately i am STILL NOT FLAT FOOTED, guess i will have to do a seat mod at some point. Im ok with riding with having just my toes touch, but moving the bike around on anything that isnt completely flat with no incline at all is still very hard.
The ride is great though.
I just have to deal with an air leak now. It would fine if it lasted a day or two, but i looses air so fast, i leak down to the lowest position within a few miles. Not ok.

Im hoping its not the gauge. Im trying to find the part # and or link to fittings for the connection on the actual shock, as I'm currently using the plastic ones that the monroes come with and i don't trust them. You can pull the air line out with not much force.
Anyone know the part # or have a link to this piece?


As far as the kick stand. I installed the Harley extened jiffy item. It works, but I can barely reach it, but i can, barely. Verses not at all before.
God i hate being short. F'ing sucks. Stupid genetics.

 

Have you considered the FBI drop seat kit?

 

FBI drop seat is wayyyy out of my budget. I did the whole air ride system for less than $400. ill shave the seat before I do any other mods for my short a** legs.

still no luck finding that part info. only responses I've gotten are people saying that their plastic parts that Monroe supplied doesn't leak for them.... well good for you...

but I'm not even sure thats whats leaking... I will investigate where the leak is actually coming from. I think I may get Parker fittings or compression t's instead of push to connect. idk

bike is in winter storage and im busy with holiday stuff till January any way. ill add this investigation project along with the stereo, amp, speaker lids upgrade im doing in January.

stupid stupid stupid short a** legs... ughhhh

 

Lower the front you’ll be surprised what it will do for you

 

Well.... i got the leak fixed. I will man up and take responsibility for my errors. I wasn't totally sure when i installed the dump solenoid that i had it on the correct way, or possibly backwards, so i never tightened it all the way. And that is where the leak was coming from. Fortunately that was just a 10 minute job to find and fix.

Good news is that this system holds air for Several Weeks. I left it at 60psi for a bout 3 weeks and didn't loose anything, maybe 1-2 psi at the most. Before, it wouldn't last 5 minutes.

Sucks having the bike in storage and not easily accessible during the winter months.