Have you lowered your Dyna?
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 426
Likes: 2
From: Annapolis, MD
I found the Progressive Suspension website to be very helpful in that it shows you what your stock suspension length is and then gives you the options of new lengths based on the series of shock you choose. From what I've been reading around, it seems like most people don't recommend going more than an inch if you are using a lowering block. People seem to be ok going lower than that using a new suspension. It's all a mix of ride height and performance/steering. For example, I don't want to lower my rear too much because I can't lower my front. I already scrape boots/pegs because of my forward controls when I go deep in to some turns. If you lower your back too much without lowering your front, you screw up the "trail" and that makes your steering messed up. If you lower both front and rear too much you start dragging bike parts on the pavement in turns. And of course there is always the bottoming out the rear arm/tire depending on what bike you are riding/how your rear is set up. Then there's a whole other mess about how soft to make your suspension depedning on if you do lowering blocks or new shocks. Long and short of it, blocks are cheap and easy to install because it just adjusts your current shocks to a shallower angle. But if you don't soften your shocks or if you go too low, you're going to regret it. Replacing your shocks is more costly but you keep the same compression angle and can improve the feel of the bike depending on how much you want to spend. This is all coming from someone who didn't know much this morning but spent a lot of time reading. I hope it helps someone looking for the same answers I was
Last edited by maryland blackout; Sep 21, 2010 at 10:56 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Portland OR
On my last bike Just lowering the rear with blocks was good to go. With my superglide I also had to slide the forks up 1" to feel right. But Im skinny and always run the shocks on the softest setting and dont ride double. One thing that i dont hear mentioned With just the rear lowered I swear just enough primary oil moved backwards to make the clutch drag on this bike
Reading More Posting Less
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 3
From: NorNev
I lowered mine 1" in the front with the Race Tech kit and went with 11.5" YSS shocks in the rear. Ground clearance can be an issue and ride quality can be effected by the decrease in shock travel. For my next set of shocks I won't go less than 12". Get what you feel comfortable with for your riding style and rod conditions.
Lowered bike and gremlin bell.
Lowered bike and gremlin bell.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 709
Likes: 0
CountryPunk..
What ya ridin' there? What are the 11's and do you have any full length profile pics? TIA.
Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 16
From: Virginia
I lowered mine an inch by replacing the stock 12" shocks with Progressive 412 11" shocks. Rides a little stiff but much better now now that I dropped a lot of weight.
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Club Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,095
Likes: 4
From: Ponchatoula Louisiana
dFredb,
Are you sure the back fender dropped that far with those shocks? I read on here where guys were using 412 series 11 in. and only able to drop 3/4 in. Maybe it's because you dropped the front too?
Does your bike bottom out any? I don't want to drop the front, just the back...what kind of drop do you think I'll get. I have an '09 dyna. TIA.
Are you sure the back fender dropped that far with those shocks? I read on here where guys were using 412 series 11 in. and only able to drop 3/4 in. Maybe it's because you dropped the front too?
Does your bike bottom out any? I don't want to drop the front, just the back...what kind of drop do you think I'll get. I have an '09 dyna. TIA.
