Thinking about lowering my 89 FLHS
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 159
Likes: 3
From: Upper Bucks County, PA
Thinking about lowering my 89 FLHS
Any body put 10.5" shocks on one of these? Any clearance issues? Turned it into a solo bike a few months ago and just "improving" the look I am trying to achieve. Also I need to get rid of those stock air shocks while I have it apart and hoping to find some good advice here once again.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
The stock air shocks are only fit for the bin, especially if they are original. They were mediocre when new and must be knackered by now! As for such short shocks, don't do it! They are also cheap and even if new may not give you a decent ride. Being 2 1/2" shorter than stock and with very little travel they may even be a retrograde step. Your bike was built before the current craze for lowering bikes got a grip, so respect that and look down on the low riders with pride!
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,861
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From: Lafayette, Louisiana
The stock air shocks are only fit for the bin, especially if they are original. They were mediocre when new and must be knackered by now! As for such short shocks, don't do it! They are also cheap and even if new may not give you a decent ride. Being 2 1/2" shorter than stock and with very little travel they may even be a retrograde step. Your bike was built before the current craze for lowering bikes got a grip, so respect that and look down on the low riders with pride!
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 159
Likes: 3
From: Upper Bucks County, PA
One thing I forgot to mention is that since going to the EV13, the kind of oil I use makes a bigger difference in valve train noise than stock. When stock, the oil had little to no impact on valve train noise. I don't know exactly why. I have also observed that recording my bike running use an iPhone, the exhaust can hardly be heard but the valve train sounds terrible. In reality, my exhaust sounds fantastic and my valve train has the usual ticking noise that all Evo's have, no better or worse. The valve train noise is more pronounced in the middle of the summer when temperatures are around 105 with high humidity on top of that. I never made a recording of my bike running when it was stock.
Do you guys think your at the local pub just having a good Ole conversation? This thread is me inquiring about shocks, thank you very much. However I think I did see a thread where people were talking about EV13's and EV27's maybe that's the pub you thought you were at????
LOL
Last edited by 2-whlz; Sep 11, 2015 at 05:46 PM. Reason: Forgot to quote grown :)
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,861
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From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Thinking about lowering my 89 FLHS
I have been noticing strange things happening lately in the new app. My above reply was to one of the dam threads. I have no idea how it got in your suspension thread.
Advanced
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 63
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From: USA
Short shocks will make your bike handle squirrelly, it messes up the geometry. There's also a history of failures that suggest it seems to stress out the swingarms. They break in half above the axle, dunno why but maybe it's from bottoming out.
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Upper Bucks County, PA
No worries, just having a little fun. I figured you hit the wrong thread to reply to. It's all good
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From: Ohio
On the shock question, my RK will only except a 1" lowered shock and still comes close to hitting the top of the fender. It looks cool as h$ll but will let you know when you hit a unsuspected bump in the road because the spring rate needs to be stiff. With a lowered stance and lowered seat, the cadillac does handle better in corners, have more confidence when running hard with light bikes, I know I know it is still a Harley, anything helps out with handling, just have to stay close to them until the straight a ways to engage giddy up mode.
Last edited by 1997bagger; Sep 12, 2015 at 09:26 AM.
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