Always looking for ways to improve my bikes. I’d like to go through my 1998 FLHRCI and do all that’s practical, reasonable to enhance the bikes handling and comfort. (But I treat it like a Crotch Rocket) NOTE: There is a problem starting to develop with it getting sketchy about 80mph that wasn’t there before.. I’ll find it, don’t know yet, that urges me to look into all things suspension and even tracking, but is sorta separate from my goal of this thread to enhance handling.

Many of you have been down this road so I thought I’d get your opinions on what I should consider? Bang for Buck? What I won’t do is serious money on Olin’s / Legends.. I’m not putting $2,000 into my shocks on a $4,000 bike, so if that’s going to be your suggestion, thanks but no. Maybe something cheaper? I just don’t believe any shock is worth that kind of money.

Here’s what’s been done:

FRONT SUSPENSION - Rebuilt front forks with new seals and used 20 weight oil. (Tried Progressive brand heavy duty springs and all they did is make it stiff with really no handling or ride improvements so I took them back out and put the original springs back in)

Went to four piston late model calipers

Curious about intimidators? Or other front valves / mods.. Maybe even just new stock springs?

REAR SUSPENSION - Drained stock Rear shocks and put in 10 weight oil.

Replaced air lines with new for good seal, pumped up can last weeks, not bad usually 25 / 35psi

Curious about other rear shocks in the $400 range

MOUNTS - I replaced the front motor mount rubber piece with a new inexpensive Drag specialties replacement. The rest are stock.

Curious about different composite higher dollar ISO’s? Do they make a difference? Better mounts? Stabilizers?

Swing Arm - Stock

Curious about the upgraded aftermarket bushings?

Curious about the late model swing arm upgrade kits?

The Bike, the riding style, other tid bits that help you give me advice..

I ride this bike about 800-1500 miles a month, it varies. Chassis has 125,000miles on it.
50% of my riding this bike is two up (245 / 130 lbs) maybe 25% of the time add luggage 35lbs)

Single or two up I ride it very hard. I keep up with sport bikes and 75% of my riding is in a pack. Everything from light to light launches, 80mph open road, twisties.. I live above 3,000 rpm 90% of the time. (113” Carb, 5 Speed with back cut gears, mid 2000’s shifter drum, Primo Rivera Pro Clutch grey spring variable pressure plate)

Other tid bit is the exhaust is changing. I love the look of my long modified Fishtails. But I’ve tried everything to make them perform… it’s just a fact, length matters. I’ve custom built a three step set of duals, I’ve tried Bassani three step duals.. I’ve mathematically tried different length and diameter step header pipes to make the long pipes hit a different pulse.. but in a nit she’ll no matter what I’ve tried length matters… they just Rob too much power being Long.

So I have gone down another hard headed path.. I bought reproduction 1968 Mufflers and will be opening them and inserting a 2 1/4 straight pipe with TTI’s that work with the cam timing and the outside mufflers will just be fake candy over the straight pipe…. “Maybe” I’ll try some 2 1/4 inch perforated pipe with really tight packing inside there… we’ll see.

 

Progressive suspension is my go to move, best bang for the buck. I would like to try Ohlins some day, but that day has not come. Surprised you did not like their front springs. The rear air shocks, to me, were too floaty. I installed Progressive 944's and the bike sat lower which looked better and rode better. Solo or two up for a 6 week trip loaded heavy, those shocks did the trick for us.

Swing arm is the other place to look. Not sure about '98, but when the bearing went bad on my 2005, boy you knew it. I could feel the bike lean, then after all the slop was taken up the wheel would start to lean. I know this happened in milli seconds but it was very noticeable. When I went to do the job I had at 1/16" of play side to side at the swing arm. Replaced with stock components, they had lasted 55k miles, never touched them again when i sold the bike at 90k miles.

Good luck, curious to see how the '69 mufflers work out. One of the things I have been tempted to do with my '70, they would be wrong for my year but those are some sexy mufflers, if there is such a thing!??!?!

 

Wow that’s exactly the kinda first hand experience I need to hear. Thanks for the post! I definitely felt an improvement going heavier weight oil in front and rear, but while better it’s not enough.

 

`99 RK
F. Racetech straight rate springs/ Intiminators / 5 wt oil / 6 psi air
R. Bitubo shocks / replaced swing arm bushings

 

Did you notice much improvement from stock? Was stock in good condition when you replaced these to compare?
Are you solo? What kinda ride weight? We won’t judge…

 

Improvement in front was dramatic.

Rear was noticeable but not night & day

Solo 170lbs
No fishtails to weigh me down

20 years ago I went to 18" wheels with 70 series tires, I felt that tightened things up

 

I know it's a different year, but around 2016? I installed Race Tech Springs and Emulators in the Forks and JRI Adjustable Gas Shocks from Harold at Motorcycle Metal in my 2012 Road King. The shocks made a world of difference, and the forks were better, but not as good as the shocks. Overall, the handling tightened up, and I could glide over sharp bumps and not feel them on the rear.
I suspect you will be looking at your steering head bearings for that 80mph problem?

 

Can you define " getting sketchy about 80mph that wasn’t there before.".
You also state "But I treat it like a Crotch Rocket"

First i will guess that everything is tight and swingarm doughnuts have been replaced at some point.
Re-check the passenger floor board mount area as that area is part of swingarm and holds doughnuts in place ( isolators 47564-86B ).
It is not uncommon for someone to have worked that area and for bolt to be loose causing bolt to be loose.
Look at 50588-93 BRACKET, LEFT and 50589-93 BRACKET, RIGHT
Look at bolts that hold those brackets.

Review if wheels are balanced.
The wheel spokes of that year are not known to get loose but a check is in order anyways.

The engine mounts should be reviewed too.

Your 1998 FLHRCI Road King is a heavy bike that is more about cruising or touring.
The bike will generally lean back on rear end when hammering the throttle and front end will become lighter.

Has something on back end changed that made back end suspension softer? That can cause rear to sink and front to go up.
Has something on front end changed that made front end suspension harder? That can cause greater weight change to rear too.

If you have added weight on rear end and are also hammering the throttle it is possible that a loss of weight/traction is being experienced on front end.
If a windshield is in play or you are a very tall rider then bike could be fighting wind and augmenting situation with suspension.

 

I'm pretty much where you are on wanting to do the suspension on my 98Rk as well. Did Progressive's on the rear end and I like them. Going to the Progressive heavier springs for the front end as I put them in my 94 Ultra with the rears and it works for me. Let me know if you want to sell the heavy springs as I haven't bought mine yet.
I also picked up the swingarm conversion kit for both scoots, but haven't gotten around to putting it in yet. Hopefully it's going to cooperate with me when I get to it. I'm curious as to how it's going to feel being a little more solid.

Hopefully it's a spring project that doesn't turn out to be a Fall project next year. Just super busy right now.

Good luck on your choices.

Griz

 

My '94 EG is a slightly different frame but with a Tru-track stabilizer it's as solid as can be. I countersteer and trail brake in the twistys and scrape the stabilizer on the lowered frame. I'm going to flip the swingarm back to the correct position now that I have a back up bike to ride.