I am glad to see this I am looking at getting these too.

 

Questions came up on another topic/thread concerning my thoughts of the Progressive 422 RAP HDs so I wanted to add my reply to that thread to this review as well.

I will be leaving Tuesday for my 10 day pre-Sturgis vacation and after I get back I'll make one final entry in this thread concerning my thoughts of the 422 RAPs.


First off I have a Heritage and it's at stock height.
Apparently if you lower your ride it takes away some of the dampening range.
Also other models might handle differently.

My primary reason for getting the 422 RAPs was for my Wife during 2up riding.
Shot Gun Shocks was a close consideration, but I don't care to slam my bike and I just couldn't get past the price tag.

I've always felt for me the ride was acceptable 1 or 2 up but of course the Wife needs to be comfortable too.
Also as long as the bike stays on the road I'm not too concerned with cornering performance. I figure if I want it to ride like a sports bike, I'd buy a sports bike.

Initially my thoughts were that the 422s "HDs" were really good at 2-up but only so-so at 1-up.

Well the other day, I forgot to dial them back down for 1-up riding.
I was riding down the road and realized that the ride was much better, but I was getting a little bit of a "hoping" effect.
I pulled over and twisted the RAP dial about 10 twist of the wrist (about 5 complete turns) and the ride seemed a little more stable and more noticeably smoother.

Turns out apparently initially I just didn't have enough dampening dialed in.

So to answer your question; the ride is very much more improved whether 1 or 2up and I have absolutely no regrets in getting the RAPs.

I will say though the ride is not like riding on a cloud.
I can still feel the big bumps and those are still a bit harsh however not as harsh as before.
As for the small bumps; they are all but gone and while riding the highway, I swear I don't feel a single bump.
The above goes for either 1 or 2up riding.

If you do go with the 422 RAPs, check with Progressive and see which model they recommend for your riding; either standard (light weight) or Heavy Duty (greater weight).
With me being at 240 and the Wife at 130 with gear we're pushing close to 400 .lbs of weight so the Heavy Duty was an easy choice.

Lastly unfortunately not too many members have posted opinions on the 422 RAPs so all we have is a few opinions such as mine to go off of and we all know opinions vary. I decided to roll the dice and get them anyway and I'm happy with my choice.
That being said, everyone has their own expectations and opinions.
Good luck on your decision, I know it's not an easy one.

 

Thanks for the review. I'm looking to put a pair on my '07 Fatboy.

 

Nice write up thanks.

I am considering the RAPs this winter just not sure where the cut off is from HD to standard springs.

I go 216 pounds and the better half goes 125, we don't carry much gear.

I run a slim, but want to raise the ride height a bit, emailed progressive a week or so ago but no response.

I'm going to do the mono tube fork inserts at the same time.

 

Thanks again for the write up, very helpful.

 

At 340 combined weight I would think the HDs are the way to go.
My understanding of the standards is they are primarily for solo riding under 200 .lbs, but I can't recall where I read that.

At 370 .lbs, I have the dampening dialed in about 60% so there's a lot of room to soften up the ride.

If you go with them do some searching for the best price.
I got mine from JCmotors.com for $500 including shipping.

As for the monotubes, I should have upgraded to those as well but I wanted to see what the 422s would do for me first. Well what the 422s have done for me is now my front suspension is more pronounced and I feel the bumps in my arms now and not my butt.

Monotubes are certainly in my near future.

 

I too emailed the HDForums Progressive rep last week, asking which kit, standard or heavy duty, would be the correct one for me, and for the correct part numbers for the kit that fits the Breakout. No response. Disappointing.

Jim G

 

Your review has me looking at installing the 422's or 422 RAP's.

I ordered the monotubes and installed them this afternoon - the dive on applying the front brake most certainly appears better - I feel it's a fair improvement all round, but haven't used it long enough to give an honest review.

Progressive Suspension 31-2503 Monotube Fork Cartridge Stock Height Kit for FXST $158.42

 

Last year Progressive was setup at Black Hills Harley the week before Sturgis.
If they are there this week or next, I'll tell them to check their e-mail and to review this forum.

 

Ditto on the front springs...make a huge diff. On my bike. 90 bucks for the progressive kit. Eliminated two inches of sag...