` Adjust preload on rear shocks
` Learn to use your body a little. Slide on your seat a little inward, into the turn, sit upright, even a little forward. Enter turn a little slower, and increase throttle slowly through the turn. This sets your suspension up, higher. Braking or throttling on-then-off while in the turn lowers suspension = bad.
` Upgrade rear suspension. 422's cant be beat for the price.
` Upgrade front suspension with stiffer springs for your weight. Race tech springs with Gold Valves or Race Tech with Ricor Intiminators. Others like monotubes
` Do not lower/remove bike suspension. If you install 21", you will need to lower front suspension, decreasing fork travel.

` As for raising the rear, with 422's if you remove about 1/8" off the rear adjusting nut (grinder works great), shortening the shock 1/8", it will raise the back almost 1/2". Do this after you add better springs up front and set sag. This will/can change rake/trail a little. Raising rear allows easier turn initiation, quicker turning for twisities, and yet very stable at speed going straight. Start with raising rear ~1/4" first and see if you like it or notice a difference. Then try a little more. Set preload first of course. Softails are raked more then other bikes and have a lot of trail which allows a lot of margin to personalize handling.


Research and understand suspension and riding cruiser techniques. It is a bit more challenging then other bikes, but fun for some crazy reason.

 

While all are good thoughts, I may be in my 60s, I'm not in a wheel chair yet. I still like curving the turns... Ordered a Shotgun Shock. Price? My motto is... if I want something, BUY IT!! Adjusting the stocks might help the ride but is still too low for me. I don't need to look cool and have it slammed, so I'll let ya know how the shotgun shock works out.. tnx for your ideas....

 

Same here, stiffened my shocks full stiff and haven't scraped again. I do try and be conscious of it when turning and really round off my turns rather than making them really sharp.

 

You need to take a different line through the corners.

 

The Heritage isn't slammed and softails are not designed to be sporty. Riding something classic has nothing to do with age. It doesn't make sense to get a softail if you like ripping through the twisties. You would be better off just trading your heritage in for another Dyna, Road King, or even better a sport tourer.

 

Progressive tubes up front, air ride in the back. I also dont scrap, I have to try to make it scrap on mine, never out on the open road.

 

They make a stock item. Everything can be tweaked to be better. If you don't know that you live a dull life...don't start flaming me it was just an observation I have come to beleive.

 

No flaming - did you test ride the Heritage before you bought it?

 

I also had the dealer firm up the shock at the 1K service. that stopped the bottoming out on bumps.
52k on our Heritage, scrapped maybe 10 times since we got it new in 07.

Rode the dragon 2 yrs ago and there was a lot of others riding it, I keep up with the pack and never scrapped once.

 

I find it funny when the topic of scrapping comes up, people love to tell other how not to ride their bike.
If you like to carve turns on your softail, do it. If you like to cruise and take it a little easier, do it.
I'm generally a cruising type of guy, but occasionally I enjoy a little hotdoging.
As for Shotgun Shocks, I installed them this spring and they a freaking fantastic for all styles of riding, solo or 2 up.