Do you regret lowering your bike
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,693
Likes: 17
From: Ontario Canada
Do you regret lowering your bike
I see a lot of talk about lowering your softail. While I agree it looks pretty cool do you think it is safe? With the bike lowered you do run out of lean angle sooner. I had a lowered Street Glide in the past and took a turn too fast and down I went. Had I not lowered the bike and installed big fat slip on pipes I probably would have made the turn. Do most of you that lower your bike just decide you wont be leaning as far and ride slower through the turns?
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,390
Likes: 127
From: SW OREGON
Mine was lowered when I bought it (from a petite young lady) and I kinda liked the look & feel. But after I got used to it i didn't like some of the handling characteristics and after checking and adjusting various alignments, I finally reinstalled the stock shocks & raised the trees to the proper height. That made it handle the way I thought it should & much less dragging in the twisties.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2014
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From: Mission Viejo
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Supporter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,714
Likes: 650
From: San Ramon, Ca
I ran mine lowered for about a year.
Loved the look. HATED the ride. 1st I had the
stock shocks with the extenders. Then I ran Progv 422's
When I bottomed the frame
out in a turn and saw stars, I decided to go back to stk height.
With the 422's adjusted to the softest setting, and max height,
it still rode like a bucket of ____. It also sat lower than stock.
I wanted my clearance back.
I have since put it all back to stock.
On another note, my wife's 03 Heritage has the Harley lowering kit.
The forks bottom out easily (Yes I've checked the oil- I might change it
to heavier)
Their Lowering rear shocks are worthless.
I DO NOT recommend the Harley lowering kit.
Loved the look. HATED the ride. 1st I had the
stock shocks with the extenders. Then I ran Progv 422's
When I bottomed the frame
out in a turn and saw stars, I decided to go back to stk height.
With the 422's adjusted to the softest setting, and max height,
it still rode like a bucket of ____. It also sat lower than stock.
I wanted my clearance back.
I have since put it all back to stock.
On another note, my wife's 03 Heritage has the Harley lowering kit.
The forks bottom out easily (Yes I've checked the oil- I might change it
to heavier)
Their Lowering rear shocks are worthless.
I DO NOT recommend the Harley lowering kit.
Last edited by byersmtrco; Apr 13, 2017 at 11:57 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 316
Likes: 54
From: North Alabama
Absolutely zero regrets from lowering the bike, except I didn't go with air ride to go even LOWER with it. My feet are planted very well in most all situations and on any terrain or oil soaked intersection. Plus it looks MUCH better when the radius of the tires some what match the radius of the fenders, in my opinion. I can deal with the limitations of riding a lowered bike and it doesn't hinder my enjoyment of riding the bike at all. I just never forget those limitations.
I have altered the ride height of nearly every vehicle I've ever owned in some way. Most of them being lowered.
I have altered the ride height of nearly every vehicle I've ever owned in some way. Most of them being lowered.