Just purchased my 1st Harley a 2005 Night Train EFI FXSTB. It is a great bike low miles great condition very pleased to have found this bike (or maybe the bike found me). With that being said I am looking to make some upgrades and the first upgrade I would like to make is the brakes then the suspension (the last person that hade the bike changed the tensioner they also keep every receipt for everything they ever did with the bike thankfully). With that said what would be the best way to go with upgrading the brakes and suspension. Any suggestions would be great.

 

For Reaper (2005 Night Train), I went with a Performance Machine differential 6 piston caliper up front, with a Lyndall floating rotor, and I use Lyndall X-treme pads. I have been running the stock rear brake setup, using Lyndall Z-Plus pads, but since I raised my rear brake pedal, and actually use it a lot more, I am upgrading the rotor to a Lyndall floater, too. I will stay with the stock caliper, and Z-Plus pads. The braking is MUCH improved over stock.

For suspension, I installed Progressive monotube cartridges up front and Progressive 422 w/RAP in the rear. Like riding a new bike. If you switch between heavy loading (luggage and/or passengers), and solo riding, I can't recommend the 422 w/RAP more. If you don't need to change preload much or ever, the regular 422 without the RAP are great.

Cheers!

 

I'd listen to @Clammy spot on advice from someone who crushes miles on a Softail.

 

Totally agree with Clammy. I have the Progressive cartridges up front and standard 422's in the back and it is indeed like riding a different bike.

 

Sounds like great advice. Thank you.

 

@Clammy so why no caliper upgrade for the rear? I've been considering Performance Machine.

@jway1964 There's many of us here that run the Progressive Suspensions front and rear. The 442 RAP's
are definitely the way to go. The ability to make preload adjustments without climbing under the bike is well
worth the added cost, if you throw a bunny on the back, just give it few twists, you'll find the sweet spot.

 

@04FXDI I can easily lock up the rear brake with the stock caliper and Lyndall pads, so to me it's more than adequate. The stock rear rotor has a warp, and is causing a pulsation in the brake pedal, so I decided to go with a floater, rather than buying a new HD piece that can warp down the road.

Cheers!

 

Interesting, same here, the rear brakes will lock up easily as well. I had a pulse in the front end, so I swapped out the pads for EDC Semi Sintered and an EBC rotor. Maybe a year and a half of riding season I can feel the front pulsing again. Indy said everything looks good, plenty of meat on the pads and the caliper is solid, he feels the pulse as well and points to the rotor. I think a front brake upgrade is on the 2024 list.
Thanks.