I've been searching for about an hour now & just can't find the answere I'm looking for. I'm wanting to lower my 99 Fatboy cause I'm vertically challenged. I did find a reply to one thread that was from the HD tech that said that they advise lowering both front & rear if you're going to lower the bike. Are there any pros or cons to lowering just the rear, or lowering both front & rear? Thanks.
Frank

Happy Turkey day to you all.

 

I lowered my Deluxe last year and have had no regrets. I did lower both the rear and the front. Part of lowering the front was to get the stance I wanted. Since the fronts are springs I had assumed that lowering to match the rear would impact the preload...stiffen the front end. Lowering the rear shortens the travel on the shocks and makes it stiffer. I would think you would want the same on the front end or it could change the handling.....but I could be full of it....A one inch drop in the front is significant in terms of appearance if, like me, you slam the back 2 inches. If you are an aggressive rider once you lower the bike plan on dragging the jiffy stand occasionally...or the boards. Still I have no regrets...it just feels right. I understand vertically challenged. The mechanic I talked to about the work is like 6' 4" and 250. He walked out of the back and said so what's up? I said I am not happy. Really, he said, which one are you?

 

i would be concerened about groung clearance when corning. i ride a 99 fxstb that has not been lowered and i often drag the footpegs and kickstand,and lower front pipe of my thunderheader. the pipe was almost worn through from draging so i put a heat sheild on it. it drags more now but at least i dont have an extra hole in my pipe. it depends alot on your riding style if you will drag you floorboards. the first few times you drag somthing it will spook you but after a while you get used to it . not that big of a deal it has never caused me to crash

 

I don't ride it too hard. I'm kind of an old geezer. I just like to cruuuuze. Just need to get it a little lower, but it seems that the issue of just dropping the back as apposed to dropping both ends is a matter of preferance. I just was hoping to find out if there's any actual pros to dropping the front. I found a lowering kit for the front & rear on ebay, (2 seperate auctions by the same seller), & didn't want to spend extra $$ if it wasn't actually necessary.
Frank

 

Depends who you ask... Two parts guys at the local dealership said that lowering the rear only will change the handling in a very negative way on twisties and that they both had their bikes lowered and put them back to stock height. Others on this site disagree. I personally do not like the stock rear look so I just got some Deluxe shocks which will lower the rear one inch. Can let you know the handling diff after I install them. Common sense says to lower front and rear to keep original engineered handling. You may scrape more but something else may be gained with overall lower center of gravity.

 

I've lowered everything I have. No regrets. Sure, scrape a little when you get into aggressive cornering but 1) I love the look and 2) at 5' 9" it helps keep my feet solid when I'm at a light.

 

jmcollison, I'd love to be 5'9". I'm 5'7" on a tall day. Hell, I even bought me some HD engineer boots just cause they have a thicker sole on them. There's been quite a few times when I've had to back my bike up, and slipped on some gravel. When you're on your tippy toes, it's pretty easy to have your feet go out from under you. Came close to dropping the bike several times.

 

Lower your scoot! 1", 1 1/2", 2"...it really helps!

 

I lowered my Train 1" in the back only , mainly for appearance. I feel like it actually handles better this way in the twisties and the only negative is it rides a little stiffer.

 

I agree that you should lower both ends equally in order to retain basic geometry. If you are not an agressive rider you can slam it 2 inches. However don't use one of those bolt change kits, (hard ride) spend a little $$$ and use Progressive adujstable for the rear and thier front springs as well. You won't be sorry