Hello everyone. First off this is my first post. I spent some time yesterday searching for answers and didnt really get exactly what I was hoping to find. I have been riding since 1998 so I am not new to Softails. I am currently riding a 2003 FXST that I bought new that year. I wanted to lower the bike a bit. I spoke to my local dealer about parts and getting some advice. They recomended the Progressive kit. They also said its common to only do the rear on the FXST. Is this what most of you guys are doing? When I look through the picutre threads its hard for me to tell. Are you lowering the front also or just the rear??

I looked for forums back in 2005-06 when I was doing the motor work and I didnt see much. I gave up looking until yesterday..very happy to find this community.

Thanks for any insight

 

I would say most do not lower the front. Everyone has their own reason, I decided to rake the front instead. There are ways to lower the front of your bike at no cost just to see if you like the look/feel.

 

I agree most only lower the back.

I orginally lowered only the rear by 1.5 inch (Progressive 422) and everythig was great , did not notice any differences in handling it just looked a little better IMHO. Later I wanted a slightly lower look and instead of dropping the rear any more I lowered the front 1 inch, again no difference to me in handling or ride.

 

I will say this about having a slammed riding position while riding 2 up..
My bike is slammed in the rear, very little travel, virtually like a hard tail.
I went for a good ride with some twisties and I went into a corner a little
hot and as I was half way threw the turn I hit a bump that almost sent me into
the ditch, I mean it shot me toward the ditch I rode out of it but became very
aware the limitations of my lowered suspension. I am lookin for air ride to solve
the handling issue. The warden comes for rides with me often and I hate crawlin
under my bike to set up suspension.

 

Thanks for the insight so far. I may just do the rear at first with the Progressive kit and see how it works out. I dont want to do something that will make the bike handle terrible is really why I am asking. If I had to lower the front 1-1.5 also its not a big deal I guess.

 

The fact is that if you lower your bike with lowering bolts you are effectively reducing your travel on the shock which is going to affect the handling of the bike. If you lower the front the it will supposedly even out the level of the bike. my rear has air ride and my front is stock height. No problems here.

 

I wasnt aware that the Progressive rear lowering kit was just lowering bolts I was under the impression it was different?

 

I tried the lowering bolts and the Dr. is correct. the travel sucks and it'll bottom out over good bumps. I bought the Progressive 422s and they lowered the rear about 2'' and the travel seems great. I'm 5'6'' so it works great for me. They've only been on for a few weeks and this is Missouri so I've not been able to ride much yet. but the weekend is up to 60* so it's a hard ride weekend. The riding I have done, they seem great.

 

Progressive makes both. You can get bolt extensions, or fully adjustable shocks. Obviously the shocks will be much more expensive.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I am looking at the fully adjustable shocks not the bolts to do the lowering.

For those of you that have them, I assume 422s, do you have the front at the stock height of have you lowered that as well?