Floorboard scrapin' question
Dave
Mine is lower than the heritage.
I can scrape when I want to, but I have learned where that limit is and stay just to the not-scraping side of it.
If you are used to a sport bike, you will probably scrape a lot.
Anyhow, the answer is... It will only scrape if you want it to. Other than the occasional accidental time.
My Fat Boy is lowered in the rear end and I used to scrap the floorboards often.
I took a riding course with a former L.A. motor patrol officer. One thing that he told me has prevented me fom scrapping my boards since then :
"Don't look how near your floorboards are from the ground when making tight turns!!! If you look down, you will go down!!! Instead look where you are going, fix you sight in your desired direction and nevermind your floorboards, head's up assh*le!!! "
Believe me, the right advice and the right tone of voice
that is all it took.I felt like I as in boot camp, but some bad habbits die hard and you must ride with technique. Geez, this guy really knew several tricks, and that day (8 hours of course) is one day I will never forget.
Best regards.
Head up, Looking into the turn, not the road infront of the bike. If you're pretty committed into a turn and you scrape.. pretty much just give it a little pressure on the outside floorboard and gas smooth through it.. might make a few sparks but the inside floorboard is on a swivel. Scraped the crap outta mine the first day I rode the new bike. Never scraped the old bike (90 heritage).. I attibute that to better shocks and probably a good preload setting.
Having just lowered my 04 Fatty, I have learned a little bit about preload.. If you suspect you're compressing a bit into your shocks in a turn that might be contributing to the scrap, you might tighten your shock preload (properly per the svc manual or by a tech).. Especially if it's recurring more with 2-up. Possibly just a little more there may stiffen up the rear shocks to avoid some of the scraping. ??? Maybe.. just throwing it out there.
It's one thing to scrap continuously through a smooth turn, rather than going through a dip and have a slight scrap because the bike suspension dipped also. If the latter is the case, I'd tighten the shocks a wee bit.
Sidenote.. I lowered the scoot about 1 inch with a progressive kit (about like any lowering kit on OEM shocks)... No scraping yet, but I haven't had a chance to hit some good twisties. Ride feels fine also.. I did go for a bit tighter preload.. The new mustang seat really helps smooth out the bumps so I'm happy sofar.
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
I guarantee that motor officer scraped the hell out of his boards. I scrape mine just pulling into a parking space or going around a sweeper and anything in between. Not always intentional but it doesn't bother me, I know i will NOT "end up on the ground looking up," and eventually will get rid of the boards anyway. If you've ever been to a police motor rodeo when they all rode kawasaki or hd, you'll see serious scraping. They'll scrape one side, then flick it over like a sportbike and scrape the other. Those boys can ride!!!
The course covered, turning, accelerating, panic brake, and some othe very interesting techniques such as collision theory.
Best regards.


