This may be a dumb question, but i'm going to ask anyway. Is there a way to tell if my Deuce has already been lowered? I haven't been near another deuce to compare.

 

Post a picture. Lol

 

Do you know how to post a pic from an I-Pad?

 

Easiest is to put the pics on photobucket, copy the IMG link and paste it into your post.

 

I post pics from my XOOM all the time using photobucket.

 

I'll try to make me a photobucket acnt tonight. If not, i will upload a pic tomorrow from work.

 

here she is

 

If you have access to a vise and a press or you can use your lift as a press, then I would go for the $16.00 ones on eBay. I installed some a couple of weeks ago. It was easy and the ride 2" lowered wasn't bad at all. If you can't do that then I would go for the Dead Creek Cycles collars. Either way you should start saving your money for the Shotgun Shock because it is really the best way to lower your Softail.

JAE88- Your Deuce doesn't look lowered to me but if you post a picture of your shocks then we could tell you for sure. I'm sure that some of the Deuce guys could better tell you.

 

Nope, doesn't look lowered.

I agree with what Ash16 said also. I installed the Dead Creek Cycles lowering kit because I did not have access to a vise or press and the 1-1/2" Dead Creek Cycles kit is very, very easy to install. If I can do it, anyone can do it.

In fact, I am pretty sure Al from Dead Creek has a before and after pic of a lowered Deuce. Maybe he will chime in and post a pic so you can see the difference.

 

JEA88, nice looking bike there. It doesn't appear to be lowered to me. You can compare it to the before pics of the Deuce below, which was stock height before installing the lowering kit. Because of the Deuce's rear fender, dropping the bike 1.5" in the rear with the kit makes a pretty dramatic difference in the way it looks. When you look at your bike after it's installed, there is no doubt that it will look lowered. And, in my opinion, it feels much better due to a feeling of a lower center of gravity and a feeling of sitting down "in the bike" more.

And of course, everyone on this forum has their own opinions on things, and there is no "right" answer. What people decide to do to their own bikes is totally up to them and what works for one person may not be ideal for another. For some reason, some people enjoy chastising others for their opinions and preferences. I prefer to take the high road on those kinds of things. And in most cases, this forum is a great vehicle for people to see what others are doing to their bikes and what works for them. So, there's many options out there for lowering your bike.

Basically, your main options are:

1. Lowering Bolts: These are by far the cheapest solution and they are available all over the place, from $16 bolts on Ebay on up to expensive ones from major manufacturers. They are cheap, easy to get, fairly easy to install and can lower your bike up to 2", however, you have to remove and disassemble your shocks to install them. This can be a pretty daunting task to someone who isn't mechanically inclined or just doesn't want to deal with taking apart their shocks. Plus, you need some way to safely take the shocks apart.

2. Lowering Kit that we sell (or similar versions of this kit): They are more expensive than the basic lowering bolts (some brands), yet far cheaper than replacing the shocks. They "only" lower your bike 1.5" instead of 2". The pros are that you don't have to take apart your shocks, in fact, you don't even have to remove them from your bike at all. The install is very simple and you don't need any special tools. People who aren't necessarily mechanically inclined have had no problem installing them.

3. Shock replacement: You can get an adjustable set of shocks that can be lowered, such as the Progressive 422's. This is a good option because you can tailor the ride and height to your preferences, and they perform well. They are much more expensive than lowering kits (typically run $350-$450 a set), but much less expensive than air ride systems. They do require you to have to remove your stock shocks and replace them with new shocks.

4. Air ride systems: This is by far the ultimate option. You can almost infinitely vary your ride height and suspension settings (on the fly in some cases). This is probably the best all around option, however, they are very expensive (typically in the $1200 range). There are some really good manufacturers of these setups out there, but they are pricey and the install can be somewhat complicated to someone who isn't mechanically inclined.

So there's the basic options available (in my opinion of course). It's up to you to choose the option that suits you and your budget the best.