Breakout Lowering Kit
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,492
Likes: 103
From: Stuttgart, Germany
EagleRay- yeh i don't get much bottoming either, even with the wife on the back. it is really more the rebound control that is out of whack. that gets more noticeable with 2-up. but with just me on it around town it's nothing I can't live with / not so bad. but I'm still bummed we don't have better vendor supplied options other than going to an air ride setup.
Please read my front suspension upgrade sticky here in the softail forum before buying parts - don't get the progressive front springs, get the race tech single rate springs. dual rate springs on the front is a bad way to go and is the main reason our BO's dive too much from the factory. you'll be really surprised what the race tech springs and ricor dampers do for the bike. night and day improvement in all aspects. anyway I laid it all out, parts, sources, complete install steps, a
"Step by step instruction manual" for your dealer if they will do the work, etc. Getting the dampers is an equally important part of the equation and they are a "drop in" upgrade. no drilling or disassembling lower sliders. part costs are not bad either, it is a lot of upgrade result for the money.
The two single best upgrades you can do to the Breakout in terms of every day ride enjoyment and safety are upgrading the front suspension and putting on better tires. Stock tires are flat faced with bad transition from flat to cornering and the front tire is the wrong profile for the 21"x3.5" wheel. I listed the preferred tire brand and front size in that sticky as well. some guys prefer the Metz or newer Dunlop tires. The Pirelli's i listed are not as well known but are amazing tires for less money, and they do everything well in wet or dry. but anything is better than the stock tires and getting rid of the 130/60 front for a 120/70 makes a noticeable diff in corner handling.
Please read my front suspension upgrade sticky here in the softail forum before buying parts - don't get the progressive front springs, get the race tech single rate springs. dual rate springs on the front is a bad way to go and is the main reason our BO's dive too much from the factory. you'll be really surprised what the race tech springs and ricor dampers do for the bike. night and day improvement in all aspects. anyway I laid it all out, parts, sources, complete install steps, a
"Step by step instruction manual" for your dealer if they will do the work, etc. Getting the dampers is an equally important part of the equation and they are a "drop in" upgrade. no drilling or disassembling lower sliders. part costs are not bad either, it is a lot of upgrade result for the money.
The two single best upgrades you can do to the Breakout in terms of every day ride enjoyment and safety are upgrading the front suspension and putting on better tires. Stock tires are flat faced with bad transition from flat to cornering and the front tire is the wrong profile for the 21"x3.5" wheel. I listed the preferred tire brand and front size in that sticky as well. some guys prefer the Metz or newer Dunlop tires. The Pirelli's i listed are not as well known but are amazing tires for less money, and they do everything well in wet or dry. but anything is better than the stock tires and getting rid of the 130/60 front for a 120/70 makes a noticeable diff in corner handling.
LA, I read your sticky thread on front suspension upgrade loooooong ago
. Unfortunately here in Germany we don't have too many options of swapping for better suspension parts as most of the parts available in the states are either not available here or they don't have the technical clearance by our technical/highway authorities that is mandatory in order not to loose insurance coverage, warranty etc.Due to that I had to go for the Progressive Suspension front springs....have them already here in my repository. User Nostradamus74 installed those as well and he is quite happy with them. Might not be the ultimate upgrade like your race tech springs and ricor dampers but still they are an improvement over the stockers.
Have been running Metzeler ME880 for quite a while now....260 in the back and 120/70 in the front...great tires, fantastic handling!
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 189
From: 90210
LA, I read your sticky thread on front suspension upgrade loooooong ago . Unfortunately here in Germany we don't have too many options of swapping for better suspension parts as most of the parts available in the states are either not available here or they don't have the technical clearance by our technical/highway authorities that is mandatory in order not to loose insurance coverage, warranty etc.
Due to that I had to go for the Progressive Suspension front springs....have them already here in my repository. User Nostradamus74 installed those as well and he is quite happy with them. Might not be the ultimate upgrade like your race tech springs and ricor dampers but still they are an improvement over the stockers.
Have been running Metzeler ME880 for quite a while now....260 in the back and 120/70 in the front...great tires, fantastic handling!
. Unfortunately here in Germany we don't have too many options of swapping for better suspension parts as most of the parts available in the states are either not available here or they don't have the technical clearance by our technical/highway authorities that is mandatory in order not to loose insurance coverage, warranty etc.Due to that I had to go for the Progressive Suspension front springs....have them already here in my repository. User Nostradamus74 installed those as well and he is quite happy with them. Might not be the ultimate upgrade like your race tech springs and ricor dampers but still they are an improvement over the stockers.
Have been running Metzeler ME880 for quite a while now....260 in the back and 120/70 in the front...great tires, fantastic handling!
Progressive rate springs have a soft first stage (sux) and then a second stiffer rate (good). they give a cushier ride but overall have no business on any motorcycle except maybe an all out touring bike. the race tech's are not so much a race spring, they are just single rate so you get the same rate of feel. it's not overly racey or anything, if that makes sense. If you are able to obtain and use the Ricor dampers they would work with the progressive springs as well. they just drop right in and hide down in there under the spring- maybe you could get away with using those. will help prevent nose diving and washiness in bumpy turns.
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 189
From: 90210
Reason the Breakout scrapes too soon is the soft front springs compress very easily. gravity from entering a corner or applying front brake pulls the frond end down, reducing ground clearance sooner than it should on an already low bike. the stock dampers don't do much to prevent excessive diving either particularly with sudden hard braking.
that's why a lot of the BO owners have swapped the front fork springs to progressives or race tech, and aftermarket dampers. sort of gets things back on track and less worrying going into a corner or slamming front brake. it's a worthwhile upgrade if you feel it would benefit your riding style.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 163
Likes: 11
From: Clearfield UT
un-screw the peg feelers with a wrench. they are useless and scrape too soon
Reason the Breakout scrapes too soon is the soft front springs compress very easily. gravity from entering a corner or applying front brake pulls the frond end down, reducing ground clearance sooner than it should on an already low bike. the stock dampers don't do much to prevent excessive diving either particularly with sudden hard braking.
that's why a lot of the BO owners have swapped the front fork springs to progressives or race tech, and aftermarket dampers. sort of gets things back on track and less worrying going into a corner or slamming front brake. it's a worthwhile upgrade if you feel it would benefit your riding style.
Reason the Breakout scrapes too soon is the soft front springs compress very easily. gravity from entering a corner or applying front brake pulls the frond end down, reducing ground clearance sooner than it should on an already low bike. the stock dampers don't do much to prevent excessive diving either particularly with sudden hard braking.
that's why a lot of the BO owners have swapped the front fork springs to progressives or race tech, and aftermarket dampers. sort of gets things back on track and less worrying going into a corner or slamming front brake. it's a worthwhile upgrade if you feel it would benefit your riding style.
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 322,622
Likes: 3,077
From: .....
My first bike was a '51 rigid frame panhead, so I'm okay with a rough ride...well, I was in the 70s but my wife groans whenever we hit a bump on my BO. I know this because we have an intercom and it really gets to me. I think, what would you do on my old bike? She wouldn't last a day.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,492
Likes: 103
From: Stuttgart, Germany
My first bike was a '51 rigid frame panhead, so I'm okay with a rough ride...well, I was in the 70s but my wife groans whenever we hit a bump on my BO. I know this because we have an intercom and it really gets to me. I think, what would you do on my old bike? She wouldn't last a day.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,492
Likes: 103
From: Stuttgart, Germany
.But still you wont be able to prevent the bike from scraping. Lean angle on the Breakout really sux...but you can get used to it.
Actually for me the first thing that scrapes when cornering is my heals. Then comes (on the right) the peg, then comes the lowest point of the brake lever. But that's just me 'cause my fwd control extension also move the rear brake lever assembly slightly outward....Never scraped any bike part on the left so far
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,626
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From: "Old Hangtown" Placerville Ca.
Due to that I had to go for the Progressive Suspension front springs....have them already here in my repository. User Nostradamus74 installed those as well and he is quite happy with them. Might not be the ultimate upgrade like your race tech springs and ricor dampers but still they are an improvement over the stockers.
Have been running Metzeler ME880 for quite a while now....260 in the back and 120/70 in the front...great tires, fantastic handling!
Have been running Metzeler ME880 for quite a while now....260 in the back and 120/70 in the front...great tires, fantastic handling!
I also totally agree.. the Metz ME880 is a awsome tire!!
Last edited by Rocker B; Jan 27, 2016 at 01:51 AM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,492
Likes: 103
From: Stuttgart, Germany
Eagle Ray, I took Nostradamus 74s' advise and went with the Progressive springs also. Huge!! improvement, the handling is SO much better!! nose dive is greatly reduced and they really suck up bumps and pot holes!! For only $84 and under an hour DIY, it's probably the best "bang for the buck" performance mod I've done!! I did just the springs, no dampers, and I'm very satisfied with the results!!
I also totally agree.. the Metz ME880 is a awsome tire!!
I also totally agree.. the Metz ME880 is a awsome tire!!
I think I will try with the springs only first as everyone who's done the change seems to be quite happy with it. Your review also confirms this. Nevertheless I will keep on looking for a good offer on the ricor intiminators. Unfortunately they are really not available her in Germany. Ordering them in US for retail plus shipping plus tax and customs will leave me with a total of appr. US$ 280,-.......not sure I wanna afford that right now.
Yeah, I love my M880, but a lot of people seem to be very fond of the Pirelli Nightdragons....