Lowering a Breakout
OK, So I'm considering a SS, but am not sure due to the cost. Where is the biggest benefit? Is it mainly the ride or looks? I know it look great when lowered, but can you really lower it much while riding? It already scrapes the pegs easily, plus I have a swingarm bag that I need on the bike. Scale of 1-10, 10 being the best mod.. where does it really fit in?
In looks and ride.
Rides like a touring bike and looks awesome doing it.
I ride my bike at the stock height then slam it when parked
The lower you ride it the more air pressure you'll need
So lower = stiffer
So for comfort I have mine close to stock height when riding
Lowering is a thing I'd give strong consideration to. If you are short, then it makes some sense. But absent that, lowering your bike is only going to decrease and limit your bike's handling potential. I have an 07 softail custom and don't ride that aggressive IMO. Yet still, I do get sparks on the corners. And I still have a half inch chicken strip on the rear tire. If anything I'd stretch, rake and raise the bike bout an inch. Doing that would allow me to use all the tire and corner more aggressively.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 2
From: PA
Nope, didn't have to do anything to the front end. I dropped the rear 1.5" and you can't tell from the front to the back. It does sit lower, and does scrape the pegs more (not that bad, but I corner low too) and you have to watch making turns into roads that drop down or have a raised spot in the road. I've got a few scrapes on the underside of my primary now because of it. I'd still do it again though. The huge gap between the rear fender and the tire is just too much.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 440
Likes: 15
From: South East PA
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,986
Likes: 709
From: San Diego
There are 3 basic ways to lower a Softail. Here they are in order of cheapest to most expensive.
1)Lowering bolts, or collars
2)Lowering Shocks
3)Air Ride
1 is the cheapest and will ride the worst, 2 is the middle and rides in the middle, 3 cost the most and can ride the best. The lower the bike is the worse it will ride, period. Doesn't matter how you got it there. If there is very little travel available then you need to ramp up the dampening and make the bike very stiff over small bumps or it will bottom out on big bumps. With shocks you can adjust the dampening to accommodate this. With bolts or collars you are relying on the dampening of the stock shocks, and just adjusting preload to compensate for the decreased travel. With air ride, you can raise the bike and increase the travel when riding distances, and slam it/stiffen it up for cruise nights.
I ride mine very low the majority of the time without issue, this means any of the available options will be fine a lot of the time. But occasionally when hitting the mountains it is nice to raise it up and haul ***.
1)Lowering bolts, or collars
2)Lowering Shocks
3)Air Ride
1 is the cheapest and will ride the worst, 2 is the middle and rides in the middle, 3 cost the most and can ride the best. The lower the bike is the worse it will ride, period. Doesn't matter how you got it there. If there is very little travel available then you need to ramp up the dampening and make the bike very stiff over small bumps or it will bottom out on big bumps. With shocks you can adjust the dampening to accommodate this. With bolts or collars you are relying on the dampening of the stock shocks, and just adjusting preload to compensate for the decreased travel. With air ride, you can raise the bike and increase the travel when riding distances, and slam it/stiffen it up for cruise nights.
I ride mine very low the majority of the time without issue, this means any of the available options will be fine a lot of the time. But occasionally when hitting the mountains it is nice to raise it up and haul ***.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
From: CA
There are 3 basic ways to lower a Softail. Here they are in order of cheapest to most expensive.
1)Lowering bolts, or collars
2)Lowering Shocks
3)Air Ride
1 is the cheapest and will ride the worst, 2 is the middle and rides in the middle, 3 cost the most and can ride the best. The lower the bike is the worse it will ride, period. Doesn't matter how you got it there. If there is very little travel available then you need to ramp up the dampening and make the bike very stiff over small bumps or it will bottom out on big bumps. With shocks you can adjust the dampening to accommodate this. With bolts or collars you are relying on the dampening of the stock shocks, and just adjusting preload to compensate for the decreased travel. With air ride, you can raise the bike and increase the travel when riding distances, and slam it/stiffen it up for cruise nights.
I ride mine very low the majority of the time without issue, this means any of the available options will be fine a lot of the time. But occasionally when hitting the mountains it is nice to raise it up and haul ***.
1)Lowering bolts, or collars
2)Lowering Shocks
3)Air Ride
1 is the cheapest and will ride the worst, 2 is the middle and rides in the middle, 3 cost the most and can ride the best. The lower the bike is the worse it will ride, period. Doesn't matter how you got it there. If there is very little travel available then you need to ramp up the dampening and make the bike very stiff over small bumps or it will bottom out on big bumps. With shocks you can adjust the dampening to accommodate this. With bolts or collars you are relying on the dampening of the stock shocks, and just adjusting preload to compensate for the decreased travel. With air ride, you can raise the bike and increase the travel when riding distances, and slam it/stiffen it up for cruise nights.
I ride mine very low the majority of the time without issue, this means any of the available options will be fine a lot of the time. But occasionally when hitting the mountains it is nice to raise it up and haul ***.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,158
Likes: 68
From: Martinsburg, WV
Just remember that if you go with collars or bolts, you have to adjust your shocks if you go low enough or you'll probably be bottoming out a lot. Also, if you want to go the lowering schok route, check the used section on here. There may be people that are upgrading to air ride and selling a Progressive 422 or other air shock.
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