Lowering question.
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 103
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From: Granite city, Il
Lowering question.
Now that I've got my 23" front and 18" rear, it's time to lower my night train. I know what I'm gonna do with the rear (shotgun) but what's the best way to do the front? I've read about lowering springs and I've read about shorter tubes, but I'm kind of lost. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 420
Likes: 2
From: Bradenton,Florida
I cut the springs on my wife's SG by 1". The good news it that it did lower it, the bad news it reduces front travel by 1" and also makes for a rough/stiff ride. I had to use a thicker oil to help reduce bottoming.
I have a shotgun on the rear and put progressive drop in springs up front with thick oil. They were like $100 and you cut the pvc to what ever drop height you want. I started out dropping the front two inches but I think I am going to cut another inch out and if I don't like it ill just get a new piece of pvc, it's cheap.
Last edited by Steven725; Aug 31, 2014 at 06:19 PM.
I went with the Progressive full kit, 2" drop with Ricor Iniminators. Rides fine 90% of the time, big potholes will hurt.
My understanding is the shorter tubes will give you back the travel you lost by shortening the springs. Not 100% sure on that though, might want to post in the train pic thread. A bunch of guys there have gone the shorter tube route.
My understanding is the shorter tubes will give you back the travel you lost by shortening the springs. Not 100% sure on that though, might want to post in the train pic thread. A bunch of guys there have gone the shorter tube route.
Last edited by jreichart; Sep 2, 2014 at 05:12 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,158
Likes: 68
From: Martinsburg, WV
I have a Shotgun on my Deuce with a 2" drop up front with springs. If you do it like that, you'll be able to set the bike at a decent height with a decent ride. You can also go 2" shorter tubes on top of that for a 4" drop from what I've read. I think I may do this eventually, but then you're going to have to be really careful as you may scrape going over things like speed bumps, soda cans, gravel, painted lettering on the roads.
The photo in my sig is mine aired out all the way. You can see it still sits at and angle, but the rear is low. If you do the 4" and raise the suspension up any good amount to acheive a decent ride, you're going to have the rear higher than the front and angled down. This will alter the steering geometry in a possibly bad way and could cause some inverse handling characteristics, like a tendency to get twitchy steering and maybe even the tendency for a tank slapper. However, I don't think the angle will be bad enough for that, you'll just have to pay attention.
I'm going from a 21" to a 23" upfront, so the extra 2" tubes I'm getting on mine will only lower it about an inch for 3" overall. Also, keep in mind the front suspension will end up being rougher and will kind of negate the Shotgun if you have it set for a nice plush ride.
The photo in my sig is mine aired out all the way. You can see it still sits at and angle, but the rear is low. If you do the 4" and raise the suspension up any good amount to acheive a decent ride, you're going to have the rear higher than the front and angled down. This will alter the steering geometry in a possibly bad way and could cause some inverse handling characteristics, like a tendency to get twitchy steering and maybe even the tendency for a tank slapper. However, I don't think the angle will be bad enough for that, you'll just have to pay attention.
I'm going from a 21" to a 23" upfront, so the extra 2" tubes I'm getting on mine will only lower it about an inch for 3" overall. Also, keep in mind the front suspension will end up being rougher and will kind of negate the Shotgun if you have it set for a nice plush ride.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 440
Likes: 15
From: South East PA
right now I'm dropped all the way down in the rear with lowering bolts, but if money were no option id prob go with shotgun in the rear and Progressive in the front.
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Village sorry mate that isn't the case at all. It does appear that way, but you'd need a fair amount of rake in the front on top of the 4" drop to encounter this problem
I have taken two inches out with the progressives, plus -2" tubes, so 4" all up and only when I raise the shotguns to full height then bikes only at level. The front end is up one inch higher then normal as I'm running a 140/70/21 tyre, in which I'm dropping back to a dunlop 130 which will drop it back down an inch. So in reality from where it is now I could drop in another 3" and still be able to raise the rear enough to give me a bit of travel to bounce on. I will though if you go after market billet trees, a little over 4" drop will be as far as you can go or the sliders will hit the trees. You keep stock trees and you go much lower.
Here's a good view dumped and pumped. I have shaved the bump stop in half too. Going to going back to the shorter front tyre and move the indicators and take another 1/4" out of the front. Don't forget with the progressives, the shorter the spacer, the softer the preload, meaning use that bit more fork
This at full height, 1" higher then factory.
The 140/70/21 is very close to being spot on the same diameter as a 23" up front. Almost 2" larger diameter then the 90/90/21, raising the front 1"
I have taken two inches out with the progressives, plus -2" tubes, so 4" all up and only when I raise the shotguns to full height then bikes only at level. The front end is up one inch higher then normal as I'm running a 140/70/21 tyre, in which I'm dropping back to a dunlop 130 which will drop it back down an inch. So in reality from where it is now I could drop in another 3" and still be able to raise the rear enough to give me a bit of travel to bounce on. I will though if you go after market billet trees, a little over 4" drop will be as far as you can go or the sliders will hit the trees. You keep stock trees and you go much lower.
Here's a good view dumped and pumped. I have shaved the bump stop in half too. Going to going back to the shorter front tyre and move the indicators and take another 1/4" out of the front. Don't forget with the progressives, the shorter the spacer, the softer the preload, meaning use that bit more fork
This at full height, 1" higher then factory.
The 140/70/21 is very close to being spot on the same diameter as a 23" up front. Almost 2" larger diameter then the 90/90/21, raising the front 1"
Last edited by Ink83; Sep 7, 2014 at 05:36 AM.
The spacers in the progressives cut to 4" lengths gives you a 2" drop. I tried at 3.5" length spacers with the -2" tubes and indicators on the tubes and it bottomed out easily. I was dead set on leaving the indicators there at first but now I'm looking at other alternatives and trying for about a 3.6-7" spacer.
To add to that I'm not sure if different after market sliders will have slightly different lengths allowing more or less of a drop
To add to that I'm not sure if different after market sliders will have slightly different lengths allowing more or less of a drop