Rear shocks
 

My wife has a 2014 Roadking and we need to lower the bikefor her. We have already installed a lowprofile seat and moved the handle bars back. We are looking at shorter rear shocks.

The dealerrecommended part # 54680-10 which are hand adjustable. When Icheck the HD website they list part# 54635-09, which are air adjustable. I have read bad reviews on the Harley lowprofile shocks. I have also read that itis not a good idea to lower the front end.

I am looking for recommendations.

Is an inch going to really help her that much?

She could wear boots with 1 inch rise and you could save $650.00. Vs 95.00 boots

All ready done the boots. She had a 2003 RK with lowering blocks and it fit her good.

I prefer the hand adjustable. Better yet call Howard at Motorcycle Metal and he'll set you up with the best possible system. Since she's short, I'll assume she doesn't weigh much - and that will be a factor too.

I've seen plenty of positive posts about the hand adjustable- the 12" air shocks are ok...I ran them for over a year on my FLHTC.
I am now running the 13's with lowering blocks- somewhat better.

you can lower the front IF you also lower the rear- this is a geometry thing with the rake and trail. ( so you shouldn;t lower the front alone).
I think is you cast your eye at bikes in a lot, many will be lowered.



The result of a lowered bike will be a stiffer/harsher ride- there is no getting around the fact that reducing the suspension travel by 30% will mean than the suspension have to dampen in less space - and consequently less time from top to bottom of suspension travel.
the hand adjustables may give better shock tuning ability for her.

Cornering clearance and lean angle will be slightly affected- IF she has a V&H power duals with X pipe- this could be a concern on rt turns.


if you watch the classifieds- take off 12 air shocks are about $150, take off hand adjustables maybe $300 or so.

with the air shocks, make sure that they have been sealed and stored upright ( so the oil doesn;t leak out)- a local purchase is smarter for those.

BTW here's how to spot a lowered bike - the bottom of the cowbells on the stock front end are in line with the top of the fender...on a lowered bike they are below.
in the pic below, the bike on the left is lowered an inch:

http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/o...g/DSC01732.jpg


Mike

Progressive Suspensions drop in fork kit will get the front end down. I have it installed on my Road King at a 1 1/4" drop and I love it, but you can drop the forks up to two inches if you wish. Countless forum members have done it with great success. Not sure who would tell you lowering the front end is not a good idea, but, OK. Obviously, lowering any suspension component limits its ability to work effectively, but if you need the bike low, you will have SOME give and take.


As far as the rear goes, you could try lowering blocks again, or a set of 11.5 inch shocks, but any 11.5-12 inch shocks will give you a nice drop. The brand is up to you. Progressive shocks are probablly as good or better than the MOCO hand adjustable shocks. The factory shocks are 12 3/4 inches eye to eye. So a 12 inch Low Profile Hand Adjustable MOCO shocks will only net you 3/4 of an inch drop. An 11.5 shock will give you a little more, or you could look to bitchen' baggers. They will modify the factory 12 3/4 shocks, and shorten them to pretty much any length you like. Personally, I would go 11 1/4 inches bitchen' bagger shocks if it was my wifes Road King before I did lowering blocks again, but that's just me. And bitchen' baggers will modify the factory shocks for only $175.


If your looking for the best bang for the buck at the absolute lowest you can humanly go, Burly sells their "Slammer" kit for well under $300 delivered. That will get you the drop in fork kit, and a tiny set of 10.5 rear shocks. I installed that kit on the wife's Sportster. She swears buy the Slammer kit, and truly loves it. Sportsters may be small bikes, but they have very high seats heights. For example, a 2015 Sportster 72 has a 2 inch taller seat height than a similar year Softail Deluxe (laden seat height). And with the Bulry Slammer, my 5'6 wife could easily flat foot her Sporty. I suspect the same would be the case on the wife's King.


edit: One last thing to remember, if you lower the bike too much, you will have to address the kickstand. Both my Road King, and my wife's Sportster needed the kickstand modded to keep the bikes from falling over to the right, once the lowering kits were added. Just something to think about.

i have 11.5" progressive 412's standard spring. if you can handle the rougher ride they handle great. they have a 12.5" that sits like 11". im going to be getting a pair of them this winter. they are called progressive 944 ultra low

http://www.progressivesuspension.com...tra-low-shocks

If your wife is short and light in weight, almost any off the shelf shock will be too stiff for her, they are made for butch blokes, not petite females. You can either spend time and waste money chasing this round in dizzy circles, or get the results Mrs Bob needs first time by doing as Deuuuce suggested. Call Howard, who will custom build a pair of shocks with suitable springs and damping. Do it once, do it right! :icon_headbang:

[QUOTE=Gliden;13432424]Is an inch going to really help her that much?



One inch is the difference between satisfied and pissed off in a woman's world.:icon_smash:

Batman

Premium ride hand adjustable touring shocks Low Profile (not air) are part # 54000091.

Look into after market tho. Progessive, ohlins, etc