Lowering
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Stage IV
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Brunswick, Ohio
Lowering
Hey everyone,
I just bought a 2012 street glide. I am a smaller guy about 5’7”. With that being said I am not able to touch flat foot and am having a hard time pushing it backwards. Do you have any suggestions on suspension lowering methods? Thanks!
I just bought a 2012 street glide. I am a smaller guy about 5’7”. With that being said I am not able to touch flat foot and am having a hard time pushing it backwards. Do you have any suggestions on suspension lowering methods? Thanks!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,138
Likes: 6,162
From: SE Michigan
Street Glides are already pretty low. Before lowering your bike you should call the fine people at Mean City Cycles and discuss seat modification. They can lower your seat while improving comfort.
Tourer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 464
Likes: 42
From: NC
Agree with Keithhu... also you could get good ridding boots with a thick sole and taller heel. And take a look at Ride Like A Pro. It helped me tremendously. https://www.ridelikeapro.com/
IMHO lowering would be a last resort.
IMHO lowering would be a last resort.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 2,227
Likes: 2,144
From: West Coast
Trim the front sides of the seat. Cover held on by staples. Use your electric turkey carving knife to narrow the front and re-staple the cover on. Whole operation is an hour. Most often the issue is the seat is too wide limiting your reach to the ground. You don't have to touch the foam you sit on while riding. Just note where your legs are when at a stop. I did it to the bike in my sig below.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,295
Likes: 1,228
From: Depends on where I am
I had a similar issue with my Road King. I could just flat foot it with the stock seat and stock 13" shocks, but had no leverage to back it up my driveway or any slope. I tried going with some 12" Street Glide shocks and that did the trick as far as height, but the ride was much harsher. I went with a lower and narrower seat (Mustang Lowdown) and went back to 13" shocks. That change gave me enough lowering effect that I can back it up most reasonable inclines. A big part of it, as already mentioned, is that the new seat is much narrower (the top of the frame is exposed) so my legs can be nearly straight down instead of angled out.
If you are wanting to do something with the suspension, maybe an air ride system? I know someone that has one and he can put the bike really low, but then up to a normal height for riding. He is taller but has a bad back and needs the bike low to use his legs more to back it up and such. He and his wife seem to really like it.
If you are wanting to do something with the suspension, maybe an air ride system? I know someone that has one and he can put the bike really low, but then up to a normal height for riding. He is taller but has a bad back and needs the bike low to use his legs more to back it up and such. He and his wife seem to really like it.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,138
Likes: 6,162
From: SE Michigan
Trim the front sides of the seat. Cover held on by staples. Use your electric turkey carving knife to narrow the front and re-staple the cover on. Whole operation is an hour. Most often the issue is the seat is too wide limiting your reach to the ground. You don't have to touch the foam you sit on while riding. Just note where your legs are when at a stop. I did it to the bike in my sig below.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 5,157
Likes: 740
From: new caney, tx
It really all depends on how much you want to spend vs usability of said product vs comfort. I've had 1 lowering blocks on my street glide and it was easy to move. I'm 6 ft but have to back up on an incline to turn it around in my driveway. The ride quality sucked. Some bumps felt like my old hardtail
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 177
Likes: 44
From: PA
Couple of vids helped me.
Couldn't find the last one but basically it showed an old dude ba king up a bike. By getting off and using the bars and hand on seat to move it. Ain't no shame in physically backing up the bike before getting on
