having an ultra lowered any downside?
having an ultra lowered any downside?
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 574
Likes: 1
From: Tennessee
That would be the first thing I did was change the seat. But to your question...If you ride 2 up and carry luggage you'll need to put a lot of air in the rear shock to keep it from bottoming out. If you don't have one invest in a pump for you bike. Not a bicycle pump but one make for your bike shocks.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
I agree that the seat change would be the best thing to try first. That way you will still have full suspension.
But I weigh in at 240 lbs. so I like all the suspension I can get, especially when 2-up even though my wife only weighs about half of what I do.
If you and whoever rides with you weighs less than 325 lbs. total, suspension is probably not as likely to bottom out for you.
Dennis
But I weigh in at 240 lbs. so I like all the suspension I can get, especially when 2-up even though my wife only weighs about half of what I do.
If you and whoever rides with you weighs less than 325 lbs. total, suspension is probably not as likely to bottom out for you.
Dennis
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: So. California
lowering
Downsides-
1)- scraping your boards on a consistant basis
2)- Turning a nice riding bike into a stiff, kidney thrashing, go-cart feel
3)- Bottoming out with 2-up, sometimes burning the paint on your fender under your seat and giving you a "OH CHIT" feel in your stomach when it almost makes you crash
4)- trashing your under-carraige when you forgot you lowered it and hit the speed bump too fast
UPSIDES-
1)- Looks cool
2)-feet touch flat footed when you stop
Verdict-
1)- Buy a Danny Gray (or comparable seat), to lower your a$$ instead of your $20,000.00 bike
JMO and experience
1)- scraping your boards on a consistant basis
2)- Turning a nice riding bike into a stiff, kidney thrashing, go-cart feel
3)- Bottoming out with 2-up, sometimes burning the paint on your fender under your seat and giving you a "OH CHIT" feel in your stomach when it almost makes you crash
4)- trashing your under-carraige when you forgot you lowered it and hit the speed bump too fast
UPSIDES-
1)- Looks cool
2)-feet touch flat footed when you stop
Verdict-
1)- Buy a Danny Gray (or comparable seat), to lower your a$$ instead of your $20,000.00 bike
JMO and experience
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 1
From: Northern MI
Downsides-
1)- scraping your boards on a consistant basis
2)- Turning a nice riding bike into a stiff, kidney thrashing, go-cart feel
3)- Bottoming out with 2-up, sometimes burning the paint on your fender under your seat and giving you a "OH CHIT" feel in your stomach when it almost makes you crash
4)- trashing your under-carraige when you forgot you lowered it and hit the speed bump too fast
UPSIDES-
1)- Looks cool
2)-feet touch flat footed when you stop
Verdict-
1)- Buy a Danny Gray (or comparable seat), to lower your a$$ instead of your $20,000.00 bike
JMO and experience
1)- scraping your boards on a consistant basis
2)- Turning a nice riding bike into a stiff, kidney thrashing, go-cart feel
3)- Bottoming out with 2-up, sometimes burning the paint on your fender under your seat and giving you a "OH CHIT" feel in your stomach when it almost makes you crash
4)- trashing your under-carraige when you forgot you lowered it and hit the speed bump too fast
UPSIDES-
1)- Looks cool
2)-feet touch flat footed when you stop
Verdict-
1)- Buy a Danny Gray (or comparable seat), to lower your a$$ instead of your $20,000.00 bike
JMO and experience
I do STRONGLY agree that the bike looks cool...and feet flat on the ground at a stop...I'm 6'1" 230 lbs.....my better half is about 120 lbs.....I haven't trashed or hurt my bike in any way shape of form.....the worst thing I can say about lowering my bike....my damn bike lift is a very tight fit now.
I say Lower your bike....if its not for you...change it back to the way it was.
JMO and experience
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: So. California
lowered
I had my FLHX lowered and my dad had his Ultra lowered and we have both since raised them back up to stock height. The ride is crap, and if you haven't scraped your boards, you aren't riding hard enough... I admit, I ride my bike a little more aggressive that I should, and I realize it's not a sport bike. blah... blah... blah.. BUT my dad is 65 years old and he hated his $20,000.00 go-cart feeling harley. You can't tell me that your bike rides as smooth as it did before you lowered it ! I'm not buying it. Been around long enough and had too many bikes to know better. I have a bad back, so I guess I'm sensitive to a harsh ride.
I raised my bike back up to stock height in the rear and replaced the 11-1/2" Progressive 430 shocks with 12" Ohlins and am in the process of getting the front end re-done with the TRAXXION Dynanmics kit, to make it ride like it's on a cloud. I only lowered the front 1-1/2" and put a race-tech gold valve kit w/ thicker fluid . (what a piece of $hit those are ) waste of money.... What kind of lowering kit/shocks did you use ?
I raised my bike back up to stock height in the rear and replaced the 11-1/2" Progressive 430 shocks with 12" Ohlins and am in the process of getting the front end re-done with the TRAXXION Dynanmics kit, to make it ride like it's on a cloud. I only lowered the front 1-1/2" and put a race-tech gold valve kit w/ thicker fluid . (what a piece of $hit those are ) waste of money.... What kind of lowering kit/shocks did you use ?
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 650
Likes: 1
From: Wisconsin
Lowered mine too, make sure you keep the air pressure up. I have yet to scrape the floorboards, but I have botomed out a few times.
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 131
Likes: 0
My dad took the stock air shocks off his 2007 road glide and put on Progressive Suspension 11.5" spring shocks to lower it.
Despise them. Very stiff and uncomfortable. "Go Kart" feeling is definitely a good term. This winter, definitely putting on soft air shocks.
Despise them. Very stiff and uncomfortable. "Go Kart" feeling is definitely a good term. This winter, definitely putting on soft air shocks.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 7,498
Likes: 19
From: East Alton, IL
Downsides-
1)- scraping your boards on a consistant basis
2)- Turning a nice riding bike into a stiff, kidney thrashing, go-cart feel
3)- Bottoming out with 2-up, sometimes burning the paint on your fender under your seat and giving you a "OH CHIT" feel in your stomach when it almost makes you crash
4)- trashing your under-carraige when you forgot you lowered it and hit the speed bump too fast
1)- scraping your boards on a consistant basis
2)- Turning a nice riding bike into a stiff, kidney thrashing, go-cart feel
3)- Bottoming out with 2-up, sometimes burning the paint on your fender under your seat and giving you a "OH CHIT" feel in your stomach when it almost makes you crash
4)- trashing your under-carraige when you forgot you lowered it and hit the speed bump too fast
1) have never scraped the boards
2) mine rides fine, saw very little difference after it was lowered
3) I don't ride 2 up often, but I have never bottomed out solo.
4) I guess don't hit the bumps too fast - my undercarriage looks fine after
15,000 miles