2009 Streetglide bottoms out
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 127
Likes: 26
From:
I put Ultra shocks on my 2010 FLHX prior to a 6K road trip. The ride was better than on my 2007 Ultra, due in part to the frame improvements. Now I put the short shocks on for local usage and change to Ultra shocks for traveling. All that previous posts have said regarding pressure is true. Get a pump and experiment. Just understand that even at optimal pressure the short shocks will be a lot harsher than the longer ones.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
I have a 09 UC and I installed the Street Glide shocks and i keep 35 to 38 psi in mine. Took a ride in the city yesterday and the expansion joints and shoddy repaving for water lines were bottoming out the shocks pretty hard. I figure its a product of wanting a little lower bike.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
Street Glide shock air pressure
I have tried 5 PSI,12, 20, 30 and now today up to 45 PSI, solo rider at ~ 220 lbs.
45 PSI is the best riding so far. Still firm but I do not seem to get the back crunching jars that I got with lower PSI's. A guy at Goe HD in Angleton Tx told me on the phone today that they tell everyone to run min 35 PSI in them, so I tried it. I was riding with a friend today and told him about this, he used my air pump to put his at 45 today also and after about a 20 mile run, he said the same thing, it rides better.
To heck what the book says, try it. It will not ride like an Ultra but it does help cut down the back breaking jarring. I'm going to go ahead and take it to 50 PSI and see how it does.
45 PSI is the best riding so far. Still firm but I do not seem to get the back crunching jars that I got with lower PSI's. A guy at Goe HD in Angleton Tx told me on the phone today that they tell everyone to run min 35 PSI in them, so I tried it. I was riding with a friend today and told him about this, he used my air pump to put his at 45 today also and after about a 20 mile run, he said the same thing, it rides better.
To heck what the book says, try it. It will not ride like an Ultra but it does help cut down the back breaking jarring. I'm going to go ahead and take it to 50 PSI and see how it does.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,413
Likes: 17
From: eastern oklahoma
bgdog be sure to get harleys little pump because air from a compressor will blow out the shocks. i'd like to swap out my shocks on my 08 sg also, but i think i'll be checking in with the guy from motorcycle metal for ohlins. harley did use el cheapo shocks from the factory, and a better shock will do me far better than even the ultra longer shocks. just my three cents worth. good luck. shouldn't be a big issue finding someone to swap out their ultra shocks for yours, as the current trend is lowering bikes.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Appleton,wi.
pump up your shocks
buy a touring suspension air pump from H.D. part # 54630-03A. Remove your left side saddle bag to access the shock air valve and pump it to 28 to 32 p.s.i. and the bottom out should stop.
Stage IV
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
I was told by my dealer that it depends on the year of the bike. I had a 2001 Ultra and currently have a 2009 Road Glide. Somewhere in there they changed the shocks because I have to run much higher air pressure in the 2009 than I did the 2001
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
Yes, they changed for the '09 model. My 08 I could run between 8 to 15 lbs. The '09 is a minimum of 28 lbs.
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