I've got a 2004 Road King Classic that may or may not have lowered front forks. I know the rear is lowered, just don't know if the front is lowered as well.

Is there a measurement somewhere I can take to identify the lowered front forks as compared to stock height? Well, that or a secret part number that I can see and decode.

 

Fully extended they measure 6.1" from the top of the fender mount to the cow bell for stock length or an easier measurement is 13 1/2" from center of axle nut to bottom of cowbells

 

Ratchet strap it into a chock, cinch it all the way down til it bottoms, make a mark on the lower fork slider just below the upper slider cover. Then pull it out of the chock, lift it in the air and measure up from your mark, if you got about 4 3/4" of travel, its not lowered. No secret squirell part numbers to be diciphered that I'm aware of.

 

or...the bottom of the cowbells will about line up with the top of the fender if stock. a quick eyeball will tell...

in this pic, the 2011 Limited on the left is lowered 1", the 09 EG Classic is stock:



This applies to all FL's since 1949, here's my stock '53




Mike

 

Cowbells eh? Lol, I love these Harley terms! Took me a few minutes to figure out what you guys were talking about. Chuckle, none of my metric bikes had cowbells.

Anyhow, now I'm a bit more confused. I *thought* the rear was lowered, but it's actually got the air shocks, 54565-97C. The bike sits me down like some of the others I sat on that were lowered.

I've read confusing contradictory stuff about the Classic having a lower seat height.

Well, whatever the case, it's darn near low enough now, and it's neat to find out I can lower it a bit more without too much work. With a 29" inseam, even the King is a bit tall.

 

practiced eye can tell if the rear is lowered by how much of the wheel is below the mufflers.

go here:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...are-bikes.html

select a road king as "bike 1", select a street glide as "bike 2"

look at the rear wheel exposure under muffler


aside from cowbells ( also called beer cans) we have many secret terms...many with hazy origins, such as the jiffy stand.

the harley swingarm until very recently was always called a "rear fork"



as for inseam, my Father in Law was 5'3" ( if he stretched way up) and initially rejected for service in WW2, he faked his way into the Canadian Army and became a Despatch Rider.

Bill rode a WLC45 and when ever he saw a need to stop he would look for a kerb or a stone to rest his foot on.




mike