OP, which version of the Bitubos do you have?

My wife and I both have Dyna Switchbacks and she has 13" Bitubos with the adjustable preload and damping. They are very good. The Switchbacks, like a Street Glide, use a 12" shock with 2.1" of travel. The Bitubos she has dramatically changed the ride, and after dialing it in, it really makes a difference in the ride quality, but also the control of the bike.

I have Hagon Nitro 13" shocks with adjustable preload and damping. Also, like the Bitubos, a dramatic change for the better.

Ultimately, it's going to be about travel length in the shock. Not that 13" is amazing, but it's considerably better than 12" for ride quality. A quality shock (Bitubo, Ohlins, Legends, ProAction, Hagon, etc.) will still retain the handling aspect as well.

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I have a set of the adjustable 13 inch premium Harley shocks that I took off my 19 Road King with only 600 miles on it. If you want 13 inch shocks they are yours for the shipping cost from Reno NV.

 

Lets start with why, since it will change the stance of the bike front to back, and how it feels in the corners as well.

Hence road king has a flat stance front to back, and is pretty neutral in the corners once the suspension is dialed in.
The road glides have more of a chopper stance, with the back end slightly lower due to the shorter shocks, and you get that chopper feeling on the bike with the back end slightly lower, and front end slightly heaver in the corners.

So since street glide, the shorter rear shocks are correct to give the bike the correct stance when you are sitting on it, even through the stance do cause the front end to feel heaver in the corners.

Myself, would leave the stock length shocks on the bike to semi keep the bike stance itself to a degreee, but add 1/2oz of fluid to both rear shocks instead. This will stiffen up the bottom of shocks stroke, and will give the rear end the added height you may be looking for against the front end instead (not fully go to the level RK type stance isntead)..
oem levels for the front forks, but on the rear shocks, drain the oil to get amounts (13" will have 10.5oz for Oem levels), and just refill the rears with 1/2oz more of 12 weight shock oil per shock isntead.
If you want to go slightly less stiffer on the suspension than a handling type set up, but more of a solfter type set up, then 12 weight in the front forks (will have to mix 10 and 15 weight fork oil), and 10 weight at an extra 1/2oz of fluid per shock in the rear. As for factory oem oils as it left the factory, front forks have 10 weight, while rear shock have 7 weight oil, and can cause the bike to be a touch to bouncy in the corners instead.

Also You don't state what year bike, so problem could be as simple as someone using the 15 weight in the forks on the fork oil change, but still running the OEM 7 weight oil in the shocks/ if never changed, with humidity in the shock oil making it even thinner isntead. With the bike this way, the rear end is going to have more sag to it, and way more bouncy in the rear end in corners as well (front to back of bike just not on the same page).

As for once the fork and shock oil have been changed, then you will be using the air pressure in the system to get the needed ride height (sag) for the bike front and back (initial sag, since the extra 1/2oz of fluid will have the back up up a little more at bottom of stroke compared to the compression of the front end).. If after you take the time to change the fluid and dial in the suspension, and still don't like the bike stance, then you are only out $30 for fluid, have the front shock oil changed, and then could go with the longer rear shocks to give the road glide a more level front to back RK/SG stance instead.

 

I installed 13” standard RW RS1 shocks on my cvo street glide, great improvement specially if you ride rough roads.

 

Hopefully the OP will look back and respond...his last response to this thread was back in July of 2014, This is an old thread that ran its course back then.

 

I have a 2011 Street Glide, with 12" Bitubo rear shocks (w/adjustable preload, damping, & rebound) and Traxxion Dynamics AK-20 front suspension.

Suspension is light years better than stock, but I want to move to a 13" rear shock.

When that day comes, maybe someone here would be interested in my 12" Bitubos.

Thanks

 

Moving to a 13” will gives bit more travel and will give you a little more clearance. Just going to a better shock like a Bitubo, Ohlins, pro action or Legends is already a great start. The Stock shocks are crap. I changed the oil in them to get a little improvement but I say “little”, I then installed Ohlins base model coil over and discovered “The Ride”.

 

SOLD!!! PM comin'

 

I have 13” Ohlins on the rear of my bike, raised them to 14”. Could not tell a difference and I hit corners pretty hard and I’m no lightweight...lol.
‘Set back to 13...just cause.

I disagree raising a bike will give it better handling. Better ground clearance? Yes.
But if you want to talk handling and corners, goal is to get lower to the ground not higher...lower center of gravity.

now, on a 900lb touring bike...you’d have to push it hella hard to notice a difference and be one helluva pilot to notice and have the ability to push it to that edge of the envelope.

 

I've been researching this a lot, I have no personal experience as of yet. Take that as you will.

Understanding the geometry of how the motorcycle works and UnderstUnderstandingnd trail, the taller shocks will raise the rear, change the center of gravity shifting it forward and will decrease rake and trail. These will be minimal changes, but it's physics, and that's what will happen.

A steeper rake and shorter trail would improve steering response and improve handling making the bike better. It would also handle two up better.

These are on my list and if I was to buy right now, these would be the ticket for me. As of right now.
https://www.ohlinsusa.com/parts/1990...-shocks-hd-159