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[jmorton10]

I posted this recently on HTT, but then it occured to me that guys here might find it interesting also:

I recently installed an air ride system on my 04 RK Custom because I wanted the adjustable height feature. I am 5'6" with a short inseam,
& being able to lower the big bagger down real low in situations like backing out of a parking spot etc. can be really useful.

I have been running 12" standard spring Progressive 440's for a few years & the ride was super(1000 times better than the awful 12" Harley lowered air shocks), but I decided to give the air a test for the adjustable height feature.  I originally bought the "draggin bagger" setup because it was cheap($399 at the time)& although the air height feature worked fine & was fun to play with, the ride was too rough for me.  I returned that setup for a refund.

I was all set to buy the Legend air system until I rode a friends bagger with that system & it was a very rough ride IMHO. I played with his system at all different air settings & could never really find a "sweet spot" where I was happy with the ride.

I then read everything I could find on air suspension systems & decided to give the Platinum "Bleed & Feed" system a try. The Platinum system is a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the Legend, but the main thing I kept reading about was the outstanding ride quality. I realized right up front that even the best air systems cannot quite equal the ride quality of a top quality standard shock(Progressive, Works etc etc). At least that's what I thought at the time.

I bought the Platinum system a while back & just got around to installing it two days ago. The quality of the parts in the system is awesome, the shocks are chrome & absolutely beautiful(too bad the bags cover them up)& the wiring harness, valves etc are top quality.
What is not top quality however are the included instructions, they are simply awful. There is one page of gramatically incorrect printed instructions with no pics at all & no wiring diagram. The wiring instructions are confusing & don't really make sense.
I basically figured the install out on my own & the system works super now.  I installed the shocks along with a So-Lo lowering kit so fully extended the setup is similar to a 12" shock setup.
 
I have now been testing the system out for a few days & I am absolutely amazed at the ride quality, they ride MUCH smoother than I ever figured an air shock would ride.  The system has two switches that are independently adjustable, one for ride height, the other is for dampening/ride stiffness. These are quite simply the best riding shocks I have ever tried, the ride quality blows away my buddies Legend system(that system will be on ebay soon).   My bike now rides as smooth as any bike I have ever ridden & I've ridden a lot of them(Ultra's, GW's etc), it definitely feels like it is "riding on air"
 
There is a jolting set of speed bumps leading up to a dangerous curve in a stretch of road I ride on the way to work.  Riding over them on the bike, I barely even noticed them.
 
I would recommend this system to anyone that is in the market for an air adjustable system, it's one of the best things I've ever done to my bike.
 
~John

[Hoist!]

Sounds pretty interesting jm10. How about a link and some pics. Do they just help smooth out the ride or can they be adjusted for performance/handling? Thanks. Hoist!

[jmorton10]

Sounds pretty interesting jm10. How about a link and some pics. Do they just help smooth out the ride or can they be adjusted for performance/handling? Thanks. Hoist!

I didn't take any pics & their site seems to be down right now, but the system is shown here(the Bleed & Feed setup):

http://www.tejasthumpcycles.com/Parts/Suspension/Rearend/rearend.htm

There are two switches on the system, one adjusts the ride height & the other adds dampening/back pressure so that will adjust it to ride/handle however you like.  I bought the system from Cateye Custom for $1300.

~John

[jmorton10]

http://www.tejasthumpcycles.com/Parts/Suspension/Rearend/Platinum_air_suspension_deluxe.jpg

[Hoist!]

Thanks jm10. The pic looks like they're good quality. If you get the mfr's link going, please post as well. This might be worth looking into. How do they ride compared to the 440's? I'm looking for performance more than air adjustability. If I can get both, why not! I'll see if Traxxion knows anything about them too. Thanks! Hoist!