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[laylonlor]

is there any diff between  a breakout and a heritage  ride, and can you adjust for a sofer ride , my new pro st. is getting hard on the back, i think its set for a 180 lb.s  and i am 215

[grc]

I think, but can't say for certain, that all the Softails come from the factory with the shocks set at the lowest position, which would be more like 150-160 lbs.  The rear shocks can be adjusted for your weight, it just takes more effort than it would on a conventional swing arm bike.  Get the shocks adjusted correctly and see if that doesn't improve the ride.  You may be bottoming out the shocks.

Jerry

[laylonlor]

thanks ,it seems if i adjusted them they would be stiffer, cause i'm 215 at
and there set at for a 180 rider

[grc]

thanks ,it seems if i adjusted them they would be stiffer, cause i'm 215 at
and there set at for a 180 rider

What you are adjusting is the preload which sets the ride height and sag.  A heavier rider or load means the rear end sags more, using up more of the suspension travel just to hold the bike up.  That leaves less suspension travel to absorb bumps, and leads to a more harsh ride as the shocks constantly bottom against the internal stops.  Trust me, if that's what is happening then you will in fact see an improved ride by increasing the preload to get the ride height where it belongs.

Jerry

[SSTuner]

Googled how-to

Softail Shock Adjustment:
1) Jack the bike up so the rear tire is off the ground. The more clearance you have the easier it is. Don't forget to strap the bike down. You don't want it falling on you while you’re wrenching underneath it.
2) Loosen the jam nut all the way out. It’s a 1 1/16" nut. If it doesn't want to loosen easily (which is often the case), soak it in some penetrating lube. The spanner wrench mentioned in step 3 is also a 1 1/16" wrench.
3) With a spanner wrench (HD p/n 94448-82B) turn the adjuster plate counter-clockwise (so the shock housing moves towards the front of the bike) until it’s up against the jam nut.
4) Then take a light colored paint pen, or a piece of duct tape, and mark the 6 o'clock position on the adjuster plate to use as a reference point when doing your adjustment. Don't worry if they're not in exactly the same position on both shocks. That’s normal.
Now you’re ready to adjust the shocks to your weight/load.
5) With the spanner wrench, turn the adjuster plate clockwise no more than 4 complete turns by counting how many times the mark from step 4 crosses the 6 o'clock position. 0 turns is the stiffest setting, and 4 turns is the softest setting.
6) While holding the adjuster plate in place with the spanner wrench, tighten the jam nut up against the adjuster plate by turning the nut clockwise.
7) Now repeat the exact same process on the other shock. The key is to adjust both shocks equally.
The general rule of thumb I use is: 4 turns for load <= 180 lbs.
3 turns for 180lbs < load <= 235lbs 2 turns for 235lbs < load <= 300lbs 1 turn for 300lbs < load <= 375lbs 0 turns for 375 < load
Examples:
235lbs solo rider: 3 full turns
235lbs solo rider + 32lbs pack: 2.5 turns
235lbs rider + 150lbs passenger + 32lbs pack: 0.5 turns