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[BobP]

I recently installed 12.5 inch Progressive 440's on the rear and am very pleased with the improved ride.  Like others, I have noted that the front suspension now really stands out as needing improvement too.  In researching the available options from Progressive and Race Tech it is important to know whether the dampening rods in our SEEGs are the standard length or if they are one inch shorter.  On page 248 of the 2005 Harley catalog, they show the lowering kit for the FLHR.  They provide a compression spring, rebound spring and a dampening rod.  I believe this is the same kit on our bikes, but I don't know if that dampening rod is shorter than a stock FLHR or if it is stock height with different orifices.
In addition to improving the ride quality of the front forks, I would also like to raise the front end by 1/2 inch to match the back.  I noticed the steering was a bit faster on my first ride after installing the rear shocks, but it was easy to adjust for it.  I would like the extra bit of ground clearance that raising the front would give.
So, does anyone know about the dampening rods in our bikes or for those who may have installed the Progressive 11-1113 front spring, what were your experiences?

[BobP]

There are at least two typos in my previous post.  The first is an incorrect page number for the HD catalog, it should be page 468 and the second is the Progressive spring number, it should be 11-1131.  Sorry for any confusion.

[jmorton10]

Hi Bob,

I don't have a CVO bike, I have a Roadking Custom but I have researched the heck out of different front end parts.  My bike came stock with the same awful lowered HD air shocks that the SEEG comes with,  so I replaced them immediately with 12" standard spring Progressive 440's.  The RK Custom is lowered in the rear, but the front end is the same as a standard RK.

I am short(5'6" with a 29" inseam), so the lower I can get my bike the better but I am not willing to ruin the ride just to get it lower.  I bought that HD fork lowering kit(the spring kit, not the cartridge setup)for it.  The damper rod in the kit is 1/2" shorter than the standard RK rod.  The rebound springs are longer & stiffer & the fork springs are about 1/4" shorter than my stock setup.

At first, I liked the ride of the new setup -it is stiffer than a stock RK & handles great, but it ended up being stiffer than I really wanted.  I took the forks apart again & drilled out the holes in the damper rod to the larger size of the stock rods.  I then went back to the stock rebound spring but added a PVC spacer to lower the forks slightly more.  I then reassembled it with the shorter springs & HD *E* fork oil & tried it out.

Now, it is exactly the way I wanted it, it sits slightly lower than an SE bike & rides very smooth.  Sharp freeway bumps like the expansion joints where kind of jolting with the lowering kit, now I hardly feel them at all.

~John

[BobP]

John,
Thank you very much for the information.  With the knowledge that the damper rod in the lowering kit is 1/2 inch shorter than stock, I believe I now have a solution for exactly what I need to do.  Assuming the SEEG comes stock with the lowering kit, I can go to Race Tech and buy their package for a stock Road King which would include new springs and the cartridge emulators.  This should give me the improved ride and the 1/2 inch increase in height at the same time.  I am not as knowledgeable as you when it comes to resizing the dampning holes in the damper tube.  I admire your willingness to experiment.

[mr_magoo]

I have the race tech with gold emulators on my SEEG and and to adjust the emulators several time to get it where i liked it, emulator spring is set at 3.

[BobP]

mr_magoo,  Thanks for the info.  I have a few questions for you if you dont mind.
1.  Did you install Race Tech springs too?  If so, did you measure the height of the front before and after your installation and what did you observe?
2.  I believe that in a post in another thread, you stated that you went to Progressives on the rear.  But I don't remember what length you used?
3.  What are your impressions of the ride/handling characteristics of the front suspension with the Race Tech springs and emulators?
4.  What criteria did you use to evaluate the emulator spring setting?
Thanks.

[mr_magoo]

Yes I did install race tech springs and it sets about 1/2 in higher in front.  Went with 12.5in shocks in the rear.  Like the ride now much smoother and dosen't bottom out as bad.  Emulator setting was trial and error,  started with 7 which was a big mistake and just kept backing it down and settled on 3 as a good setting.  Sorry it took so long to answer hope it helps.

[BobP]

Once again, thanks mr_magoo for the info and tips.  They do indeed help.  I have the springs and emulators on my workbench at the moment.  I now need to make a trip to the Honda dealer for the reccommended 15w oil.  Unfortuately HD makes the weights of their fork oil a mystery or I would have used them.

My apologies for not noticing your msg footer earlier, otherwise I would have known you had installed the Race Tech springs.

[mr_magoo]

No biggie who reads the fine print.  Just a note you may want to start with 2 as a setting on the emulators I'm a big guy and 3 seems good to me but may be harsh for you??

[BobP]

[bgcolor=Gray]Just a note you may want to start with 2 as a setting on the emulators I'm a big guy and 3 seems good to me but may be harsh for you?? [/bgcolor]

The personalized instructions from Race Tech's website for my weight, etc. say to use the heavier (64 lbs/in) emulator springs and start at a setting of 2 turns vs the standard springs (40 lbs/in) and 3 turns.  I have been delaying my installation because I have a 3 day ride this weekend, a busy schedule and I didn't want to get caught needing to do "one more adjustment" before the bike would be ready.