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[lnadler]

Just purchased a carbon crystal CVO street glide. Really excited to pick it up next week. Loved how it handled. Would lowering the rear 1" affect handling? Anyone lower there's?

[grc]

Just purchased a carbon crystal CVO street glide. Really excited to pick it up next week. Loved how it handled. Would lowering the rear 1" affect handling? Anyone lower there's?

It is already lowered one inch stock, compared to a regular e-glide.  Not only would lowering it another inch affect handling, it will adversely affect ground and cornering clearance as well as ride quality.

Jerry

[FLSTFI Dave]

Jerry is correct.

I have a CVO road king, that like your street glide is one inch lower in the rear.  I have scrapped my floor boards many times on this bike, yet my road glide ultra, standard rear shocks I have scrapped once, on the same roads.

Seriously thing about removing the 12 shocks from the king and going to 13 inch for more lean when cornering.

[Puma]

Going from a Heritage to a CVO Road King, I actually gained a good amount of cornering clearance. Still to answer your question, yeah, you will affect handling and cornering clearance, and probably have an even harsher ride, too.

[JCZ]

Jerry gives pretty reliable information and without the ego.  Trust it.

There's several people on this forum that had problems after lowering their bike.....too much.  I was riding directly behind Jonga on a CVO gtg (get together) when he leaned just a bit to far to the left.  His floor board didn't have a chance to fold up....didn't even touch his floorboard.....it hit on the floorboard mount.  Rear tire came off the ground and he slid into the hillside on that curve.  I posted pics of that accident and the bike somewhere on this forum.

If you're riding a Street Glide, as Jerry pointed out, they're already lowered.  I'd suggest just leaving it.....especially if you like to really get into the twisties.

 On another note.....the ride quality.  I had a 2010 CVO Street Glide.  I've had back issues for many years and it got progressively worse in the two years that I had the SESG.  I sold that bike thinking I wasn't going to be able to ride anymore.  That was a little over two years ago.

My road dog, Andy, was pretty sure that it was due to the stiffer suspension, shorter shock travel and the hard ride of the low profile tires.  Eventually, he talked me in to bringing one of his Ultra Classics down here to San Diego.  He'd call me every week and ask if I'd rode it yet.  No,  no, no-not yet.  Then I finally took it out for a couple of hours and no back problems.  Took it the following weekend and again no problems.  Started taking it longer and longer until I was taking it all day long and still no problem.  This past xmas I bought a 13 CVO Ultra Classic and rode it home from Charlotte, NC to Coronado, Ca (San Diego), 2,500 miles in 2 1/2 days with no back problems.  Next week I will ride from Coronado to Ouray, Colorado in a day and a half and I don't expect any back issues. 

Just sayin.....I loved my SESG and I was in denial that a 1" shorter shock could really make that much of a difference.  It always felt good sitting in the Corbin seat and the back pain would come on gradually, not as soon as I got on the bike.  So I was just so damn sure that it wasn't the bike.  I still have back problems.....a lot.  But not on this SEUC and it has a stock seat.  First bike I've ever owned and still have a stock seat months later.       Huge difference in the ride comfort of a SESG to a SEUC.

[Grizzly]

Everyone is giving some great info here, and I'm very interested to hear their thoughts.

My wife and I both ride Electra Glide Ultras and both have lowering kits... Rear and front as I've always believed in keeping the bike level plus lowering the front allows your feet to reach the ground even better than just the rear being lowered.

It is true that cornering is a concern when you're moving and in the twisties for sure.  The other concern is bottoming out over RR tracks and bumps, etc.

My wife just got a new bike and we opted not to go with the Limited Low for a number of reasons, but rather purchased a good used Ultra with very low miles on it.  We were going to put the same H-D lowering kits on the front and rear again, but my dealer is promoting not to put the lower shocks on the rear because of two things... The cost and the reduced travel with the shorter shocks.  He is recommending using the relocation kits to move the bottom end of the rear shocks back, which lowers the bike 1½" and still maintains the same travel in the shock.

We're thinking hard on this one and would appreciate hearing from some who have tried this other less expensive method of lowering the rear end.

How do you like the ride and feel of them bike?  Have you had both setups?  Which do you prefer? Etc., etc.

Thanks for your input.

[Puma]

Everyone is giving some great info here, and I'm very interested to hear their thoughts.

My wife and I both ride Electra Glide Ultras and both have lowering kits... Rear and front as I've always believed in keeping the bike level plus lowering the front allows your feet to reach the ground even better than just the rear being lowered.

It is true that cornering is a concern when you're moving and in the twisties for sure.  The other concern is bottoming out over RR tracks and bumps, etc.

My wife just got a new bike and we opted not to go with the Limited Low for a number of reasons, but rather purchased a good used Ultra with very low miles on it.  We were going to put the same H-D lowering kits on the front and rear again, but my dealer is promoting not to put the lower shocks on the rear because of two things... The cost and the reduced travel with the shorter shocks.  He is recommending using the relocation kits to move the bottom end of the rear shocks back, which lowers the bike 1½" and still maintains the same travel in the shock.

We're thinking hard on this one and would appreciate hearing from some who have tried this other less expensive method of lowering the rear end.

How do you like the ride and feel of them bike?  Have you had both setups?  Which do you prefer? Etc., etc.

Thanks for your input.

I've never heard of this. Some aftermarket companies claim they make shorter shocks that will ride as well as stock, but you will pay for it. People on here will probably say you'd be better off with a good aftermarket shock anyway.

[Grizzly]

I've never heard of this. Some aftermarket companies claim they make shorter shocks that will ride as well as stock, but you will pay for it. People on here will probably say you'd be better off with a good aftermarket shock anyway.

Actually it is not an after market shock... You use your same stock length shock and use an after market re-location bracket which moves the bottom of your shock 1" or so to the rear, which drops the bike, while maintaining the same travel of your stock shock.

Sorry, I probably didn't explain it very well the first time.

Here's one type of shock re-location kits   http://www.pingelonline.com/harley-davidson-accessories/62141-harley-davidson-fl-rear-lowering-kit-1997-2001.asp

[Puma]

Actually it is not an after market shock... You use your same stock length shock and use an after market re-location bracket which moves the bottom of your shock 1" or so to the rear, which drops the bike, while maintaining the same travel of your stock shock.

Sorry, I probably didn't explain it very well the first time.

Here's one type of shock re-location kits   http://www.pingelonline.com/harley-davidson-accessories/62141-harley-davidson-fl-rear-lowering-kit-1997-2001.asp

I understood the first time. What I was saying was that I think most of the people on this forum would probably recommend an aftermarket shock over anything that keeps the original equipment in place. My limited experience tells me the HD Premium Ride shocks are better than Harley's air adjustable stuff, but there are better options out there. My guess is anything that lowers the bike, even the relocation kit, is going to hurt the ride with those stock shocks due to changing their angle.

[ltank]

You would be surprised how much a inch shorter shocks lowers the bike. I was surprised what a inch longer shocks make. Got more clearance for cornering. Shorter shocks may require a shorter kickstand and taller shocks may require a longer kickstand.  Over the years I have done shorter and longer. I ran into kickstand issues
With each.