Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Mr. We]

Allright, I've been able to do some riding since the install of my Progressive 440's (HD) and yes they are chrome, and OMG are they good. I won't go into the details on my back, but I used to feel every little bump... now I'm looking for them! I went down 288, a new four lane made of concrete with the bu-bump every 20 feet (or so) and couldn't reproduce the bu-bump at all. Railroad tracks and other known obstacles are trimmed down to nearly nothing.

When presented with many options, I usually buy the highest priced item offered, sometimes it is the best, most of the time it is simply the most (over) advertised. No regrets on this purchace. 

Thanks to UB (unbalanced) for the reccomendation on the shocks!
And a big thanks to whoever it was that I got the pre-load adjustment info from. Since I can't remember who posted it or where, I'll paste in the part I'm referring to for those who are, like me, not wrenches in our own right. Thanks again!    \m/     

If you think of the preload adjustment is a "ride-leveler", you'll be able to see how it should be set. More load requires more pre-load and vice versa. You're trying to get the bike to be at the same ride-height, regardless of the load it's carrying. The standard goal is to have the shock ride in the "middle third" of their full range under normal circumstances. My personal preference is to cheat a bit and be about at about 1/3 compression because I'm more concerned with bumps (compression) versus potholes (extension).

For a shock with 3" of travel, I would want to set the preload so the shock is compressed by about 1" when going down a "smooth as glass" road. This gives me 2" for absorbing bumps and 1" for extending into holes. Of course, any bump taller than 2" or a hole deeper than 1" will cause the shock to "bottom" or "top" respectively. We don't have a lot of travel in our rear suspension, so we only have so much to work with.

[Black Diamond]

Allright, I've been able to do some riding since the install of my Progressive 440's (HD) and yes they are chrome, and OMG are they good.

When presented with many options, I usually buy the highest priced item offered, sometimes it is the best, most of the time it is simply the most (over) advertised. No regrets on this purchace. 

Good to hear. I'm leaning toward Progressive 440 for mine also. What size you go with, 12, 12.5, 13 inchers? I probably will not go with the chrome.  Rather have $40.00 more for gas and what not.

Anyone use the Work's Street Trackers???

It's been my experience that I'm not perceptive enough to notice subtle differences. So whatever the Bitubo's have over the Progressive's I probably wouldn't notice. I'm somewhat more willing to part with $430 than $700 anyway.

Now I'm working on Ricor vs Traxxion Dynamics for the front end.

JW

[Gone Fishin']

(...)

Now I'm working on Ricor vs Traxxion Dynamics for the front end.

JW

@Black Diamond
You seem to be already on the case.

@Others
Ricor is a new vendor on the site, check the thread http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=35516.0 .
They offer 50% off to cvoharley.

Disclaimer: I have no idea how good they are, just being the messenger here ;-)

Ride safely,
Louis

[porthole]

So whatever the Bitubo's have over the Progressive's I probably wouldn't notice.

If the Bitubo's have anything over the progressives it is lost in the set up procedure, both in the initial and the successive changes with load changes.
The Progressives are good.

[Mr. We]

Good to hear. I'm leaning toward Progressive 440 for mine also. What size you go with, 12, 12.5, 13 inchers? ...
JW

I went with the 12.5 inch shocks
With with the above pre-load adjustment in mind, I believe I have more room for the (piston?) to travel...
prolly not sayin it right, but at 5-11, height wasn't an issue.

 


\m/

[jmorton10]

Good to hear. I'm leaning toward Progressive 440 for mine also. What size you go with, 12, 12.5, 13 inchers? I probably will not go with the chrome.  Rather have $40.00 more for gas and what not.

Anyone use the Work's Street Trackers???

It's been my experience that I'm not perceptive enough to notice subtle differences. So whatever the Bitubo's have over the Progressive's I probably wouldn't notice. I'm somewhat more willing to part with $430 than $700 anyway.

Now I'm working on Ricor vs Traxxion Dynamics for the front end.

JW

I have probably had more shock experience than anyone I know.  I have a bad back & have changed rear shocks quite a few times looking for the absolute best ride (I have an 04 RK) & the forks are lowered also with custom made parts (I do all my own wrenching & machine work).  I am also a short legged 5'6" in height, so that presents challenges also.

The first set of shocks I tried where the lowered stock Harley air shocks (same as what come on a StreetGlide).  Those shocks rode like a lumber wagon regardless of air pressure & came off two weeks later.  I then tried Progressive 440's, regular spring (I weigh 150 lbs) in the 12" length.  Those where definitely a BIG improvement, but still not as good a ride as what I had been led to believe they produced (I was kinda disappointed in the ride).

Next I tried a set of Works Steel Trackers.  These shocks where impressive (noticeably better than the Progressive's) & I could have left these on & been completely happy.  At that point, a friend bought a set of Platinum "Bleed & Feed" air shocks & he let me try them on my bike for a month before we installed them on his EG.  I was absolutely AMAZED at the ride those things produced.  When they where adjusted to be riding right in the "sweet spot" the ride was amazing (the smoothest yet).  I considered buying a set of those, but I don't really care about raising/lowering & didn't really need all the extra air lines/compressor/wiring etc etc.  For anybody in the market for an adjustable A/S setup, these are the ones to buy however.  The B&F gives a much better ride than the more well known Legend system (I have two friends running that setup)

When I took off the A/S setup I decided it was time to try out the Bitubo's.  I had purchased a set from Traxion when they first came out & never got around to installing them.  I finally got them installed about a month ago & the ride is incredible.  I'm done swapping shocks at this point, these are a winner in every way.  For anybody who is "on the fence" trying to decide between these & the Progressive 440's, go for the Bitubo's.  The Bitubo's are worth every single penny of the higher price IMHO.

Although I got my set at the lower original price, if I needed another set today I would buy them at today's price without a moments hesitation.........

~John

[Black Diamond]

I have probably had more shock experience than anyone I know.  I have a bad back & have changed rear shocks quite a few times looking for the absolute best ride (I have an 04 RK) & the forks are lowered also with custom made parts (I do all my own wrenching & machine work).  I am also a short legged 5'6" in height, so that presents challenges also.

Next I tried a set of Works Steel Trackers.  These shocks where impressive (noticeably better than the Progressive's) & I could have left these on & been completely happy.

Why didn't you go back to the Works Steel Trackers when you took the air shocks off? 

When I took off the A/S setup I decided it was time to try out the Bitubo's.  I had purchased a set from Traxion when they first came out & never got around to installing them.  I finally got them installed about a month ago & the ride is incredible.  I'm done swapping shocks at this point, these are a winner in every way.  For anybody who is "on the fence" trying to decide between these & the Progressive 440's, go for the Bitubo's.  The Bitubo's are worth every single penny of the higher price IMHO.

Would you mind giving your comparision on the Works & Bitubo shocks?

~John

John,

I am leaning towards the Works Black Trackers with ARS and chrome cups. I've read a lot of good comparing Works to Progressives. But since you've tryed all three, I'd like to hear you real world imput.

JW

[jmorton10]

The Works where very good, they gave a noticeably smoother ride than the Progressive 440's (especially on things like highway expansion joints that are so jolting/annoying with stock shocks).  Although the 440's where certainly an improvement over the stock shocks I was always a little disappointed in the ride.  I bought the 440's because of posts on boards like this raving about the "phenomenal ride quality, FAR better than stock etc" & while they where certainly better than stock I really expected a little smoother ride.

The ride with the Bitubo's takes a bit of tweaking/adjusting to get it to where you're happy with it, but it's certainly worth it.  The ride I am getting now is amazing.  I have been riding around purposefully hitting every bump I can find because I am getting such a kick out of the smooth ride.  I ride just under 20 miles each way to/from work & I hit basically all different road conditions on the way so it's a pretty good test.  There are bumpy stretches that I had to sort of brace for in the past, now I hardly even notice them & I am deliberately hitting every one.

~John

[Gone Fishin']

(...)
 & I am deliberately hitting every one.
(...)

And what a great workout for your tires, too!

Ride safely,
Louis

[Black Diamond]

The Works where very good, they gave a noticeably smoother ride than the Progressive 440's (especially on things like highway expansion joints that are so jolting/annoying with stock shocks).  Although the 440's where certainly an improvement over the stock shocks I was always a little disappointed in the ride.  I bought the 440's because of posts on boards like this raving about the "phenomenal ride quality, FAR better than stock etc" & while they where certainly better than stock I really expected a little smoother ride.

The ride with the Bitubo's takes a bit of tweaking/adjusting to get it to where you're happy with it, but it's certainly worth it.  The ride I am getting now is amazing.  I have been riding around purposefully hitting every bump I can find because I am getting such a kick out of the smooth ride.  I ride just under 20 miles each way to/from work & I hit basically all different road conditions on the way so it's a pretty good test.  There are bumpy stretches that I had to sort of brace for in the past, now I hardly even notice them & I am deliberately hitting every one.

~John

Thanks for the reply!

JW

[Highjagger]

I have had mounted the 11.5" heavy duty progressives - Awful , put them out after the first ride with BSR ( 87 kg + 53 kg = 140 kg total , should not be too much ) , but bottoming very very often and ugly rumble and vibrations , extremely when opening the throttle and coming out of a curve .
For the first i put in the stock 12" air-shocks back again - mucho better than the progressives - save your bucks .
Whe thinking about changing the shocks then take the best : http://www.wilbers.de/index.php
or bitubos ( but i have no experiences with )

[jmorton10]

I have had mounted the 11.5" heavy duty progressives - Awful

yea, I've tried those & I agree.  The HD 11.5's are both too stiff & too short to have a decent ride.

One of the Progressive techs told me to NEVER buy the 11.5" shocks unless you ABSOLUTELY NEED it to be as low as you can get it (he said they always advise people to buy the 12" if they need low as they are virtually the same height & ride better)

~John

[Highjagger]

yea, I've tried those & I agree.  The HD 11.5's are both too stiff & too short to have a decent ride.

One of the Progressive techs told me to NEVER buy the 11.5" shocks unless you ABSOLUTELY NEED it to be as low as you can get it (he said they always advise people to buy the 12" if they need low as they are virtually the same height & ride better)

~John

Thxs for posting this , i thought that i have made something wrong , but now i know that i am just too silly to buy the fitting shocks , damn . thank you .

[hdnut]

Are shocks measured from the middle of each eye bolt hole or overall length? 

[sadunbar]

Are shocks measured from the middle of each eye bolt hole or overall length?