Print

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

[hondo]

Was looking for ideas on a good way to lower my new svo 010 SG, it definetly sits a little high with those 18" front and rear wheels. Has anyone lowered thiers yet ? the way I see it in the rear it comes down to those aftermarket brackets that make the shock lay sideways some, or to buy 10.5 or 11" shocks?  Any advice would be apprieciated,

[grc]

To each his own, but I would never consider using shorter shocks than the 12 inchers that come stock.  You don't have much suspension travel as is, and shorter shocks will only make that worse.  If all you do is ride on super smooth new asphalt, no big deal.  If you ride on the kind of roads we have here in the real world, you may find that the constant beating will take all the fun out of your new ride.  You may also find that you drag a lot of parts on turns or dips in the pavement.

If this is a "feet on the ground" issue, look at a different seat before reducing suspension travel.  If it's a "gotta look cool" issue, check out an air shock system such as Legend that allows you to adjust height with a push button (drop it down when parked at the hangout, pump it back up for decent clearance and ride on the road). 

JMHO, of course.  This opinion, along with $5, will get you a cup of overpriced coffee with a fancy sounding made-up name.

Jerry

[hd-dude]

I have to agree with Jerry. To add shocks shorter than 12"s may also have issues with the tire bottoming out inside the rear fender.

[guppytrash]

Isn't the SG already lowered?
FBI sells a very expensive 3" seat lowering kit.
Your 18" wheels are for cool looks and I would suspect if you swapped them with stock SG wheel/tire combo the bike would be exactly the same height.
Your wheels are 18" and the sidewalls of your tires are shorter to make the outside diameter of your tire the same as 17" wheel
 

To each his own, but I would never consider using shorter shocks than the 12 inchers that come stock.  You don't have much suspension travel as is, and shorter shocks will only make that worse.  If all you do is ride on super smooth new asphalt, no big deal.  If you ride on the kind of roads we have here in the real world, you may find that the constant beating will take all the fun out of your new ride.  You may also find that you drag a lot of parts on turns or dips in the pavement.

If this is a "feet on the ground" issue, look at a different seat before reducing suspension travel.  If it's a "gotta look cool" issue, check out an air shock system such as Legend that allows you to adjust height with a push button (drop it down when parked at the hangout, pump it back up for decent clearance and ride on the road). 

JMHO, of course.  This opinion, along with $5, will get you a cup of overpriced coffee with a fancy sounding made-up name.

Jerry

X2

[Fired00d]

To each his own, but I would never consider using shorter shocks than the 12 inchers that come stock.  You don't have much suspension travel as is, and shorter shocks will only make that worse.  If all you do is ride on super smooth new asphalt, no big deal.  If you ride on the kind of roads we have here in the real world, you may find that the constant beating will take all the fun out of your new ride.  You may also find that you drag a lot of parts on turns or dips in the pavement.

If this is a "feet on the ground" issue, look at a different seat before reducing suspension travel.  If it's a "gotta look cool" issue, check out an air shock system such as Legend that allows you to adjust height with a push button (drop it down when parked at the hangout, pump it back up for decent clearance and ride on the road).   

JMHO, of course.  This opinion, along with $5, will get you a cup of overpriced coffee with a fancy sounding made-up name.

Jerry

I would second that opinion

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[mrmagloo]

As you know the rear is already lowered. As the others mentioned, going lower in the rear is setting yourself up for problems. However, Harley does make a front end lowering kit that might help a bit overall. That combined with a different seat might do the trick.

[Smuuth]

As you know the rear is already lowered. As the others mentioned, going lower in the rear is setting yourself up for problems. However, Harley does make a front end lowering kit that might help a bit overall. That combined with a different seat might do the trick.

Unless I am mistaken, the 2010 FLHXSE is already lowered front AND rear, just like the 2009 FLTRSE3.  I also concur with the previous posts advising against lowering it further.

[mrmagloo]

I would definitely check that, but the stock FLHX is lowered in the rear only.

[grc]

From the H-D catalog:

-------------------------
Profile® Low Touring Front Lowering Kit

Place the rider's feet firmly on the ground. This kit utilizes components designed to provide a 1" decrease in ride height.

 This product is available in multiple variations. Be sure to look for the one that fits the specific model and year of your motorcycle.

 54564-09


Fits '09-later Touring models (except FLHR, FLHRC, FLHP, FLHPE, FLTRSE3, FLHXSE and Trike models). Must only be installed on vehicles equipped with Profile® Low Touring Shocks P/N 54635-09. Can be installed on FLHX and FLTRX models with Original Equipment rear shocks.
---------------------

This would tend to indicate that the FLHXSE already has the lowered front end, and the FLHX does not. 

The FLHX has a 180/65 - 16 inch rear tire, and the FLHXSE has a 180/55 - 18 inch rear tire.  If you multiply the tire width by the aspect ratio, you get a good approximation of the sidewall height.  Add that to the radius of the wheel, and you come up with a difference in height due to the wheel and tire of 0.3 inches higher on the FLHXSE.  Not as big a difference as one might first assume when looking at the 16 versus 18 wheel sizes.  The spec sheets on the web site, which always must be taken with a grain of salt, indicate a ground clearance of 4.7" for the FLHX, and 5.1" for the FLHXSE, so my approximation seems to be pretty close.

Jerry

[mrmagloo]

Good detective work!  I didn't see any mention of the lowered front end in the FLHXSE specs?  Unless the forks are different and they don't have anything yet?  What I do know is the FLHXSE seemed to sit just as high as a stocker when i sat on it?  I dunno? 

[JCZ]

The way this bike handles, changing the suspension in any way is just not an option for me.

If you are vertically challenged and need your feet on the ground, you might consider a Corbin Close Reach seat.

[mrmagloo]

Seems you've backed into his only option. That and perhaps some tall ass boots.   

[nidan]

Traxxion Dynamics can set you up with a 1" drop up front if you go with thier excellent damper rods.

Throw a Corbin on and you should be as low as you need to with out modifying the chrome 

[Cvostu]

I say get the boots... don't touch it at all.

[Moodman]

I added the Corbin/heated Touring seat. It is actually about 1"taller than the stock seat. Don't know if it's because of the extra padding and heat coils. Stock seat is only about 1"- 1 1/2" thick with only a thin layer of cheap foam. Corbin is much thicker
Moodman