Harley lowering - fact or opinions please

[scumdog]

Ok, I', faffing around with 'Tequila Sunrise (aka The Tassled T-Sport of Terror)

And amongst the subtle mods I am doing to it I was considering sliding the forks up through the triple-clamps by about 2" (50mm for youn 'uns) and drop the back end by an 1" (or 2" if I can).

Is this going to cause any unusual steering/handling issues???

(Apart from an increase in angry scraping noises....)

[blackdog]

This should be fun.

[tigertim20]

scummy, are you trolling again? why the fuck would you wanna lower it?

[scumdog]

scummy, are you trolling again? why the fuck would you wanna lower it?

'Cos it doesn't scrape enough already?

Nah, just want to fuck about and 'personalise' it, got some other stuff I'm doing to it too, just wannabe a poser in next years HOG Nats...

Hell, I've got the XN if I want to carve through the corners.

[Kickaha]

why the fuck would you wanna lower it?

He is getting on in years he's probably having trouble swinging his leg over it

[scumdog]

He is getting on in years he's probably having trouble swinging his leg over it

Fuck off ya cheeky cunt, put me near yer doris and I'll show you how I get my leg over....:msn-wink::lol:

[98tls]

Have a read here T fwiw.http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=6&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.harley-davidsonforums.com%2Fforums%2Ftouring-general-discussions%2F2583-lowering-kit.html&ei=Iw9rTt0v0OeYBf754P0P&usg=AFQjCNG24YWdFCwJfBntY8662YmWaGtSVw

[scumdog]

Have a read here T fwiw.http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=6&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.harley-davidsonforums.com%2Fforums%2Ftouring-general-discussions%2F2583-lowering-kit.html&ei=Iw9rTt0v0OeYBf754P0P&usg=AFQjCNG24YWdFCwJfBntY8662YmWaGtSVw

Cheers Mike, SOMEBODY with some real info at last!:woohoo:

[blackdog]

Cheers Mike, SOMEBODY with some real info at last!:woohoo:

Well, you did make the mistake of asking for opinions!

[Kickaha]

PM Robert Taylor he's a fairly helpful individual when it comes to anything suspension related

[tigertim20]

'Cos it doesn't scrape enough already?

Nah, just want to fuck about and 'personalise' it, got some other stuff I'm doing to it too, just wannabe a poser in next years HOG Nats...

Hell, I've got the XN if I want to carve through the corners.

thats because youre a skinny little bastard!
You want it to scrape, take Drunkenmistake on the back.

Masybe I should look after the XN. For safe keeping like

[tigertim20]

Fuck off ya cheeky cunt, put me near yer doris and I'll show you how I get my leg over....:msn-wink::lol:

"You must spread . . ."

Ha! Just saw the irony in that too! hahaha:facepalm:

[DrunkenMistake]

Doesnt John Deere do low seated tractors?
:innocent:

[admenk]

scummy, are you trolling again? why the fuck would you wanna lower it?


He just wants to be a low down bum :facepalm:

[scumdog]

PM Robert Taylor he's a fairly helpful individual when it comes to anything suspension related


Ta Kick, mainly wondering 'bout dropping the clamps down the forks and what effect it has.

I thought if I dropped the rear the same amount there would be zero effect but hey, what do I know...

[DrunkenMistake]

Ta Kick, mainly wondering 'bout dropping the clamps down the forks and what effect it has.

I thought if I dropped the rear the same amount there would be zero effect but hey, what do I know...

Dropping the front wont be so bad, would prevent from wheeling...BAHAHAHA
it will allow it to turn into the corners a little better,
The back is difficult though, how were you going to lower the back? you may need to change spring rates etc

[scumdog]

Dropping the front wont be so bad, would prevent from wheeling...BAHAHAHA
it will allow it to turn into the corners a little better,
The back is difficult though, how were you going to lower the back? you may need to change spring rates etc

Just by winding the springs down on the serrated adjuster at the bottom of the shock.

[Kickaha]

The back is difficult though, how were you going to lower the back?
Probably eat more donuts

[White trash]

Reducing the preload on the rear shocks will lower the ride height nowhere near a full inch. Maybe MAYBE half an inch. Certainly nothing like how much you're suggesting to lower the front. Shorter shocks is your only option there and you'll need to increase stiffness of the rear dramatically to prevent the tyre grinding the fuck outta the rear fender. If you DON'T lower the rear a corresponding amount to the front, you'll steepen the fork angle far too much, quickening the steering but inducing some pretty horrible "tucking" issues.

The OTHER issue I've thought of, is that I can't see how you plan to drop the clamps by two inches without the tubes coming hard up against the handle bars. unless you have T-bars fitted of course, which are undoubtably the gayest bars you can fit to a Harley.

And thirdly, Dyna's look fucking terrible lowered. Don't do it or buy a Softail or better yet, get a proper Hard tail bobber.

[scumdog]

Reducing the preload on the rear shocks will lower the ride height nowhere near a full inch. Maybe MAYBE half an inch. Certainly nothing like how much you're suggesting to lower the front. Shorter shocks is your only option there and you'll need to increase stiffness of the rear dramatically to prevent the tyre grinding the fuck outta the rear fender. If you DON'T lower the rear a corresponding amount to the front, you'll steepen the fork angle far too much, quickening the steering but inducing some pretty horrible "tucking" issues.

The OTHER issue I've thought of, is that I can't see how you plan to drop the clamps by two inches without the tubes coming hard up against the handle bars. unless you have T-bars fitted of course, which are undoubtably the gayest bars you can fit to a Harley.

And thirdly, Dyna's look fucking terrible lowered. Don't do it or buy a Softail or better yet, get a proper Hard tail bobber.

Rear end looks like a dirt bike - one-up you can pass your hand through between the guard and tyre without touchin either you're right, it will need lowered springs/mounts..

And so I've gone gay and fitted T-bars to it (Had them on other bikes and like them, so 70's)

So there.

Fetch another bourbon.....

[White trash]

Rear end looks like a dirt bike - one-up you can pass your hand through between the guard and tyre without touchin either you're right, it will need lowered springs/mounts..

And so I've gone gay and fitted T-bars to it (Had them on other bikes and like them, so 70's)

So there.

Fetch another bourbon.....

Allright. I wasn't going to be but I'll attempt to be constructive since you're hell bent on further wrecking a perfectly good bike in addition to the shitty bars already on it.

Grab a set of Lowrider rear shocks, they'll be cheap as chips and should drop it the required amount at the rear.

As for the front, rather than making your bike look like a coon from Manurewa has modified it, first choice would be to get some 99-2000 (Still twin disc) Lowrider front forks out of the States. Second choice would be to remove the front springs and find some shorter ones. You'll need to stiffen the front a little to stop it bottoming out there.

Please please PLEASE don't just slide the forks up through the clamps. It's a half arsed way of doing the job and will look plain mongrel.

[scumdog]

Allright. I wasn't going to be but I'll attempt to be constructive since you're hell bent on further wrecking a perfectly good bike in addition to the shitty bars already on it.

Grab a set of Lowrider rear shocks, they'll be cheap as chips and should drop it the required amount at the rear.

As for the front, rather than making your bike look like a coon from Manurewa has modified it, first choice would be to get some 99-2000 (Still twin disc) Lowrider front forks out of the States. Second choice would be to remove the front springs and find some shorter ones. You'll need to stiffen the front a little to stop it bottoming out there.

Please please PLEASE don't just slide the forks up through the clamps. It's a half arsed way of doing the job and will look plain mongrel.


Don't panic - I'm just playing before I'm paying.

Want to know stuff before I lay out any coin...

[tigertim20]

Allright. I wasn't going to be but I'll attempt to be constructive since you're hell bent on further wrecking a perfectly good bike in addition to the shitty bars already on it.

Grab a set of Lowrider rear shocks, they'll be cheap as chips and should drop it the required amount at the rear.

As for the front, rather than making your bike look like a coon from Manurewa has modified it, first choice would be to get some 99-2000 (Still twin disc) Lowrider front forks out of the States. Second choice would be to remove the front springs and find some shorter ones. You'll need to stiffen the front a little to stop it bottoming out there.

Please please PLEASE don't just slide the forks up through the clamps. It's a half arsed way of doing the job and will look plain mongrel.

Highly strung wee bugger aint ya?:innocent:

[AllanB]

I'd be inclined to find out what is a realistic reduction for the rear (1 inch for example) and lower the front the same amount. Technically I'd think you'd want to have two fixed points on the bike, front and rear, that are not suspension related to measure the vertical loss from as the suspenders are angled so a inch off the rear may be 7/8 vertically.

But it's a Harley so I'm probably over thinking! The Yanks slam the things down with little apparent thought to handling! A similar reduction each end should result in similar handling to present, just less ground clearance. If you lower the front more than the rear it will quicken the steering.

I'd guess that most Hog rear shocks are interchangeable and it may be worth throwing a post out there asking for measurements as you may get lucky and find someone with a set off a HD XXXX that are a inch shorter that you could 'try'.

And mod away - I think they look bitching slammed, just watch the clutch cover on left handers :facepalm:

[scumdog]

And mod away - I think they look bitching slammed, just watch the clutch cover on left handers :facepalm:

It's the lower muffler on the right side that's more of a problem, it's scuffed to hell already.

Even Dangerous couldn't scrape the clutch-cover - but he did scrape the frame just behind it...a place I've never scraped before.

[AllanB]

Even Dangerous couldn't scrape the clutch-cover - but he did scrape the frame just behind it...a place I've never scraped before.

Yeah - he's not going near my bike!

[Big Dave]

Daft idea.
Next!

[scumdog]

Daft idea.
Next!

Daft?

I'll show you a daft idea.....

[Nzpure]

Sorry was going to read the whole thread but got bored:gob:
If your bikes a sportster or its compatible ill trade you my fork tubes (off my hugger) for yours. I believe the huggers front forks are shorter.
You keen?....and after i post this i should prolly check where you are......:facepalm:

[FJRider]

Daft?

I'll show you a daft idea.....

Will the intended mod's require certification for wof ... ??? :corn:

[scumdog]

Sorry was going to read the whole thread but got bored:gob:
If your bikes a sportster or its compatible ill trade you my fork tubes (off my hugger) for yours. I believe the huggers front forks are shorter.
You keen?....and after i post this i should prolly check where you are......:facepalm:

I could do this - but if it turns out a disaster I'll be screwing up a good T-Sport.

[Nzpure]

Remember: Life is not a rehersal and "ships are safe in the harbour - but that's not what ships are for".

OOOoooh go on mate! You know you wanna...plus i wanna raise the front of mine lol.

[Nzpure]

Oh yea and mine has fresh fork seals :yes:

[scumdog]

Oh yea and mine has fresh fork seals :yes:

Nah, not yet.

ANd anyway, mine will have two brand-new discs and pads.:yes:

[idb]

Just by winding the springs down on the serrated adjuster at the bottom of the shock.

Fill the panniers up with sand...done and done...

[scumdog]

Fill the panniers up with sand...done and done...

Goodness, why did I not ask you in the first place???:shit:

Please ship to me two panniers of Arrow River sand. Preferably chock full of gold dust.

[idb]

Goodness, why did I not ask you in the first place???:shit:


I was wondering the same thing

[98tls]

It's the lower muffler on the right side that's more of a problem, it's scuffed to hell already.

Even Dangerous couldn't scrape the clutch-cover - but he did scrape the frame just behind it...a place I've never scraped before.

Mate he rides a motorcycle built with the motor facing the wrong way so chances are he would scrape the odd thing nobody else would when riding one with the motor put in right:facepalm:still remember the first time i ever rode anywhere with him..up the valley towards Johns place,nice big sweepers beside the lakes going quickish and tucked up behind him on the TL i see the knee hanging out:shit:i think wtf is he doing then i get it:woohoo:hes using his knee to protect those pretty cylinder heads:facepalm:

[Kickaha]

I'll be screwing up a good T-Sport.

I didn't realise they built one :whistle:

[doc]

Just lengthen the tassles it will look lower with them draggin. Pretty simple really

[scumdog]

Just lengthen the tassles it will look lower with them draggin. Pretty simple really

Oi!!:angry:

(I wouldn't go wearing tassles if I were you, looking lower is something ya don't need!:killingme)

[doc]

Tassles ????? I think you mean dags

[sinfull]

Scraping the lower mufler already and ya wanna drop it ? hehe madness scummy absolute madness !
Bad enough handling as they are with having to stop at every corner so you can get around it ! The Dyna will dig in one day man, the mufflers may scrape but that bit of the frame you say Dangerous had touching, will dig in and throw ya rear around beside ya if you touch it down hard enough.
I went the other way on the FXR (and they don't even have that silly cross member you have hanging underneith) and when RT sorted a new set of Ohlins for me, we actually lengthened the eye and then they found another 14 mm internally !
Thought i might have had to lengthen the forks to compensate but it's worked out brilliant and handles like it's on rails !

On another note, a mate of mine has just stuck a T-sport fairing on his old sporty and it looks fucking mint , had to swap out the triples trees but he was on a mission to have a fairing !!

[scumdog]

On another note, a mate of mine has just stuck a T-sport fairing on his old sporty and it looks fucking mint , had to swap out the triples trees but he was on a mission to have a fairing !!

You bastids!:angry:
I've been trying for years to score a T-sport fairing, boody years!!

And I think I would have to swap the trees too as I suspect 'somebody' in the Land of the Rising Sun must have swapped them over there cos when I got the bike (only 6,000km) it had no fairing and the trees did not have the lugs on them that the T-Sports I have seen have.

Mines an '01 so MAYBE they had a different attachment system but I doubt it.

Bastid!
PS: I now ride 95% one-up so can afford to lower the bike a tad, I'm only going to drop it an inch or less and try it out, not doing anything permanent at this stage.

[sinfull]

Bastid!
PS: I now ride 95% one-up so can afford to lower the bike a tad, I'm only going to drop it an inch or less and try it out, not doing anything permanent at this stage. Think it was a TM purchase too !
I'm just presuming it's a T-sport fairing cause aint seen anything like it on anything else !
Will tell him to hola if he knows of another or gets sick of it (doubt that as it does look cool) or sells the bike without !

If your only doing this to change appearances why not try changing the front end and headlight (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/lights/auction-405888088.htm) etc, 4" overs (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/frames/auction-404908524.htm), wide glide trees or something completely different (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/suspension/auction-405044925.htm), softail rear guard (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/mud-guards/auction-405029032.htm) and tail light etc single seat ! All resaleable extras and will make you look like your riding a different bike ! Be hard to push around corners and may run wide due to 4" overs but look almost choppish lol

[scumdog]

Think it was a TM purchase too !
I'm just presuming it's a T-sport fairing cause aint seen anything like it on anything else !
Will tell him to hola if he knows of another or gets sick of it (doubt that as it does look cool) or sells the bike without !

If your only doing this to change appearances why not try changing the front end and headlight (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/lights/auction-405888088.htm) etc, 4" overs (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/frames/auction-404908524.htm), wide glide trees or something completely different (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/suspension/auction-405044925.htm), softail rear guard (http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/mud-guards/auction-405029032.htm) and tail light etc single seat ! All resaleable extras and will make you look like your riding a different bike ! Be hard to push around corners and may run wide due to 4" overs but look almost choppish lol

Ta, now I just need a fat cheque-book!

[sinfull]

Ta, now I just need a fat cheque-book!

Hahaha Me too ! Instant fines no demerits ???

[AllanB]

Ta, now I just need a fat cheque-book!

Don't people hand over their drivers license with a $50 note attached anymore? :facepalm:

[Big Dave]

Had a good ride on the new Switchback last week.

Dyna that converts to a tourer and back to a cruiser. Quite nice with the 103 cube motor on board.