Harley lowering - fact or opinions please

[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?

[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

[scumdog]

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

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
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......

[FJRider]

Daft?

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

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