Looking for some help and advice to further improve my bike. I have a 2011 FXDC - bought new last year - with 6500 kays on it. Modificationsdone so far:

• K&N air cleaner + removal of airbox
• Supertrapp 2-1 - 10 rings, open end cap
• TTS with slightly modified map (need to do some runs...)
• Progressive 430's rear shocks (stock bottomed out - went for 12.5" heavy springs - I'm quite big but ride solo)
• Narrow beach bar - need the pullback, hate the lean-forward position
• Forward controls - to cramped without (6 foot frame)

The bike runs fine - cams are needed for more power but happy with what it gives

Handling however is not great - running stock tires, stock front end with the prgressives in the rear. I hardly have any "feel" in the font - the forks absorb the bumps but I cannot feel how it handles them. This is quite different from my old '96 FXD which was not very stiff in the front (fork brace improved that) but it did transmit what the forks where doing. Must say I had progressives and Screaming eagle fork oil in there..

Rear is similar - the 430's fixed the bottoming out but I don't think they handle our sydney roads very well - feel like riding over the bumps, maybe even "packing up" but as there is no rebound adjuster there is little I can do other than getting IKON's or something.

So the question is - what can I do to improve the feel in the front?? Progressives??Heavier fork oil?? Different tires?? (running stock Michelins - much better than the old Dunlops but not sure how they compare to Metzelers??)

 

Same for the rear - tire is already squared so pretty bad handling over grooves in the road - but would be good if it follows a bit better..

 

thnx in advance

Dennis

Just installed progressive springs & ricor intiminators on my 12 wide glide.

Front end feel is much improved & I find that I can push it harder through corners before things start to grind away.

Took me 1/2 a day for the install - & I took lots of coffee breaks.

 

 

 

Hey Mate google "shock treatment suspension" this will give you the link to their web page. there an aussie company and great to deal with.(you are better off phoning them ) I had put .9kg constant rate race tech front fork springs along with race tech gold valve emulators with the recomended oil weight in my fxrs. the difference was like night and day. you mentioned your back tyre was squaring up. Tyre pressure both front and back is critical--cheers Grim

ricor intimidators and sputhe stabilizers... rides like on rails

http://www.sputhe.com/aluminum%20swing%20arms.htm

 

 Intimidators on order. Now need to find some fork oil that is similar to ams 10w...

 

Thnx guys!

I would have thought that 10wt is 10wt. Are you saying that they are different some how?

Me... I have a 1.5" brass spacer on top of each spring and then mix 50/50 5wt and 15wt oil. Not too firm and not to soft.

Having said that... I'm going to install race tech gold emulators as my next front end mod. I keep reading really good reviews about them.

Coming from race bikes, I definately needed something for my widey. Went with the racetech emulators up front with linear racetech springs, now I can actually feel the front tyre doin its stuff. It really showed up how bad the rear is though. Put on a set of Ohlins HD219's cos they're the only shock you can get with adjustable rebound. Took a few laps to get sorted and now rides real nice. They're height adjustable as well so I'll be bringing them up just 5mm to try and stop the pipe scraping.

 Tried to order through brian's web site. Quoted $204 shipping costs! Send brian an email but he never responded...

Ordered from ebay from a guy in vegas - same price, $15 shipping. Might be brian behind that anyway...

 

Won't come with oil however - so will have to find some 10w locally...

 

Thnx

yeah it states that he charges $200 but we only get charged $30. He is fucked at replying to emails,drove me mad.I started getting a little nasty and things moved along.
Dont matter sounds like your on the right track anyhow

I just used 10wt supplied by my mechanic - don't know what brand, supplied in bulk.

Set static sag with me on the bike at 30mm - using pvc hi pressure pipe cut to varying sizes till I got the right amount of sag.

Try having the preload level with the top of the fork leg for a start (front wheel off ground).

Initial oil level (forks compressed no spring) was 95mm form top of fork.This was the level recommended by my mechanic.

Set at 95mm the front end seemed to me to skip on bumps a little when pushed into corners - so i am reducing the level in 5ml increments by sucking the oil out with a 50ml syringe & some tubing.

These measurements are for a 2012 wide glide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

yep thats right Max, Mate i cant give you a personal update on the upgrades yet as i have hardly been on the bike since done, but going to phillip island in a week and a half so i will let ya know.
When i speak of the improvement i am relaying what one of my best mates tells me after putting them on his bob.

you lucky prick, enjoy the trip and the weekend mate,

Any thing to be aware of when fitting the intiminators?

Mine are held in place with a grub screw - 5/64" allen key.
Warm them with a heat gun in case loctite has been used, otherwise you can strip the head of the grub screw.