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Slammed dark horse / thoughts? 2021 thread

5142 Views 44 Replies 20 Participants Last post by  msklein
628399
Fuel tank Tire Wheel Sky Vehicle
Really love the look of a lowered rear end on a bagger. Saw the vicbaggers kit for lowering 1.5 inches. Pros and cons? I am on the fence about doing it myself. Just looking for some info thanks!
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I have the links on my RM. I have to run the rear shock about 35psi higher to avoid scraping the pipes on turns.
My personal opinion (I'm not a mechanic or know physics) is changes to a motorcycle like lowering it or putting a big old crazy front wheel on it will change how the bike handles and how it was designed to ride. I guess I get if a person is really short and needs it lowered, but other than that I wouldn't do it. Just my 2 cents.
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I lowered my Vic Hammer, and as the Tire scratched the Wire Harness, the Suspension must be harder.
Since then my Back got problems and was not interested to ride anymore, so I changed to the Chief, which was like a 1981 Caprice to sit on.

But for the Look, it would be nice. I like this lower Baggers very much.
Think about Air Ride?
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^^^THIS! Get the styling you like while parked or cruising the strip, but don’t compromise the abilities of the bike. Air ride baby!
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I put a lowering kit on my wife's 2017 Springfield this winter to help alleviate her vertically challenged issues. I had to disassemble the back end of the bike and remove the battery box to get access to the linkage. I'm quite mechanically inclined and it still took me close to six hours to complete.

She can now sit on the seat and be flat footed. I still need to raise the preload on the rear shock a little to help prevent the tire from bottoming out and destroying the wiring harness. But she knew going in that she would have to sacrifice a little ride quality in exchange for lowering it.

I was worried going in to this that she would have issues when parking and that the angle of the bike might be to upright while on the kickstand, but it isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
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I had the lowering links, but switched to the Fox lowering shock. A big difference! It's worth the extra money. The fender would bottom out on the tire and I would scrape the pipes with the links.

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View attachment 628399 View attachment 628399 Really love the look of a lowered rear end on a bagger. Saw the vicbaggers kit for lowering 1.5 inches. Pros and cons? I am on the fence about doing it myself. Just looking for some info thanks!
I had the lowering kit.....hated it.
I actually like to ride the windy roads and I scraped the living crap out of my expensive pipes.
The pipes would scrape if I wasn't careful leaving certain gas stations.

On a safety note, I just talked to a friend recovering with a broken wrist from high siding. His pipes touches down and lifted the rear wheel causing the rear to slide out, then the rubber grabbed and tossed him over.

If you like riding slow around town, it's fine. I tend to be a spirited rider.

Yes, you can do it yourself. The rear wheel must come off. I did mine. Took a few hours and I changed the tire and checked the belt tracking at the same time. About a half a day of work.
View attachment 628399 View attachment 628399 Really love the look of a lowered rear end on a bagger. Saw the vicbaggers kit for lowering 1.5 inches. Pros and cons? I am on the fence about doing it myself. Just looking for some info thanks!
hi i have a 2019 cdh just got used i went out sat first ride scraped every turn, havent looked yet but i think it might b lowered , if you do it you will scrap
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hi i have a 2019 cdh just got used i went out sat first ride scraped every turn, havent looked yet but i think it might b lowered , if you do it you will scrap
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That bike looks badass!
I have to say I think that bike looks much better in the gloss black than the matte. Are you able to gloss clearcoat over the existing paint or did you just wind up having to repaint it?
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I have to say I think that bike looks much better in the gloss black than the matte. Are you able to gloss clearcoat over the existing paint or did you just wind up having to repaint it?
It was repainted gloss black.
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I have to say I think that bike looks much better in the gloss black than the matte. Are you able to gloss clearcoat over the existing paint or did you just wind up having to repaint it?
I don’t want matte either, considering the DH in Sagebrush. But I’d like to clear over it.
I don’t want matte either, considering the DH in Sagebrush. But I’d like to clear over it.
I just test rode one of those three weeks ago and was blown away. Two weeks later I bought a leftover 2019 SDH in the white smoke. I'm still waiting to get it delivered. The 116 will have more power for sure but I liked the looks of the 19 a little better and saved a few $$$
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My personal opinion (I'm not a mechanic or know physics) is changes to a motorcycle like lowering it or putting a big old crazy front wheel on it will change how the bike handles and how it was designed to ride. I guess I get if a person is really short and needs it lowered, but other than that I wouldn't do it. Just my 2 cents.
They make seats for Chieftains to lower the bike even small women can flat foot, or close to it. I'm in your camp, lowering the bike upsets things...to each his own as they say.

I'm more into performance than profiling
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I just test rode one of those three weeks ago and was blown away. Two weeks later I bought a leftover 2019 SDH in the white smoke. I'm still waiting to get it delivered. The 116 will have more power for sure but I liked the looks of the 19 a little better and saved a few $$$
I have the white '19 SDH as well. I can't say that it's underpowered at all. I've got the stage one and it's plenty fast.
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I just test rode one of those three weeks ago and was blown away. Two weeks later I bought a leftover 2019 SDH in the white smoke. I'm still waiting to get it delivered. The 116 will have more power for sure but I liked the looks of the 19 a little better and saved a few $$$
I test rode as well, solidly taking over my thoughts every day. Lol
They make seats for Chieftains to lower the bike even small women can flat foot, or close to it. I'm in your camp, lowering the bike upsets things...to each his own as they say.

I'm more into performance than profiling
Depending on your definition of "small", you may mulitple modifications. I have spent about 2 years on my wife's CDH - lowering links, adjustable Ness shock, short reach seat, and thick soled boots. It is hard to compensate for the width of the bike. It needs a custom (narrower) seat for people with short inseams. I offered to get her one. But, she handles the bike well. Parking lots are an issue. As are driveways with dips and bumps. She is on here 2nd set of slip-ons. When the V&H slip-ons were installed, I raised the bike up about 0.5". So far, that seems to have stopped the scraping.
View attachment 628399 View attachment 628399 Really love the look of a lowered rear end on a bagger. Saw the vicbaggers kit for lowering 1.5 inches. Pros and cons? I am on the fence about doing it myself. Just looking for some info thanks!
Hey all checked my pressure in shock was very low pumped it up to as the other guy said over the recommended, well see if she scraps again.
I put a lowering kit on my wife's 2017 Springfield this winter to help alleviate her vertically challenged issues. I had to disassemble the back end of the bike and remove the battery box to get access to the linkage. I'm quite mechanically inclined and it still took me close to six hours to complete.

She can now sit on the seat and be flat footed. I still need to raise the preload on the rear shock a little to help prevent the tire from bottoming out and destroying the wiring harness. But she knew going in that she would have to sacrifice a little ride quality in exchange for lowering it.

I was worried going in to this that she would have issues when parking and that the angle of the bike might be to upright while on the kickstand, but it isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
How far did you lower it?
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