Okay to run 11.5" rear Progressives till I can afford front?

[YGETV8]

I am not a corner carver, just a cruiser and can't afford to do the fronts right away. BUT... I am short (5'6") and need all the help I can get in reaching the ground so I want to install them as soon as they arrive! I literally putt around on my Max 99.9% of the time, so I'm thinking that I should be alright... thoughts?

Thanks, Jay

 

[Drew85]

I've got 11" Progressives and slid the forks up about 1 1/2". I had to play around with how far to slide the forks up till the bike rode nice and safe, but it works fine for me. Handles good and looks bad ass just stay away from big bumps.

 

[4gasem]

11.5's are fine... That's a 1.5" drop in the rear. If you drop the front 2 inches you will find the bike is more "flickable" and wants to fall into the corners quicker... That's a good thing...:thumbs up:

I am running 11.5's with a 2" drop in front... It's awesome!

Talk to Sean Morley (forum member) about getting a seat made for you...:thumbs up:

 

[gleno]

I'm running eleven fives and have the front lowered.

This arrangement will give you a harsher ride and your pillion will not be happy.

It does have some handling benefits which have already been mentioned.

Be careful with ground clearance. If you lower the suspension, everything gets closer to the ground . If you are running 18" rims and stock tyres you'll be ok.

If you are running radials you will lower the bike some more.

Run 17" rims, lower still. 17" with radials, still lower.

Eventually you will start to scrape footpegs and side stands through corners, like roundabouts. Add a pillion and you will definitely scrape through sweepers and roundabouts.

The lower you go, the less clearance you have and even if you do cruise or putt around, if you add a pillion you can find some tame corners become scrapers.

The trade off may not be worth it.

Have you considered lowering your seat, so that you sit lower in the saddle and you are closer to the road, rather than your bike?

 

[Lan1201]

New guy here,

What is the lenght of the stock shocks??

 

[maleko89]

13 inches

Mark
#1098

 

[shawn kloker]

11.5" is fine but if you go to radials it will put your exhaust very close to the ground.I went with 12.5" for this reason.Mine is still hard to get into a trailer without scraping.

 

[YGETV8]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

I've got 11" Progressives and slid the forks up about 1 1/2". I had to play around with how far to slide the forks up till the bike rode nice and safe, but it works fine for me. Handles good and looks bad ass just stay away from big bumps.

So, I thought this was a no-no? Is bottoming out sooner the biggest downside? Again, I'm not out to keep up with my two buddies cornering on their 'Busas, just want a nice look and I can still cruise on down the road. So, I'd have to plug the air line equalizer holes, right? Is there a how-to on this?

Thanks again!

Jay

 

[4gasem]

Thanks for the advice, guys!



So, I thought this was a no-no? Is bottoming out sooner the biggest downside? Again, I'm not out to keep up with my two buddies cornering on their 'Busas, just want a nice look and I can still cruise on down the road. So, I'd have to plug the air line equalizer holes, right? Is there a how-to on this?

Thanks again!

Jay

So your's is a pre-93 then?

I would remove them and clean them up a bunch with brake clean and then use some 2 part epoxy like JB weld or Super Weld in the holes.

If you want I can help you out with it sometime... I live here in the QC and have a lot of experience on the Max...:thumbs up:

Read this sticky if you haven't already... http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=167

 

[shawn kloker]

Bottoming out is not the problem.Smashing your exhaust is.

 

[Drew85]

Bottoming out is not the problem.Smashing your exhaust is.

Yeah, you gotta watch a little closer where you go. I would probably have to turn around if a speed bump was coming up.

 

[YGETV8]

Thanks for the advice! 4gasem, I may be in touch!

The shocks came today and I put them on and LOVE it! Rode awesome and handled fine for the cruisin I do. I still want to bring the front down about an inch to inch-and-a-half, though. If I have to plug the holes for the air fill/equalizer tube, I can't imagine i'd want to risk lowering the forks with stock springs if I'm also going to lose rebound capacity (no pressure in cylinders)?

 

[gleno]

Don't drop the forks in the yokes.
Just get some lowering blocks (which are cheap) from PCW and retain the air shocks.
Then you get the best of both worlds.

 

[4gasem]

Thanks for the advice! 4gasem, I may be in touch!

The shocks came today and I put them on and LOVE it! Rode awesome and handled fine for the cruisin I do. I still want to bring the front down about an inch to inch-and-a-half, though. If I have to plug the holes for the air fill/equalizer tube, I can't imagine i'd want to risk lowering the forks with stock springs if I'm also going to lose rebound capacity (no pressure in cylinders)?

Lets just respring it... You WON'T regret it... Ask 4WARNED... We did his a while back and he commented that he was VERY happy he did them before heading to Thunder...:eusa_dance:

He left his seal tool here... I need to see what sizes it drives. I know it works on the newer ones.:hmmm:

Can you remember Nathan?