http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Harle...68133620QQrdZ1
I saw these on ebay and I have a few questions.
Has anybody used a kit like this in the past??? What are your thoughts??? Are they "safe"???

Thanks
Brandon

 

I have the same type on my R/K, 6 years no problems. I didn't have any noticable change in my ride quality either.

[IMG]local://upfiles/19227/2CDE665F3F0D48339B60466097F6533D.jpg[/IMG]

 

i used something similar on my sporty. a bracket that changed the mount point of the shock. i loved until the phirst time i went over train tracks and bottomed the rear phender out on the belt guard.

 

for what its worth stay away, do it right and change shocks

 

F!@% that! the shock angle alone just dont look right. Do it right the first time with shocks.

 

Avoid this like the plague. Definitely changes the suspension geometry. High quality, BETTER in fact, aftermarket shocks are available in almost every length. So as already stated, pay the extra money to do this job correctly. The Progressive 412s are not terriblyexpensive.

Kevin

 

I disagree with the do it right with shocks comment. You shorten your shocks and and the ride gets a little rough, you kick the stock shocks back a little and the ride (at least from my own experience) stays about the same. It's about half the cost. BTW I've never bottomed out the RK. The shocks are hidden behind the bags though.

[IMG]local://upfiles/19227/858849A00C5F4E23B1F40708AF84F032.jpg[/IMG]

 

Even though the kicked back shock is going to have the same travel, the rear axle travel is reduced. So 1" of movement of the swingarm means more movement of the shock than before. So whether you feel it or not, the effective spring rateshould havegoneup.

The stock shocksmay also nothaveprogressive springs. So they would feel softer on larger bumps, but *could* bottom out easier. You could theoreticallymake a shorter shock that would EXACTLY mimic the spring rate and damping of the kicked back shocks WITHOUT changing the geometry. But the progressives are designed specifically for lowered bikes and are engineered for performing with reduced travel.

These adapters change the geometry and increase stresses in certain areas (reduce stresses in other areas). The mechanical engineer in mehas tobring that up. I wouldn't know enough about the materials, etc. to do the math and determine if it is safe, could be, but it is different than intended by the MoCo. There were a few of the newer Dynas where the upper shock mounts broke even with the stock setup. These adapterswill change the angle of the stresses on these as well. Just seems totally not worth the risk to me.

I'm not arguing with you and they could be totally fine, probably depends a LOT on which bike, how it is loaded down, preload on the springs, etc. But those are the reasons why I said I would avoid them like the plague. Heck, I put a springer on my Dyna, definitely NOT recommended by the factory ;-)

Kevin

 

What lenght do you have on your 412.
Is it possible for you do use the strearing lock know when you havethe Springer fork
Have you lowered it the front in some way?
Did you need to make any velding our othermanufacturs on the bikewhen you mounted the springer on it.


Regards
O.Olsson

 

When I bought my Dyna the guy had these installed. I rode it for a while with them but started noticing that the bolts running through the bracket and shock were sitting at an angle. This and the reduced fender to tire clearance and travel let me to ditch 'em.