I have no issues with my Burlys at all

 

I've got the 10,5" Burlys on and I enjoy them very much! You're going to get a lot of different opinions on this matter. Do a Winnie the pooh and think about it! The important thing is of course that the outcome suits your wife and what she wants

Anyway the Burlys slammed the rear of my 48 about 2,5" (standard Scandinavian shocks are 13" instead of US 11").
They don't have a lot of travel and you've got five different settings from stiff to stupid stiff. Rider weight of course comes into play so if she's a bantam weight (I'm not) she's probably not going to like them all that much. But you never know...

Compared to stock they're stiff but they do work alright I think. I wanted a blacked out slammed look and wasn't looking for a Wide Glide ride so to me the Burlys fit the bill.
If I wanted a different look, the perfect ride, outstanding performance AND money wasn't an issue I would have got my self some Öhlins with a piggy back reservoir with compression and rebound adjusters.

Good luck with it!

 

No need to buy shorter shocks and wreck the ride. Buy her a pair of boutique Harley heeled boots with thick confidence gripping soles. Maddy, Sidney or Tracey will be glad to help and its much easier to bring the ground to her, not her to the ground! Simples......

 

What about a set of Progressive shocks and the lowering blocks, or just a shorter set of Progressives?

 

I've got the M.A.C.S lowering kit. It's a bracket with three holes so you could choose how much you want to drop it. 1", 2" and 3". For $32 shipped from eBay, it's not that expensive to try. She'll get the same travel from her shocks with a lowered ride. Once she gets her confidence and doesn't need the lowered ride you can always remove them. And do like what grbrown said, get her higher boots if she doesn't have any.

 

Save your money and save her back. I bought a used 2009 xl883low that was slammed with the burly shocks and front fork springs. I loved the bike but hated the ride, it was like a Wild Bronco trying to throw me off at every little bump in the road.

I am a 128 lbs and 5'5" male with a 29"inseam. I wound up changing out the 10.5 inch Burley shocks and springs for 12.5 inch shocks and matching fork springs. I also ordered a custom seat which lowered my position without sacrificing road clearance. The changes I made turned the ride and handling from potentially dangerous (hold on for dear life) to a ride that was excellent with confidence inspiring handling. I also think it looks a whole lot better and get compliments on her all the time.

Bottom Line (Pun intended): Forget the Burly Kit and start with a custom seat to lower her apparent height above the road and still let her feet reach the pavement. Good Luck with it and I'll try to post some pics showing what I did to my 2009 xl 883 Sportster Low.

"He Who Lives in Joy Does His Creator's Will".
The Baal Shem Tov, Founder of Chasidic Judaism... ca 1750's

 

Thanks for all the great replies. We passed on the Burly kit. Other options are in the works.