Yea I do like it, but will have to see how it handles freeway speeds. Sometimes bike that are like that seem to wander at speed, at least from my experience. I sure would like that extra travel though, and I do notice more jar in the hands now, just like everyone says. Before I was concentrating on my spine so much I didn't notice the hands.

If it is good on the freeway, do you think the front end would work just as well at stock heigh with progressive springs and maybe a cartridge emulator?

In my mind if I went with progressive springs in front, I might be better served with more travel, so the softer spring would still allow plenty of travel when hitting the stiff part.

 

I was going to install emulators in my forks, but decided against it as from what I read, most didnt seem to notuce a difference of running the emulators. That and I just dont want to go through the hassle of removing the forks and springs just to adjust them. The biggest improvement will be the spring replacement. I am going with the Race Tech springs, and 11 inch damper tubes. The damper tubes alone will add 4 inchs of travel. They also have a spacer you can install on them so you gain only 2 inchs of travel, thats the route im going to start with.

 

I never thought of emulators either till I saw this video. I am thinking of seeing if the damper tubes they make come in different length, or just real long for the off road use. Their design concept makes sense. By the way, either their bike looks like your or your bike looks like one of theirs. Either way, pretty cool.

https://hugomoto.com/collections/sus...dson-sportster

 

When we first moved to this area, I had a 1986 Honda XL600R. That bike had a lot going for it, once you got it started. Could be one kick, could be 30. Did some research and found that was the ugly nature of the beast. With dual carbs for a single cylinder, it acted like half a 4 barrel carb, but was horrible to get running. That was why I sold it.

I mention that bike because when I rode it to town, I never even noticed the bumps, and in the real twisty parts, I could easily keep up or leave my brother in law on his Honda ST1100, even with knobbies on. When I got this one it was like whoa, where did all these bumps come from. I love this bike, but smooth riding is not in its vocabulary. Lol

Will see how long I keep it this way. Maybe someday, when I tire of the road king look (not in foreseeable future) I will buy a kit from Hugo Moto and turn it into a double XL600. I bet some of their conversions would keep right up with it, no matter where I would take it. Maybe not some folks, but I am sure it would go anywhere I would.

 

Check out the Tracker Die site, I bought their 11 inch dampers.

 

I just checked out the hugo gallery. There is a bike pretty close to mine there.

 

If I were you I'd at least raise it to standard height.

BTW you don't NEED damper tubes to raise the front height. If you just cut two 1.5-inch pieces of PVC pipe and insert them at the top of your forks, it WILL raise your front.

Replacing damper tubes just happens to be the proper way.

 

LOL I was going to show my intelligence and say why not cut one 3" piece.........duh, two for tubes...

What dia PVC? Will that also give more travel like the dampers would? I need to look up videos of how these forks work. Working somewhat in the blind here.

 

Lets assume it handles well on the freeway, what is the disadvantage of leaving it the way it is? Just curious.

 

Ok found some good info on J&Ps web site, so now not quite as ignorant as before. I will probably go with progressive springs no matter how I raise it, or if I don't. I need to do a freeway run.