I have a 34" inseam and am 6'1 so height wasn't as much of a concern in respects to planting my feet as keeping my windshield in the same place as stock. IE Right under my nose when looking ahead. Didn't want to go through the entire windshield fiasco again as it works perfectly now. Windsplitter Brawler seat etc..

I'll see if I can explain this a bit better. The 2-2B shock is 330mm (12 7/8") long when bike is off of the ground and wheel in the air. There is a total of 88mm of travel available in the 2-2B shock. YOu want 1/3 of that for preload/sag. So 29mm (1.14"). Adjust the shocks so that when you sit on it with feet on boards the Overall shock length is right around 300mm.

This makes the shock sit just SLIGHTLY shorter than the stock SG 12" shocks. In reality when sitting MOST of the sag is used up by the bikes own weight. My body dropped it maybe 10-12mm.

I should have measured the rear tri-bar light distance to the ground to see if there is a difference in height but from my estimates when not on the bike it's maybe 1CM higher. When on the bike it's a few mm lower.

These numbers vary depending on where you measure from obviously. Turning/loosening a bolt to have a flat side to measure from is the easiest way to get a repeatable reference point. I used a digital reloading caliper to measure from top bolt to adjuster. This allowed me to get each side exactly the same.

I think if you went with the 2-2a's. (12 1/4") you'd actually be LOWERING the bike an inch over stock when sitting on it. IE at just over 11" when riding down the road. I'd be afraid of dragging everything.

 

Glad I asked.... I too didn't want to go through the windshield thing.

2-2b's it is then.


Thanks for the help.

 

No problem. Get em ordered ASAP. I'm sitting at my desk trying to decide on the roughest route home. I can't get enough of this sh**..

Maybe I should just buy a dirt bike to do that on.

 

I pulled the left bag to do my measuring for Howard for the stock sag.......I'll have to wait for my neighbor to get home....... but looking at the shock and then lifting the bike off the stand and sitting in the saddle, I would have to say.........."WHAT SAG"

I don't look like the stockers move at all. I'll have my neighbor sit on it and see if there's sag..... he's a really big guy.

 

Sitting on stock shocks there is no difference. They're practically solid especially if you have more than 10psi in them. You will get sag from the bike itself though. lift the bike off the ground until the wheel is off. Measure that, then put it back down. Stand it up and measure again. Meaning don't measure it when on the stand. Even with the Ohlins I only added a ~cm of movement. It's hard to notice when you're sitting on it.

I didn't give him stock sag. I don't know what that would gain I guess. All depends on how much air you have in them.

 

Looking down at the shock with no one measuring, I thought the same thing.... it looked like they didn't budge...... but........


305mm for the stock shocks, no load

288mm with me on the bike.... this is an average, with me bouncing the bike, and letting them settle........ and no bouncing. I did this so there would be no margin for error with friction. The measurement varied about +/- 1.5mm. So I did it 8 times and then calculated the average.

I think he wants that so he can calculate ride height.

 

What weight fork oil did you use in the front?

 

Wow i'm surprised. I thought for sure the stockers didn't move either!

 

I know it's a matter of preference, but I have #2-2A's on my 01 FLHTCUI and I have put about 5,000mi on them touring with my wife, 25lbs in each bag and another 40lbs at the trunk. I have no dragging or bottoming out at all and I choose them for 2 reasons 1) it has a longer stroke than the B's and 2) I wanted the lower stance. I also put race tech gold valves emulators up front and lowered it about 1" also.
I have my adjustments down to perfection and I have 3 positions, 1 for solo, 2 for 2up and 3 for 2 up and loaded. Also the A's are 12 1/8" not 12 1/4" (streetglides are 12") and you are correct on the B's being 12 7/8" but that will add to the stock stance of a roadglide, whereas A's keep the ride hieght within 1/4" and dose not lower it.

 

Actually 2B's have an extra mm of travel. Which is inconsequential.. I drag stock boards and the right exhaust bracket on my Power Duals if i'm too aggressive in a corner. losing an extra inch would be detrimental to my chrome!

I WILL be recommending the 2A's to a guy I know that just bought a 2012SG. He installed the Low shocks on his SG and I can't imagine how horrible they are. He's barely 5'6 and the new frame makes him unable to flatfoot the bike even with the lower front/rear. I'm 6'1 and 12" is the perfect height for me.