I have the bilstein 10.75" to 13.00" with compensator shocks on my 2010 street glide. The front end is lowered with the progressive lowering kit. I have a 19" front and 18" rear agitator wheels.

The problem is that the suspension is way too stiff....to the point where it's lifting me out of my seat when i hit bumps....twice I have hit bumps and it was so severe that my saddlebag came loose. It's getting to the point where I'm worried about hitting a bump in a curve so I have to slow down a lot.

I have tried them with more and less air and can't find a good spot. I like the shocks when I'm not on a bumpy road but if I see bumps coming I am having to stand on my footboards to absorb it. It was so bad this weekend that my back is killing me. None of the other people that I was riding with have this issue and were on the same roads.

So....
Any adjustments that I can make with the shocks? Does it sound like maybe these shocks are defective? Are other bilstein owners having this experience?
Should I look at different shocks?
I am 5"6 so I need a shorter shock to help me get my feet on the ground...I had a pair of stock shocks that were modified by bitchin baggers to 11.50" but they were nothing like this....

 

At 5'6" I'm surprised that you can reach the floorboards.... Sorry, bad short joke... Just kidding with you..

I would try giving Bilstien a call and talk to one of their product managers, or tech support. Hopefully they can revalve the shock to stiffen it up a bit (slower the compression).

When it bottoms out over the bumps, does it feel like a spring board, like it wants to buck you off on the way back to ride height? This will determine if the rebound needs revalved as well, or not...

Good luck my friend.

 

It's not bottoming out....but ya it feels like a spring board. It's like riding a hard tail. No give in the shocks.

 

Anytime you lower you sacrifice the ride. And for a softer ride you might could let a little air out of the rear tire to compensate. This will help but your tire will not last as long.

 

I've had lowered suspension before....but it was never as harsh as this. Plus I had them inflated to 12" and it wasn't much better