12-27-2015, 07:36 AM
Chip, I'll admit that I too like Sportsters even though I considered the ride of my '09 Nightster just plain brutal even after doing a bit of suspension work. Switched the rear shocks to take-off Road King air shocks with a lowering block to bring the height back down a bit, had tried Progressive 412's but they didn't help much.
In front added Ricor Intiminators with 5W fork oil, but the front was still jarring. Plus the Ricor Vibrantors in the bars to try and kill the high speed buzz.
The first time I sat on the bike and started it I had to laugh because it shook so much at idle that my vision blurred! I thought it was my glasses moving around, but it literally shook my head.
Yeah, the rubber mount touring frame models DO smooth out above idle and are surprisingly sweet ride handling much better than it should.
The old school Sportster is a lot like our CB's with a lot of steel, heavy double down tube frames, steel swing arms, in fact they weigh about the same. Makes for a solid bike.
Why do I still like them? Well that gearbox shifts nicely (in comparison to the Big Twins), brakes don't look that great but they do stop pretty good, the motor just SOUNDS RIGHT, tons and tons of parts available online at reasonable prices to personalize.
Check the ADV and XL Forum for a great reference material, guys have lifted their low Sportsters. That's what's so neat about them, you can fit suspension parts from other models to come up with just the right ride.
Doesn't the "48" have the mid-glide forks to fit the fat front tire? At least that's a nice upgrade from the skinny narrow-glide forks.
You can probably swap the '16 suspension upgrades into your bike, some guy online is surely going to rip that factory stuff off his "customized" bike and you can get it for a song online.
Aloha,
Huladog
In front added Ricor Intiminators with 5W fork oil, but the front was still jarring. Plus the Ricor Vibrantors in the bars to try and kill the high speed buzz.
The first time I sat on the bike and started it I had to laugh because it shook so much at idle that my vision blurred! I thought it was my glasses moving around, but it literally shook my head.
Yeah, the rubber mount touring frame models DO smooth out above idle and are surprisingly sweet ride handling much better than it should.
The old school Sportster is a lot like our CB's with a lot of steel, heavy double down tube frames, steel swing arms, in fact they weigh about the same. Makes for a solid bike.
Why do I still like them? Well that gearbox shifts nicely (in comparison to the Big Twins), brakes don't look that great but they do stop pretty good, the motor just SOUNDS RIGHT, tons and tons of parts available online at reasonable prices to personalize.
Check the ADV and XL Forum for a great reference material, guys have lifted their low Sportsters. That's what's so neat about them, you can fit suspension parts from other models to come up with just the right ride.
Doesn't the "48" have the mid-glide forks to fit the fat front tire? At least that's a nice upgrade from the skinny narrow-glide forks.
You can probably swap the '16 suspension upgrades into your bike, some guy online is surely going to rip that factory stuff off his "customized" bike and you can get it for a song online.
Aloha,
Huladog