Rear hits hard

[Mikey]

I have a 2009 Electra Glide Ultra Classic and I had it lowered an inch when I bought it. It has air over hydraulics rear suspension and weather I have 10 or 40 psi in the air suspension when I go over bumps on the streets or highways the bike hits really hard, it feels like it bottoms out. I had it to the dealership and they tell me that there is nothing wrong with the rear suspension. I'm getting really worried about riding it.

Has anyone had this problem and can anyone give me the fix

[wild bill]

Not quite clear when you say "It feels like it bottoms out" Does the rear tire contact the inner fender? I have an 09 glide and the suspension does not feel compliant. I have also varied the PSI in the shocks. The rear suspension feels rigid, stiff, and does not absorb the bumps like a conventional hydraulic shocked bike. This is the 1st bike I owned with an air suspension. I am definately not a fan.

[SCHMIDTYS]

Mikey and Wild Bill ,
Check your drive belt tension , alot of the 09s are adjusted as tight as a G string !

[wood butcher]

G String.... the conventional guitar type...or the butt floss variant???

[1984 FLHS]

You'll probably have to max it out at 50 psi because of the extra weight. I had the same problem with my 09 streetglide riding 2 up and I had to max it out to get it to stop bottoming out. Read my thread.
Prolly wasn't a good idea to lower such a heavy sled.JMO


Another new guy

[vlade]

You know having Too Much air will turn em into rigids,
I dont know how much you weigh but even ten PSI "may" be too much. I'm running 7-8psi in my UC and I'm well over body fat metrics for an Army Phys.
Plus lowering an inch is going to give less travel sooner bottum too.
I'ts ok to bottum out on some serious bumps but not on your average
mogul.

[hoofnhog]

If you lowered it with the shorter HD shocks, that's most of your problem...... HD got the one inch of height out of these shocks,( stock on the '09 Street Glides), by taking it completely out of travel and then valving the hell out of them so they do ride very stiff. Not much you are going to be able to do about them as is.

I would suggest you contact the people at Phoenix Customs/Bitchin Baggers and let them help you out. I lowered my '09 RK one inch with only 1/4 inch of travel loss..... the reworked shocks ride every bit as well as the stock full height ones did, if not better. Cheap money too......

[DeepPurple]

Agreed. At first I was trying to tune my 09 Street Glide to not bottom over some of the serious pot holes here in SE Virginia. Now that I know where most of them are and can avoid them I've adjusted the pressure down to 14 PSI which has made 100% difference in the ride. Now the rear end absorbs the smaller bumps like a suspension system should.

oh yeah, and I'm 220lbs