Do A Lot Of You Dislike The 2009 Frame Changes?

[Merlynn]

Never rode an ultra before my 09. Since I lowered it with factory kit it does bottom out on minor bumps riding two up. Wonderful on the highway but have bottomed going over the expansion joint on highway overpassess. I attribute that to the kit. Didn't know others were having suspension issues. Well, me and my sweetie have gotten heavier over the last few years and are trying to take it off. Bike handles great and I am still looking for the right psi sweet spot.

 

[EnjoyingTheRyde]

I bought a 09 CVO Road Glide and while I think the bike handles better than my 02 & 07 Road Glides did, I'm not real happy with the "re-tune" on the suspention. On my old Road Glides I could run 20-30 psi in the air shocks and they'd never bottom out. I run 40-50 psi in my CVO and it'll bottom on a big bump. Course, I weigh, just a little bit, more than I did in 02................

I'm new to HD and not an aggressive rider. I weigh around 185 and ride solo 99.9% of the time. What is everyone else runnig for psi on the 09 Street Glides? The manual indicates some pretty low numbers but I haven't found the right pressure for me.

 

[Sharky1948]

I'm new to HD and not an aggressive rider. I weigh around 185 and ride solo 99.9% of the time. What is everyone else runnig for psi on the 09 Street Glides? The manual indicates some pretty low numbers but I haven't found the right pressure for me.

Hi, My 2009 FLHT is like riding a pogo stick on a bouncy back road. I played with the air up and down 5-35 and the more pressure I put into it the better it was on the highway and the worse it was on back roads. I could not find a happy medium. Either I was bottoming out all over the place or getting bounced off the seat. I've got 8000k on it now and I've sort of settled on low 20PSI solo (I'm 100kg) and let it bang at times. I don't reckon Harley have got this right at all. Yes it goes around corners well but I bought a tourer and not a Sportie.

Neil

I am 190 lbs and ride with 11psi solo. When my wife is on (120lbs) I go to 15 psi. After 8K miles, haven't bottomed out yet. (2009 FLHR)

 

[billnapabill]

I'm new to HD and not an aggressive rider. I weigh around 185 and ride solo 99.9% of the time. What is everyone else runnig for psi on the 09 Street Glides? The manual indicates some pretty low numbers but I haven't found the right pressure for me.

I think it's something ya gotta play with. It's really anywhere that ya don't bottom out. There isn't anything worse than being steep in a corner and hitting a bump that makes your suspention bottom out. On the Soft Tails I tell people to hang their toes off the outside of the floor boards and if they feel their toes touch, get otta the lean. I have had some friends "High Side" there bikes. that's where they accually hit the frame or bottom the suspention and it vilolently pictches the bike to the uphill side, causing the rider to lose control, sometime with devastating effects. Basically, get familuar with your bike and your style, make the adjustments slow and deliberate. Pretty soon that monster'll be talkn' to ya and things will just seem to be just right!

 

[Trek]

Well I have a whopping 138 miles on my new 09 ultra, the only comparison I have to it is I have rode my buddies 02 and I really really like the way it handles compared to his. I can't really comment on the shocks I am just now starting to fine tune things to my liking.

 

[Willie G.]

My last FL was in 89' so I really can't tell ya. The 09' just fits me and I haven't scraped any hard parts... yet.

 

[Buddha 1584]

I've just moved on from a Nightrod Special to a '09 Roadking Classic and I think its one of the best bikes I have ridden. However a friend at work had a '03 RKC and has changed to a '09 RKC about 5 months ago and wishes he had is old one back.

 

[billnapabill]

Looks like we may be comparing apples to oranges here, maybe we can get Dolt or biglew to jump in.
Seems to me the guys complaing are riding the new Frames but on the lowered rear end models like the Road King Custom, The Street Glide and the Newer Roadglides (I think they've been lowered in the rear too).
Maybe the guys riden' the factory lowered bikes just need to run more air cuz the shock losses an inch of travel and bottom easyier.
What's up Biglew...Dolt, any words'o'wisdom on this?

 

[USMCCWO5]

I haven't experienced an issue with bottoming out on my wife's lowered 2009 FLHX. I have installed 11 1/2 inch Progressive brand shocks in the rear and the HD front lowering springs. I weigh around 180.

I haven't pushed it as hard as my 07 Road King, so I don't know if I will see the wobble that my FLHRC has experienced.

 

[bigskyhd]

This is the first time I've heard of problems with the 09 or 2010 for that matter. It's the same frame. Everyone that has it seems to rave about how nice it is. In fact many folks say "Don't test ride one, if you don't plan on buying it"....they're that good. Go figure.