 Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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I live in the sun downunder
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OP
I live in the sun downunder
Joined: Jan 2009
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Tried out my new Progressive HD 418's today that I got from Fasteddy. Took my wife out for lunch at the pub in Mount Perry, it's a small town 100 Klms. West of Bundaberg, Queensland. Perfect riding weather, blue sky, 28c, Sunday lunchtime and no traffic.  There is one stretch of road of 51 Klms. that is virtually one permanent bend (you are either leaning left or leaning right) no straight bit of more than 1 Klm. Last time I rode it I had Progressive 412's and I was slowing down to 90 Kph for some of the bends.  (Also with my wife as pillion) With the 418's on I rode the 51 Klms. in 25 minutes. I was taking most of the bends at 120 Kph.  They are highly reccomended. I had the bottom setting set on 2 and the top setting on 4. We are both 85 Kgs. with our riding gear on and the shocks were fantastic. If you read this eddy, thanks again mate for your great service and putting up with me. 
FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,738
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
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I really love my 812 flame series too. eddy looked after me really well also. Glad you like your new shocks Frank.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
Thank your Frank for your personal evaluation of the Progressive 418s vs. the 412s. It gives me food for thought!
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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I live in the sun downunder
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OP
I live in the sun downunder
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Quote:
Thank your Frank for your personal evaluation of the Progressive 418s vs. the 412s. It gives me food for thought!
Keith, I will update tomorrow.
Jo is having a FFD (Frank free day) Have VISA card will spend.
So I am going for a ride with a couple of mates. I will be solo tomorrow and I will report back.
FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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I live in the sun downunder
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I live in the sun downunder
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FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
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That good over the 412s? What would you say are the biggest differences between the two? I have to say I'm intrigued!! 
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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I live in the sun downunder
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OP
I live in the sun downunder
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Quote:
That good over the 412s? What would you say are the biggest differences between the two? I have to say I'm intrigued!!
I had the standard 412's. They are to soft, it was like riding a pogo stick. You didn't know what was going to happen whenever you hit a bump or a hole in the road. They say that riding for more than 50% of the time with a total weight of over 440 lbs. to buy the HD 412's. We found that riding with a total weight of 400 lbs. was near suicidal on bends.
With the 418's HD you can adjust the preload and also the rebound. I have found that on the lowest setting of preload it is OK for my weight. (83 Kgs.) On the 2nd setting it is OK for me & Jo (160 Kgs.) When we go away on a trip, we will have luggage so I can only assume (there are still 2 more harder settings) that we will bo OK. The adjustment on the rebound is just trial and error, but very simple to do with the key provided. 
FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
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Thanks for that review Frank. I know what you mean by the pogo effect, something that occurred in the forks before I swapped over to Progressive springs. I have yet to 'upgrade' the back but will now steer away from the 412s.
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 404
Adjunct
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Well Frank your post was very timely. I was poised to buy some 412,s but after reading your post I have changed my mind and ordered some HD 418,s and some front springs as well. I can relate to your comments fully loaded riding and hope for a noticeable improvement over the stock set up.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
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Ya know Mo... even just doing the fork springs makes a WORLD of difference. You are going to like your new bike!!
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Are we there yet? I can hardly wait. Be at least a week or so before the goodies turn up.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,204
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
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Hey guys, Eddie should be be able to order the 412's with different spring rates(from light to heavy duty) listed on Progressive's site. for those that want to save a few bucks.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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I bought the 418,s and front springs from Ed. While I like to shop locally I saved $380 (US), shipping included by buying from FeS.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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I live in the sun downunder
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OP
I live in the sun downunder
Joined: Jan 2009
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Quote:
Hey guys, Eddie should be be able to order the 412's with different spring rates(from light to heavy duty) listed on Progressive's site. for those that want to save a few bucks.
You can do it that way, but you don't have the rebound facility on the 412's. 
FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Ed sent the front springs as he had them in stock. Then he sent the new rears when he got them in. I fitted up the front springs, straight swap, no fuss fitting. I did a 2 tank ride through lots of twisties ( not many dead straight roads near here) WOW! i say again WOW! Seemed to take the wallow out of the sweepers. Sat ther niceintight. Not much dive under front braking. Nice.
The rear shocks took a little longer as I had to wait for a letter from customs and make a GST payment. They were waiting for me at work and are now fitted up. I took the Dinqua approach and it was a 4 bottle fit up. Hot as in my drive in front of the shed but I dug deep and got the job done. Hoora. Summer is a month early. Can’t wait to go for a ride.
I was a bit ****** off, the preload is set with a "c" spanner which I dont have. Anybody know what size it is?
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
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Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
I still await the day I can replace my rears shocks, but in the meantime like you, I replaced the fork springs with Progressive and I have to agree... WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Not just in comfort but safety. I intend to get on with Progressive rears quite soon!
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,228
I live in the sun downunder
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OP
I live in the sun downunder
Joined: Jan 2009
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Quote:
Ed sent the front springs as he had them in stock. Then he sent the new rears when he got them in. I fitted up the front springs, straight swap, no fuss fitting. I did a 2 tank ride through lots of twisties ( not many dead straight roads near here) WOW! i say again WOW! Seemed to take the wallow out of the sweepers. Sat ther niceintight. Not much dive under front braking. Nice.
The rear shocks took a little longer as I had to wait for a letter from customs and make a GST payment. They were waiting for me at work and are now fitted up. I took the Dinqua approach and it was a 4 bottle fit up. Hot as in my drive in front of the shed but I dug deep and got the job done. Hoora. Summer is a month early. Can’t wait to go for a ride.
I was a bit ****** off, the preload is set with a "c" spanner which I dont have. Anybody know what size it is?
Hi Mo, They should have supplied a "C"spanner with the shocks.
Any progressive shocks I have bought came with the spanner.
FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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They supplied an allen for the rebound, I have those. No c spanner. I wonder if Ed forgot to put it in?
Last edited by SpeedyKiwi; 11/30/2010 1:55 AM.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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I have to agree with you there mountainman, there is a big improvement, no mistake. Why dont they fit them up standard I spose it wouldnt put much onto the final price, if any. Bang for your buck it is right up there. Now I just have to figure out to let the wife know about the new suspension set up, and the $$. These women have almost no sense of value when it comes to bikes.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 5,720
Check Pants
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Check Pants
Joined: May 2010
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A small strap wrench will suffice in lieu of a spanner and no scratching or scarring on those new shocks. I was in the same boat until I finally located the proper spanner.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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+1 on skipping the 412's. I went with the 412's first.....tried both standard weight and HD springs....didn't get the WOW factor I was looking for. Moved on up to the 440's and I can report that the WOW factor is there.
"You're a long time underground!"
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Well, the report on the road test. Last weekend I went for a 4 hr ride with plenty of twisties and sweepers and made changes to the rear shocks along the way. I finally got it set on 3 for the rebound and 1 up from the bottom on the preload. Today I did a bigger ride of just under 450k’s, it took 8 hrs. Lots of slower corners and twisties with short straights mostly. The most noticeable change is that when put into the corner it sits with no wallowing up front when the pressure goes on. The rear end is rock solid. I was dragging my calcaneums quite a bit. Ye ha! I like it. There was minimal dive under front braking. If you hit a bump during the sweeper it doesn’t make any difference, instead of here we go…. . I fitted up both front and rear springs and have replaced the tyres so it really tips in well and stays rock solid, no mistake. All in all it is worth thinking on the front springs at a minimum as it really did make a huge difference. It took hardly any time at all to fit them. It certainly woke it up and it feels like an entirely new bike. Worth it – you bet.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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I live in the sun downunder
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Glad that you like them Mo. I have mine set at the bottom and 3 on the rebound. When we are 2 up I go 2 on the bottom and 4 rebound. It certainly makes riding a whole new experience.
FrankW
Ex Speedmaster rider, went to the Dark Side now riding an America.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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I forgot to say thanks for the advice. I really cant afford to do this more than once and it is really good to read good stuff on what you are considering. Thanks Guys.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
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Sorry just now saw this thread. Mo, there should have been a spanner in there. Will e-mail you.
These shocks as folks notice are a vast improvement. the 418's (ones I kept after my tests) are awesome. The 440 better yet if you have the money.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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For those of us with ample girth, or travel two up and loaded, the 418's are also available with heavy duty springs. I have them, on for about 6k miles, and am very satisfied with the ride and adjustability.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
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The 418's have just been discontinued.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Re: Progressive HD 418's.
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Loquacious
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Loquacious
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I guess that's why I didn't see them on the Progressive Homepage the other day. Is there a replacement between the 412 and 440?
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