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Hey all..
Just got the news that I've got some serious damage to my back. I need good advice on good shocks to replace our stocks...open to the collective wisdom here.

BB

tad take alook at progressive 440 series..pat has a set on his bike and said he loves them.. you my also have to get a better seat.. i also know guys that use a back belt when they ride hope that this helps.. and i hope that they can fix your back..remember that if they do op on your back you will be not able to ride for a long time so that it heals right..

biker

Tad,
If the roads ever clear again I'll be glad to let you ride mine to see how you like the Corbin seat and the Proressive shocks. I really love them and think it makes a huge difference with both the mods. I get a sore back ocassionally but never from the bike.
No worries about the replacing either, a very simple 15 minute job for the rears, 15 minutes for the seat and probably another 15 minutes for the front springs.
I got mine here by the way Progressive shocks at maonline
I got the 440 series and they are very easily adjustable for any riding situation.

Ed...
Thanks for the reply. I believe Gary James and I are both ordering the Progressive 440s. I will be talking to him in a little bit. We're going to see if we can get a better deal ordering and shipping at the same time.

As far as surgery...thankfully it doesn't look like it. I have been on oral steroids for five days and it's got the inflammation and pain down...PT starts next week. Should be no problem come riding season. The nerve and muscle damage are such that I should not miss much while riding...it's pressing down that I can't do so well...up and sideways still works.

The disk that got screwed up is cervical so I don't think the seat's an issue either. I am one of those few that are exactly the right height for the stocker and I think it's comfy. Some times the you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.

Pat...thanks for the offer. As it turns out I will probably have them on by the time I see you. On the rear anyway. You replaced your fork springs too? With what?

And...you planning on Dover this year? May 12/13...Jenny and I already plan on being sick and unavailable for work those days.

Hi Tad,
Sorry to hear of your back problems. I sat out a complete season for the same in '03. The wife talked me into seeing a bonecracker and it seemed to work. It may have been better with time and no doctor visits. Either way it's fine now. It sure did stink that year off. I feel for you and all with back pain.
Speaking of stink: A very talkative 3 year old was in church yesterday. He was somewhat annoying till he proclaimed "I smell a stinky. I wonder where it's coming from?" An older woman in front of him then smacked her husband. I guess that he was the source.
Take care,
Mike Sr.

Tad,
Progressive also makes nice front fork springs that help with the front end dive/smushiness. They are about $40 a pair.
Sorry, won't be making it to Dover since it's the weekend right after the Georgia May thingy. Pretty hard for me to get 2 weekends in a row off, I'm so valuable you know?

Tad,
I got the 440's as well and they do make a diference. But Alf or Nigel loctited the top bushings on the mounts and the stock shocks came off leaving the bushings and sleeves in place. I had to use a propane torch and a pair of channellocks to get those off which naturally destroyed the rubber bushings. Naturally, your results may vary...

Take care of the back.......

Pat,

Humour has no boundries...pppphtttt....and ego? Just how valuable ARE you. "I am sooo valuable that..."

Well...we gotta find time to get together plenty...I presume you still have beer left?

BB

the 440's are the same ride height right?

Frank

Don,

Trying to balance pragmatism and cost here. I am going to do everything the docs tell me but what I'm hearing is, "be sensible, fix what's wrong, modify what you can, then strengthen the muscle". So...looks like I'm going with the 412's. Gary James has ridden on them and likes them a lot and they're half the price. I see this as a fair trade off. I'm off the pain killers and muscle relaxants and my head is clearing some. Long and the short of it is, I did some damage, but my life is not over and most of it is correctable. I never had a lick of trouble till 44. The 412's from everything I hear are far and away superior to our stockers. I'm wondering if I would gain that much more chriropractic and spinal health for the extra 2 bills. Gary tied to get the 412's to bottom out and couldn'g even though they were on the lowest setting. My stocks bottom regularly. Soo...see you for beer sometime this summer.

BB

Frank,
They shocks all come in various heights. I believe the stock ones are 12.5", I may be wrong there but just measure from center of bottom mount stud to center of top mount stud. You can go 1.5" shorter and lower the bike that way actually. I went with the stock height on mine as it's fine for me at the height it's at. And you can also get them in chrome or black. Check out the site I linked above for BB and it lists them all.
Tad decided to go the less expensive model, which are still tons better than the stock ones. Me, I'm just one of those guys that has to have the best so I spent more money. I guess I have more of that than common sense, or so I've been told on many ocassions.

What about the 418's anyone have a pair. Would like to know what you think about them?

You might want to look into this http://www.lowback-pain.com/surgery.spinalstimulator.technique.htm
if it turns out to be a permanent pain in the backside. My OL got one and it has done wonders.

Grey,

Egads dude! I hope it never comes that level of "fix". Whoever wrote that summary needs to work on their beside manner too. Glad it's working for your wife and all though. Fortunately for me, the disk that blew was a cervical disk and my lower back isn't a problem. If I ever get lower back issues, expect a message from me to repost. And of course, thanks for the time and concern in posting in the first place. It's what has always made this place the best...we actually take the time to care about each other.

BB

Mike,
Thanks for the thoughts. Yep...been seeing the chiropractor again. Chances are that stopping seeing one about a year ago is part of the problem. Whatever it takes, I'm doing it. I am NOT getting off this bike. A buddy member of this board was out last season in a leg brace. I can't imagine what it must have been like to sit there and listen to everyone else tearing by. Looking forward to getting out with him again. Take care...

BB

Pat, Frank and all...
I understand that the covered 412's shocks (the black or chrome) and maybe one of the unconvered others in that family are too fat for our posts and either won't fit or scrape the dickens out of the fender. Gary James ordered a set for both of us and they will hopefully be in this week and ON this weekend. If anyone else is interested, I can get the precise part # from him. The place has good prices too. Shipping, handling and tax, I think Gary said, like $220.00.

Also, Pat. When I asked you for the height of the Speedy risers, I'm not sure what the measurement you sent back actually refers to because I can't remember what I actually asked for. Thank the Lortab and Flexeril.

Anyhow, the height that I'm interested in most is from the top of the triple tree to the inside of the bottom bracket where the handlebars would rest. In other words, once installed, I actually need to know how far up from the triple tree the bottom of the HANDLEBARS will be. With the America stocks and Jim's spacers, that distance is about 2.5 inches. If the Speedy risers put the bars say 3 inches or so higher, I'm in. I'd like to get rid of the spacers. They do the job nicely and and they're certainly not hideous, ALMOST transparent till you point them out to someone; but they're STILL a bandaid kind of temporary fix.

In the next couple weeks I am swapping all my cables, brake lines, idle, throttle, brake and clutch to SS. I am already adding an inch because with the spacers it's tight. Following Phil's advice, I took off the gathering wire bracket and that freed up just enough. But I am having the bucket for my primary headlight powercoated black and I plan on having that little wire bracket done too and reinstalling it. Since I may also be following Kenny and Phil with the buckhorn bars in the future I may need another inch or so depending. Ahem...On the wires, that is...nothing else...THAT part is fine...thanyouverymuch.

Thanks

BB

Tad,
The exact height of the riser is 4 1/8"
The distance from the Triple tree to the bottom of the bars is 3 5/8".

Pat,
Cool, and thanks for the reply. Looks like the Speedy risers are for me. Now...let's watch as the social sciences guy puzzles this one out. I needed to add another inch on my cables at 2.5, (give or take a smidge) so that's 1 + umm...1 more...so. I have to add...uhhh.. 2 inches...? Right? Maybe 2.5 to compensate for putting the bracket back in. No...wait. The first inch would allow me to do that, the second inch let's me add the longer risers. But...hang on, if I add the buckhorns, I might need that extra .5. sigh...this is why shops make so much loot. I'm going to end up with enough cabling to garrot myself at a quick stop.

BB

Hey Tad,

Don't knot your brain up like that bro! You're going to give yourself a hemmaroi..., a hemorrhag..., aw crap, a brain fart!!

Here some measurements: with Jim's Spacers and stock BA risers, it's 3" to the middle of the bars from the top of the tree. After installing the buckhorns, I added 4" to the clutch cable (Barnett - $70 rush shipped) and brake line ($43 - local shop) and everything routes nicely with proper slack. The stock (right now) throttle cables have been re-routed along the right side of the backbone and have plenty of slack. The wiring harnesses to each control have about an inch of slack.

Now I have to pull it all apart again to polish up the spacers as Fryguy's polished risers way too nice not to....

I think if you go with Speedy risers and the buckhorns, you are going to love it!

Forgot something.... if you go with the longer (4") cables/lines now, even if you don't go with the buckhorns, they will just bow out a bit more. Won't look bad at all. If you do eventually go with the buckhorns, you will have a very easy swapout and not have re-do anything.


btw, here's a pic of the Barnett clutch cable. It is one thick cable compared to stock! Oh yeah, that big orange thing in the middle? Soon to be relocated to the light bar...

Phil,

Thanks for the measurements. As I said to Pat, chances are, I'm going with the buckhorns some day...

For the moment, I was not planning on spending any money on shocks this year so the handlebars will probably be waiting till the next off season. If I drop more loot this year it will probably be for the front springs to get the dive out of the bike. Anything that eases up pressure on my neck is good money spent.

Thanks...

BB