Progressive Shocks ...990 or 440

Hey, cheers
All sorted now, bits ordered

Well Phil came up trumps and got my shocks and seat
Mono tube up front and I went middle of the price range with the rear, with 444's
Seat from Mustang, a Vintage dual tourer seat.

After starting to fit the rear shocks, I gave up for the day, took the bike off the stand and put all the tools away. As I couldn't finish the job.

Why could you not finish, that I hear you ask ?
Well the 444's like any shock, have rubber bushings in the end with no internal metal sleeve with a hole the wrong size ( too big ) for the Harley mounting bolts. Plus the bolt thread would chew up the rubber.
So I knew what I needed to do... find some steel, fire up the lathe and make something.
So I measured up, found some stock stainless steel and planned to turn down some bushings in the lathe. Went to check a measurement on the new shocks and thought that I would put them away to keep them safe and clean, back in their box.

What do I find in the box... bloody hell grrrrr, little bag under a flap with a Harley Bushings fitting kit

By then I had also had sent a message to Phil saying I thought it was pretty poor of Progressive not to supply bushes for the bike and expecting the buyer to make or find their own .
So then I had to send him a msg saying what an idiot I'd been !

So bike back on the lift and got on with it !

So probably 2 hours wasted pratting about, when I could have had the job done in 15 minutes.

What an idiot. Lesson learnt! Check the bloody box and don't try and complicate things !

Had to go to work for emergency flight after that, so never got to fit the mono tubes till yesterday.


So, bike upgraded, Mustang seat, 444's on the back, Monotubes up front.
Seat is lovely, but will fill with water like a pond when it rains. That was the best upgrade.

As for the front/rear shocks... yes a slightly different feel, a bit less dive and sag up front... but was it worth it for the money . Hmmm probably not. . For my riding style, slow and safe, I barely notice the difference. Might be better on a bigger heavier bike but on a Sporty, nah, I could have saved $600 USD

Still ... I got a Progressive Sticker for my tool box !