aftermarket rear shocks

[DimitriT]

I put Progressive Suspension 12s on my 550 years ago and they are feeling a bit worn out after 40K miles. I feel its time for a swap.

Has anyone run 13" Sportster shocks? They look pretty heavy duty and are cheap. I believe the 550 is 13 3/16" eye-to-eye.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVIDSON-2000-XL883-883-SPORTSTER-REAR-13-1-2-SHOCKS-DAMPERS-FREE-SHIP/381287552601?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31192%26meid%3D9f336ac9f4824787a942b7ed31db9129%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D221783728751&rt=nc

[Steve]

Yes, they might be 'heavy duty', but they might also be a bit TOO 'heavy duty'.

I have no idea how much a Sportster weighs, compared to a 550, but the damping rates might not quite match.

Have you checked with Progressive to see if your shocks can be rebuilt?

Other options for replacement shocks would include Hagon, available at Dave Quinn Motorcycles. They are about $200 for the pair.

.

[steve murdoch]

Some recent discussion on the same subject.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?232151-Harley-Davidson-shocks-as-replacement&highlight=harley+and+shocks

[eil]

Like Steve said, the difference in weight between the Sportster 883 and your 550 would be my biggest concern.

Also those particular shocks are already 15 years old so your Progressives are probably in a lot better shape. Unless the Harley they came from was hardly ever ridden, which isn't beyond possibility.

[Grimly]

I put Progressive Suspension 12s on my 550 years ago and they are feeling a bit worn out after 40K miles. I feel its time for a swap.

Has anyone run 13" Sportster shocks? They look pretty heavy duty and are cheap. I believe the 550 is 13 3/16" eye-to-eye.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVID...83728751&rt=nc

I'm quite happily running FLTH air shocks which were take-offs from a new-ish HD, as many owners have the notion that the factory suspension is crap, so immediately want to spend money and show off their trick bits.
Having been using Showa air shocks for decades on mine, I was quite happy to discover a source of hardly-used cheap Showas, and immediately grabbed a pair.
Only thing needed is to shim the mounting studs with bean can strip, and reduce the width of the bottom eye on the shock, else you only get two threads holding it on to the stud. No biggie.
I run them about 18psi for firm handling with reasonable give, and that suits me and the loading of the bike for just about every trip.

[tkent02]

Hmmm, a 550 is a lot lighter than an 850, but how was the ride on the 850?

[Grimly]

The ride on these is as good or bad as I want it to be, and in the early shakedown of them I had them either too hard or too soft until I found the spot. It's not knife-edged, in that 2psi either way will throw them right off, but much more gradual than that.
They're not identical to the Showa air shocks I'd had previously as they were from a Kwack GT750 and were likely more sprung and valved for a bike that was fairly close in weight to the GS850, but the HD version is pretty good. On a 550 with an averagely built rider these days, I would think the loading would be in the ball park.
My other air shocks are an old set of SW air/rubber and they were absolutely fine, too. They've been sitting for a while and I hope the rubbers are still intact.