Progressive Shocks

[Capt. Morgan]

Thinking about upgrading.
I see there are a few different offered.
What are most using on an Interstate?
Normally ride 1 up, weight of 180, with passenger add another 140???.

[Steve K (IA)]

I've had the 440 HD almost since the beginning on my I/S (2000).  I would go with the HD springs.  You can always run them on the lower end of preload, but you will have that extra when 2 up and loaded with luggage.

[RUDE DOG - Steelers]

I have the Progressive 430's.  Awesome looking shock, little cheaper than the 440's and great performance.

[hubcapsc]

I'm 195. I like my light-duty 440s when I'm by myself... they are unacceptable two up.... I plan
to get HD springs...

-Mike

[f6john]

I have the Progressive 430's.  Awesome looking shock, little cheaper than the 440's and great performance.

Can you give us any more details? Have you had 440's in the past ? How do they compare? What sets them apart? How are they different? Inquiring minds want to know.

[B]

I'm running air on the back; (on the bike when I bought it)... wouldn't have it any other way.

[Jess from VA]

Thinking about upgrading.
I see there are a few different offered.
What are most using on an Interstate?
Normally ride 1 up, weight of 180, with passenger add another 140???.

Just FYI on 440s:

On the 440s, there has been some confusion on correct part numbers for standard, tourer and interstate with standard and heavy duty springs.  Both shocks have the same IAS cartridges, the only build difference is the springs. They come in 11.5, 12, 12.5, and 13 inch lengths (13" is OE length, though some argue that since progressive's sit a tad higher at rest than OE shocks, especially with all OE shocks getting old, 12.5 is closer to OE; decide for yourself, I get 13s for max lean with floorboards, and I have a 29.5" inseam)

Here is the deal:

For standard and tourer: Standard is the     440-4213 (C for chrome/ B for black)
                                  Heavy Duty is the  440-4221 (C or B)

For Interstate:  there is only one shock recommended and it is the same shock called heavy duty for standard and tourer, 440-4221, BUT IT IS NOT IDENTIFIED AS A HEAVY DUTY SHOCK, IT IS CALLED STANDARD RATE FOR INTERSTATE, THERE IS NO HEAVY DUTY SHOCK MADE FOR INTERESTATE.  This is just Progressive's semantics, but it has lead to a lot of confusion.

I put 4421s on my IS which I ride solo 98% (185lbs), set  to the lowest setting (the way they come new) and they have been perfect.  Even with the 120lb ball-and-chain in the back seat, no need to turn them up.

I put 4213s on my Supervalk IS (no trunk, back seat, pegs, always solo), but lowest setting here was unsat.  I turned them four turns each and it is good, but I like a tight suspension and may go one or two more.

The 440s have 10 full turns of adjustment.  It takes 8 of 10 turns on the 4213s to equal the dampening rate of the 4412s at the lowest setting.

The 440s are warranted for life if you buy new and keep the receipt.  Changing from std to HD springs is pretty cheap (as above noted by Mike), but if the IAS cartridge fails it is not rebuilt it is replaced at around $200 per shock.  If you will keep your bike forever (as I will), I think new 440s are the way to go.

[Brovietnam]

I have had two sets of progressive air shocks.  The first set I had rebuilt twice.  They only lasted me about 25,000 between rebuilds.  I suspect this set needs rebuilt about now.

[hubcapsc]

 * The 440s have 10 full turns of adjustment.

What do people mean, exactly, when they say this? When I try to imagine it, in my imagination, there's 10 threads
showing after "10 full turns"...



-Mike

[Cliff]

I have had two sets of progressive air shocks.  The first set I had rebuilt twice.  They only lasted me about 25,000 between rebuilds.  I suspect this set needs rebuilt about now.

What are the symptoms of needing a rebuild?

[DeathWishBikerDude]

Just my opinion..PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSION SUCKS!

I'd rather ride my original Honda shocks.
At least they don't fall apart riding down the expressway.

[RLD]

I switched to progresives front and rear on my last I/S looking for a softer ride and will not do it again. It was a harsh ride. I'll stick with stock.

[RUDE DOG - Steelers]

I have the Progressive 430's.  Awesome looking shock, little cheaper than the 440's and great performance.

Can you give us any more details? Have you had 440's in the past ? How do they compare? What sets them apart? How are they different? Inquiring minds want to know.

Never had 440's.  The 430s are new but they dont have the Inertia technology of the 440's.  The look sets them apart for me.  I have the black version which look amazing.  Go check them out for yourself.  The 440s are a great shock but they look pretty basic.  Depends on what you want I guess.  I have 11.5 inch standard duty.  Im 180 and have them set pretty low and have never bottomed.  Even with the wife with me on that setting I dont bottom.  Perform great and look even better.

[Jess from VA]

 * The 440s have 10 full turns of adjustment.

What do people mean, exactly, when they say this? When I try to imagine it, in my imagination, there's 10 threads
showing after "10 full turns"...

Mike, a full turn is a full 360 degrees of clockwise turn on the top shock cover (I have a benchmark on them, and counted my turns from the bottom softest setting).  I know there are tiny threads that appear at the top as you make the turns (which are supposed to be used to calculate turns and position) , but they are too tiny for me to see or count, so I have completely disregarded them and just counted full 360 degree turns.  Progressive says the 440s have 10 full 360 degree turns of adjustment from top to bottom.  I do not know if they are turned all the way down if there are supposed to be 10 threads showing.

I about killed my hands doing this on the IS without removing the bags or anything else; I did it soon after I got them as I have read it only gets harder to turn them over time.  Had the bike up on the jack.

[hubcapsc]

* The 440s have 10 full turns of adjustment.

What do people mean, exactly, when they say this? When I try to imagine it, in my imagination, there's 10 threads
showing after "10 full turns"...

Mike, a full turn is a full 360 degrees of clockwise turn on the top shock cover (I have a benchmark on them, and counted my turns from the bottom softest setting).  I know there are tiny threads that appear at the top as you make the turns (which are supposed to be used to calculate turns and position) , but they are too tiny for me to see or count, so I have completely disregarded them and just counted full 360 degree turns.  Progressive says the 440s have 10 full 360 degree turns of adjustment from top to bottom.  I do not know if they are turned all the way down if there are supposed to be 10 threads showing.

I about killed my hands doing this on the IS without removing the bags or anything else; I did it soon after I got them as I have read it only gets harder to turn them over time.  Had the bike up on the jack.

Thanks Jess...

I was not strong enough to turn mine much at all, what with the bag rails and stuff in the way... I got a
cheap rubber  strap wrench to turn them with. I'm going to turn the flop out of them and see what
happens, maybe I don't have to send them back... I thought I'd turned them all the way, but there's
only about three threads  showing, certainly not 10... I reckon if I turn them until they won't go anymore,
they'll be "all the way" and "both the same"... if they're too stiff, well, that's a problem I'd like
to have, compared to bottoming out (which they only do two up)...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

I have a pretty industrial strap wrench, but I couldn't figure out how to use it without boogering up the chrome....and it only looked like I was going to be able to get about one inch of turn for each "bite"...which was true using my hands too.  Steel jawed channel locks were out too....LOL.    I think getting it up on the jack helps, but the shocks are still carrying the weight of the whole swingarm, wheel, tire and pumpkin.  Ideally, removing the bags and loosening up the bag rails enough to pull the top shock mounts off the studs may be the way to go.....big PITA that that is.