Free play front socks normal?

[Quince]

Made stands to go under each crash bar both sides and supporting the front on them found out my front shocks have a 2 to 3 inches free play. I mean, if I raise the front with wheel still on the ground and let go, it will go down 2-3 inches like a rock. Is this normal? Is there an easy way to evaluate the shocks. I see no oil anywhere but I didn't ride it yet. On another subject, just realized how little space you have for the left boot to shift gears.... Anybody else see this as a problem? Thank you.

[Jess from VA]

The shocks don't sound right.  Mine never drop down when the front is lifted up.  I'll leave advice on those to others.

The little tiny shifter bugged me too, and I went with Rattlebars heel-toe shifters (he called it a Kick- shifter, since you heel kick down to upshift and toe down to downshift (as usual).  

But I don't know if the Rattlebars Kickshifter is still available.  Check our classified or Ebay.

Here's what they look like (and I have the Cobra floorboards with them too, on both bikes).  Unlike other heel toe shifters, this thing just loops around and uses the existing front peg.  The one in this picture is a bigger front peg than stock.

[Challenger]

My front forks do not drop when lifting bike.
Some folks have replaced the Valk shifter with one from the Honda Black Bird.
Sounds like this bike has been neglected or maintained by a YouTube certified tech. Good luck with your project.

[Quince]

My front forks do not drop when lifting bike.
Some folks have replaced the Valk shifter with one from the Honda Black Bird.
Sounds like this bike has been neglected or maintained by a YouTube certified tech. Good luck with your project.

Maybe I wasn't clear. Forks do not drop. When I lift the bike forks are not loaded, extend since the front wheel hangs down on them. When I lower bike back on the ground forks compress with no resistance about 1 3/4" (I measure this time and previous numbers were wrong) under bike weight. This looks a bit excessive to me compared to my ZZR1200 that, I know, is 200 lb less than Valkyrie. Is there a way to verify oil level without removing the forks? Also, what is the reason for different design of the two forks?

[HayHauler]

My front forks do not drop when lifting bike.
Some folks have replaced the Valk shifter with one from the Honda Black Bird.
Sounds like this bike has been neglected or maintained by a YouTube certified tech. Good luck with your project.

Maybe I wasn't clear. Forks do not drop. When I lift the bike forks are not loaded, extend since the front wheel hangs down on them. When I lower bike back on the ground forks compress with no resistance about 1 3/4" (I measure this time and previous numbers were wrong) under bike weight. This looks a bit excessive to me compared to my ZZR1200 that, I know, is 200 lb less than Valkyrie. Is there a way to verify oil level without removing the forks? Also, what is the reason for different design of the two forks?

I don't know the "reason" for the difference, but one of the forks is for rebound and the other one is for compression.  They are very different.
I believe there is a way to pull the top cap off and measure the oil level.  Check the manual for the proper method.

Hay
Jimmyt

[da prez]

Before you try to remove the top cap on the fork , loosen the top clamp.  It creates enough compression to lock the top nut in place.  There is a height measurement , but I do not recall it. If I guess at it , 
 
                                      da prez

[WintrSol]

Fork oil levels for the C and CT are 135mm right, 142mm left.
For the Interstate: 136mm right, 148mm left.
Both are with the fork tube held vertical.

For this measurement, I made a tool with a length of straight brass tubing (toilet supplies), with a clamp to set the distance from the bottom of a large flat washer to the bottom of the tube, and used a MityVac  so pull any excess up and out, after deliberately overfilling. To make this measurement more accurate without removing the fork tubes, you will need something to ensure the tubing is centered where it contacts the oil.

[98valk]

My front forks do not drop when lifting bike.
Some folks have replaced the Valk shifter with one from the Honda Black Bird.
Sounds like this bike has been neglected or maintained by a YouTube certified tech. Good luck with your project.

Maybe I wasn't clear. Forks do not drop. When I lift the bike forks are not loaded, extend since the front wheel hangs down on them. When I lower bike back on the ground forks compress with no resistance about 1 3/4" (I measure this time and previous numbers were wrong) under bike weight. This looks a bit excessive to me compared to my ZZR1200 that, I know, is 200 lb less than Valkyrie. Is there a way to verify oil level without removing the forks? Also, what is the reason for different design of the two forks?

that's what forks are designed to do. u can't compare bikes and suspension/forks esp., a cruiser with a superbike.