My poor aching back

[2ndheart]

What to do? I weight around 150 lbs, can I run more air in the shocks or do I save for some really good coilovers. Your opinions and experience on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

[2ndheart]

By the way I have problems with my L4/L5 discs.

[hogcowboy]

I've never found anything mechanical that helps that much. On a bike I did notice coils are better than air. But I'm in the 215 range. At 150, I doubt you would see much. The back specialists I've seen all agree on one thing for me medically, wait until I collapse before going the surgical route. And even then they are likely to only change the pain but it will still be there. And the likelihood of me being able to walk again is 50/50.

Yeah, my back is that screwed up. That 50/50 is much better than the 20/80(will walk/won't walk) they gave me 40 years ago. So they are improving. Not sure I can live long enough for anything better. But from my asking around, surgery has helped more people than anything else. Some ask why they didn't do it sooner but the fact is back surgery has improved a lot. So they might not have had the same good results if done sooner.

I appreciate by doctors being honest with me. And there are some new hotshots that say they can help now. But my regular back docs still says all they would do is move the pain and being able to walk normal is still highly questionable. So I wait as the pain just keeps getting worse and I have these almost collapse episodes.

But for you, if you have a trike, and with your weight, have you tried more air and carry something like 50 extra pounds(potatoes sack)? I know when I add weight to my heavy duty pickup, the ride is much better. Will that work on a trike too?

[Sunman]

What to do? I weight around 150 lbs, can I run more air in the shocks or do I save for some really good coilovers. Your opinions and experience on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

I have a 2015 Freewheeler and I went with coilover shocks. Honestly, I could not tell a big difference but my wife said they made a big difference for her. The ride with her on the back was better than when I rode by myself but now that she is gone I am always riding by myself so I adjusted the coilovers a bit. I also have L4/L5 problems and I have a backrest, can't ride without it. I also run 21 lbs. of air in the rear tires which helps quite a bit. If you don't already have a back rest you might want to consider getting one and adjusting the air in the shocks and the rear tires to see what works best for you. Check-out DK Customs website for their lift kit/14" shock combo. Several people on this forum have them and are very happy with the ride improvement. Good luck.

Sunman

[RKplus10]

I'm about your weight. I don't know how much air you have in your shocks, but I never ran over 15psi riding solo and rarely bottomed out the shocks. More air will be stiffer ride. I already had the comfort style lift kit and I run 20-22 psi in the rear tires. I recently installed the 13" Bitubo shocks from DK and love them. They are set up for two-up riding so could be set even softer for solo. I don't know the travel for the 14" shocks but these Bitubos are listed at 3.7" (almost an inch more than stock). My advice would be a discussion with DK Customs.

[ShapeShifter]

I always wear my Fox Kidney Belt for long distance traveling, or locally when I have back discomfort. It gives me more comfort and I can ride longer between stops.

[Free Bird]

I would agree with Shape Shifter....

I wore a kidney belt for years when going on long rides for the same issue...a sore lower back. Nash motorcycle makes a good one and they are on sale this weekend (Labor Day)

I haven upgrade now in the form of wider velcro adjustable back brace that can be worn over your shirt/under your jacket for long trips. I provides support and a "reminder" about good posture when riding that helps.

If the impacts are the issue aggravating the discs in your back, perhaps a gel pad seat cover could add help in dampening low frequency vibrations and the occasion "bang" from the unavoidable pothole

[Tucci]

I have lower back pain bad enough to get spinal epidurals every three months. Before you spend big bucks and time on the big ticket items try the "AIR HAWK" seat cushion. I have a Mustang seat and it helped but once i got the air hawk and followed the directions for the amount of air, it worked wonders. My wife and I usually ride over two hundred miles several times a week, and the Pa. roads are horrendous. This past May 350 miles a day (interstate highway) for five days doing the Smoky Mountains. You're L4 is more of a problem because it hits the hips and inner thighs, mine is a twice ruptured L5 with both nerves impinged at S1.

[2ndheart]

I increased the air pressure in my shocks, going to see if that help. I got a back rest and run 23 psi on the rear tires. I really don't want to spend upwards of 800 dollars on shocks. I'm doing self therapy to strengthen my core muscles.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I have back pain too ... try an Air Hawk ... adjustable and really helps IMHO more than my gel pad

[Gorilla]

I increased the air pressure in my shocks, going to see if that help. I got a back rest and run 23 psi on the rear tires. I really don't want to spend upwards of 800 dollars on shocks. I'm doing self therapy to strengthen my core muscles.

Harrison,

I think you need to understand what you are doing when you put air in the shocks. You are increasing the pre-load. That makes them stiffer to carry more weight. So you should be decreasing the air not adding to it.

Dropping your rear tires pressure to 21 or even 20 lbs will help also because that will allow the tire walls to flex more to absorb more of the bumps.

Last suggestion would be to change the shock oil to a lightest shock oil of maybe 5 weight. That's only if you know how and if doesn't work out switching it back to standard. Not sure they might have 5 weight in them already. If they are 7 or 10 weight now then 5 weight would make them less stiff as they function.

[Tucci]

Done all that! Rear tires 22-23 psi, tried shocks progressive increases in pressure. Helps somewhat. No to get all orthopedic on the subject but, i "workout" 1 1 /2 to 2 hours five days a week, and not just showing up but honest non stop lifting, ab work, elliptical cardio.I re ruptured my L5 power lifting several years ago at 63 years of age.Core muscles are very important but it doesn't do much when the disc no longer functions properly and its bone on bone grinding (facets). I am honestly telling you, I've tried riding with out the air hawk and made only about 10 miles and regretted doing that the rest of the ride.

[LadyonaMission]

Harrison,

I think you need to understand what you are doing when you put air in the shocks. You are increasing the pre-load. That makes them stiffer to carry more weight. So you should be decreasing the air not adding to it.

Dropping your rear tires pressure to 21 or even 20 lbs will help also because that will allow the tire walls to flex more to absorb more of the bumps.

Last suggestion would be to change the shock oil to a lightest shock oil of maybe 5 weight. That's only if you know how and if doesn't work out switching it back to standard. Not sure they might have 5 weight in them already. If they are 7 or 10 weight now then 5 weight would make them less stiff as they function.

Thank you for that explanation. I never could understand the reasoning, just went by the owner's manual.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Did you go to two wheels???????

[2ndheart]

Increase in air pressure from 10 to 30 psi made ride too choppy, dropped down to 20 psi on shocks. The ride is firm but when I hit a bump I feel less of the feedback from the road. So 20 psi feels better than 10 psi. I'm going to see how this work out for a while, thanks for the responses.

[Mcmister]

What to do? I weight around 150 lbs, can I run more air in the shocks or do I save for some really good coilovers. Your opinions and experience on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

and here I thought I was the only one complaining about the FW ride!

Of all the things I dislike the most about my FW is the ride.

I believe I have tried almost everything...$$$

New Mustang seat..... ProPad gel insert...Legend shocks front and rear....

the backrest helped the most...

But... still unacceptable ride... sometimes bucks me up off the seat... and I'm not talking about hitting crater sized chuck holes.

I have had several dealers ride the FW, and everytime the answer is "it is what it is" a straight axle buckboard.

The only solution offered is the $10,000 upgrade to the independent suspension.

IMHO, the HD engineers and marketing gurus should be taken out to the woodshed.

OBTW this is not my first M/C and no, I don't expect a Cadillac SUV ride... it's not about comfort for me...it's about the FW's inability to handle bumps, cracks, bridge overpasses on the highway... here in Chicago, on I-55, every 100 yards there are road "bumps"... across the full lanes... each one rattles my teeth and bucks me up...

Oh well.... it is what it is.

[baldfox157]

I put Terry Cable's on my Tri 2 years ago. Made a world of difference. Took all of the jarring out of it.

You still feel the bumps, but they don't drive your tailbone into your neck.

[myturn47]

FWIW, I struggled with the harsh ride on my triglide also. I weigh about 200, but our weight difference is negligible on a 850 lb. machine. The airhawk seat was a great addition, but it didn't address the root issue. After a few long trips I knew I had to do something to improve the ride comfort. I ended up doing two things that made a huge difference for me. First, I laid down the bucks for DK's ProAction shocks. Fabulous product! Second, I swapped out the stock dunlop rears for Goodyear Comfort tread tires. That combo changed the trike's ride from jarring to something more akin to a modern sports car, firm but comfortable. Shortly after those changes I swapped out the front tire for an Avon and now it handles like a go cart. I have about 5000 miles on this new combo and couldn't be happier with the changes.

[DK Custom Products]

What to do? I weight around 150 lbs, can I run more air in the shocks or do I save for some really good coilovers. Your opinions and experience on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

By the way I have problems with my L4/L5 discs.

I do not know if anything can completely make the ride smooth enough to not hurt your back on a big bump. But I have put two links to videos below that may be helpful.

On the first one, they key to your back is talked about at the 5:00 minute mark...a push feels completely different than a punch.





Kevin

[Free Bird]

Seat pads are a good way to make an immediate difference. Remember that Harleys were hardtails with springy seats for the first 55 years (excepting Sportster models)