I purchased a used 2006 XL1200L. It's been 30 years since I rode regularly but thought it was time to get back to it. The bike has been really hard on my back. I've tried settings 2 thru 4 on the shocks but it's those little short bumps that hit my tailbone like a baseball bat pinching my vertibrae. I'm still using the original seat but have ordered a Mustang solo hoping to aleviate the problem. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. After all these years I don't want to give up easilly.
Thanks in advance
Al

What shocks have you got? Almost everyone swaps out the stock shocks for better ones, usually Progressive Suspension 412s. The seat will help, but the shocks will help more.

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That's the way the engineers designed it. The problem is in your back, not the bike. You should have bought a Road King. OOpps, just came back from the dealer and that's all I ever get from them.

Seriously, the only reason the bike rides so rough is because the shock springs don't match your weight, the dampening curve don't match the springs, and very, very few people know how to properly set up the suspension, and the rest have no clue what good suspension is. Period. Well, I have met a few guys who like stock suspension.

First question is how much do you weigh, and how much time and money do you want to put into it to make it work and how much do you expect out of the suspension.

The easy way is Progressive shocks or Road King air shocks. Just because shocks cost $500 or $1000 doesn't mean they are any good, don't ask how I know.

A good suspension starts with getting the forks right. My forks set up is described below, I have been through 5 pairs of shocks and am currently working on modifing RK air shocks to suit me. But if you weigh 140 lbs or 230 lbs, you got more to deal with than the average 180 lb rider.

yep, road king. sportsters are great for jamming the shock from the road straight up the old spine

Hi, Al! If I haven't already welcomed you, welcome from AZ! I also have a crappy back (four major surgeries in the past three years) and as I have never ridden that new a Sporty, I can't talk about the suspension so much. I did, however replace my stock seat on the old '77 with a La Pera large solo with four inch springs, and it is realy comfortable. The springs kinda give a little more shock absorbancy between the road and my home made lumbar. Don't know if your new solo is gonna have springs or not, but they sure helped me. Just a thought.

Ya know this might sound weird, but you might want to consider some different handle bars or maybe move the ones you have. I'm not sure which direction will help you though. I have a couple friends that were talking about their bad backs one night (both ride dynas). One said he dropped down to drag bars so he was leaning over a lot more and his back pains from riding disappeared. The other one had the opposite experience though he raised his bars so he was sitting upright rather than bending over and said that made his back pain experience go away.

Since you say your tail bone hurts you might feel better with lower or forward reaching bars.

Just a thought.

Gazza

Do you have forward controls ????

If So they cause your tailbone to get every little bump, All the weight is on the Arse! And no way to sfift the weight around....
With mid controls, Your legs can act as shocks and absorb many of the bumps !! And you can move around a little more....

Just A Thought !!

I too have a bad back, but call me weird, but it feels <b>better</b> when I'm on the bike ;)

Hey man, post in the appropriate section next time. And FYI- if you have a bad back(I have one too- w/degen disc and arth), why on earth who you buy a "Low" model, which has the least and Hardest suspension travel ! Get some standard length OEM shocks- or better Progressives, or just damage your back Further !?

I purchased a used 2006 XL1200L. It's been 30 years since I rode regularly but thought it was time to get back to it. The bike has been really hard on my back. I've tried settings 2 thru 4 on the shocks but it's those little short bumps that hit my tailbone like a baseball bat pinching my vertibrae. I'm still using the original seat but have ordered a Mustang solo hoping to aleviate the problem. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. After all these years I don't want to give up easilly.
Thanks in advance
Al

If your knees can handle it, rear-sets. Mid and forward controls make you "slump" a little and all your weight is on your tail bone. Putting your feet under you changes that dramatically, but on a bike the size of a Sporty, if your taller, it can be cramped. And stock suspension...........well, we all know what is wrong with that! But moving your riding position is the best thing you can do. And loose the short shocks!