Hi Guys..just bought a Road Star and first impression was how low to the ground the bike is. I am only 5'8" and easily flatfoot with my knees bent, room to spare. I was shocked..Then I went for a ride and the floorboards dragged the ground on me twice within a few miles and I really wasn't leaning that far. I am now paranoid, it scares the crap out of me when they drag. I need to know how to raise the bike just a tad. 1 inch would suffice I believe. I read in the manual where the preload is adjustable, however, it says for hardening the suspension ride, it doesn't mention raising the ride height any. I have not looked to see if there is a lowering kit on the bike of some sort yet. But just thought I would ask if adjusting that preload will actually raise the bike. Any thoughts or suggestions would be most appreciated..Thank you. J

see if you cant get a pic of your spring and shock assembly and post it and maybe we could determine if its been lowerd.i heard going to far with the preload can hurt your shock over time if its been lowerd.sounds like it is if you can sit with your knees bent.

raise the back of the bike off the ground(hyd. lift) get a GOOD 32mm open end wrench(i think) check manual for min. preload length. do not exceed that length. if that doesn't help, go to a heavier spring or don't corner so hard

Is it new or used? might be that a PO has lowered it, pretty common.........

It is a used bike. 2002. I agree it may have been lowered..I will investigate that possibility tomorrow in daylight. If it hasn't, from what I am reading, I can adjust the preload and raise it up some..correct?

No not really, you may get a little, but basicly, if you adjust the preload, it won't be as soft, so it may not drop as far when you ad weight to it..

I am confused. I realize it will stiffen the ride..but if you compress the spring any at all, doesn't that push the rear of the bike down hence raising the ride height? That is, if compressing the spring is what you are doing when doing this adjustment, and the pics in the owners manual show the spring being compressed as the nut is tightened toward the spring.

i belieave you are correct in what your saying but i think you may only get a bout 3/8 of an inch more by doing so.just my thoughts.

Bike only has 6k miles on it. If the bike has been lowered, there in lies my problem. If it hasn't, the only way it could have gotten this way is if they lowered the preload on the spring to start with. I will investigate tomorrow and let everyone know what the deal is. Thanks for all the comments..greatly appreciated..all of them. ~J

just my opinion but i beleave it may have been lowerd either by a kit or by reversing the dog bone.if it looks stock take a close look for grind marks on the dogbone.that will be a shure sign of the flip.good luck keep us posted we are always here to help.