Suspension upgrade for RK?

[JW113]

Thousand dollar shocks won't make 1000 miles of Michigan roads feel good

Indeed! I've been spending a lot of time in Michigan for business. Holy mother of Satan, and here I thought California had the crappiest roads in the country! I went down a few roads in my rental car that I don't think I'd ever take one of my motorcycles on. Guaranteed bent rims and broken spokes!

So aftermarket suspension parts will certainly upgrade stock suspension? I have Ohlins shocks and Progressive springs/Race Tech emulators in my Road King, it rides like it has no suspension at all. My '92 softail is bone stock, rides like a dream. Same with my shovelhead, bone stock. I guess it's all in how you define "better"?

-JW

[PoorUB]

"I am about ready to toss $1K into some shocks."

Hope they work out and have another couple inches of travel. A $1000.00 worth? I don't know about that. I have 2 baggers, after trying different adjustments, OE not too bad for me. Wife and I have traveled 30,000 miles of Interstates on them, no major complaints. Maybe it's my seat. I agree the OE could have better rebound dampening. What's the travel on your BMW shocks?

New shocks generally won't add suspension travel.

30,000 miles? Well if we are measuring I have put 170,000 miles on in the last twelve years. Interstate? Usually the best road conditions out there, not the best place to judge suspension quality. Run some miles on back country two lane and the suspension short comings really show up. My wife logs her miles and she is with about 75% of the time.

Front- 4.7 inches, rear 5.4 inches, plus the shocks actually have some compression and rebound damping. When I hit a dip in the road, when the rear shock extends it does it relatively slowly and doesn't launch my wife out of the seat, unlike the Harley.

[PoorUB]

do you use a stock seat? i have a 2000 rk ..

My '05 rode smoother than my '16. Although  the '16 handles better. Stock seat, but not sure why that would  matter.

[Deye76]

That 30,000 miles was in the last 3 years, not including the back road riding I do. I looked up the data on beemers, yes a couple inches more travel, but the sear height is 4.5" taller than a Electraglide . No free lunch.

[jrgreene1968]

 A rk rides like a caddy compared to a Softail. I'm gonna have to move up to s SG before long, my back can't take the Fatboy for very long rides anymore. I was considering a 19 or maybe 20 model SG, but after reading all the problems with tranny fluid loss and sumping, I'm leaning more towards a late model Twincam and maybe put a 110 drop in kit and call it good

[PoorUB]

That 30,000 miles was in the last 3 years, not including the back road riding I do. I looked up the data on beemers, yes a couple inches more travel, but the sear height is 4.5" taller than a Electraglide . No free lunch.

I don't have a problem with a taller seat.

I took a good look at my Limited one day. It wouldn't not be very difficult for HD to engineer some more travel in the rear and no screw up the looks of the bike, or the seat height. I don't think they would have to change a thing appearance wise. The passenger seat could loose a bit of foam allowing the fender to move up. The tour pack has some room under it that could be used to gain some space for the fender. A little re-engineering, changing how the tour pack frame and fender all fit and they could gain the room to do it. I don't see it being a major issue on the manufacturing end of things, but I doubt Harley cares enough to do anything.

[ScottFree]

Even the best shocks can't do a lot with 3" of rear travel.

If you've got the inseam to handle the extra height, and are traveling solo (not trying to make a passenger comfortable), a sprung seat can work wonders. I've got a sprung police-bike seat on my '04 RK, and it helps a lot.

[JW113]

I've given more than a passing thought to trying one of the air ride cop seats. The fact that such a thing even exists is testament to the fact that the ride quality of your typical Harely-Davidson sucks.

-JW

[PoorUB]

Mama rides with 3/4ths of the time, so it needs to work for her too.

[turboprop]

I don't understand why nobody has mentioned increasing the rear wheel travel of baggers. Seriously. The FXR community has been fitting taller rear shocks to their bikes for years. Unless the rider is short, an extra inch or two in the rear would go a long way to fixing the bagger suspension woes. 

As to the $1k shocks, I have a couple sets of custom RaceTechs for my FXRs. Didn't really want to spend money on custom shocks, but just about everything on my bikes is non standard. An off the rack shock just wouldn't work (tried a bunch of them). All of my FXRs have 5" of rear wheel travel which is much easier to do with a low profile tire on a 17" rim.

FWIW - My '05 bagger has a set of Ikon shocks which are licensed copies of the old Koni shocks. I think I paid about $550 for an off the rack set.  The forks have some heavier springs and valves in them.  I really can't stand that heavy ass bagger, but it goes down the road pretty smoothly.

[PoorUB]

I wouldn't have issues with adding a shock that was an inch longer, with longer travel, but then you need to mess with the front suspension to keep the rack and trail inline. I am not prepared to start pouring multiple thousand dollar bills into this mess.

[turboprop]

To get an extra inch of travel does not necessarily mean a longer shock. The additional inch can be obtained by going in the other direction. Just have to make sure everything has the right amount of clearance underneath.

[PoorUB]

Sure, if you can find a standard length shock with more travel, as long as the tire has the room to move up.

[turboprop]

Sure, if you can find a standard length shock with more travel, as long as the tire has the room to move up.

RaceTech will make them. Fill out their custom build sheet and wait about five weeks. Any length, just about any length of travel, springs, valving, etc. A custom set of piggy backs with adjustable everything is about $1,250.00. Have done it several times.

[PoorUB]

I will  look into it. How much travel the motorcycle rear wheel can support.  Maybe a 13-1/2" long shock with an extra 1/2" of travel. That shouldn't mess up the rake and trail much.

[rauchman]

I don't have an RK, but did some spend some time researching suspension choices for a Switchback and went the following route....all in for under $1k.  Stock Switchback shocks are 12" in length and have 2.1" of travel....and suck!

Shocks - I went with 13" Hagon Nitro's, which offer adjustable preload and damping and increase travel to roughly 3.25".  When purchased in I believe 2014, these were just over $500 from Dave Quinn (no longer in business), but shocks can be ordered through Hagon USA, but are pushing $600.  My wife also has a Switchback and we went with 13" Bitubo's, also have adjustable damping and preload.  Travel is increased to 3.7".  These can be found at DK Custom for $525.  If I were purchasing today, this is the shock I would also get.  Regardless of brand, I've found having the adjustable damping control adds a lot to the ride quality.  It took me some experimenting to find the Goldilocks sweet spot, but having found said sweet spot, totally worth it.  I personally would not buy shocks in the future without some kind of adjustable preload or damping (can also be compression / rebound).

Forks - While the Switchback is a Dyna, it uses the front end from on an older FL design.  Forks are 41mm with one side having a damper rod and the other having a cruder cartridge.  The forks may be very similar to your RK.  I went with Racetech straight rate springs at 0.95kg and Racetech's Gold Valve Emulators and used Racetech's recommendations on oil (IIRC, it was 10wt on the damper side and 15wt on the cartridge side....not totally sure).  At the time, this ran just under $300.  BTW, the folks I spoke to at Racetech were very helpful.

I did the labor myself and the results were a ride that is considerably better than stock.  Road imperfections are absorbed well, bike tracks well in turns and the tires stick when hitting a series of bumps. 

It would not surprise me that Legends, Ohlins, etc., would give a plusher/better ride, but I have no idea how much better than what I'm running.  For roughly $800 all in, I was very happy with the results.

[boggart]

I have Ohlins shocks and Progressive springs/Race Tech emulators in my Road King, it rides like it has no suspension at all. My '92 softail is bone stock, rides like a dream. Same with my shovelhead, bone stock. I guess it's all in how you define "better"?

-JW

I'd say if your ohlins ride like no suspension, they're either not set correctly or are in desperate need of a rebuild.  Possibly even need different springs.  Have just been really getting mine dialed in, and what I found was that rather than loosening the rebound for a smoother ride, the right answer was to adjust the compression in most cases.

[Langwilliams]

I'm far from an expert but with my limited experience the HD air/oil rear shocks suck an even the the cheapest progressives are an improvement in ride quality. I tried a cheap air ride on my 05 E glide an it was worse than the air/oil shocks. I put the HD "premium hand adjustable" shocks on my 14 SG an they rode better than the air/oil but I wasn't crazy about the idea of one shock just supporting the weight an one shock doing all the work so I got a deal on some progressive 444's. they are 12" shocks an ride about the same as the hand adjustable's, both made the small bumps a lot better an handle well IMO but are upset by large bumps/pot holes. I assume that's from bottoming out.  I have a short inseam so I'm keeping the 12" height if I change it again it will be to get 13" shocks an 1" lowering blocks.

[JW113]

I'd say if your ohlins ride like no suspension, they're either not set correctly or are in desperate need of a rebuild.  Possibly even need different springs. 

It rode like this from day one. So I'm pretty sure they do not need a rebuild. I followed the instructions that Howard gave me, i.e. set sag at 1/3 the total travel with rider, which was about 1-1/4" inches. Really, the bottom line is that when you only have about 2 more inches of travel from neutral ride, you have no option but to have springs heavy enough to keep the shock from bottoming out. And the reality is, 2" of travel is a joke. Would you put springs/shocks on your car with only 2" of travel? Double that and you have something to work with. You know, like the Japanese and Germans and Italians do?

Oh, and about the damping adjustment... The type of Ohlins shocks that I had wanted did have damping adjustment. After talking to How-weird, or rather being talked AT by How-weird, he sold me a set of his "custom tuned Ohlins Blackline" shocks. Didn't mention they had no damping control! I am done with throwing money at this suspension crap, and just live with what I got. I am convinced that this whole quest for improved suspension on a big, heavy, low riding, freakin' Harley Davidson is like a quest for the Holy Grail. It don't exist!

Whew. Glad I got that out.


-JW

[Admiral Akbar]

I'd say if your ohlins ride like no suspension, they're either not set correctly or are in desperate need of a rebuild.  Possibly even need different springs. 

It rode like this from day one. So I'm pretty sure they do not need a rebuild. I followed the instructions that Howard gave me, i.e. set sag at 1/3 the total travel with rider, which was about 1-1/4" inches. Really, the bottom line is that when you only have about 2 more inches of travel from neutral ride, you have no option but to have springs heavy enough to keep the shock from bottoming out. And the reality is, 2" of travel is a joke. Would you put springs/shocks on your car with only 2" of travel? Double that and you have something to work with. You know, like the Japanese and Germans and Italians do?

Oh, and about the damping adjustment... The type of Ohlins shocks that I had wanted did have damping adjustment. After talking to How-weird, or rather being talked AT by How-weird, he sold me a set of his "custom tuned Ohlins Blackline" shocks. Didn't mention they had no damping control! I am done with throwing money at this suspension crap, and just live with what I got. I am convinced that this whole quest for improved suspension on a big, heavy, low riding, freakin' Harley Davidson is like a quest for the Holy Grail. It don't exist!

Whew. Glad I got that out.


-JW

Don't compare Howard's shocks to genuine Ohlin's.  Totally different animal.

[JW113]

Yeah, I've heard that. And on HTT I've also heard people rave about Howard's shocks, how do you think I ended up with them? Who do you believe? And now what, throw another G bill down the toilet? Nope, done. It is what it is. I figure if it's really bugging me that bad, I'll buy a Beemer. Which is not likely to happen any time soon...

Oh, and by the way, my STOCK Shovelhead rides quite awesome.


-JW

[Jim Bronson]

From what I've read and experienced, there seems to be nothing that would be "day and night" better than my HD Premiums. Unless I could find shocks that would make me say "WOW!", I'm not interested. I'm pretty sure that won't happen. Thank to members like JW113 for the reality check.

[PoorUB]

I have a pair of the HD Premium shocks to try out. The ones with the adjustment knob on the one shock. some guys say they are much better, some say no big deal. They were free for me to try so I figured it is only a few minutes in the shop.

[cbumdumb]

I hated the air oil shocks my 13 rgu . I am 300 lbs 5 foot 11. My 19 rgu rides so much better than 13 did but pull the tour pack off just that little weight compared to my fat azz and there I go in search of that great ride I had.

[HogMike]

I have a pair of the HD Premium shocks to try out. The ones with the adjustment knob on the one shock. some guys say they are much better, some say no big deal. They were free for me to try so I figured it is only a few minutes in the shop.

My 19 cvo came with those shocks
IMHO they are much better than the air shocks either earlier or later but still not as nice as my custom shocks, and yes I can really tell the difference.