Harley rear suspensions

[unhinged]

Cuz 3.1" isn't a lot and doesn't give much margin for sag. Most road bikes have more than 3.1", even track-oriented supersports usually have at least 5". Maybe it's not "sad" but it's barely adequate on a bike where your weight is all on your ass. I'll ignore the 15" comment :facepalm

I dunno though. Maybe weighing 700+ lbs makes this less relevant. Like I said, 3.1 is gonna be a LOT better than 2.

 

[KooLaid]

Uhh..it doesn't just involve travel...it also involves what happens in damping any travel.

The Harleys aren't called Wobbly Davidson, for nothing.

What State has Smooth paved roads, everywhere you go? Not California.

I just googled "wobbly davidson" and your post comes up #2 after a webpage that has nothing to do with motorcycles. Actually the first page has nothing to do with motorcycles at all.

 

[ob1ventura]

Here's a picture of the same model bike as Ob1.

I think it looks like a very nice ride. :thumbup

thanks GAJ........:thumbup

 

[OldMadBrit]

Only the soft tail has the look of a rigid and has the shock underneath the frame. The touring bikes, Dynas and sporties have standard shocks that work fine for their intended purpose and can be upgraded.



This shit gets old.

You are right :thumbup its insane that Hardley still build 1950's bikes with shit suspension for $20 large :wtf

 

[OldMadBrit]

As a 56 year old I have to say there's nothing wrong with women over 40!

Agreed - but mine would not be seen dead on a Hardley (her words) :thumbup :laughing

 

[ob1ventura]

Agreed - but mine would not be seen dead on a Hardley (her words) :thumbup :laughing

Odd. When she told me she liked big bores and long strokes then asked if I could stroker I must have misunderstood.:dunno

 

[R3DS!X]

Cruisers are meant to cruise... comfy, low, pile the miles on.

Sportbikes are meant to go fast around a track.

What!? Since when!?!?

 

[DWC]

I was curious. It looks like lots/most Harleys have very little rear suspension travel. Like, 2" or less in many cases. Even on their big tour bikes. Other cruiser brands all seem to have more. Less than 4" doesn't make sense for a bike that's supposed to be about comfort. Why do people put up with this?

1. Some people don't. They buy other bikes.

2. Some people don't. They buy longer shocks.

3. Some people do, because they want a low/cool bike. Maybe they are short.

4. Some people do, because they don't know any different.

The suspension travel issue applies to track bikes as well. Similar reasons explain why people put up with riding track bikes (with very little suspension travel) around bumpy roads.

 

[High-Side]

Odd. When she told me she liked big bores and long strokes then asked if I could stroker I must have misunderstood.:dunno

Ouch! :laughing

 

[clutchslip]

My guess is, after reading this thread, that a lot of people don't know much about their own suspensions, let alone someone else's bike.

Let us take a very sporty bike, like my '08 CBR1000. There is just over 4" of travel in the forks. They are Showa, the same brand put on some Harleys.

Carry on.

 

[louemc]

^^^Ahh, are you suggesting that Showa only makes one design of forks?
What Honda specifys to Showa for the forks on your CBR1000 and what Harley specifiys to Showa for their bikes...is so No resemblence...it's like why is this even mentioned.

 

[Punter]

You ride the KAwk?

I ride a big black Kawk thumper. :thumbup

No you don't. You just look at it once in a while.

 

[catch2otwo]

^^^Ahh, are you suggesting that Showa only makes one design of forks?
What Honda specifys to Showa for the forks on your CBR1000 and what Harley specifiys to Showa for their bikes...is so No resemblence...it's like why is this even mentioned.

We arent talking about suspension design or tech for that matter. OP has beef with travel!arty

 

[clutchslip]

^^^Ahh, are you suggesting that Showa only makes one design of forks?
What Honda specifys to Showa for the forks on your CBR1000 and what Harley specifiys to Showa for their bikes...is so No resemblence...it's like why is this even mentioned.

You got me there, champ. It's mentioned because, if you follow along, we were talking travel. And we were talking crappy Harley suspension. How this works, now, is: A. There is little travel on a sportbike, too. And B. Harleys use components made by the same manufacturers that go on the fastest sportbikes. Best I can do for you.

Now, if I could just figure out how the hell I ride hundreds of miles without raising my clip-ons, I will be golden.

 

[Caddywumpus]

No you don't. You just look at it once in a while.

Kenny ordered the parts. should be out of your sandbox soon. :laughing

 

[unhinged]

You got me there, champ. It's mentioned because, if you follow along, we were talking travel. And we were talking crappy Harley suspension. How this works, now, is: A. There is little travel on a sportbike, too. And B. Harleys use components made by the same manufacturers that go on the fastest sportbikes. Best I can do for you.

I couldn't tell if your 4" was supposed to be a data point for or against Harley. Anyway google says your bike has 4.7" in the rear. Lots of Harleys have 2" or less so that's a pretty huge delta. It's also 50% more than 3.1". :ride

 

[unhinged]

We arent talking about suspension design or tech for that matter. OP has beef with travel!arty

I'm not picky, we can bitch about design and tech too if you want! But let's keep this one to bitching about the bikes, not the riders.

For a baseline I think we can all agree that the best design and tech in the universe can't make, say, 1" feel good on bumps.

Man aren't we bored of this thread yet?

 

[6172crew]

Isnt travel/suspension/Harley all oxymorons?

I'm thinking the frame flexes enough that you don't need a rear shock but what the hell do I know?:wtf

 

[clutchslip]

I couldn't tell if your 4" was supposed to be a data point for or against Harley. Anyway google says your bike has 4.7" in the rear. Lots of Harleys have 2" or less so that's a pretty huge delta. It's also 50% more than 3.1". :ride

Neither. Just keeping perspective on the actual issue.
Which Harleys have 2" or less?
The travel is irrelevant, if you don't use it. If you think about my original supposition, 4.1" on sportbike forks is minuscule, considering the amount of work a front end does on a sportbike. On to the rear:

A suspension is not really asked to handle bumps greater than your 2" on any street vehicle. The reason for more travel is because of acceleration and angles and shortening of the drive line. Does this happen on those Harleys more than the claimed 2" that you state? I don't know. But, if it doesn't, then any more travel means nothing unless you are going to motocross your soft-tail.

 

[unhinged]

From what I could tell, all the Sportsters have 2 or less, the Dynas are around 2 or 3.1, some of the softails actually have 4.x like a normal bike, and then the tourers are like the Dynas with some at 2 and some at 3.1.

After sag your 2 is more like 1.3 or 1.4. Might be ok some of the time but you're going to bottom that out. I saw plenty of complaints.

Not sure what you mean by "the reason for more travel is because of acceleration and angles and shortening of the drive line".

In my experience a suspension doesn't smoothly handle a bump equal to its travel. Also a small amount of travel means an even smaller sag... this probably bites you in dips and hitting multiple bumps.