trying to find a shock thats rated for heavier loads than stock, on my o8 uc. Any one have any suggestion. The few I have read about only talk about proformace. THE BIRD!

 

I switch over to Legend Air Suspension. Now I have to disclaim!...I did this for a few reasons. I too was looking for something could better handles loaded conditions. Let the record reflect I am 6-3 and 390 and ride 2 up 95% of the time, she is 160. So when you fill the bags obviously the bike is loaded. The factory shocks even when fully inflated dont carry a load well at all and have rebound and bottoming issues.

Now why Legend? Well I got a huge discount due to them being a vendor at a special event that reduced the cost by 1/3. Now that stated I am becoming increasingly disappointed in the system.

Why? Well I have had to remove them for repair. The first time they began losing PSI after some troubleshooting I found after dunking them into a bucket of water while inflated I had air bubbles escaping from one of the shocks. I called Mac the warranty guy he said send it in no problem we'll take care if it. So I send it in, he thens calls and says, Hey you should send in both shocks. This really upset me as if he thought I needed to send both why didnt he tell me so right away AND it was more than a week since I had sent them and he was just calling? Ok I understand, season busy, lots going on but come on I am missing ride time and expected the shock back to me in under 10 days.
So he fixes the bad shock and sends it back BUT I get charged $30 something dollars for shipping. It came regular ground. I sent to him UPS 2nd day for under $10 but I have to pay $30+ to get it back? What a crock.

Less than 1 week after reinstalling the shocks I find they are slowly losing PSI again. Being i had rides planned, it was fall and ride time was running short I decided Id call MAc again. We talked and decision was as long as it didnt totally go flat while riding keep riding then remove and send in BOTH shocks for repair. Which is what i did in November. In December he calls to tell me one of the air bags has a leak and he thinks it's from being pinched. Ok fine so....Well It happens when they are installed incorrectly or the shock is extended by hand and the piston moves or something to this effect. End result, Its not covered under warranty. NOW I AM PISSED! This is a $1600 system and your telling me it is subject to something as minor as being slightly extended without air and causes this? Come on please. he says well we can get it repaired. I said repaired? I do not want the bag repaired, If I am paying I want it replaced with a brand new one and I want the other shock completely inspected as well.

Now two weeks ago I sent him an email asking him if I am going to get my shocks back anytime soon as I might be going to Daytona. he hasn't called or returned my email.

So i am not real happy at this point with their service. I can somewhat take the blame about the shock being extended without air becuase it had to be to attach it about an 1inch. I am pissed though that if it's that big a deal why aren't the shocks tied when they ship them so they cant extend? Why no warning of this issue? To say, Sir its in the installation paperwork is BULL***. If it is THAT important a detail then you need to do something more than a fine print disclaimer in your install paper, which by the way I didnt have becuase my dealership installed them last winter. I had to remove them becuase they where leaking and I reinstalled them, I removed again when they started leaking again.

So anyway. When they work, they are awesome, controls at the thumb are awesome. I cant think of a "regular style" shock that you can easily adjust on the fly like this. But like I said, the devil is in the details and warranty/service or lack thereof.

mps

 

Wow, sounds like that turned into no fun pretty quick there mps.

I installed a set of Progressive 440s on my scooter this past summer after the stock air shock developed a leak. I think the 440s are quite a bit better ride and I weigh in the 270 - 280 range. The wife never rides with me, so the most I would have in addition to me is riding gear and stuff in the tour pac if going on travel.

 

Thanks for the info sounds like were in the same boat. im 6-4 350lbs & my riders 155. To much for the stock shock. ILL keep looking. Sound like your ordeal would get my BP. up. If you come across something new give me a shout. BIGBIRD. in S.C.

 

Will do. Like I said. if I disregard the fact that one started to leak then the ordeal thats ensued since the system itself works awesome. I'd reccomend it greatly but like I said. Now off the bike twice in a season, slower than expected service coupled with a second removal and told "Its your fault". Yeah my BP was/is up plenty. I suppose when I do get the bill this time around it wont be pretty either.

So Im also thinking about, what am I doing when i get rid of this bike? At this point the stock shocks just dont cut it. Regular type shocks are not easily adjustable to cover the range an air system can. So if you come to use something else I too would love to hear it.

mps

 

Check out Works Street Trackers. They'll custom build them for your (and passenger's) weight. I'm very happy with mine. A little more $$ than the Progressives but IMHO worth it.

Rick

 

No air to adjust or ever leak. Rides simply better than any shock available for Harley period. There is many people who have posted about them. You want quality and performance, only one name is Penske.

PS: If Ohlins made an adjustable shock for a Harley, the game would be on but they (Ohlins) only makes non-adjustable 36 mm shocks for baggers. Way better than any other shock out there with the exception of a ADJUSTABLE Penske which is also available with a larger body and piston etc than 36 mm.

Read what other members who have bought Penske shocks and got rid of their existing shocks have to say. A good shock can be built with any weight specification required and still be a performance shock under those weight conditions. There is no comparison in ride to other shocks, air or otherwise.

On the other hand no Penske/Ohlins will lower to the fender and look cool at the bar or when parked. That is the trade off. Each rider has their own requirements and every product has its place.

 

How can a convential style shock even if built "custom" be variable enough to be ridable with driver only but still be ridable with passenger and bags loaded? Not looking to start something just asking. This was one of the main reasons I went with air over convential, I dont see how or understand how a convential style shock can cover that wide a range of loads yet be comfortable to ride.

As a side note, lowering the fender to look cool, wasn't even part of the equation. All I wanted/needed is something that can carry a heavy load better. Theres lots of us "Fatboys" out there with passengers that are routinely loading/overloading anything HD has as a stock shock.

mps

 

"How can a conventional style shock even if built "custom" be variable enough to be ridable with driver only but still be ridable with passenger and bags loaded?"

With a good shock the spring is only there to hold the bike up and plays very little in the suspension part. The spring just holds the axle in place so the shock can function. Other suspension can not do this.

To change drastically the weight requirements such as (you) 200 lbs and ride 70% single up & 30% 2 up (wife), we spring/valve the shock to that. Initial pre-sag & riders sag is set up upon installation and spring pre-load is set to a predetermined length than custom tune to your personal taste. You adjust the compression and rebound external valving to the comfort level you find optimum.

In the above case concerning rider/passenger weight, no additional changing of settings are required when changing form 1 to 2 up. Now if you go camping and load another 150 lbs of gear onto the bike, change the static spring load (measurements) and all of this information and how to do it is on my site. As long as you have the initial set-up to build the shocks for that application, all above information applies, just the initial values change.

"All I wanted/needed is something that can carry a heavy load better."

That is what this equipment does but unfortunately the HD masses in general are price conscious, therefor this equipment is not widely known. Due to the manufacturing costs these companies do not advertise their products to the HD crowd. Most do it by sponsoring racing teams but the same technology applies to all applications.

Quality suspension has not been addressed by the top shock makers (when I was trying to get this project off the ground) and the reason I was told by 4 of them was "Harley people do not ride them, they just want to chrome em' and talk about riding". I disagree 100% but unfortunately this (the reason) is more the norm than the exception. Do not confuse other offerings with a premium shock maker(s) such as Ohlins, Penske, JRi Development Group, and others company I do not have relations with.

For additional information search on this site for many outstanding long time members who have already thrown away lots of money to find the final solution needed for their motorcycle. This solution is proven and tested. We developed these shocks w/Penske for just such an application. We were the exclusive distributor/as per agreement for a one year period but as of the 1'st (Jan. 09) you will be able to buy them from other dealers.