Street Glide Shocks...
- Thread starter AndyJ
- Start date
Mark Hammond
Committee
Not tried them on a pre Rushmore but Sportster shocks will work if you are a lightweight rider and don’t carry much gear, they become compromised the moment the bike is loaded up or carrying a rider who is physically bigger than a 14 year old.
Andy from Sandy
Registered User
Before even considering the change what is the weight difference of the bikes? Shocks have to hold the bike up first.
There must be other HDs that are heavier than a Sportster and use same style twin shocks?
As for changing shocks if they are a different length as I did I just jacked the bike up until the shocks extended fully and there was no load on the bolts and removed them. I then jacked the bike up a little more so the swing arm dropped to the new distance and put the new shocks on.
There must be other HDs that are heavier than a Sportster and use same style twin shocks?
As for changing shocks if they are a different length as I did I just jacked the bike up until the shocks extended fully and there was no load on the bolts and removed them. I then jacked the bike up a little more so the swing arm dropped to the new distance and put the new shocks on.
Last edited:
SJC69
Club Member
Just a point, adjusting the pre-load is primarily to adjust the ride height for different loads, so you have the swinging arm in the ideal position to get the best and full movement out of the suspension to avoid bottoming or topping out. It will to some extent 'stiffen' the suspension by changing the range of the spring you use which can make it harder to start to compress, you cannot change the spring load rate.
So if the spring rate is too high or low for your weight requirements you will most likely never be able to get it set up correctly.
Yes that set may well work for some people and will be very cheap but even a cheapish pair of aftermarket shock absorbers, set up with correct spring rating for your requirements and then take the trouble to set the pre-load to achieve the correct set up will work far better!
Some one like Hagon will tailor the spring rate for your requirements even on their basic shocks.
If you think those Touring shocks are cheaply made consider that the 883 has always been the 'bargain' Harley and priced very cheaply so those shocks will be at the bottom end of the market!
A basic suspension video
So if the spring rate is too high or low for your weight requirements you will most likely never be able to get it set up correctly.
Yes that set may well work for some people and will be very cheap but even a cheapish pair of aftermarket shock absorbers, set up with correct spring rating for your requirements and then take the trouble to set the pre-load to achieve the correct set up will work far better!
Some one like Hagon will tailor the spring rate for your requirements even on their basic shocks.
If you think those Touring shocks are cheaply made consider that the 883 has always been the 'bargain' Harley and priced very cheaply so those shocks will be at the bottom end of the market!
A basic suspension video
Andy from Sandy
Registered User
Preload to give stiffness may depend on type of spring, linear or progressive. The preload light went on for me when dealing with the trike I have here. It is not called preload it is called setting the ride height as SJC69 has described. On a bike we set the sag.
If the sag is set correctly for rider weight adjusting it further has to be the wrong way to make adjustments for the bumps we go over.
I see a few posts from people who say they keep on adding preload but the shock still bottoms out. What they are doing, IMO, is making the bike sit higher and the suspension is then topped out which is wrong but as it is still bottoming out the wrong spring rate is in use.
It might be that the damper arrangement is also wrong. On the trike shocks the damping can be altered to give a very bouncy ride or a rock hard ride.
If the sag is set correctly for rider weight adjusting it further has to be the wrong way to make adjustments for the bumps we go over.
I see a few posts from people who say they keep on adding preload but the shock still bottoms out. What they are doing, IMO, is making the bike sit higher and the suspension is then topped out which is wrong but as it is still bottoming out the wrong spring rate is in use.
It might be that the damper arrangement is also wrong. On the trike shocks the damping can be altered to give a very bouncy ride or a rock hard ride.
SJC69
Club Member
Your 2012 Street Glide would have been fitted with the short air shocks, if like the ones I had especially now after 10 plus years they are probably well and truly shot!
On my 2012 SG, I replaced them as Army did with what are now the Rushmore shocks and they were a world of difference I suspect any shock would be better once those air shocks are knackered!
With you there SJ, my touring shocks carry the 2 of us plus the fully laden bike on a tour without the bang of the shocks and my spine
AndyJ
Club Member
Just saw these on Hog Parts:
Home Parts & Accessories Ps 944 Series Ultra Low Shocks 12.5"
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PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSION
Ps 944 Series Ultra Low Shocks 12.5"
974750
Code: MCS974750
NOW £890.92(FREE UK Delivery)
Was £951.11|Save £60.19 (6%)
Available | Usually dispatched in 3-5 working days.
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SUMMARY
Description
PS 944 SERIES ULTRA LOW SHOCKS 12.5"
Details
STD DUTY; 2" LOWERING ON STOCK TOURING MODEL (1" LOWER ON FLHX)
Fitment
09-21 Touring
Expensive Folks?
Home Parts & Accessories Ps 944 Series Ultra Low Shocks 12.5"
SHARE
PROGRESSIVE SUSPENSION
Ps 944 Series Ultra Low Shocks 12.5"
974750
Code: MCS974750
NOW £890.92(FREE UK Delivery)
Was £951.11|Save £60.19 (6%)
Available | Usually dispatched in 3-5 working days.
Qty
1
ADD TO BASKET
PRICE MATCH
ASK A QUESTION
TELL A FRIEND
SUMMARY
Description
PS 944 SERIES ULTRA LOW SHOCKS 12.5"
Details
STD DUTY; 2" LOWERING ON STOCK TOURING MODEL (1" LOWER ON FLHX)
Fitment
09-21 Touring
Expensive Folks?
watchman
Club Member
As del boys garage points out hd build bikes for yank lard arses on straight roads loaded to gunnels so the suspension has to be stiff enough to cope in case god for bid a barge pilot should have a get off and sue in the land of litigation the end result is lightweights suffer bad rigid suspension shocks are built to a weight range as was pointed out as well as cost and as most in here know you can spend a few pounds up to a fortune for brand names american tuned was one outfits mantra with performance and cost seen off by koni dial a rides and we have hagon now with the tech knowledge customer service and ability to properly tune suspension for our roads and cheaper better than progressives 
kiwidave
Registered User
Good advice here. If you're thinking of putting Sportster shocks on a touring bike, then frankly, you're out of your mind IMO.
I researched this subject for a few years before buying my 2019 RG. There is a consensus among experienced riders of Harley's touring range, and it can be boiled down to these points:
1/. Even on the latest M8s, the standard shocks are poor performers. CVOs a marginal exception.
2/ The standard shocks are one of the first things most serious touring riders get rid of first, along with seat, screen and bars. None are fit for purpose.
3/ Almost any aftermarket brand will work better than stock shocks, but Progressive Suspension (a go-to brand in the 80s and 90s because it was the biggest in the aftermarket) is not highly thought of in this part of the H-D market.
4/. Try almost any other brand - they all work really good. (I have Super Shox and am very happy. If I was still in the UK, I would talk to Hagon first. They have been going decades and know their stuff. Ohlins are thought-of as top of the market, but I wasn't prepared to pay that price.)
Having established those facts in my own mind, I bought Super Shox (made in the USA) and had them installed by the H-D dealer pre-delivery. (Along with aftermarket bars, seat, screen etc etc. I wanted my bike sorted from mile No. 1). Many other brands are out there. My GF, who had never been more than 50 miles in one go as a pillion, did 1000 miles in a week on the back of my RG with Super Shox and a Le Pera seat. Not one complaint about discomfort. Victoria has the worst qualty roads here in Australia, so I took that as a vindication of my choices.
During warranty work, I had to ride a bone stock dealer loaner Road Glide for 4 days. I hated it.
PS: One last point. Don't go to the dealership and buy their ''luxury uprated'' shocks to fit your bike. That is like rewarding the guy who stole your classic car. If they cannot fit proper-performing parts to the bike you bought, go elsewhere on principle.
I researched this subject for a few years before buying my 2019 RG. There is a consensus among experienced riders of Harley's touring range, and it can be boiled down to these points:
1/. Even on the latest M8s, the standard shocks are poor performers. CVOs a marginal exception.
2/ The standard shocks are one of the first things most serious touring riders get rid of first, along with seat, screen and bars. None are fit for purpose.
3/ Almost any aftermarket brand will work better than stock shocks, but Progressive Suspension (a go-to brand in the 80s and 90s because it was the biggest in the aftermarket) is not highly thought of in this part of the H-D market.
4/. Try almost any other brand - they all work really good. (I have Super Shox and am very happy. If I was still in the UK, I would talk to Hagon first. They have been going decades and know their stuff. Ohlins are thought-of as top of the market, but I wasn't prepared to pay that price.)
Having established those facts in my own mind, I bought Super Shox (made in the USA) and had them installed by the H-D dealer pre-delivery. (Along with aftermarket bars, seat, screen etc etc. I wanted my bike sorted from mile No. 1). Many other brands are out there. My GF, who had never been more than 50 miles in one go as a pillion, did 1000 miles in a week on the back of my RG with Super Shox and a Le Pera seat. Not one complaint about discomfort. Victoria has the worst qualty roads here in Australia, so I took that as a vindication of my choices.
During warranty work, I had to ride a bone stock dealer loaner Road Glide for 4 days. I hated it.
PS: One last point. Don't go to the dealership and buy their ''luxury uprated'' shocks to fit your bike. That is like rewarding the guy who stole your classic car. If they cannot fit proper-performing parts to the bike you bought, go elsewhere on principle.
Last edited:
Mark Hammond
Committee
Check out Legends shocks, premium quality and performance. ARH carry them and usually have them in stock.
SJC69
Club Member
From my experience with Progressive I agree with what's already been said, I always found them to be on the firm side but sometimes you are limited and just have to go for what you can get for certain bikes and style along with a 'reasonable' price especially for pre M8 Softails.
I still have progressives on the TC Softail.
Regards that price for the 944s, you can get a set of bespoke, quality and fully rebuildable UK made shocks from Nitron with adjustable damping and still have some change!
I've fitted Nitron R1 mono shocks to our M8 Softails and it certainly made a big difference to the ride quality and they are very well made.
Or you could look at something like YSS, but if I was spending that sort of money go for a bespoke set up to your requirements, it will make a difference as one or two set ups will never suite all.
Nitrons are available direct from the Factory or distributors, the price is the same, although you may get a promotion discount from the distributors. The other advantage of the distributors is you can talk to them directly about your requirements and get advice on set up, most also offer a fitting and set up service to get the bike set up correctly for you if you want that.
I've included the Nitron Link and a couple of distributors below.
I got our Nitron's from HPS around 2 years ago simply as they offered a big discount at that time, it's worth hunting around!
Nitron
HPS
Brook Suspension
I still have progressives on the TC Softail.
Regards that price for the 944s, you can get a set of bespoke, quality and fully rebuildable UK made shocks from Nitron with adjustable damping and still have some change!
I've fitted Nitron R1 mono shocks to our M8 Softails and it certainly made a big difference to the ride quality and they are very well made.
Or you could look at something like YSS, but if I was spending that sort of money go for a bespoke set up to your requirements, it will make a difference as one or two set ups will never suite all.
Nitrons are available direct from the Factory or distributors, the price is the same, although you may get a promotion discount from the distributors. The other advantage of the distributors is you can talk to them directly about your requirements and get advice on set up, most also offer a fitting and set up service to get the bike set up correctly for you if you want that.
I've included the Nitron Link and a couple of distributors below.
I got our Nitron's from HPS around 2 years ago simply as they offered a big discount at that time, it's worth hunting around!
Nitron
HPS
Brook Suspension
kiwidave
Registered User
You are correct and their Aussie-made shocks have received excellent reviews from owners of late-model touring Harleys.
Had I know that 4yrs ago, I would have tried Ikon first. I was a bit late in discovering they did touring shocks for M8, even though i am very happy with my choice.