The New Harley-Davidson® Suspension
We all know that Harley-Davidson® motorcycles are powerful, stylish, and overall dominant machines. But in order to stay comfortable atop such a workhorse like a Softail® or Cruiser, you need a smooth ride. This is achieved by one of the most important components of your bike: the suspension. Similar to shocks on a car, the suspension absorbs the bumps in the road, so instead of travelling to your body, all those vibrations get swallowed by forks and emulsion. It also makes your ride a lot easier to control, so it’s no wonder Harley puts everything they’ve got into premium suspension systems. And in 2017, we’re proud to announce Harley’s release of an all new suspension on every motorcycle! These are better than ever before, giving you one more reason to come test ride one of these bikes today. You can try them out at Starved Rock HD in Ottawa, IL, near Chicago.
Capabilities
When you don’t have a good suspension, you’ll be in for a lot of discomfort while you ride. Rigid setups will shake you up while riding, and if it’s too loose, you’ll feel like you’re bobbing on a small raft while riding through a hurricane. While that sounds like a bit of an exaggeration, the bottom line is, you need a good transmission that balances out the vibrations but still holds the tires on the road.
With Harley’s new suspension system on this year’s models, you’ll find motorcycles equipped with just the right balance between these two extremes. This doesn’t just make riding more comfortable, but also helps your motorcycle perform much better. Because a suspension that’s just tight enough keeps the wheels on the pavement, you’ll get more traction, while also staying in control because of the decreased vibrations. Everything improves with a good suspension, including power, handling, and agility
Suspension Components
A motorcycle’s suspension typically has two major components, which work together to provide a steady ride. Rear suspensions frequently have a coilover system. This design has a shock absorber, just like the shocks in your car, which is wrapped by a metal coil. It’s sometimes also attached to a reservoir in order to enhance its performance. And best of all, the new Harley-Davidson® motorcycles have an adjustable rear suspension, so riders of all sizes can get it at just the right emulsion for their preference.
The front works quite a bit differently from a rear suspension. Where the coil wraps the shock absorber in the back, the coil over sits inside a part called the damper in the front. This component has low-viscosity oil inside, and a plug controls how much the oil flows inside the damper. This automatically adjusts as needed, so there will never be unnecessary vibrations, but there’s still enough suspension for handling rough roads with control. Finally, the front piece is balanced with a bumper, which ensures that it won’t bottom out.
Innovations by Model
Every Harley-Davidson® model has a premium suspension, but probably the most notable application of this component appears in the new Softail model. These motorcycles are adapted from the classic “hardtail” bikes of the past, which didn’t even have a rear suspension. Obviously, you want those shock absorbers to be comfortable, so the Softail simply hides the shocks under the tail. This way, the classic look is preserved, while you still get to ride without those annoying vibrations.
It’s clear that the suspension is vital to performance and comfort, and you’ll be impressed when you see the improvements on this year’s lineup of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles! You’ll enjoy better touring, more comfortable when sport riding, and a better experience even on daily commutes with one of these enhanced suspension systems. So come test ride one today, and make one of these Softail motorcycles or other models your next bike! Our dealership is near Chicago, IL, right here in Ottawa.