Why poor seats and suspension? - Harley Forum

JimF · #1 10-05-2007, 08:23 AM

Why does H-D do it? It seems the main criticisms from Sporty owners is the stock seat and suspension, especially the rear shocks. It's almost a must to get a decent ride. Performance upgrades and flashy accessories are a owner's call, but ride comfort is a must.

For a few hundred dollars more on the base price, H-D could put on the equivalent of a Mustang or Corbin seat and Progressive shocks. So why don't they?

A good friend has a '06 Triumph America, and after riding it once, that's what I started shopping for. It was a beautiful, comfortable ride right from the git go. Didn't need a new seat and shocks. I've also ridden a stock Honda 750 Shadow and one of the smaller Star Boulevards. Again, nice ride with the stock setup.

The primary reason I ended up with a Sporty is that there is now Triumph dealer close by, and the 2 nearest to me didn't have any America models in stock.

I'm glad I did get the Sporty, after all. I love it. But it frosts me that I still have to drop several hundred dollars to get a comfortable ride.

Jim F

Majicbringer · #2 10-07-2007, 01:30 AM

Welcome to another part of the "Harley Tax"...

hotrodsporty · #3 10-10-2007, 01:05 AM

If it hurts, it feels SOOOOOO GOOOOD

#4 10-18-2007, 09:33 AM

Just got a copy of 'RIDE' a UK Biker mag.

Particular reference to Harley 1200C Low....

Quote: Shock doesnt do justice to the way the feeling when the Harley hits a bump. Ride goes in seartch opf a spine saving cure....

The Problem..... There are two reason suspension is so ineffective. First the shocks are too short. HD took a simple route to making the sportster lower... take out some seat foam and fit shorter shocks. Look at the bike side on and you will see the spindle sits higher than the swing arm pivot, massively reducing the amount of suspension travel. On almost every other bike the spindle sits below the pivot. Watching the bike on the dyno you can see the engine moving on its rubber mountings, twisting the drive belt and pulling the shocks up to full compression. No wonder it feels like a hardtail. On top of this the springs front and rear are way too soft.

The cure.....(in Europe) A Dutch company called Hyperpro make replacement spring kits for most bikes,including Harleys. The kit includes dual rate rear springs, new fork springs and fork oil (cost £170.00 in the UK = US$ 336.00). Which is a lot less than new shocks in the UK.

The ride..... The difference is noticeable straight away, the back end still bottoms out, no amount of super-springing can make up for such a short stroke - buts its more progressive, and less of a crash and less painful. On smaller bumps I can now feel the suspension working and it settles faster coming off the brakes into a corner, meaning there is less of a chance of things grounding out when you tip it in... The biggest benefit has been to the brakes. The front end feels more controlled with better feedback that allows me to brake harder and more confidently. The forks no longer crash onto the stops and the bike pulls up noticeably shorter distance than it did before. So I might survive another year with my vertebrae intact

My conclusion... Come on Harley, why spoil an excellent machine for the sake of cheap suspension, we would all be quite happy to pay £200.00 (US$369.00) or more to have that derfect ride.... stop being so cheap...

Brigger and 'RIDE' Magazine... (Dec 2007)

JayDee · #5 05-10-2008, 08:58 AM

Harley never seems to spend much money or attention on the suspension. Don't know why - but I guess that's what keep the aftermarket shocks and spring companies going.

#6 05-10-2008, 01:48 PM

Harley could absolutely make better seats and suspension and they, from time to time, have done just that. I think it was the 2001 Sportster XLS (you Sporty guys can correct me on this) had some pretty nice rear shocks and an improved front fork set up. 2000 FXR4's had some pretty slick Fox shocks and some of the bagger models have, I think, a cartridge fork on one leg only of the front forks (??????). I guess they figure if they made their stuff too good you wouldn't buy their "upgrades". I think they also might figure that the average Harley buyer doesn't give a she-ite about that stuff and I think they might be right there too. Not everyone is as discriminating as you are Jim. I think that the heart of the modern era Harley marketting strategy is to provide the buyer with a basic bike that they can add their own custom upgrades to.

xsive2x · #7 05-10-2008, 05:00 PM

That's a good one. If you realize that the average HD wonder isn't a hi performance oreiented type as are the Japanese street performance crowed then you may have a delema on your hands.

HD guys are putters not hard working street screemers or racers I should say.

Buell offeres the better part of handling that HD isn't willing to add to there Old World line. It's kinds like, The Comfort zone and the so called nastalgia thing that HD has settalled for.

Big motors long stoke hi torque shackers are what there used to makeing and the HD guys love'em? I don't know whay? I don't know a lot of things. I do know that what you like is where you go to spend your money.

I for one love the Buell. It has an HD updated version for you if you care for it! Old teck + a lot of NEW !! There is the suspention stuff you were talking about.

Now you just need to make up your mind which one will it be??

earl · #8 03-06-2009, 06:29 PM

i had the same problem on my old 88 what i did was put the shocks of an old drit bike i had what a diff they were off a tt500 yamaha

RoadWhipper · #9 03-15-2009, 11:44 AM

If you think your current sporty has a tough seat, wait till you try out the new XR1200..it makes the stock 1200XLC seat feet like an $800 aftermarket throne! It is pancake thin and completely flat. I think the engineering team at HD had two hours to design the seat before roll out, because when was the last time you saw someone with a perfectly flat a$$....this one is going to keep the aftermarket companies rolling for years to come.

09 Classicman · #10 05-07-2009, 05:58 PM

A new seat and rear shocks were the first things I did to my 05 1200C. I do wish I would have went with a Mustang or LePera seat though because the Sundowner by HD is better than stock, but not much. I put Progressive Suspension rear shocks on it and it made a world of difference.