13.5" shocks...piggy back or no?
Personally I think its a bit of a useless thing to have on a road/ cruiser bike... as long as the shocks you're getting have adjustable pre-load and dampening without the piggy back.
The purpose of the piggy back is to increase fluid capacity to keep it cooler for longer and resist dampening fade during very harsh use like lots of repeated long stroke compressions like you'd see on a motorcross bike or desert truck. Not needed on a road bike IMO.
The purpose of the piggy back is to increase fluid capacity to keep it cooler for longer and resist dampening fade during very harsh use like lots of repeated long stroke compressions like you'd see on a motorcross bike or desert truck. Not needed on a road bike IMO.
Personally I think its a bit of a useless thing to have on a road/ cruiser bike... as long as the shocks you're getting have adjustable pre-load and dampening without the piggy back.
The purpose of the piggy back is to increase fluid capacity to keep it cooler for longer and resist dampening fade during very harsh use like lots of repeated long stroke compressions like you'd see on a motorcross bike or desert truck. Not needed on a road bike IMO.
The purpose of the piggy back is to increase fluid capacity to keep it cooler for longer and resist dampening fade during very harsh use like lots of repeated long stroke compressions like you'd see on a motorcross bike or desert truck. Not needed on a road bike IMO.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Out West
I disagree with both previous contributors on this thread on both physics and ascetics points of view but the bottom line is get some damn good rear shocks and you'll transform the comfort of your bike.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Virginia
From an engineering standpoint, you will almost never feel the benefits of a piggy back on a harley. I mean, probably less than .00001% of the time. The reason for a piggy back is calling and fade resistance. Unless you are riding motocross on your dyna, a piggy back is a waste. With that being said, often times the shocks that are available with piggy backs have OTHER features that make them worth the cost. The piggy back on a harley serves little practical purpose.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Northeast, NJ
From an engineering standpoint, you will almost never feel the benefits of a piggy back on a harley. I mean, probably less than .00001% of the time. The reason for a piggy back is calling and fade resistance. Unless you are riding motocross on your dyna, a piggy back is a waste. With that being said, often times the shocks that are available with piggy backs have OTHER features that make them worth the cost. The piggy back on a harley serves little practical purpose.
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From: TEXAS
this is what i always thought too. Seems like you would get a lot more travel. More travel without being longer is a big benefit.
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Joined: May 2015
Posts: 93
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
Well, from a non engineering or scientific point of view, but rather just a guy that put 13.5 Piggy Back shocks on his bike point of view; I noticed a HUGE difference. In my opinion by increasing the rear ends ride height slightly by going to the 13.5's allows the angle of the swing arm to be upward, so when I sit on the bike the swing arm is level rather than downward like when I had the stock shocks, which allows for better turning and handling because the shock is not at the bottom of the stoke of the suspension, it's in the middle. But, changing the rear means you must change the front as well with a heavier spring or at least some fork adjusters to tighten up the stock spring a bit. Speed Merchant makes some pretty rad ones.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 109
Likes: 2
From: N.KY
Well, from a non engineering or scientific point of view, but rather just a guy that put 13.5 Piggy Back shocks on his bike point of view; I noticed a HUGE difference. In my opinion by increasing the rear ends ride height slightly by going to the 13.5's allows the angle of the swing arm to be upward, so when I sit on the bike the swing arm is level rather than downward like when I had the stock shocks, which allows for better turning and handling because the shock is not at the bottom of the stoke of the suspension, it's in the middle. But, changing the rear means you must change the front as well with a heavier spring or at least some fork adjusters to tighten up the stock spring a bit. Speed Merchant makes some pretty rad ones.