Hi everyone, I want to improve my bike handling by upgrading the shocks and a steering damper: I was thinking in ohlins for rear shocks but i do not know which ones for my 08 street bob. On the other side I was looking for the storz damper but there is different traveling distances for them, which one would be the indicated
Thanks

 

I can't imagine that you'd ever need a steering dampener for a Street Bob.
But, to calculate the throw, with the fork all the way against the left stop, pick a point on your fork where you would clamp one end, and then pick a point on your frame where you would clamp the other end. Measure between those points. Then move your fork all the way to the right, up against the stop, and measure between those two points. Subtract the first measurement from the second, and you have your throw.
Contact your Ohlins distributor and tell them what you are interested in and how much you weigh, if you ride often with a passenger, and they will recommend some shocks. I got a set without the piggyback reservoir, but adjustable compression and rebound damping, spring preload, and adjustable for length. Set at 13.2" long for my FXD. I experimented with fork positions and have my fork tubes at 3/8" above my top clamp (lowering the front end of the bike by that amount.). I'm 210 lbs and it seems to work nicely. Several companies make cartridge emulators for the 49mm forks as well as spring kits.

 

A few friends of mine say True Track is the way to go. They say its like night and day difference.

 

Got one on my Dyna and another on my Glide. They transform handling on both bikes.

For Ohlins shocks (I have them on my Glide!) contact Howard at HDF sponsor Motorcycle Metal for a custom built pair and discount to HDF members. Don't buy new shocks in a box off the shelf, get them custom built, to get the best out of them.

 

Any added vibration with the true-trac installed ?

 

No. I have read that some owners reckon they increase vibration, but it hasn't on mine.

 

A fork brace will firm up the front end as well!

 

The only suspension changes I've made are the True-Track and a Super Brace. Really cleaned up the handling, and especially the stopping which surprised me (and is most welcome). Everything is straighter, tighter. There may have been a subtle change in the vibration, but it was very hard to differentiate. I would not call it an increase at all.

 

Look at ricor intimidators for the front and rear shocks for effective suspension, its now a good alternative to the expensive ohlins. Someone did a compare within the last 4 or 5 months, Search for ricor. Forget about the fork brace on newer bikes. A chassis stabilizer will help, I use the sputhe version because its much smaller.

My bike runs on rails now, well about as much as a springy frame 600 lb bike can.

 

As posted earlier by Dynamic, I don't think your Harley is even remotely in need of a front steering damper. Upgraded shocks IMHO are the best bets for usable ride/handling improvement along with MUCH NEEDED improved braking capability (i.e....2 discs up front).

I have a Superbrace fork brace on my Fat Bob, but for the riding I do that takes the bike to it's limits (very tight small radius twisties.....The Dragon), I am not sure the Superbrace offers any detectable assistance whatsoever. I rode the beast many, many max performance runs thru the Dragon both with and without the Superbrace..... and am unable to tell any difference whatsoever.

Now when I go over hi speed big radius sweepers (Cherohala Skyway), many of said sweepers demanding speeds arround 75+mph to get the bike really leaned over, my rubber mounted Dyna is an altogether Jekyl and Hyde beast.
Think the most radical wicked freeway rain grooves as it's turn in, trail braking, turn tracking, turn reversal handling dynamics begin unhinging.
I am not going to drag pegs on my beast at speeds over 60mph with or without engine mount stabilizers and fork braces because the nearly 700 lb porker has a frame that is going to be flexing mucho and stressed even more, with the enormous stresses and energy involved in high speed turning. Not to mention the front brakes, that even tho there are 2 of them on a Fat Bob.... I think they would be hard pressed to deliver the repeated energy of hi speed cornering pre-turn brake application for say a dozen max performance turn sequences. Did I mention the often skinny, teeny-tiny contact patches and probably scary hi-speed sticking ability of probably most Harley cruiser tires?

Bottom line, for me..... over well maintained and smooth pavement, minimal cost handling improvements (Progressive shocks) up front and currently 13" Road King shocks in the back provide superb controlability and stability for the max turning performance I demand of my bike..... very tight twisties at speeds less than 55-60 mph.