Shocks advice needed
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 632
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If you don't like the look of a piggy-back shock or a shock with hoses and remote reservoirs, you don't have to go that route for good performance. Piggy-backs and remote reservoirs are usually more expensive and they don't always compliment the lines of a H-D for many people.
To simplify- good shocks normally have both a gas and oil inside. The gas is used for its compressive properties whereas the oil provides dampening (see earlier).
Some shocks are called emulsion shocks and the gas-oil is not separated inside. Under severe use the gas and the oil mixes together and impairs the performance of the shock.
Better-quality shocks separate the oil and the gas. Some versions have a separate chamber for the gas inside the shock body itself. This works better than a straight emulsion shock but, with severe use, the gas heats up due to the frictional/compressive forces applied to the gas. The heat can affect the compressive properties of the gas and the performance of the shock.
Piggy-back shocks have a separate chamber for the gas cast onto the shock body of the shock. It's another little cylinder, often with cooling fins, that hangs-on or piggy-backs the main shock. This further separates the shock gas from the oil and heat build-up inside.
A further step is that some shocks have this separate reservoir totally remote from the shock and attached to the shock body by a hose that allows the gas to flow to and from the reservoir as it is compressed and relaxed. This offers even better thermal control of the gas and even better prevents shock performance degradation under severe use.
The gas remote reservoir is not to be confused with another feature of high-end shocks - the remote pre-load adjuster.
The remote pre-load adjuster is another piece that is separate from the shock and connected by a hose. It will have a **** attached to it that allows a rider to adjust the pre-load of the spring to tighten-up or relax the spring compression of the shock. This is useful for adapting to heavy loads or to add stiffness or ride height for the bike.
The pre-load adjuster contains a hydraulic fluid (oil). The control **** adjusts a piston inside the adjuster that sends or retracts the fluid to another piston on the end of the shock spring.
When you screw in the adjuster **** it sends oil to the piston on the shock and the piston expands and compresses the spring and vice versa. This performs the same function as the spring adjuster nuts or adjuster cams to which a shock wrench is applied for adjusting the spring.
Now, back to the beginning. It all depends on how much cash you wanna spend and, I will admit, how you want your bike to look. From a practical viewpoint, having a remote reservoir may not be as important for a cruiser as it would be for a higher-performance sport bike.
My personal preference is that I do not want a bunch of funky-looking reservoirs and hoses running all over my classic-designed H-D. It doesn't fit. I DO like better suspension performance provided by a better shock, however.
I am currently using a pair of Ohlins 159 shocks. They have a separate gas reservoir but it is inside the shock body and you don't see it. I do not have a remote pre-load adjuster but I do have a little wrench that can be used to quickly turn my spring adjusters tighter or looser, if needed. They are reasonably priced and provide a much better ride.
I am not against other brands of shocks and I am not against maybe a piggy-back. The other brands, though, get as expensive as the Ohlins.
Anyway, you don't have to go with the most features to have a suspension that will perform much better than stock and you don't have to make your pretty motorcycle look like something from The Borg.
To simplify- good shocks normally have both a gas and oil inside. The gas is used for its compressive properties whereas the oil provides dampening (see earlier).
Some shocks are called emulsion shocks and the gas-oil is not separated inside. Under severe use the gas and the oil mixes together and impairs the performance of the shock.
Better-quality shocks separate the oil and the gas. Some versions have a separate chamber for the gas inside the shock body itself. This works better than a straight emulsion shock but, with severe use, the gas heats up due to the frictional/compressive forces applied to the gas. The heat can affect the compressive properties of the gas and the performance of the shock.
Piggy-back shocks have a separate chamber for the gas cast onto the shock body of the shock. It's another little cylinder, often with cooling fins, that hangs-on or piggy-backs the main shock. This further separates the shock gas from the oil and heat build-up inside.
A further step is that some shocks have this separate reservoir totally remote from the shock and attached to the shock body by a hose that allows the gas to flow to and from the reservoir as it is compressed and relaxed. This offers even better thermal control of the gas and even better prevents shock performance degradation under severe use.
The gas remote reservoir is not to be confused with another feature of high-end shocks - the remote pre-load adjuster.
The remote pre-load adjuster is another piece that is separate from the shock and connected by a hose. It will have a **** attached to it that allows a rider to adjust the pre-load of the spring to tighten-up or relax the spring compression of the shock. This is useful for adapting to heavy loads or to add stiffness or ride height for the bike.
The pre-load adjuster contains a hydraulic fluid (oil). The control **** adjusts a piston inside the adjuster that sends or retracts the fluid to another piston on the end of the shock spring.
When you screw in the adjuster **** it sends oil to the piston on the shock and the piston expands and compresses the spring and vice versa. This performs the same function as the spring adjuster nuts or adjuster cams to which a shock wrench is applied for adjusting the spring.
Now, back to the beginning. It all depends on how much cash you wanna spend and, I will admit, how you want your bike to look. From a practical viewpoint, having a remote reservoir may not be as important for a cruiser as it would be for a higher-performance sport bike.
My personal preference is that I do not want a bunch of funky-looking reservoirs and hoses running all over my classic-designed H-D. It doesn't fit. I DO like better suspension performance provided by a better shock, however.
I am currently using a pair of Ohlins 159 shocks. They have a separate gas reservoir but it is inside the shock body and you don't see it. I do not have a remote pre-load adjuster but I do have a little wrench that can be used to quickly turn my spring adjusters tighter or looser, if needed. They are reasonably priced and provide a much better ride.
I am not against other brands of shocks and I am not against maybe a piggy-back. The other brands, though, get as expensive as the Ohlins.
Anyway, you don't have to go with the most features to have a suspension that will perform much better than stock and you don't have to make your pretty motorcycle look like something from The Borg.
Last edited by leafman60; Jul 9, 2013 at 07:52 AM.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 83
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From: In my house
Go to motorcyclemetal.com and do some reading. When you think you've got a pretty good understanding of the material he presents, read it again. Then give him a call and ask for his recommendation on shocks for your particular situation.
I can't speak for any other shock absorber except for the JRI-B in 13" length. The difference between these shocks and stock is dramatic. My wife and I are very pleased.
I can't speak for any other shock absorber except for the JRI-B in 13" length. The difference between these shocks and stock is dramatic. My wife and I are very pleased.
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