In a nutshell, a vast improvement in handling.

 

ride to test, test to ride

The new softail suspension setup is on about 90% of other manufacturer bikes. Heck Triumph did it first before HD did it, so you can say that Triumph can take the credit.

 

The mono shock has been around since the beginning of bikes.... nothing new, but obviously better than the dual outter shocks.

 

Why is 1 shock better than 2?

 

I'm no engineer but obviously in the softails it works better. Honda has been using it for YEARS in their touring bikes, crotch rockets (basically all of them) and other brands of crusiers have all used it, so there is evidently a reason. If you've only road the softails to compare dual vs mono there is a defiant improvement... If you'd like a hypothesis, I'd say that the one shock allows the swing arm to be mounted more stable and in such provides better handling... just a guess.

 

From what I understand it’s a combination of the more centralized position of the shock along with not having to deal with the possibility of having uneven wear on one side which could lead to unwanted twisting or flex.

 

By the way thanks for all the input.
I know I really need to go test ride them but I don’t I’ll have the free time to do it for a few months unless I get lucky.

 

Agree with Another Old Timer. It's not just a one shock vs 2 scenario. It's the complete package. Both of us have backgrounds in cycle shops. Comfortable enough on a large array of bikes to put a hayabussa or r1000 through the paces.

When comparing the new softail to the old...there's no comparrision. I would say you can push the new bikes through the curves so much harder and faster than the predecessors ....but that's the thing. You don't push. They just go over farther, maintain stability alot better when you are over, and are just brilliantly compliant right throughout the exercise. I'm the first to try to find flaws with a bike and be objectively critical. ..It's in the nature when testing alot of bikes. Harley has always had some sweet front end geometry, low center of gravity and DNA as it were. Now they are backing that up with great lean angle,suspension, balance and weight shavings.

Thats the big difference. The older softails were pretty good when ridden as intended. The new softails are good when you ride them well past what is intended for a cruiser...On par with some modern sport tourers. It's not alot about the bestest newest thing. It's about the softail catching up to what other manufactures caught onto some time ago. Old Timer and I may not speak from extended time in the saddle of all the new softail range, but can speak from a few. I think we are both continually surprised at just how good this new set up is. Love it!

 

I've ridden both the Fat Bob and the Heritage. I ended up with the Heritage. The Fat Bob holds an edge in handling but I was surprised with just how comparable these two bikes are from a handling standpoint. Like the Fat Bob, the Heritage has the taller rear shock which translates to more ground clearance and vastly improved lean angles. The fork dampening in both the inverted fork with cartridges in the Fat Bob and the bending valve dampening of the Heritages 49mm fork both work superbly on both platforms. I'd prefer the dual front disk brakes but I've found the braking on the Heritage to be quite good. Coming off of a 07 Street Glide where I modded the suspension significantly (Racetech fork internals with standard height progressive springs, a bagger brace frame brace for the rear, Ohlin's 13.25" custom valved shocks) and the Heritage literally smokes my old bike from a handling standpoint. I tend to ride longer distances which swayed me to the Heritage. What comes with the taller rear shock is a higher seat height which can be a problem. Having the bags and a windshield on a bike that looks great with both was also a consideration. The question is, how do you plan on using your bike? The bike choice starts to narrow at that point. Frankly, if the Sport Glide had a more meaningful fairing, the 114, the taller rear shock with floorboards, I might be riding one of those instead.

 

Are they doing it because the handling is better?? Seems to me that 2 shocks would distribute the load better on a heavy bike.. A Swing arms cam be made stiffer.. I suspect that part of the issue is cost.. Good shocks are complex and it's cheaper to use 1 over 2. There is weight savings..

Not sure what you are asking buy if I've ridden a softail versus a dual or mono? if you mean touring bike versus the new softails, I would imagine the softail handles much better than than the baggers due to weight and travel.