Convince me... 12th hour plea.
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,077
Likes: 1
From: The High Desert, SoCal
Convince me... 12th hour plea.
Set to have a shotgun shock air ride installed tomorrow. Gonna drop $1500 for the shocks and install. A good deal if you've priced the system. To boot...the inventor of the system is doing the install. Great deal all around. Did my research, read posts and happy with my choice for system and not looking for opinions or compasions on it. But the one post I read that sticks out in my mind if from a member who said something to the affect that it's easy for some people to say somethingis great after spending the kind of money an air ride costs.
For me...any time I'm about to drop that kind of coin I get concerned. So convince me. I know an air ride is great for that slammed look. But am I really gonna notice a difference in ride quality? Is it a nite and day difference or one that I'm gonna end up saying "I spend over a grand for that"?
I don't know anyone with an air ride so no way to get a real world feel. Gonna rely on the experience of the members here. Go ahead and take your shots...expected. But some real input is appreciated.
For me...any time I'm about to drop that kind of coin I get concerned. So convince me. I know an air ride is great for that slammed look. But am I really gonna notice a difference in ride quality? Is it a nite and day difference or one that I'm gonna end up saying "I spend over a grand for that"?
I don't know anyone with an air ride so no way to get a real world feel. Gonna rely on the experience of the members here. Go ahead and take your shots...expected. But some real input is appreciated.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,077
Likes: 1
From: The High Desert, SoCal
Lol... did my post reveal my age? 50 now and not without ars aches and back pains
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From:
I don't have the same system your talking about, but, I can tell you the ride on mine was night and day. Much softer, and the cool thing is if it's bottoming out to much just add more air. It does take some getting used to though, at least mine did. The only downside is it looks so cool lowered you always want to let the air out when you park, then you have to add air before you leave. It doesn't take that long though.
R.I.P. BROTHER
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 6
From: Colorado Springs
My fear is that I would just wanna ride it in the slammed position alla time hence negating any actual suspension travel gains or plushness.
That being said the Shotgun is a serious piece made by serious folk. $1500 installed is aa killer deal as isnt that price on the system alone?
If I had the extra coin I would be in your same boat....Should I, should I not....
Tough Call.
That being said the Shotgun is a serious piece made by serious folk. $1500 installed is aa killer deal as isnt that price on the system alone?
If I had the extra coin I would be in your same boat....Should I, should I not....
Tough Call.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
I have read just the opposite. Air shocks will not give as good of a ride as regular shocks. They are great for adjusting height.
Do you have a rough road you can ride today before you switch shocks. Then when you put the airs on, ride the same road at the same speed, with the bike at the same height and let us know what you think.
It sounds like you will give an honest comparison.
Tom
Do you have a rough road you can ride today before you switch shocks. Then when you put the airs on, ride the same road at the same speed, with the bike at the same height and let us know what you think.
It sounds like you will give an honest comparison.
Tom
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
Here's my 2 cents....
$1,500 for the Shotgun installed is a good price, but...
I have never ridden a bike with air ride that rides as well as a properly adjusted set of Progressives. Without exception, every person I know (actually know, not just talk to on the interweb) who has put air suspension on their Softail has taken it off and returned to shocks, be they Progressive or Ohlins or whatever. The exception to that would be two people who ride their bikes to the bar and back and pose all day. I spoke with two very highly regarded techs about air suspension, including the SAS and Shotgun; both of them told me to save my money.
If it's important to you to be able to raise and lower your bike without tools, then it's worth looking at. If you don't do a lot of riding on bad roads, then it's worth looking at.
But to me, air suspension is a gimmick, and with no 3rd party reviews of the Shotgun (which admittedly sounds pretty trick), I'll pass. There are other companies that use Shotgun's air management protocols, and there are complaints about them too.
There's a reason why no auto or bike manufacturer delivers a vehicle with a 100% air suspension.
$1,500 for the Shotgun installed is a good price, but...
I have never ridden a bike with air ride that rides as well as a properly adjusted set of Progressives. Without exception, every person I know (actually know, not just talk to on the interweb) who has put air suspension on their Softail has taken it off and returned to shocks, be they Progressive or Ohlins or whatever. The exception to that would be two people who ride their bikes to the bar and back and pose all day. I spoke with two very highly regarded techs about air suspension, including the SAS and Shotgun; both of them told me to save my money.
If it's important to you to be able to raise and lower your bike without tools, then it's worth looking at. If you don't do a lot of riding on bad roads, then it's worth looking at.
But to me, air suspension is a gimmick, and with no 3rd party reviews of the Shotgun (which admittedly sounds pretty trick), I'll pass. There are other companies that use Shotgun's air management protocols, and there are complaints about them too.
There's a reason why no auto or bike manufacturer delivers a vehicle with a 100% air suspension.
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 210
Likes: 1
Aren't a lot of semi trucks air ride equipped? There must be a reason for that as well. Not that a Harley with an air ride is going to ride like a semi.
My guess is that spring shocks are cheaper in general and that's why most manufacturers use them. There may be other reasons as well, but a quality air ride system such as the shotgun shock costs 3 times what a quality aftermarket spring set up does from Progressive. The bottom line cost is a big factor in what goes in to a stock vehicle.
There are some differences in air ride systems. I'm sure you have done your homework on them if you're dropping $1500, but from everything that I read, the people who have problems with their air ride system or think the ride is worse have one or more of a number of issues.
1. They have issues with the air lines (which the Shotgun Shock has largely eliminated).
2. They have one of the air ride variations that only adjust ride height but can't independently adjust rebound/firmness.
3. They aren't setting it up right.
So I say go for it! When I have the money, it's something I'd like to do. Although for me I'm looking for some cool factor without losing ride quality.
My guess is that spring shocks are cheaper in general and that's why most manufacturers use them. There may be other reasons as well, but a quality air ride system such as the shotgun shock costs 3 times what a quality aftermarket spring set up does from Progressive. The bottom line cost is a big factor in what goes in to a stock vehicle.
There are some differences in air ride systems. I'm sure you have done your homework on them if you're dropping $1500, but from everything that I read, the people who have problems with their air ride system or think the ride is worse have one or more of a number of issues.
1. They have issues with the air lines (which the Shotgun Shock has largely eliminated).
2. They have one of the air ride variations that only adjust ride height but can't independently adjust rebound/firmness.
3. They aren't setting it up right.
So I say go for it! When I have the money, it's something I'd like to do. Although for me I'm looking for some cool factor without losing ride quality.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
Any high-end passenger vehicle that uses some sort of air system also uses some form of mechanical or hydraulic dampening. You simply cannot get a 100% air system to keep the wheel(s) in contact with the road and control body motion at the same time.