Front suspension
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4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Evans City PA
Front suspension
Can anything be done to make a 2006 1200 Sportster softer in the bumps and pot-holes? Mine crashes with bone jarring force when I hit the holes in the road. It has only 2500 miles on it so I don't think anything is worn out yet.
I have the rear shocks set to the softest position but the jarring feels mostly like the front forks. Someone suggested lighter oil in the forks, could that work? Thanks for any help.
I have the rear shocks set to the softest position but the jarring feels mostly like the front forks. Someone suggested lighter oil in the forks, could that work? Thanks for any help.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
Not sure about the lighter oil, but i have seen alot of aftermarket kits to tune the forks to your liking. Usually they include variable rate springs witch will react differently with different road hits. A couple simple things you may wanna try would be letting down your tire pressure, i think harley recomends only 30 psi in the front and a little more in the back. And also hole avoidance.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 988
Likes: 8
From: Clinton IA
I have an '06 too, I didn't realize how bad the front forks were until I upgraded my rear shocks. I had a lot of "dive" when I was on the brakes, and the forks would bottom out over rough roads, I'm sure you are seeing the same thing. I'm not a huge guy either, maybe 200lbs with all my gear on.
I used the Progressive drop-in kit, and re-filled with HD fork oil, just the stock weight, since it was available on the Saturday that I was working on it. Huge difference for the better, no more dive or bottoming out, even 2-up, and the overall ride is smoothed out.
A lot of guys will tell you that you need to get your springs specially spec'd out for your weight and riding style, that you need to really tune your suspension, or that the Progressives are not for "performance" riding, and that all might be true. But if you want the easiest, less costly way to improve that front end, drop in the Progressive kit, refill to their instructions with fresh oil, and be done with it.
I used the Progressive drop-in kit, and re-filled with HD fork oil, just the stock weight, since it was available on the Saturday that I was working on it. Huge difference for the better, no more dive or bottoming out, even 2-up, and the overall ride is smoothed out.
A lot of guys will tell you that you need to get your springs specially spec'd out for your weight and riding style, that you need to really tune your suspension, or that the Progressives are not for "performance" riding, and that all might be true. But if you want the easiest, less costly way to improve that front end, drop in the Progressive kit, refill to their instructions with fresh oil, and be done with it.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Forks - who would have them, given a choice! I had mine on my new SuperLow stripped and inspected by my dealer as a warranty job, they are so bad, so I sympathise. They found nothing wrong. One problem with mine was they sagged too much. A cheap way of correcting that, to set sag at 1/3rd of travel, is to add a suitable spacer on top of the springs.
If you fit replacement springs, which will involve installing a spacer as well, get single rate with the correct rate for your weight. I have RaceTech, who have a suitable calculator on their website.
I also have emulators, which are supposed to give improved damping, but frankly they were a waste of money - I can't tell they are in there. At least with sag set correctly I get twice as much fork travel as I originally had.
If you fit replacement springs, which will involve installing a spacer as well, get single rate with the correct rate for your weight. I have RaceTech, who have a suitable calculator on their website.
I also have emulators, which are supposed to give improved damping, but frankly they were a waste of money - I can't tell they are in there. At least with sag set correctly I get twice as much fork travel as I originally had.
Last edited by grbrown; Jan 23, 2013 at 06:13 AM. Reason: Revised.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 332
Likes: 1
From: Savannah, Ga
I will eventually go with a set of progressive springs, but I went the inexpensive route the last time I changed the fork oil. The bike did a nose dive every time I hit the brakes. It would bottom out coming in and going out of my driveway over a low curb at 2 mph. I replaced the Harley oil I had put in them when I got the bike used with Lucas Fork Oil and went with 15W. I am 6'1" and 280lbs. For me, I felt as if someone had put a new front end on the bike. If you are not as large as I, maybe go to a 10W fork oil. Its a fairly inexpensive way to tune your front end as the oil needs changed regularly anyway.
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