Need to do something to the front end of my 2015 Ultra Limited. Too bouncy. Lots of folks here like teh Legend AXEO front end kit for $750. Lots of folks like the Progressive monotubes for half price. I'm not seeing a lot of reviews, comments about Harley's Premium Ride Single Cartridge Front Kit. It, too, is only $350 or so.

What to do?

 

Watching this thread too -- I was going to upgrade my windshield on the RK but I think I want to do the front end suspension first and get rid of some of the braking dive and bounciness. There doesn't seem to be a lot of reviews that I can find about any of the options.

 

A further option is Ohlins adjustable cartridges, available from HDF sponsor Howard Messner of Motorcycle Metal. Not cheap, but top of the crop for quality!

 

I have the Progressive Mono-tubes in my front end now - thinking of pulling them out, selling them and installing the AXEO's
The Progressive are a big improvement over stock and my thinking is the AXEO's will be an increased improvement over the Progressive - am I sure, no, but I might take the chance.

 

I have a 2014 Ultra Ltd bought right after Rushmores were introduced in 2013. It was going to be several months before Progressive or Ohlins came out with their new front end suspensions for the redesigned front forks on Rushmores. Like y'all, I needed to do something about the mushy front end, and I didn't want to wait.

So, I did some research and found an American manufacturer, Traxxion Dynamics, in Georgia. They specialize in motorcycle suspensions and were well-known in the Gold Wing community. I took my bike to them as the first Rushmore they worked on. They modified their existing AK-20 cartridge kit to fit the new Harley front fork and installed the AK-20's on my bike.

I've had them almost two and a half years and 35,000 miles, and I can't imagine being happier than I am with my front suspension.

http://www.traxxion.com/

 

The AXEO look nice, but budget might keep me with the Progressive. I had Progressive springs and shocks on my Sportster and they were a world of improvement over stock.

 

I did the HD Premium Ride double cartridge fork kit, along with the Screaming Eagle heavy duty fork oil (15W IIRC). Much better fork control with minimal dive and no bottoming. It actually may be a bit too harsh now. At some point I will change to a high quality lighter weight fork oil in hopes of getting a little more response to sharp bumps. The initial impact seems to be too stiff at this point, but it rides nicely over normal road irregularities. I hope that the lighter weight oil will allow the forks to react quicker to that initial impact. Other than that though, I am very pleased.


I also purchased the HD Premium Hand Adjustable rear shock at the same time. Both of these were a big improvement over stock, but not as good as some of the more premium aftermarket alternatives, I'm sure.


John

 

have you tried just replacing the stock fork oil with a heavier weight? not hard to do, and you might just be satisfied with that and not have to spend the big bucks.

then again, you might not, but it's cheap and easy enough to try first...

 

If I'm disassembling, I might as well change everything. That's my thinking.

 

I recommend the progressive shocks to every person that comes into my shop. You can't beat them for the most part. reasonably priced, easily installed, never need maintenance again, and last a real long time. completely eliminates brake dive, improves handling substantially, massively improves ride quality, tires last longer do to less tire bounce. Are there better? Yes, I'm sure. But are they so much better that they make up for price? I don't know that, and doubt it. If you own a bagger, its a brick, and while handling can be improved, how much are you swinging it hard around corners? Those here that have the Ohlins, are people that do ride hard, and they might require top of the line shocks, but almost every customer that I recommend the progressives to, loves them, and are more that good with them, including me, I've had them on my last 3 bikes. You decide