Dirt Touring Bike
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 415
From: Southern Maryland
Dirt Touring Bike
Went on a hundred mile ride with a group of riders and for some reason, they went on gravel and dirt roads on one section of the ride. The roads looked like the ones bull dozers make with the 2-3" cups and my 09 Ultra with SE Heavy in the front forks and 19 lbs in the shocks was jarred to the bones.
I used to ride in the dirt on moto cross bikes, so know what a good suspension should do, and my HD did not cut it. I changed to SE Heavy because so many on this forum said it was better than the factory. Almost everyone in the group ended up passing me on the dirt road since it felt like I was shaking apart. It wasn't a control problem, it was a shake rattle problem. I have 19lbs in my rear shocks because I kept bottoming out hitting railroad tracks, manhole covers etc. I'm 190 lbs so not that heavy. Granted I will probably never ride with that group again, as they didn't pre-ride the ride. Any suggestion on improving the suspension?
I used to ride in the dirt on moto cross bikes, so know what a good suspension should do, and my HD did not cut it. I changed to SE Heavy because so many on this forum said it was better than the factory. Almost everyone in the group ended up passing me on the dirt road since it felt like I was shaking apart. It wasn't a control problem, it was a shake rattle problem. I have 19lbs in my rear shocks because I kept bottoming out hitting railroad tracks, manhole covers etc. I'm 190 lbs so not that heavy. Granted I will probably never ride with that group again, as they didn't pre-ride the ride. Any suggestion on improving the suspension?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,243
Likes: 3,267
From: west Michigan
I ride a lot of gravel roads and soft, sandy two tracks with my Road King but no big MX-type bumps because it's a 750lb bike with not much suspension travel and I don't want to bust-up the frame or cases. There's a limit to what even a good dirt rider can resonably do with a Bagger. Next time you ride with those guys, bring a Dual Sport bike and blow 'em into the weeds. I just switched to SE Heavy in the forks and it works well.
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