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Suspension upgrade for a 15 RGS

  • Rosscoe
    Rosscoe
    5 years ago
    Hi, I have a 2015 RGS and need to upgrade the rear suspension. We will be doing the Big lap next year and will be on the road for at least 12 months. I am over 100 kilos and my wife is around 70 kilo, we will be towing a camper trailer that weighs approx 140 kilos plus our gear. The stock suspension will not be able to handle it, it barely handles us now without trailer or luggage. What would you recommend for an upgrade, it is going to get a pretty good workout for quite some time, so reliability, longevity and quality is a must. Thank you for reading.
  • Chaser
    Chaser
    5 years ago
    Quoting Rosscoe on 18 Aug 2019 06:45 AM

    Hi, I have a 2015 RGS and need to upgrade the rear suspension. We will be doing the Big lap next year and will be on the road for at least 12 months. I am over 100 kilos and my wife is around 70 kilo, we will be towing a camper trailer that weighs approx 140 kilos plus our gear. The stock suspension will not be able to handle it, it barely handles us now without trailer or luggage. What would you recommend for an upgrade, it is going to get a pretty good workout for quite some time, so reliability, longevity and quality is a must. Thank you for reading.

    I trust you are prepared to spend some good coin?  Some of the other guys on here might give you some more info but I'd be looking at Ohlins. Make google your friend!!! Stick clear of anything with a compressor - you need something with serious ability, not a show pony for looking good when you park it up!!!
  • Rosscoe
    Rosscoe
    5 years ago
    Quoting Rosscoe on 18 Aug 2019 06:45 AM

    Hi, I have a 2015 RGS and need to upgrade the rear suspension. We will be doing the Big lap next year and will be on the road for at least 12 months. I am over 100 kilos and my wife is around 70 kilo, we will be towing a camper trailer that weighs approx 140 kilos plus our gear. The stock suspension will not be able to handle it, it barely handles us now without trailer or luggage. What would you recommend for an upgrade, it is going to get a pretty good workout for quite some time, so reliability, longevity and quality is a must. Thank you for reading.

    Quoting Chaser on 18 Aug 2019 08:13 AM

    I trust you are prepared to spend some good coin?  Some of the other guys on here might give you some more info but I'd be looking at Ohlins. Make google your friend!!! Stick clear of anything with a compressor - you need something with serious ability, not a show pony for looking good when you park it up!!!

    Thanks mate yes we will spend what ever is necessary to get the job done, we have already spent heaps on everything we need so we are not going to cheap out on these, we also have a 1975 Kombi that we have spent 10's of 1000's on getting her ready as well, just in case these old bones cant handle the strain. The Kombi is a last resort, we will do everything possible to succeed on the bike. We are going to be on the road for at least 12 months, more than likely 2 or 3 years.
  • DocGreen
    DocGreen
    5 years ago
    Rosscoe, does your bike have the air shocks or adjustable HD 'premium' adjustable shocks? If the HD premium shocks, being a RGS they are probably only the 'Low' or 12" version so a cheaper option may be to source a set of 2nd hand 13" HD premium adjustable shocks as fitted to Ultras, this would give you more travel but the bike will sit slightly higher in the back so something to consider if you have shorter legs.
    As has been said before a lot of guys love Ohlins, another brand to consider is Pro Action, they also do a 14' shock and if used with the lowering blocks will lower the back of the bike but give you more travel and adjustment to preload, rebound and compression. I have my eye on a set of the 13" Pro Action shocks myself as it is hard to get a decent, compliant ride out of the standard 'low' 12" adjustable shocks - I only weigh ~85kgs and the bride about ~75kgs. I ride a 2017 SGS. As most who have upgraded suspension will also say, once you do the back you will notice how poor the front is, Pro Action offer a cheap front damper rod upgrade also - as Chaser said - be prepared to spend.
    Good luck and have a great trip.

    DocGreen
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    5 years ago
    Its tough ask for a shock that has limited travel to give the compliance and things you require. Get on to some of the dedicated bike suspension mobs , suck some knowledge and pick who will do it best.  
  • Rosscoe
    Rosscoe
    5 years ago
    Quoting DocGreen on 18 Aug 2019 08:38 AM

    Rosscoe, does your bike have the air shocks or adjustable HD 'premium' adjustable shocks? If the HD premium shocks, being a RGS they are probably only the 'Low' or 12" version so a cheaper option may be to source a set of 2nd hand 13" HD premium adjustable shocks as fitted to Ultras, this would give you more travel but the bike will sit slightly higher in the back so something to consider if you have shorter legs.
    As has been said before a lot of guys love Ohlins, another brand to consider is Pro Action, they also do a 14' shock and if used with the lowering blocks will lower the back of the bike but give you more travel and adjustment to preload, rebound and compression. I have my eye on a set of the 13" Pro Action shocks myself as it is hard to get a decent, compliant ride out of the standard 'low' 12" adjustable shocks - I only weigh ~85kgs and the bride about ~75kgs. I ride a 2017 SGS. As most who have upgraded suspension will also say, once you do the back you will notice how poor the front is, Pro Action offer a cheap front damper rod upgrade also - as Chaser said - be prepared to spend.
    Good luck and have a great trip.

    DocGreen

    The RGS has all original suspension, she has only done about 7k, as we have had so much else on since we bought her new as my retirement present, we have been going to do the shocks for a long time now but circumstances have prevented us doing that and also riding her, now that we have made up our mind to travel on her they will be done. She does not have the air suspension, and no amount of adjusting makes for a good ride, very abrupt and hard.
  • Rosscoe
    Rosscoe
    5 years ago
    Thanks everyone, I knew if I asked here I would get informed information from those who know. Thank you again.
  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    5 years ago
    Hey Roscoe,
    good on you for travelling the distance to retire, and now looking forward to the distance travelling round our beautiful land.
    I was a Kombi man with motorbike of some sort in the back for many years, solo, so didn't need too many luxuries, although being older and lady who does like comfortable  has changed that scenario. Know were your coming from.
    Anyway, as said there are more knowledgeable than me will steer you on track. My 2012 RGC has Fornales, with a reasonable amount of kpi, so she never bottoms out, the stock were absolute CRAP.
    Guess it"s what you can afford, and happy travels when you do set off.
  • TJU
    TJU
    5 years ago

    Gidday Roscoe ,


    First of all Congrats for making the Retirerment age , not far away my self ... so as a lot have said Ohlins are the way to go if you have the Coin .. Not Cheap .. know a few guys who have changed to them on Tourers and other Harley Models and all have said they are a Marked improvement ... if you have the Coin remember to Front and Rear ... so much better .


    Now i went another direction , Ohlins were way above my pay grade unfortunitly ... So have a look at Legends , i have a 17 Road Glide Special and Man they are a incrediable upgrade as oppossed to Stock ... like i said i went Front and Rear , no point only doing one end .


    There is most likely different mods for different year models but get on their website and do a little reshearch ... but i tell ya i am 140 Kg Fella , Missus is 80 Plus .. { hope she dosent read this , Lol } .. and the improvement was absolutly amazing ... hoping for one day to try one of these fellas i know who has the Ohlins to get a decent Test ride to compare ... but they would want to be out of this world to be a big difference to the Legends .


    If they are only a touch better then they are not worth it as Legends will do the trick at a far cheaper cost but if all the reports are true then they may be worth it .


    I only know how much better mine rides as oppossed to stock ... and Very Important , get them set up for you and your Missus weight as if any brand is set up incorrectly you will feel you have wasted your money ... when you do get them set up depending on how often the missus rides with you you might want to get them set up somewhere in between , because set up for both your weight will definitly feel firm when you ride alone but as mentioned if most of your riding is 2 up then no problems  ... but a good suspension specialist should be able to stearyou in the right direction .


    Have fun on the big trip ... let us know what you went with and send back some pics of the journey .


    Cheers Tim .

  • Rosscoe
    Rosscoe
    5 years ago
    Quoting TJU on 22 Aug 2019 04:28 AM

    Gidday Roscoe ,


    First of all Congrats for making the Retirerment age , not far away my self ... so as a lot have said Ohlins are the way to go if you have the Coin .. Not Cheap .. know a few guys who have changed to them on Tourers and other Harley Models and all have said they are a Marked improvement ... if you have the Coin remember to Front and Rear ... so much better .


    Now i went another direction , Ohlins were way above my pay grade unfortunitly ... So have a look at Legends , i have a 17 Road Glide Special and Man they are a incrediable upgrade as oppossed to Stock ... like i said i went Front and Rear , no point only doing one end .


    There is most likely different mods for different year models but get on their website and do a little reshearch ... but i tell ya i am 140 Kg Fella , Missus is 80 Plus .. { hope she dosent read this , Lol } .. and the improvement was absolutly amazing ... hoping for one day to try one of these fellas i know who has the Ohlins to get a decent Test ride to compare ... but they would want to be out of this world to be a big difference to the Legends .


    If they are only a touch better then they are not worth it as Legends will do the trick at a far cheaper cost but if all the reports are true then they may be worth it .


    I only know how much better mine rides as oppossed to stock ... and Very Important , get them set up for you and your Missus weight as if any brand is set up incorrectly you will feel you have wasted your money ... when you do get them set up depending on how often the missus rides with you you might want to get them set up somewhere in between , because set up for both your weight will definitly feel firm when you ride alone but as mentioned if most of your riding is 2 up then no problems  ... but a good suspension specialist should be able to stearyou in the right direction .


    Have fun on the big trip ... let us know what you went with and send back some pics of the journey .


    Cheers Tim .

    Thanks Tim, quite a few have recommended the Legends and also YSS, and they are a fraction of the cost of the Ohlins, I dont mind paying for quality but I hate wasting money if there are others out there performing the same job and have the same quality, I may very well go with the Ohlins BUT not before doing some more research on the others, thanks again Tim.
  • Damo222
    Damo222
    5 years ago
    After much procrastination i've finally bitten the bullet and ordered a set of Race Tech G3S shocks for my Limited, not cheap but apparently one of the best.
  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    5 years ago
    Quoting Damo222 on 27 Aug 2019 03:06 AM

    After much procrastination i've finally bitten the bullet and ordered a set of Race Tech G3S shocks for my Limited, not cheap but apparently one of the best.

    I must say, had Race Tech with gold valving on the front of my previous Harley, it transformed the bike like I could not believe. Handled s  well it truly was 'chalk and cheese'.
    From memory t'was installed around 6 spot for the front, with gold valves set to my weight.
    Incredible front end response.
    On the back I used Fornales.
    Hope ya ride handling works out for you.
    Mick

  • walka
    walka
    5 years ago
    Ikon in Albury are the best and well priced , Geoff custom makes every shock to suit the customers needs . 
  • Robbo_Townsville
    Robbo_Townsville
    5 years ago
    I upgraded my 2017 Ultra suspension to the Legend Revos I think they are called. Got them through site sponsor. Have dampening and rebound adjustability. Much improved ride, no more wallowing through twisties.
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