An Overview of Motorcycle Suspension System

We all know that Harley-Davidson® Sportster® motorcycles are powerful, stylish, and overall dominant machines. But in order to stay comfortable atop such a workhorse, you need a smooth ride. This is achieved by one of the most important components of your bike: the suspension. Similar to shocks on a car, the suspension absorbs the bumps in the road, so instead of traveling to your body, all those vibrations get swallowed by forks and emulsion. It also makes your ride a lot easier to control, so it’s no wonder Harley-Davidson puts everything they’ve got into premium suspension systems.

Capabilities

When you don’t have a good suspension, you’ll be in for a lot of discomfort while you ride. Rigid setups will shake you up while riding, and if it’s too loose, you’ll feel like you’re bobbing on a small raft while riding through a hurricane. While that sounds like a bit of an exaggeration, the bottom line is that you need a good transmission that balances out the vibrations but still holds the tires on the road.

With the Sportster motorcycle’s advanced suspension system, you’ll find bikes equipped with just the right balance between these two extremes. This doesn’t just make riding more comfortable but also helps your motorcycle perform much better. Because a suspension that’s just tight enough keeps the wheels on the pavement, you’ll get more traction, while also staying in control because of the decreased vibrations.

Suspension Components

The Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle’s suspension typically has two major components, which work together to provide a steady ride. Rear suspensions frequently have a coil-over system. This design has a car-like shock absorber, which is wrapped by a metal coil. It’s sometimes also attached to a reservoir in order to enhance its performance. And best of all, the new Sportster motorcycles have an adjustable rear suspension, so riders of all sizes can get it at just the right emulsion for their preference.

The front works quite a bit differently from a rear suspension. Where the coil wraps the shock absorber in the back, the coil-over sits inside a part called the damper in the front. This component has low-viscosity oil inside, and a plug controls how much the oil flows inside the damper. This automatically adjusts as needed, so there will never be unnecessary vibrations, but there’s still enough suspension for handling rough roads with control. Finally, the front piece is balanced with a bumper, which ensures that it won’t bottom out.

It’s clear that the suspension is vital to performance and comfort, and you’ll be impressed when you see the improvements on Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycles! You’ll enjoy better touring, more comfortable when sport riding, and a better experience even on daily commutes with one of these enhanced suspension systems. So come test ride one today, and make one of these Sportsters or other models your next bike! Jim Moroney's Inc. is located in New Windsor, NY, and we proudly serve all those in Newburgh and Cornwall.