HD Softail Fat Boy Suspension

Softail models up to 2018 are Harley-Davidson's most stylish bikes. They use unique solutions that are also stylish and look beautiful. To create a nice bicycle-like minimalist swingarm, the motorcycle was equipped with hidden shock absorbers under the engine that work in tension. To make the light-looking chrome top triple clamp, they had to use a unique fork mount with socket cap screws.

Sadly, beauty is pain, and the sacrifice here is the complexity and extra work of suspension maintenance. To remove the shock absorbers, you need a special narrow bench and short wrenches. To remove the fork, you have to move the tank, remove the headlight and front fender.

Also, not all shock absorber manufacturers make components for Softail, so the choice is limited.

We were contacted by a Fat Boy owner who wanted the suspension to perform better on bad roads and in city traffic. For the upgrade, we chose Progressive Suspension 422 for the rear and Legend Axeo for the front:

We liked the Progressive Suspension 422 because they have a monotube design (the oil doesn't foam under load) and are quite cheap. They lack convenient preload adjustment and have no damping adjustment. Luckily, in our case it's not a drawback, since the owner rides alone.

For those who often ride with a passenger, it makes sense to consider the model 422 with remote preload adjustment or Legend shock absorbers, in which the preload is adjustable without a special wrench. When riding with a passenger, it's necessary to increase the preload to maintain the standard sag and, accordingly, the shock absorber travel.

Installing and adjusting the rear shock absorbers is tricky because they are under the engine and are difficult to access. It's not always easy to tighten the nuts on a lift, let alone on the ground.

We picked Legend AXEO cartridges for city riding, when you have to brake often (including rapid braking), ride over potholes and road joints, keep a stable grip on wet or dirty road surfaces and at the same time maintain a high level of comfort.

The AXEO model is best suited for these tasks, because it's equipped with a monotube damper with an efficient valve in the piston, which has different resistance at different compression speeds.

Under load, these cartridges work well (no aeration).

During braking (slow compression) they are firm to press the wheel down and increase the grip. And when hitting a bump (fast compression) they are soft for a comfortable ride on such surfaces.

In our store you can get any help and purchase any parts for Harley-Davidson from the leading world brands. We work with Legend, Bitubo, Ohlins, Progressive Suspension, RaceTech, Wilbers, Russ Wernimont Designs, Hyperpro, Drag Specialties and Thundermax.