There are a lot of physics that are silently at work within a motorcycle’s suspension setup, and most of the time, these physics all work remarkably well behind the scenes to keep your tires gliding down the road while absorbing the imperfections in the road surface. Let’s face it: without a proper suspension setup on your motorcycle, if you were to roll over a pothole in the road by accident, there’s a pretty good chance that hitting the bump will jostle you out of the saddle for a brief moment. While this is a potentially painful situation due to your body absorbing the impact, it’s also a dangerous one, due to the risk of losing control of your bike if the impact is hard enough (and we won’t even get into the bent rims and blown-out tires that can also happen in these scenarios).
Those riders who have been through this exact scenario – where you accidentally roll over a pothole so hard that you feel the fillings in your teeth rattle out, you briefly question if you’ve slipped a disc in your back, and you immediately apologize out loud to your motorcycle – can personally attest to the value of a well-tuned suspension setup on a motorcycle. This is where airbag systems become a popular option on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as they can improve the ride comfort for both rider and passenger while reducing the chance of bottoming out the suspension. Below, we’ll dive into some details about how suspension setups work on motorcycles, some pros, and cons to airbag suspension setups on motorcycles, and also review some air suspension options for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
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How do most motorcycle suspension setups work, if they’re regular forks and shocks?
The front suspension on most motorcycles is composed of a set of telescopic metal fork tubes, which contain springs submerged in a viscous fork fluid. Depending which springs are used in the forks, the front suspension setups can be either progressive (meaning that the springs are wound tighter at one end, and resistance is soft at first but increases with force and becomes firmer) or linear (meaning that the springs are evenly wound throughout, and while this can result in a stiffer ride, the resistance is the same throughout the range of compression).
On the back of the motorcycle, you’ll typically find either a mono-shock system (one spring) or a dual shock (two spring) system that mounts between the frame and swingarm. The rear suspension system on motorcycles tends to not be as complex as what you’ll find in the front, although you’ll see a visible mix of linear and progressive springs used in conjunction with hydraulic shocks, depending on the motorcycle. They also function in a very similar fashion; linear springs will provide linear resistance, and progressive springs will provide a softer ride by comparison, but deliver a stiff resistance when fully compressed.
Rebound vs Compression vs Dampen vs Pre-load
The physical movement of motorcycle suspension operates as compression and rebound, with the suspension having been designed to be slightly compressed at all times. Try to visualize this in your mind: you’re riding down the road on your motorcycle and hit a small bump in the road. The action of the wheel and tire hitting the bump will force the wheel upward, compressing the suspension further; rebound works in conjunction with this by returning the wheel back down as smoothly as it can. Without proper compression, the impact of the bump would transfer up to the rider, causing not only a great deal of discomfort but also the high probability of briefly losing grip on the motorcycle. Without proper rebound, there’s a good chance you’ll lose traction on the road. Therefore, both compression and rebound are important when it comes to what motorcycle suspension system you choose, and how to set your suspension up depending on your riding style.
So then, what are pre-load and damping? Pre-load adjustments reduce the amount of response you get from either compression or rebound; this happens by adjusting how compressed the suspension is while at rest, with rider and motorcycle weight factored into the baseline adjustment. Finding the sweet spot for the pre-load settings will translate to a smooth ride, increased traction, and improved rider and passenger comfort. The exact measurements for this so-called “sweet spot” will depend on the rider’s build, riding style, motorcycle weight, and purpose of riding. A fully-grown, 250-lb person that takes long motorcycle rides with a passenger onboard a larger touring bike like a Road Glide (and needs to carry their personal belongings on their trips) will have a very different suspension setup than a 180-lb rider that takes short commutes daily on their Iron 883 through poorly-maintained city streets. In some suspension setups, the pre-load can be adjusted relatively easily, assuming that the person making the adjustment is familiar with how to determine the pre-load amount.
Lastly, damping refers to the adjustments that are made to compression and rebound that keep the suspension from exaggerating either motion, and the main purpose for damping is to keep the tire in contact with the road. Too much compression damping causes a stiffer ride and prevents the suspension from absorbing the force of the bump, and too much rebound damping causes a softer suspension where it is unable to return the force of the bump back to the road. Too little compression damping can cause the suspension to bottom out easily over bumps, and too little rebound damping can also cause bounciness. All four of these scenarios can result in lost traction, posing a risk to the rider involved.
Review of the Top-5 Air ride kits for Harley Touring
One of the biggest reasons to purchase an air suspension kit has to do with ride comfort. This can be a result of injuries requiring additional care and cushion, such as a chronic back or hip issue, where stock suspension configurations don’t soften the ride enough for them to enjoy it. Touring bike owners looking for improved ride quality and comfort for long trips also upgrade to air suspension kits, as they allow for increased comfort and adjustability depending on the weight of the bike and the length of the ride. Also, custom bike builders that are looking for that extra-low profile for their project will install air suspension kits to achieve the custom, slammed-to-the-ground look that is popular with custom motorcycle builders.
Now, we’ll review the details on a few different air suspension setup kits that are available for Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles.
1. Shotgun Shock Touring Air RIDE Suspension Kit – The Industry Gold Star Standard
Priced at around $1800 USD, this air suspension kit is definitely not the cheapest one on the market, but it is a competitively-priced fan-favorite among Harley-Davidson touring bike owners due to both the product quality, as well as the excellent customer service experiences that Shotgun provides its customers. The Shotgun air suspension kit comes with two toggles (one is for rebound, the other is the compression toggle that’s used for ride height adjustments), generator, shocks, and associated wiring and tubing. The kit provides everything needed for installation on Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles, and instructions are available on the website to further assist installation at home if needed. Other users have reported excellent customer service experiences with the company, and overall positive encounters for issues such as defective products or returns.
2. Legends Aero-A Adjustable Air Suspension – Most Versatile Air Suspension Kit
In addition to the comforts of air suspension, the Legends air suspension kit allows additional adjustments to be made via six external knob adjustment points, which results in more precise adjustments to rebound damping. According to Harley-Davidson owners with experience using the Legends air suspension kits on their touring motorcycles, this one is also easier to install, and also allows easier access to rear-end components than other brand kits do. The downside is that the compressors used by Legends tend to fail earlier than others; extra care and attention are needed when filling and dumping air from the system to make sure the compressor isn’t inadvertently overloaded. The Legends Aero-A Adjustable Air Suspension kit retails for around $1849.95 USD and is compatible with a wide range of Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles.
3. Arnott 2009-2022 H-D Touring Series Ultimate Ride Kit (Black) – Patented Air Suspension Technology
The big draw around Arnott’s air suspension kit is the patented TruAIR technology that they use in their kits, which features a more rugged air spring sleeve and shock damper design when compared to the competition. The Arnott kit also features application-specific brackets to confirm fitment for Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles, handlebar-mounted switches, a high-output compressor, and all the needed mounting hardware pieces to install the kit onto a touring motorcycle (including detailed instructions). One key benefit to the Arnott system is that the fender won’t rub against the tire, should the suspension end up fully deflated. You can find the Arnott kit on Amazon for $1189, and it can be found for sale here.
4. TCT-MT Rear Air Ride Suspension with Air Tank – An Economical Air Suspension Option
This air suspension kit features everything needed to convert the rear suspension of your Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle over to an air ride, and it will only set you back ~$309 – this is a fraction of the cost of the air suspension kits that are available from competing brands. It features two height-adjustable air shocks, the compressor, air tank, and all additional wiring and tubing needed to install the suspension on your motorcycle. According to feedback from previous buyers, this kit can possibly be used off-label in other non-touring applications, but will require some modifications to make it work; there may not be customer support available if a problem is encountered while attempting this, so proceed with caution if this is your end goal. For those seeking a basic air suspension system on their Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle, this is a possible way to experience the ride without breaking the budget in the process.
5. SLMOTO Electric Center Stand Rear Adjustable Air Ride – Best Budget-Friendly Air Suspension
In addition to the regular components that are found in air suspension kits, the SLMOTO kit offers an electronic center stand – for shorter riders, or those that may have trouble getting a full-sized touring bike off of its kickstand, having an electronic center stand in conjunction with an air suspension system helps them to feel more in control of the motorcycle. At $459.99 USD, having the full air suspension kit plus an electric center stand is an excellent value. The SLMOTO kit features two air shocks, an air pump, all required installation bits such as hoses and valves, plus the electronic center stand. The manufacturer does caution against using this system with motorcycles that have cross-under exhaust pipes, as they will cause fitment issues when installing this system.
A quick comparison table, showing high-level details for each air suspension kit that’s been reviewed
| Brand/Manufacturer | Price (in USD) | Included in Kit | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun Shock | $$$$ | Air suspension shocks compressor two switches hoses and wiring | Excellent customer service from manufacturer, should it ever be needed |
| Legends Aero-A | $$$$ | Air suspension shocks compressor handlebar controls hardware bag with hoses and wiring | System allows additional fine-tuning of suspension with six external knob adjustments for additional damping control |
| Arnott Air Suspension | $$$ | Air suspension shocks ViAIR compressor handlebar switch controls hoses and wiring | Kit features TruAIR Technology with more rugged air spring and damper designs |
| TCT-MT | $ | Air suspension shocks compressor air tank two switches hoses, and wiring | Budget-friendly Kit is sold with additional air tank intended to provide a more robust system. |
| SLMOTO | $$ | Air suspension shocks electric center stand compressor switch kit hoses, and wiring | Only kit on the list to include an electric center stand with the full air suspension kit |
Benefits of Air Suspension Kits vs Standard Motorcycle Suspension Setups
Let’s start first by explaining what air suspension does, compared to standard motorcycle suspension setups. Air suspension setups allow riders to adjust their rear motorcycle suspension to either sit higher (resulting in a more comfortable ride) or lower (which can improve motorcycle handling and stability). Instead of a series of springs and shocks doing all of the work, air suspension kits have inflatable spring kits that can fill with air to different levels. They accomplish this by using an air compressor to fill the airbag compartments, and release air from the chambers if needed to lower the bike. In addition to improving ride comfort when inflated and improving handling when the bike is lowered, there are also load-leveling adjustment kits that will balance the weight of the bike, typically to compensate for a combined rider/passenger weight or additional passenger-cargo that is loaded onboard.
Beyond the added comfort for both riders and passengers, there is the benefit of being able to adjust the ride height which allows shorter riders the option to flat-foot their motorcycle, as well as add extra height for taller riders to fit their legs comfortably. Having an air suspension system makes the ability to adjust ride height easier to accomplish, which is valuable to have while on the road, as changing the pre-load on standard suspensions requires a bit of trial and error (not to mention specific tools are usually needed).
There is also the “cool” aspect of air ride suspension. Some motorcycle owners may install an air suspension system on their motorcycle both for comfort, and to show off when they park their motorcycle and let the air out, thus “slamming” the bike low to the ground. Everyday motorcyclists may opt for air suspensions for the “cool” look, but commonly, it’s the project bike enthusiasts and those that build show-quality custom motorcycles that opt for the slammed, low profile.
Potential Drawbacks to Airbag Suspension Systems
While the cost of air suspension systems has come down somewhat in recent years, the initial cost to purchase and install an air suspension setup can be a non-starter for some folks that want to improve their suspension on a budget. There is also the cost concern of maintaining an air suspension system; over a period of several years, it may be more expensive to maintain an air suspension system versus a standard motorcycle suspension setup.
In addition, the airbags can develop leaks and stop holding air; should it happen that the air suspension system is completely devoid of air, this will cause an unbelievably harsh and bumpy ride (not to mention dangerous, as there is little to no ability to compress or dampen the suspension). There is also the risk of the air suspension components burning out, such as moisture damage or broken tubing, which can also cause the failure of the air suspension system. It’s important to have information on the long-term durability of an air suspension system when you are shopping for a kit for your motorcycle, due to these risks.
In conclusion
There are many reasons to upgrade your Harley-Davidson to an air suspension kit. For those that are seeking the most comfort, there are premium kits such as the Shotgun or Legends kits that will offer high-quality products with excellent customer experiences. Those that are just looking to dabble into the world of air suspension kits without spending a fortune will have kits such as the SLMOTO and TCT-MT that offer an air suspension setup at a fraction of the cost. For those seeking a reliable middle ground, there is the Arnott air suspension kit, which features patented technology in their setup. No matter what your budget, there’s an air suspension kit available for your Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle and riding needs.