When you're tired of feeling every single pebble on the road, updating to rwd rs1 shocks will be probably the best thing that you can do for your Harley. I spent years riding on the stock setup, thinking that the "harshness" was just portion of the V-twin experience. You understand the feeling—hitting a bridge expansion joint and feeling like your backbone just got pressurized an inch? Yes, that's not some thing you have to live with.
Russ Wernimont has been in the sport for a long period, and whenever he put his name on the particular RS1 piggyback shocks, people started having to pay attention. These aren't just some off-the-shelf parts with a new fancy sticker. They're designed with a specific purpose: to make a heavy touring bike deal with like it's actually supposed to.
Why Stock Suspension system Just Doesn't Cut It
Let's be honest, the particular factory shocks on most Harley-Davidson touring versions are pretty average. They're usually air-shocks or basic emulsion shocks that are designed to match the widest possible range of cyclists. The thing is, when you try to make something "one dimension fits all, " it usually doesn't fit anyone completely.
If you're a solo biker who weighs 180 pounds, the bicycle feels one method. In case you throw a passenger on the back and fill up the saddlebags for a weekend trip, the particular bike feels completely different. Most stock setups tend to bottom on big hits or feel "pogo-stick" bouncy when you're carving through the canyon. That's exactly where the rwd rs1 shocks enter into play. They provide you the regularity that's missing from the factory components.
What Can make These Shocks Various?
When you first pull these out of the box, the first thing you notice is the piggyback reservoir. It looks cool, sure, however it actually acts a major functional purpose. The reservoir keeps extra oil, which is great for heat diffusion. If you're operating all day on rough backroads, your shocks are working hard. Heat accumulates, the essential oil thins out, and cheap shocks begin to fade. Since of that additional oil capacity in the RS1s, they stay consistent from the first mile in order to the five-hundredth.
The Internal Tech
Inside these items, it's all regarding the valving. These people use a top quality internal bypass program that reacts in different ways depending on how hard the hit is usually. On small humps, they're plush and smooth. On large hits, they firm up to keep a person from clunking towards the frame.
I've tried a few various brands over the years, and a lot of of them feel either too soft or too stiff. The rwd rs1 shocks seem in order to find that "Goldilocks" zone right in the particular middle. Plus, they're hand-assembled right here in the States, and you can really sense that quality control when you're rotating the adjusters.
The 14-Click Realignment
One of my favorite features is the compression adjustment dial. It has 14 distinct "clicks. " It's not one of those infinite-turn knobs to have no concept where you are. It is possible to feel every click, which can make it incredibly easy to tune.
If I'm operating solo, I may retain it on click on 4 or 5. If the wife jumps on the back, I'll just reach down—without even needing tools—and click it upward to eight or nine. It takes five seconds, and it completely shifts the dynamic from the bike. You don't have to become a master auto technician to figure it out.
Setting the Sag is definitely Everything
We can't stress this particular enough: even the particular best shocks within the world can ride like rubbish if you don't set the sag correctly. When you get your rwd rs1 shocks , the first thing you need in order to do is invest ten minutes getting the preload right.
Sag is basically how much the particular bike settles under its very own weight (and yours). If a person have too very much preload, the trip will be stiff. Too little, and you'll blow with the vacation too fast. RWD makes this quite easy with a threaded preload adjuster. You just spin and rewrite the spring in order to tighten or release it. Once a person find that lovely spot, the bike feels planted. It doesn't "hunt" within the corners any longer, and the front end feels even more stable because the rear isn't bouncing about.
The 13-inch vs. 14-inch Controversy
This is a query that comes up the lot in the forums. Should you go with the standard 13-inch length or maybe the taller 14-inch version?
Plenty of guys are moving toward the 14-inch rwd rs1 shocks because it gives you more trim angle. If you like to trip your bagger strongly within the twisties, that extra inch of height is the game-changer. It keeps your floorboards through scraping each time you look at a large part.
Nevertheless, if you possess a shorter inseam, that extra height might make this a struggle to touch the ground with stoplights. The 13-inch version still offers a massive enhancement over stock with out changing the angles of the bicycle excessive. Personally, I actually think the 13-inch is the "safe" bet for most people, however the 14-inch is the "performance" choice.
Real life Riding Experience
So, what will it actually experience like on the highway? The best way I actually can describe this is "controlled. " Before I installed the rwd rs1 shocks , my bicycle felt a bit disconnected. If I hit a bump mid-corner, the whole chassis would settle within a way that will felt unsettled.
Now, when I hit a bump, the surprise absorbs it, recovers instantly, and stays on the collection. It's a confidence booster. You stop looking at the street for potholes to avoid and start simply enjoying the trip. Long highway stints are way much less exhausting because your body isn't ingesting all the road vibration. It's humorous how much fatigue actually comes from bad suspension.
Two-Up Performance
If you ride with a traveler, this is how you'll get the most thank-yous. My passenger used to complain about the "jolts" on every single bridge transition. After switching to the particular RS1s, those issues pretty much faded. Being able in order to adjust for that additional weight in mere seconds means the bicycle doesn't squat within the rear, which also keeps your headlamp pointed at the particular road instead associated with the treetops.
Comparison to Additional Brands
Look, there are a great number of great choices on the market. You've obtained Legend, Ohlins, plus Pro-Action. They most make nutrients. Yet I think the rwd rs1 shocks stand away due to the value plus the ease of use.
Ohlins are usually fantastic, but they may be a little bit intimidating with most the different changes. Legends are excellent, however lots find them a bit for the firm side. The RS1 feels like a "rider's surprise. " It's developed by someone who in fact spends amount of time in the particular saddle and knows what a Harley owner wants. It's plush when a person want it in order to be, but it's ready to work when you start pushing the bike.
Last Thoughts
Will be it worth dropping nearly a 1000 bucks on a pair of shocks? It's a fair question. You can buy a lot of chrome or a louder exhaust system for that type of money. But here's the one thing: a person can't feel chrome when you're riding over the motorway.
Trading in rwd rs1 shocks is definitely an investment in just how much you actually take pleasure in your motorcycle. This turns a bike that's "fine" into a bike that's "incredible. " When you plan on keeping your bagger for over a time of year and you also actually plan on putting kilometers on it, do yourself a favour and fix the suspension. Your back, your passenger, plus your peace of mind will be glad.
It's one of those upgrades where, after the first ten miles, you'll probably end up stating, "I must have completed this in the past. " It really is very much of a difference. Make absolutely certain a person take the time to dial within that sag, and you'll be fixed for years associated with smooth riding.