If the stock air shocks seem like garbage to you, it’s time to replace it with the best rear shocks for Harley Davidson Touring. To prevent bottoming out and have bump-free riding experience, truly there is no alternative to lowering shocks from any reputed brand.
Among lots of brands, I strongly recommend only the Progressive suspension for high-quality products. Their units fit perfectly almost all the models from Harley. The price is reasonable and undoubtedly your expectations will be exceeded.
Best Rear Shocks For Harley Davidson Touring Comparison Table
With important features and based on reviews from experienced riders, I have made the following comparison table. All the models are ordered based on their popularity and recommendations.
| Image | Brand/Model | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Progressive Suspension 944-4020UT |
| View On Amazon |
  | Progressive Suspension 944-4002UT |
| View On Amazon |
  | XMT-MOTO |
| View On Amazon |
  | Progressive Suspension 412-4020B |
| View On Amazon |
  | Progressive Suspension 944 |
| View On Amazon |
Rear Shocks For Harley Davidson Reviews 2020
As I said above, I mostly covered Progression suspension because of the quality and trust of the brand. I have added only one review on another brand simply because that was recommended by a considerable number of riders. Maybe I will include more brands in the future.
Progressive Suspension 944-4020UT
If the stock air shock seems garbage to you, try this to have a whole new level of bump-free motorcycle riding experience. No matter how extreme the bump is, it rebounds so quickly that you won’t feel anything and you will call the Harley stock shock nothing but garbage.
If the stock shock seems too soft or firm and you are not getting a comfortable ride on the bumpy roads, it’s time to change it. Many have tried it on the bumpy railroad crossings as a test; they barely felt the tracks.
Many have changed the factory shocks for Harley street glide for their 2015/2016 Street Glide, 2003 FLHTC Electra Glide Classic, 2013 FLHX, 2005 Electra Glide Ultra, etc. and found big improvement. In fact, many riders have reviewed it as 100X times better than the stock one.
Your driving experience over the nasty and rough roads won’t be a nightmare anymore. It’s proven to absorb all the bumps pretty well. The pebble on the road won’t bother you or your partner. But don’t get me wrong. It’s not spongy soft I am talking about.
For the sharp corners, it’s pretty stiff to keep the motorcycle stable and soft enough to prevent ejecting you over a hole or bump. You do not want a spongy soft ride at the expense of the suspension performance. It perfectly damps the shock and keeps you in contact with your bike when you hit a large bump. It’s like you are floating over the road.
Even without setting the correct sag just go with the setting from the manufacturer, you will notice a big improvement. Set up the sag correctly though to make things even smoother. There will be no more bottoming if you get any of the rear shocks for Harley touring!
Due to bumpy roads, many have suffered from back pain a lot. They tried many things to make their rides comfortable like expensive seat pad and so on. But they were frustrated. Then they got this and the result changed their riding experience forever!
When you have a Progressive suspension, you simply can’t go wrong. Install this, wear your half-face motorbike helmet, and ride your bike on the highway to get the true feelings.
More Features
- Perfect fit for Road Glide (1998-2018), Electra Glide (1986-2018), Road Kings (1994-2018), Street Glides (2006-2018), Ultra Limited (2015-2018).
- If you weigh more than 230lbs, go for the heavy-duty version.
- Features intelligent FST (Frequency Sensing Technology). It can sense the frequency of the bump and adjust automatically the damping.
- High quality springs featured in these lowering shocks for Harley touring.
- Many riders have tested it hitting smaller to bigger potholes; they did not have any issues. Almost felt nothing!
- No more speed oscillation coming from the rear end. Great stability like you have never experienced before.
- As long as you set up the sag and turn it on for your weight, there will be no more bottoming out crossing driveway apron, intersection, railroad track, etc.
- You will find lots of lowering shocks for Harley touring, or road glide, or Sportster, etc. from other brands, but it’s hard to beat for the money.
Progressive Suspension 944-4002UT
It’s so irritating having a tippy bike even at low speeds and stops. You can make your motorbike a less tippy significantly with the Progressive Suspension 944-4002UT. You no longer need to be concerned about the performance and comfort when you have this. Already highly recommended by a lot of happy riders.
Riders who were unhappy with the constant bottoming up with the stock air shocks have confirmed the fact that it has made their bikes bump-free. They did not have this bump-free riding experience even when they set to their max pressure of the stock shocks.
With this progressive shock, you can totally eliminate the bottoming. You won’t even feel any small bumps. When it comes to performance, you will notice an enormous improvement once you installed it. Just like many riders have confirmed, you will have much more confidence with tight switchbacks and high-speed corners.
Upon development of a crack and leaking oil of rider air shocks of 2016 FLTRU, he installed this from Progressive. He talked to the Progressive representative about his requirement, told his weight and height, the model of his bike, etc.
After that, the Progressive has recommended this for his bike. When he installed it he noticed a massive improvement in handling in the corners. Not to mention, the riding experience from then has been very pleasant. You can get the same experience for your bike if you get the right shocks for Harley street glide.
If your stock air shocks make you feel like you are one a hardtail, try this. It does everything as advertised and it’s a verified fact by lots of Harley owners. Your bike will sit the same no matter what’s the condition of the road.
Whenever you have to make wide-angle high speed turns, you will appreciate it a lot and it won’t bottoming-out your passengers. After installing it on the 2011 FLHX (Street Glide), that’s the realization of a biker.
More Features
- Get your weight right so that you can pick the right one from standard duty or heavy-duty. It’s perfect for almost all Harley Davidson models including 2011 Ultra Limited, 2019 road glide, etc.
- Talk to the Progressive, share your information. They will help you pick the right one. However, you can change the springs from heavy-duty to standard later too.
- If you are a lightweight person, select the standard-duty one. Otherwise, the sag won’t fit easily.
- No need to worry about forgetting to put air in the shocks.
- From the ease of installation to great adjustability, the build quality is great with awesome performance. No more harsh riding experience! Prevent soreness in the back forever!
- Even at the lightest preload, you will find the shocks to be very firm.
- Improved handling experience of your bike. Many have reviewed it as their newfound experience.
XMT-MOTO Rear Air Ride Suspension
If you have a tight budget but still want to have a smoother riding experience, it’s for you. With a tight budget, it’s hard to find rear shocks for Harley road king or touring that can meet your expectations. Apparently, it has proven to meet expectations.
For the benefits you will get, you would have to pay almost more or less $600+ if you try other brands. It does not leak. Someone tested it using a 200PSI gauge. Did not leak at all and.
The look of the shocks may seem cheap to you, but the performance is alright for the price. Many riders have tried it in their HD FLHX, 2015 street glide, FLHTCU, and other models. Even slammed horribly, their bikes did not ride hard.
Many have tried it for the 2nd and 3rd time and they are still happy with the performance. So, don’t think it is of lower-quality just because it is inexpensive. Yes, you should not be expecting the same level of performance as Progressive Suspension.
A lot of the riders have used this for their 2008 Sportster, Ultra Classic, etc. and they have confirmed they shocks work great and do as advertised. Your feet can touch the ground and you will have exceptional experience handling and lowering your bike.
Even if the weight of you and your passenger is more than 300 lb., you will have a bump-free smooth riding experience. To make things even more comfortable, use your motorcycle Bluetooth headset to have a conversation with your group or listen to music.
For other brands and models like the Honda Shadow VT1100C, you may need to do small modifications. For that, I strongly suggest doing the installation and modification in your local workshops.
With the improved riding experience, many riders and their passengers have recommended it a lot. But I recommend it only if you have a tight budget and you can’t afford to buy expensive brands like the Progressive.
More Features
- It allows you to lower your bike up to 2 or 3 inches.
- For a very reasonable price, you can get a high-adjustable air shock and replace your crappy stock touring shocks.
- It lets you ride your bike with zero air pressure and there won’t be any rubbing!
- This highly adjustable rear air suspension comes with all the components to make your bike fully-functional.
- Though it fits all Harley Touring models from 2017-down, before you order, make sure it is compatible with your bike. Ask the seller or contact the customer service of the manufacturer and share your bike information with them.
Legends Revo Suspension Systems
Finally, something made in the U.S.A. that is getting huge attention already within a very short period of time.
Legends Revo is perfect to bring radical improvements. The differences it brings to your Harley is noticeable than any stock shocks. If the performance of the stock shock is terrible, you can have 100% confidence in it.
Even if the combined weight of you and your partner is more than 300 pounds, it will smooth the ride tremendously. It’s suitable for the lightweight riders too. No matter what is your weight, you can fine-tune the ride performance.
Many Harley riders have confirmed the fact that installing these shocks were the major upgrade they have done so far. Some even recommended that Harley should dump their stock shocks and install those instead. You will find the night and day difference between those and stock shocks.
No more bottoming out, no more rough riding. To have Cadillac like riding experience, you should try these. Because of the huge improvement it brings, many have installed the front suspension as well from the Legends Revo!
There is no way you will be disappointed having these for your HD. After lots of research, some riders have opted for the U.S. made shocks and they are satisfied with performance improvement.
As usual, it’s really easy to install. You can do it yourself for your Harley Touring. It’s suitable for almost all Touring models. But you should confirm the model first before your order. You can check their official website to get the right model for your bike.
Ohlins Harley Touring Shocks
In a sentence, highly recommended if you want something better than the original air shocks. Already lots of Harley riders have increased travel and improved the lean angle with this one. No matter how terrible the shape of the roads in your state, this improvement is what you need right now!
After test drive on the dirt road, many have confirmed to have speed improvement of almost 3 times. In the past, whereas they could go at the speed of 15 to 20 MPH with the stock air shocks, they can now run at the speed of 45 MPH with the Ohlins shocks!
Some got blown away after testing it on some potholes. If you have never tried it before, you will have the new HD riding experience after installing it.
You won’t have to face the air loss hassles anymore. It improves the handling ability of your bike noticeably. It ensures the best comfort and performance every time you ride your HD. However, you have to pick the right one.
Ohlins shocks are available in both 12” and 13inches. While ordering it, I strongly recommend you to consider your weight of you, your passenger, and the packages (if any).
The best thing you could do to pick the right one is that you share all your information with them, and they will recommend you the right one. In fact, if you want, they will even set the preload on their shocks for you!
It’s suitable for any FLH/FLT Touring 1998-Newer models. But to pick the right one, you should talk to them nonetheless.
Buying Guide For The Best Rear Shocks For Harley Davidson
In addition to pick the right model for the optimum suspension, you have to pick the correct one from the standard or heavy-duty versions. You don’t have to consider a lot of factors when it comes to picking up such a unit for your bike. Picking the right one is as important as picking the right slip on mufflers for Harley.
If you carry a passenger every now and then, it’s crucial you have the right one to balance the extra load. This will keep the bike sitting on the road even if it is a rough road. However, keeping in mind the following factors can prevent future disappointments:
Height Adjustability
You should be able to keep your feet on the road when the time comes to stop your bike. When it is true that your manufacturer can tell the height of your bike, the shocks installed will have a significant impact on the height of your bike. So, it’s crucial that you should have one with an adjustable height feature.
The stock shocks of all Harley Davidson models have some height adjustability. But for lots of bikers, it’s not enough. In fact, some call it nothing but garbage. An ultra-low shock from the Progressive suspension can give you that added advantage.
Quality
For every Harley Davidson enthusiast, the quality of every single part is crucial. As you have noticed I covered only one brand other than the Progressive, I suggest you go for the Progressive if you can afford it. There are other brands like the Ohlins and Burley, but they are no match with a Progressive Suspension.
Stiffness And Softness
The general rule of thumb is that the front shocks should be soft to absorb the impact but the rear shocks should be stiff to be able to carry the load. If you always carry a passenger or use your bike for mainly outdoor activities, it’s important that you pick stiff rear shocks.
Easy Installation
Every now and then we have to do a small repair to our bike ourselves, right? Installing shocks is such a job. Every brand provides a manual with their shocks on how to install it. If you have a moderate troubleshooting experience, you should be able to install it easily. If not, take it to a local motorcycle repair shop.
Here is how you can install a rear shock on Harley Davidson.
Final Verdict
Until they improve their stock shocks, there is no alternative to having the best rear shocks for Harley Davidson touring from the Progressive. Any sort of rough riding will severely hamper your riding comfort and eventually, there will be permanent soreness in the back.
I would strongly suggest getting the Progressive Suspension 944-4020UT it that supports your model.
