Aside from a motorcycle’s frame/chassis, shock absorbers can be the largest contributor to safe and predictable handling. Symptoms of worn‐out shocks vary but can include leaking seals, wobbly high‐speed cornering, and excessive bottoming out.
Once you have ridden a motorcycle on a set of high‐quality suspension components that have been properly set up, you will immediately gain a new appreciation for premium suspension.
I had previously installed a set of aftermarket shocks on my 2017 Harley‐Davidson Road Glide Ultra to replace the OEM units, but I was looking to upgrade to something that would eliminate the occasional weaving at higher speeds that needed constant handlebar input to manage. After seeing Kyle Wyman rail his Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide in King Of The Baggers competitions, I wanted to try the street version of his Öhlins performance shocks on my bagger.
When I opened the box, I was pleased to see a pair of very handsome Öhlins dampers, which are linked via oil lines to trick‐looking remote reservoirs. The shocks are attractive with a silver body, black springs, and black reservoirs. They use 36mm pistons and have adjustments for rebound and compression damping, as well as offering preload adjustability.
The shocks come in a standard 13‐inch height and provide a range of +8 to -2mm of height adjustment. The spring rates are progressive, so they are initially soft but stiffen up as wheel travel is used up. Also included is a stainless‐steel preload adjustment tool, which makes adjusting the preload much easier than having to use a hooked spanner as on some other aftermarket shocks.
Installing the Screamin’ Eagle Öhlins shocks was made easy with the included instructions – a set from both H‐D and Öhlins that included illustrative photography. Removing the old shocks and swapping in the new ones presented little challenge. The installation of the remote reservoir brackets was an extra step but a simple one thanks to the included bracketry and hardware.
The instructions were also helpful with setting up the preload on the shocks, with a handy table that indicates the specified distance between the spring preload adjuster to the upper body of the shock. The table provides recommended settings to accommodate various rider weights, with or without a Tour‐Pak, as well as any additional weight of a passenger and luggage.
Figuring out the damping adjusters took a minute, as the instructions didn’t indicate which was compression damping and which was rebound damping. I eventually figured out the knurled knob on the remote reservoir adjusts compression damping, while the hand‐turnable rebound damping knob is located below the shock’s spring.
Once I had the kit installed, I took a ride along familiar roads in my hometown of Colorado Springs. As I glided over potholed and patched roads, I initially suspected the air pressure in my rear tire was low, as the ride was far smoother than with the previous aftermarket shocks on the bike. Nope, tire pressure was right on target. The Öhlins shocks had mellowed out the sharp‐edged cracks in the road.
To provide context, my Road Glide also has an aftermarket set of fork internals that greatly improved front‐end handling. Not quite as nice as an inverted fork, but far better than stock. The Öhlins shock absorbers complement the upgraded forks nicely.
At higher speeds, the Öhlins dampers provided a much more confident feeling and eliminated the weaving and meandering in the same high‐speed sweeping corners when riding on the previous shocks. Responses were well controlled but without any harshness.
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In summary, if you want to really transform your Harley’s handling, few upgrades will contribute to a more comfortable ride and better handling than the Harley‐Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks by Öhlins. The kit isn’t cheap, retailing for $1,699.95, but the upgrade in performance makes it well worth the money.
