Harley touring often falls flat without having the right kit of aero suspension. The riders with their passengers have variable weights and so on the bumpy ways. Different Harley air rides for touring require different features from the package.
To get the best air ride for Harley Touring means you will get the adjustable preload along with the right sag adjustment. Different suspension kits come up with different rebound rate and height adjustments.
No worries, here you will come to know some of the best deals for 2023. Make your tour to the next level, just after reading between the lines of this article.
Here are our top picks (available on Amazon) best air ride for Harley Touring:
Best Air Ride For Harley Touring: The Review
1. Best Overall: Legends Aero HVG Air Suspension
- Legends Aero HVG Air Suspension
From our research, we’ve found Legend suspension is one of the best air shocks for Harley Davidson. Let us tell you why. Well, this is the only fella that will be able to outweigh all road conditions and especially for touring Harley air ride. This air kit will make your stock suspension double. You only just need to go through fine-tuning before the ride.
The pin-point feature of it – is the Kevlar air spring that brings a variable adjustability rate based on different choices. You may easily accommodate it along with the wheels, and the air spring will maximize up to 13 inches seems huge!
It looks so premium, and the reason is it has the anodized aluminum body. So, it can impressively deal with tough roads without any wear-out. Unlike any traditional air spring, it doesn’t have the rubber shock bushings. Instead of that, you will get to see the Spherical mount bearings that’s why it allows lateral play excluding the up-and-down movement.
Pros
- Smooth adjustability
- Lower friction and ease of touring
- Weight to height rebound performance
Cons
- Mounting the adjustability rate somewhat difficult for the beginners
Summary
Once you add the Legends Aero suspension kit with your Harley, the 6 external knob ensures maximum rebound performance. This is why the rider will easily fine-tune the rider’s preference according to their weight. Lastly, the US-made air spring seldom wear-out and gives safe and sound Harley touring.
Another read: Best Oil For Harley Davidson Twin Cam
2. Runner-Up: XMT-MOTO Rear Air Ride Suspension System
- Fits for Harley Davidson Touring Bagger Models 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012...
XMT-MOTO Rear Air Ride Suspension System is a versatile air shock for Harley Davidson due to its adaptability. This air ride suspension fits any Harley Davidson Touring Bagger Models, from 2022 to older models as much as 1994.
Now, why is this air ride suspension amazing? This air shock comes with an air tank and height-adjustable feature giving you flexibility. It means you will have more freedom on the road while riding the bike.
The height of your ride can be adjusted as far as two or three inches up and down. The adjustability option is very handy because you can choose which height you want based on your mood on that day, always amounting to smoother rides.
Let’s talk about its stability. These gadgets are super durable and stable due to its high-quality nickel-plated brass fittings, withstanding high pressure without any damage. With this kit, you will be able to ride with zero air pressure without rubbing, which will your riding experience a breeze.
Pros
- Waterproof and dust-proof
- Height adjustability up to 2 or 3 inches
- Made with nickel-plated heavy duty brass
- Complete kit with an instruction manual
Cons
- While adjusting the height, the compressor might take a bit of time to respond
Summary
XMT-MOTO Rear Air Ride Suspension is a complete kit ready to use on your Harley without purchasing any extra parts. The manifold-style dump valve block is designed for the best performance. Made by an experienced company, you can be assured that these will last you a long time without damage.
Read also: Harley Davidson Primary Oil Substitutes
3. Best Budget: XFMT Adjustable Rear Air Ride Suspension
- CONDITION - Aftermarket 100% Brand New! This is a complete kit assembled to replace your stock touring shocks with height-adjustable air shocks.
If you are on the lookout for air shocks without having to splurge much, look into XFMT Adjustable Rear Air Ride Suspension. This suspension fits loads of Harley Touring models from 1994 to 2023.
To tell why this is our pick, it packs all the useful features while keeping it super affordable. You will get the height adjustability feature that allows you to lower your bike by 3 inches. This model uses nickel-plated brass fittings to withstand harsh road situations. On top of that, it is collapsible and extending up to 14.17 inches.
Coming with a full kit, you will not need to purchase any other parts. While this kit is fully functional and covers your basic needs, do keep in mind this is a budget item.
However, the compressor can be extremely slow some of the time. While it cannot compete with premium gadgets of its kind, it will definitely get your job done at an affordable price!
Pros
- Super affordable
- Provides adjustable height feature
- Comes as a complete kit with instruction
Cons
- The quality is not as good as higher-end gadgets
- Compressor is quite slow
Summary
This is the air ride suspension to buy if you are concerned about the cost. XFMT Adjustable Rear Air Ride Suspension is a fully functional air ride suspension with some amazing basic features. While there is an obvious quality difference with higher-end versions, this is well worth the money spent on it. The kit is complete, and the instructions are fairly simple to get you moving!
Another interesting read: Best Windshield For Street Glide
4. Another Option: TCT-MT Rear Air Ride Suspension Set
- 【FITMENT】Fit for all Touring models Electra Street Road Glide Road King 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007...
TCT-MT comes with the limited suspension for rear air ride. This brand and the product is a new one in the market. So far, we unravel it, we get to know this kit is not fully-perfect for an air ride for Harley. However, the manufacturer claimed that it is made especially for touring bikes with the 9.64 inches of collapsible rate.
The reason why you may opt for it is because getting the whole package of kit in your budget constraints. It has gotten all the basic air ride components, excluding the latest add-ons of 2023.
5. Alternative: Harley Davidson Touring Ez Rider Basic Air Ride
This one is an older version of the suspension kit but still manageable for touring because the rear suspension works great. As a result, the kit ensures to toggle the right height and firmness adjustment.
However, it missed the air tank, so the inflation rate would somewhat fall flat. There is a way to upgrade it later with some premium quality parts reinforced with custom fittings. If you don’t want to invest all the eggs in the same basket, then you may give it a try.
Key Factors to Check Before Buying The Best Air Ride For Harley Touring
What to consider before buying the best rear air ride for Harley Touring? Well, let us explain it below, and hopefully, you will get some ideas.
Adjustability Rate Of Suspension
The suspension adjustability rate is the first and foremost thing to consider before buying any of the best air suspension for Harley Touring. For example, the more adjustability you will have means, the more accommodation you will have while touring. Normally, the suspension rate is good between 9 inches to 13 inches.
Budget
It is natural to search for the best deal with the lowest price possible. While there are high-end options, some of the mid-ranged air suspensions provide optimum performance. While buying the cheapest one might not be good in the long run, expensive does not always mean better. Hence it is important to take your budget into account. Compare the price to the features available, and go for the one with better quality features in your price range.
Complete Kit Package
It is a smart decision to buy a complete kit of air suspension rather than having to buy extra parts later. Let’s face it; it is annoying. Hence, go thoroughly through the product description before the purchase to make sure it comes with all of the necessary parts. An installation guide will make your life a lot easier, so don’t skip on that!
Suspension Sag
Suspension sag is an important part of the air ride suspension setup. Suspension sag is simply the volume of compression used when a weight is on the bike in a neutral position. This can be the weight of the rider himself or any other gear. The role of suspension sag is crucial when riding on rough roads with cracks and depression. It helps the shock withstand any possible damages that otherwise would have been caused.
A proper suspension sag will also increase the performance of the bike. The ideal state for the riding sag is approximately 30% of the extension length. It is crucial to keep this in mind before buying an air shock. Other times, it is suggested to increase the preload amount to keep the sag working when you load more luggage or passengers.
Riding Test
Before buying the suspension, it is always best to go to a store and do a trial run yourself if possible. Once you are sure of the suspension sag you need, take the bike with that particular model on a riding test. Notice how the bike is accelerating or decelerating, if it is able to withstand the road imperfections properly. If the results are not satisfactory, opt for a different model.
Additional accessories available on Amazon for Harley Touring you may look for:
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is An Air Ride Suspension System For Harley Touring?
When it comes to telling you the smooth ride on Harley, the air ride suspension is the king of the heap. Because here you get to see no shortcoming traditional coil-based suspension.
Traditional air springs are made of specific thicknesses based on wires. Therefore, it may only deal with the narrow array of the weight range. But for Harley rides, riders are expecting more for getting the right adjustability.
On the flip side, the aero suspension means more adjustability no matter whether you ride your bike on different tracks. Since you are going to ride your Harley in different circumstances, you just need to tune up the suspension like soft tail fellas to hard one. Thankfully, you will get all of them in one suspension.
How Do You Put An Air Ride On A Harley Touring?
The first thing you need to do is to set up the switch along with the air tank. For that, you may drill out the hole to make it a little bit bigger. The switch wire will be hidden by the plastic shield, which is included in the package.
Once you set it up, then you need to install the air ride suspensions. For example, when you have the main part of spring, that will go for mounting, and this is how you may do it.
* The first thing you need to do is to unmount or remove the jacks of shocks
* Apply the locker of the shocks and fasten it up
* If you find the torque hardware, then route the air tubing starting from a particular shock
* Fine-tune the tire and see whether there are any obstacles or not
* Inflate the shock according to your preference and add another 20 PSI
* Once you sit on your bike, then measure your weight and adjust the rate once again
How To Adjust The Best Air Ride For Harley Touring?
Adjusting the aero ride suspension requires you to do a couple of things. First off, you need to check out the components to see whether it is fully functional or not. Afterward, you need to deal with the shocks and fork to see its performance as well.
From now on, you will need to get your hands on the proper suspension setup with the suspension sag. Normally, average Harley riders tweak the suspension up to 30% from the preload on the shocks. So you need to level up the amount of preload to that measurement.
However, the more you will spin the collar, the more suspension you will get. For instance, if you toggle the shock up to 9 inches, then during normal riding you will get 3 inches of sag.
Conclusion
Having the best air ride for Harley Touring means you have purchased the whole package with essential kits. The adjustability rate comes from the right deal of external knobs that fit next to the spring. Furthermore, you have to fine-tune it before touring, and it may be considerable based on the passenger’s weight. Hopefully, you get to know which one suits your preference from our review. Now it is high time for you to make a move right away!
