Continuing the ongoing saga of improving upon Harley-Davidson’s M-8 Softail platform—the everpopular FXLRS model, to be more specific—my focus recently shifted, and not a moment too soon, from the drivetrain to the suspension.

If you’ll recall, Editor Jordan updated his Lowrider ST with an Öhlins NIX 30 (FKS 508) cartridge kit, complementing his rear Öhlins S46 (HD 504) adjustable monoshock. When purchased, my 2021 Lowrider S, it had already been equipped with that same rear shock by its original owner, so to try something different for the front, Jordan suggested contacting Big Bear Performance, who had recently come out with their own 29mm cartridge kit for the Lowrider S/ST Showa 43mm inverted front end. And that’s exactly what I did.

But, before I get into the how, let me explain why. As stated, my FXLRS had been updated with the Öhlins rear shock, but my initial reaction was, it didn’t ride any better than stock. As for the front, which was untouched from the dealership, it definitely had room for improvement… it was rather spongy and dove dramatically upon hard front braking (not to mention what I assumed caused the rear to bottom out quite regularly). Overall, the bike’s suspension created what I could best describe as a “rocking horse” scenario when accelerating at speed through the gears.

Suffice it to say, I made an appointment with Big Bear Performance’s Kevin Alsop to not only have him install his 29mm cartridge kit, but to show how his versions of the drop in performance kit are assembled. During the process, Kevin explained the benefits of upgrading to a performance suspension setup. “Having correct suspension improves stability and grip while cornering and under braking, which provides shorter stopping distances,” Kevin says. “Holding your line through the corners, with the added stability and braking, makes it so much more enjoyable for the rider because it improves their confidence. Suspension isn’t just there to hold the bike up it’s there to control the input from the road surface on one hand but also to control the energy that is built up in the springs combined with correct fork oil level to support the bike under braking. We only come to these conclusions through multiple hours of testing.”

After about an hour of assembly time, Kevin and Rob took a quick look at the current settings of the rear shocks and—lo and behold—it was completely zeroed out on both comp/rebound, which explains not only the rocking horse scenario, but why the bike was bottoming out. After addressing that, I was told in no uncertain words, “Get on the freeway and go as fast as you can, as far as you can!” Which I did.

Without exaggeration, the bike handled and performed like never before—like it should’ve from the get-go. Accelerating through the gears, the bike was straight as an arrow (no more rocking back and forth between each gear), did not nosedive under hard front braking, and the ride was as smooth yet solid beyond expectation. All combined, it provided for an incredibly enjoyable riding experience— something you must personally experience yourself to truly appreciate.

And as Kevin put it, “having the correct suspension improves stability and grip under braking, providing shorter stopping differences, so it really is a huge safety factor as well.”

Looking back now, this probably should’ve been the first step in Building a Better M-8… but better late than never. HB

SOURCES:

BIG BEAR PERFORMANCE
(909) 478-7788 // bigbearperformance.com