Springer Suspensions

ROCKETDOG

ROCKETDOG

Active Member
I'm considering purchase of another DOG (K9) with an american springer suspension on it. Anyone have experience with these.... ride quality, handling, etc.

Thanks.
 
onaprwl

onaprwl

Onaprwl
Can't help you with the American Springer but a springer is a much better ride. My front end floats over bad roads much better that it ever did with the factory front end. I would assume if the springs are set correctly and not to tight, they all should.
 
BadDawg Bill

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
Make sure it's a raked springer that matches the org rake of the tube front end or you will have BIG problems. You need the correct rake & trail or it will dump ya on your butt. If it's not raked your rake & trail will be way off...
 
FrankBDPS

FrankBDPS

Well-Known Member
BadDawg Bill said:
Make sure it's a raked springer that matches the org rake of the tube front end or you will have BIG problems. You need the correct rake & trail or it will dump ya on your butt. If it's not raked your rake & trail will be way off...
Click to expand...
Good advice Bill. Some people just do not understand rake and trail.
 
BadDawg Bill

BadDawg Bill

Well-Known Member
Tall Mike said:
springer front is on my wish list..
Click to expand...
The only raked and correct springer I found (and I'm sure there are more) is a Paughco that lists for $2,400. Most guys go for the cheap DNA springers but none of them are raked and the quality is poor. I'd check to see if American has raked springers and make sure the bike has the correct one.

The $2,400 is just for the springer and then you will need a brake caliper, bracket, dog bones and a fender mount if you want a fender so it gets real expensive to do it right but believe me you want to do it right.

I had a Paughco springer on one of my bikes and tried to go cheap by making my own fender mount. I came off the road and hit a pothole and the front tire went up into the mount where the bolts caught the tire and bent the springer in half. I went head over heels down the road along with the bike. Lesson learned...

Another time when I owned a chopper shop a guy came in with a raked chop that had a long springer on it. He wanted me to check out the front end because he said it had a wobble. I checked it out and it was fine but I told him the front end was too long and his rake and trail was way off. The only way to fix it was to get a shorter front end. He told me I was full of it and just wanted to sell a springer and left. A few minutes later I heard the ambulance and found out he crashed a ways down the road and died from head injuries. I know of too many stories like that so be careful.
 
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Tall Mike

Tall Mike

Active Member
Thanks for the heads up Bill.. :flag:

I was looking at Denvers Choppers, but I'm a long way off yet..
 
ROCKETDOG

ROCKETDOG

Active Member
springer

The model is the American Suspension D69 Sabertooth. I have added a pic. I realize this doesn't tell much if anything. I do understand that I'm asking for trouble if rake and trail are not setup properly. Allegedly this bike was originally owned by a BigDog tech when the Springer was installed so you would hope it was done right. I'll have to have the owner do some measurements to determine Rake & trail. Would anyone have the stock measurements?
Thanks for the input.
 

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