Legend Suspensions Revo-A Review: 30,000 Miles and Counting

I’ll never forget the comment someone left on my Instagram when I was talking about my Legend Suspensions Revo-A shocks years ago: “They’re like butter for your butt!”

Whether that comment makes sense to you or not, I will say, the Legend Suspensions Revo-A rear suspension far outperformed my stock suspension in various riding conditions, and have kept me riding on a cloud for well over 30,000 miles. If you’ve ever considered upgrading to Legend Suspensions Revo-A shocks, here’s my brutally honest review of this suspension.

Things to Consider Before Reading This Review:

Your riding abilities, riding style, current bike modifications, and personal weight will greatly affect your preference in suspension. I know that we all see a ton of stunt riders beating their Legend Suspensions up online. Doing a wheelie in a parking lot is significantly different than touring long distance. To be completely honest, half the stunt riders I know think I’m crazy for riding cross country. Not because I’m a woman, but because they think it’s uncomfortable and/or hard to put down hundreds of miles in a day. Do I think that stunt riding has its place in showing the quality build of a suspension product? Absolutely! But the suspension is going to react completely different when, say, a touring rider like myself puts it to the test in daily application.

I weigh roughly 170 pounds and am 5’4” with a 31” inseam. If you weigh 200+, ride with a passenger, and are 6 foot tall, you might have a different opinion on this suspension system. Assuming you are not my clone, how I have my Legend Suspensions Revo-A’s set up will definitely differ from how you set yours up.

Lastly, my Legend Revo-A suspension was given to me by the team at Legends in early 2016. This blog is not sponsored by them. I am not actively sponsored by them. The thoughts and opinions here are my own.

Revo-A Rear Suspension

Suspension Length

Currently, the Revo-A is offered in 12” (Stock), 13” and 14” increments. I personally run the 13” version of the Revo-A on both my 2003 and 2015 Harley-Davidson Dyna LowRider. Something you’ll notice about these shocks is how “soft” they sit. The extended coil length allows for a larger “sweet spot” without increasing the overall shock length.

Standard Versus Heavy Duty Springs

Once you figure out what length shock you want, you’ll have to decide between Heavy Duty and Standard springs. Legend Suspensions recommends the Heavy Duty Revo-A application for anyone who plans on seeing a rider and passenger total weight of 500lbs or more. If you prefer a stiffer shock, and you tour often, you probably should go with the Heavy Duty application to begin with, due to the fact your bike is going to be heavily loaded down on a normal basis.

If you prefer softer suspension for a plush ride at all times, and your weight load falls under 500lbs, the Standard application should work perfectly for you. I’ve personally never ridden with the Heavy Duty application, but I know a handful of people who have, and prefer it over the standard for their riding style.

Preload and Rebound Adjustments

This is, without a doubt, the biggest benefit to the Legend Suspension Revo-A system. The Revo-A suspension has easily adjustable preload and rebound adjustments. So easy, in fact, that you don’t need a single tool to adjust the Preload or Rebound. This feature is what set’s this suspension apart from most aftermarket suspension offerings.

If you’re touring, you’ll want to stiffen up the ride a bit due to the increased weight load. Simply rotate the springs by hand for a stiffer (or softer) shock preload. (Shorties like me beware: Stiffening the shock may make reaching the ground a little more difficult…but your bike will ride on rails if you are an aggressive rider.)

You’ll also want to turn the preload knob, which features six damping adjustments. Simply turn to a higher number for a more controlled/aggressive ride. I typically leave my shocks set at a 3 or 4 on the rebound, and turn it up to a 6 if I’m about to hit some twisties. For a Cadillac cruise, I’ll turn them down to a 1. For such an easy adjustment, the difference is significantly noticeable.

Additionally, I do enjoy riding through the twisties when I’m home in the Rockies, sans touring luggage. Performance is a major factor in the way my bike is set up, but functionality is also key. I have Tru-trac stabilizers installed to aid in the famed “dyna wobble” problem. Paired with great suspension like the Revo-A, the wobble is non-existent compared to a stock setup. Would I say that the suspension is more important than the Tru-Trac? No. I think that teamwork makes the dream work. You will, without a doubt, notice a huge difference in your bike’s handling by upgrading the rear suspension alone.

Revo-A Installation

Install is pretty simple, assuming you ordered the correct shocks for your bike. Follow the directions that come with the packaging and you’ll be dialed in in under 15 minutes. During Install, you’ll have the opportunity to set the sag on the suspension. The instructions that come with your shocks will give you step by step directions on how to properly setup your Revo-A’s to your weight. I usually throw a wee bit of gear on my lap (let’s say an extra 30-50lbs) so that my bike rides properly at all times with my luggage and other items added. This sets my suspension up for an aggressive ride right out of the gate, with or without luggage on my bike.

Problems I’ve Had With My Revo-A Suspension

No product is perfect. So let’s talk about the negatives I’ve experienced with this suspension. Luckily, this list is actually quite short!

First off, I have had my shocks leak oil, which isn’t ideal. And, you may see that this is unfortunately a common issue with this shock by doing a simple Google search. Luckily, Legend Suspensions offers a lifetime warranty on their Revo-A shocks, so sending them in to be fixed wasn’t a huge ordeal. The team at Legends is extremely personable and they care about their products. So if you ever have questions or concerns, they’re absolutely there to help.

It was roughly a one week turnaround from send out to return. However, I do live within 500 miles of their home base of Sturgis, South Dakota, which makes a difference in shipping time. (Yes, their suspension is made right here in the USA!) As someone who tours often and is on the road a ton, having my suspension leak fluid is definitely not something I want happening while I’m in the middle of nowhere on a trip. It did take nearly 25,000 miles for this to happen, though.

The second and final complaint I have, is that the coils of this shock are slightly wider than other brands of shocks, making them not ideal for some luggage applications. Depending on what type of saddlebags you run, they may end up rubbing on your bags. I run LeatherPro’s retro FXDXT soft bags, like most people with “club style” Dynas. The slight rubbing doesn’t affect the shock’s performance, but my bags do wear the black powder coat off of them over time, and the suspension has torn holes into my textile bags.

Luckily when I had my suspension fixed 5,000 miles ago for the leak, the coil springs were replaced, too. Unfortunately, my bags are already starting to tear through the powder coat again. Does this bother me? No. I’m not that high maintenance. Will it make someone that should be riding a Street Glide with rhinestone pants and white sunglasses upset? Absolutely.

Like Butter for Your Butt… 30,000 Miles and Counting on my Revo-A Rear Suspension.

Overall, this has been one of the best suspension products I’ve had the opportunity to put to the test. I highly recommend the Revo-A Suspension to anyone looking to upgrade the handling and performance of their Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Whether you want a plush ride while touring, or a more aggressive ride to handle tight corners at speed, the Revo-A is a phenomenal suspension system that can do both.

In fact, I’d go as far as saying that if you could only upgrade one thing on your motorcycle when you first purchase it, a set of Revo-A’s would be the first thing to install. I have heard a ton of good things about them on touring models like the Road Glide and Street Glide, but have not had any personal experience with them on a bagger to further discuss. Regardless of what motorcycle you intend to put these on, I can guarantee you’ll notice an immediate difference over the stock suspension.

Where to Buy Your Legend Revo-A Suspension

Shop for Legend Suspensions Revo-A on Amazon, here.

Shop for Legend Suspensions Revo-A on RevZilla, here.

Shop for Legend Suspensions Revo-A at J&P Cycles, here.

For more product offerings and information on Legend Suspensions, visit www.legendsuspensions.com