Lifestyle Cycles Product Review: Legend Suspensions AXEO Front Cartridges

"Kevin here at Lifestyle Cycles. Today, we've got Nick who's made the trip all the way down from Sturgis, South Dakota, to talk to us about all the great products that Legend offers for different applications and what you can get from them in terms of comfort and performance for riding your Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Nick, thank you so much for coming in and bringing us all up to speed on your great product lines. I'll just let you dive right into it. What can you tell us about the front cartridges?"

"Okay, well, for the Harley-Davidson, we have come out with two new products this year: the Axeo Comfort and the Axeo Performance. Basically, these are complete replacement front-end damping cartridges for your Harley-Davidson. The Comfort and the Performance are set up essentially the same way. You'll have your damping system on the top with nitrogen up here and oil down here, and there's a sliding damper inside. So, the more aggressive your riding, the firmer the front end will get. The biggest difference between the Performance and the Comfort is the spring rate. The Comfort is 27% softer than the Performance. So, if you're on a trip to Sturgis, you'll have a comfortable ride all the way through. But if you get into the hills, it'll firm up and handle just like the Performance version. The Performance is designed for more aggressive riding styles. If you're constantly pushing it, you'll want that front end to let you feel every bit of the road, every joint. Another big difference is that both models bring you back to the stock ride height of the bike from the factory. They're identical on both sides, so the symmetry means you won't have compression on one side and rebound on the other, which can make it feel different. I've experienced that with some suspensions where it definitely feels different when turning left or right because one side is more elaborate than just dropping a spring or something on the other side."

"Yeah, this is a complete replacement. You basically remove your forks, and these cartridges drop in. They're not under pressure or anything like that and use a limited amount of oil. The oil in the system provides damping, but it's mainly for your fork seals and such. This is a completely sealed unit with a lifetime warranty on it."

"Very cool. Earlier, we talked about setting up rider and passenger loads on the rear suspension. On the front suspension, you mentioned it's just for the rider's weight. One of the big mistakes in installing these is people adding them to accommodate passengers and gear, setting the preload too high. That'll make the front end too firm and won't deliver the performance it's designed for. Always set it for rider weight only. It might even rattle your teeth if it's set too rigid."

"Yeah, exactly. It's crucial. And looking at these, with the different part numbers, I noticed you have Comfort, Performance, and variations like 1-inch under, 2-inch over, and setups for 21-inch and up CVOs."

"Yes, the CVOs from 2018 or newer have their own front ends called the KO front end because those bikes came stock with a 21-inch wheel, and their fork tubes are a different length. So, we have a specific set for those Road Glide CVOs. The primary distinction between Comfort and Performance is that if someone wants to run a 21 or 23-inch wheel, they must use the Performance version because we don't limit the travel on the Comfort. The Comfort is designed for that smooth ride. So, if they plan on installing a 21 or 23-inch wheel, they should opt for the Performance front end."

"I became familiar with that when we loaded your products onto our website. We made sure to list them there with descriptions. So, if someone forgets what we're discussing here in the video, they can refer to the descriptions on our website. It's crucial to ensure compatibility and avoid issues like hitting the fender on the bottom of the triple trees, which can damage the paint."

"Exactly. We also have Axeo setups for Softails, Tri-Glides, basically anything Harley has. The easiest way to figure it out with Softails is if it's an FLST, we should have a front end for it. If it's an FXST, probably not."

"Sure. Did we miss anything?"

"Well, they do come with a lifetime warranty, just like our rear shocks. As long as you own them, they're under warranty. We don't tell you when to rebuild them; you tell us when they don't ride like they used to. Send them in, and we'll rebuild and return them as long as you own them. This applies even if you change motorcycles. As long as the original purchaser has the receipt, you can transfer them from bike to bike and still enjoy the great Legend suspension in Comfort or Performance."

"Yeah, as long as it fits the new bike's fitment, they'll fit right in. One thing I noticed on my own bike using these is the difference in brake dive. Could you describe how it's improved?"

"Absolutely. With the stock suspension, there's just one large spring on one side and a helper spring on the other. Every time you hit the front brake, especially if you've ridden Harleys, you hit that front brake and it dives. With the Legend setup, if you install both front and rear Legend suspensions, you should be able to cruise through a parking lot at 45 miles per hour, slam on the brakes, and your bike should do this, not this. It also helps when preloading into a curve. When you hit that front brake, your bike won't dive because the nitrogen forces the wheel to the ground. It's all about control. People who have had these installed have noticed a night-and-day difference. They've been riding Harleys for decades and didn't realize that's how a front end was supposed to feel."

"Right. And circling back, Legends Suspension actually started designing these shocks for Harley-Davidsons. They didn't incorporate something from another brand or from off-road or street racing. They were really built around the weight, comfort, and performance you'd want from your Harley-Davidson motorcycle."

"Exactly. So, if you're a rider, I highly recommend trying the Legend Suspension cartridges and rear shocks, whether you're seeking comfort, track performance, or an aggressive feel. These products truly fit the bill across all those categories. Again, I want to thank you for making the trip from South Dakota to visit us here in sunny California. We might go for a ride later on; I'll put you on one of the demo bikes we have downstairs. It's been great talking to you today."

"Absolutely. Thank you very much."

"You bet."

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