Why Upgrading Your Swingarm Isn’t Optional if You Give a Damn About Performance
Let’s get something out of the way: I wasn’t gonna write this post.
Why? Because I figured I already hit this topic in Building a Performance Bagger: A No-BS Primer. But then my trusted friend named Wrench said, “Yeah, you touched it. You didn’t go deep.” And if there’s one thing we do here at Steel Rippers, it’s go deep.
So here we are.
Let’s talk swingarms.
If you’ve never thought twice about your swingarm, you’re not alone. For the average bagger rider, it’s just a big-ass chunk of metal that connects your rear wheel to your frame. Nothing sexy. Nothing flashy. But that big-ass chunk? It’s hiding major performance gains—and we’re gonna break that wide open.
The Real Deal on Unsprung Weight
The swingarm is unsprung weight. If you don’t know what that means, here’s the cheat sheet:
Sprung weight = the stuff supported by suspension (frame, bodywork, seat)
Unsprung weight = the stuff that isn’t (wheels, brakes, swingarm)
When you reduce unsprung weight, your bike responds faster, handles sharper, and just feels alive. Ditch your heavy stock swingarm and go billet aluminum? You’ll feel the difference instantly. Nimble, flickable, tighter through every turn.
But heads up: it can feel twitchy at first—because your bike is now talking back to you. Tire wear becomes a bigger deal, and suspension setup actually starts to matter. That’s the price of performance. Worth every penny.
So What Should You Expect?
First: sticker shock. A quality swingarm isn’t cheap. We’re talking thousands—not hundreds. And that opens the floodgates of doubt:
Who’s legit?
What’s the weight savings?
Will it even show on my build?
Will it jack up my ride height?
Fair questions. And I asked all of them.
My Pick: Speed Dealer Customs
I went with Speed Dealer out of Joplin, MO. Their swingarms are billet, beautiful, and built for performance. Custom options, solid customer service, badass packaging—and a shoutout on their socials if you like that kind of thing.
I went fully blacked-out on my Street Glide ST. It fit clean, looked clean, and made the bike feel like it dropped 100 pounds in the right places.
Was it a dramatic change? Hell yes. For a minute, it even scared me. The bike felt twitchier, more reactive. Less stable at speed—until I dialed things in. I also learned real quick that you cannot slack on tires with this setup. Cupped rubber? You’ll feel it immediately. Worn tread? Sketchy AF.
Should You Do It?
If you're building a true performance bagger, upgrading your swingarm isn't optional—it’s essential.
When should you do it? Here’s my order of attack if you're modding in phases:
Front suspension (stock bagger front ends are soft garbage)
Engine + tuner
Swingarm + wheels
So no, it’s not Mod #1—but it damn sure belongs in the Top 5. And when you make the leap, you’ll know it was worth it. Not just in feel, but in the way your bike becomes something else.
Something faster. Something leaner. Something that rips.
Final Thoughts
The stock swingarm was built for comfort. But if you want performance—real, edge-of-traction, dialed-in road feel—you need to ditch it.
This mod changes the game. Ask your tires, ask your throttle hand, ask your adrenaline. They'll all say the same thing.
The change is real. And it’s spectacular.
Ride fast. Stay sharp. Keep ripping.
– Bagger Shawn
Founder, Steel Rippers