Hello all, this is my first post so take it easy on me..I have an 09 Street Glide that has the stock air shocks and I am done with them, terrible to say the least. I have been looking at Ohlins from Howard at MotorcyleMetal.com or the Harley Davidson Premium hand adjustable shocks...please help with the good or bad for these shocks.

Thanks

 

It depends what features you want in a shock but the custom built Ohlins Howard sells are hard to beat and the basic Ohlins is still a superior shock to production off the shelf shocks , I'd buy from Howard and go with the best model your budget will allow

 

If you are not at the top of the class on hydraulic theory & the inner workings of shock absorbers, spare yourself from the verbal abuse and buy a set of Progressives.

 

I bought the 944's and while they are not terrible in any way, They are better two up compared to solo.

unlike a car, I believe the difference in weight ratio on a bike makes it more crucial to Taylor the shock to the rider. A one size fits all approach is a tougher task on a bike.

It's not just the springs either, the valving is very important as well as what the rider perceives as a good ride.

 

I have had both, on different bikes. The Ohlins I had were 13", and the hand-adjustables are 12" in length. Generally, a longer shock provides more travel and allows for a more compliant ride. To keep from bottoming-out on big bumps, the shorter shock needs to be firmer.

The Ohlins (model 3-3) I bought from Howard were the best-riding shocks I've ever had.

The 12" HD hand adjustables I have on my current bike are a lot better than the 12" stock air-shocks.

The Ohlins can also be adjusted for rebound damping (to improve the ride), and are rebuildable. When the hand adjustables wear out, they need to be replaced. Not sure how long they last.

I wish they made a 12" shock that rode like the 13" Ohlins. If they do, I haven't found it.

If you want the plushest ride, and don't mind a 13" shock (1" longer than the stock SG shocks), the Ohlins will be hard to surpass. If you'll be satisfied with a marked improvement over the stock SG shocks, the hand adjustables will fill the bill.

Alan

 

Welcome to HD Forums. I have had the stock 12" & 13" air shocks and also the newer HD 12" hand adjustable shock that came on my 2013 CVO Road King. The 12" hand adjustable shock is a way better ride than the 13" or 12" air shock. I have never experienced the Ohlins shock but have never heard anything but good about them. I guess its a matter of how much ya want to spend for a better ride. The hand adjustables are plenty good for me.

 

I've had both the Ohlins #3's in 13" length and the Harley premium shocks in 13". Yes the Ohlins are a bit better but, in my opinion, not that much. The Harley hand adjustable 13" shocks are almost as good at 1/2 the price. The Ohlins are a pain to dial in while the Harley shocks are straight forward. Less adjustable but enough for this type of bike. There is only so much you are going to get on a shock with only about 3" of play. And the front end is still not great so easily another hunk of $$ to get that fixed. Its a bike, not a Cadillac - no need to go nuts and spend big $$ for a marginally better ride.

 

Thanks for the input, would I be better off going with the 13" or the 12"?...I am 6'6" so I'm not worried about lowering the bike so my feet can touch.

 

How much do you weight and are you going to do any 2 up!!!
I am getting ready to sell my bike and I have 3-3 from howard!!
They will be for sale!!

 

If you really want a better ride, then go with the 13" version.

I have no experience with Ohlins, but I am sure they are a very good shock.
I am running the 13" version of the HD hand adjustable shocks, and ride 2-up 95% of the time.

These shocks are 100% better than the factory Street Glide air shocks.
For us, the HD premium hand adjustable work just fine.

I am sure the Ohlins would be even better, but at a higher cost.