Well put!! Too many people suffer from the "back of the comic book" syndrome. If your over 50 you probably know what I mean, sea-monkeys, x-ray glasses and space telephones! LOL.... If you have to replace them for the newest best technology then fine do it, but don't slag them off as junk.
It's funny that on a Goldwing they are good for 100,000 miles and get rebuilt repeatedly, but on a harley - THE SAME SHOCK is junk after 10,000 miles.

I rebuild them at my shop here in Canada (because nobody else does) as well as modify them for custom ride height. They are an excellent shock for the intended use. They are a touring shock for a heavy bagger that can have varied loads during the day. I love the adjustability of adding 1-2-3 psi as I feel I need. As to the difference internally between early and later models, well there is a minor valving change which is minimal, but there is a spring change too. If you were to dismantle one you would find that internally there is STILL a spring in there. Early models have one heavier spring and later models have a pair of lighter springs. Effective spring rate is still the same and from all the ones I have measured on my spring rate tester, they all come in around the 150# range. The AIR that you add is in addition to the coil spring. So look at the system like any automotive one where they have an air bag inside a coil spring. The addition of air allows you to tune the overall "spring rate" with very reliable and repeatable results as the compression of air is a progressive rate.

As mentioned earlier, if you want to improve performance, change the oil in your shock at a regular interval. This shock is user serviceable in that manner if you so choose. I don't use ATF, but rather hydraulic oil ISO32 in not only the bike shocks but in all the race cars here too. Lots of youTube vidoes of the "home" method. Remember, it's the fluid that breaks down, wears out and needs changing. You don't put a new motor in your bike every 5000 miles do you? No, you change the fluids...think about that.

 

Wow, some amazing information before the legions got to this thread to go on the Ohlin-attack. While I do not think the factory air shocks offer a great ride, I do think they offer the one thing I simply cannot do without. And that's the ease of adjustability. No other shock can do what I need it to do better than these air shocks, and that's maintain a ride quality when I am solo, then with a few sweeps of the pump, support 240 lbs worth of honey bunny, and however much junk she can throw in the bags and trunk. I supposed I could upgrade to Progressives air shocks, but I care too much about lowering my bike that shortly, my shocks will be heading to Bitchen Baggers for a chop job. Cause I'm that weird guy in the touring section who prefers a lowered stance to a plush ride.

 

All I can say is I have been riding a Harley for the last 30 years and never found the sweet spot for setting the air shocks. I haven't purchased a new motorcycle in the last 13 years because nothing has changed in the ride quality so I wore my last bike out. I finally broke down and purchased a new 2016 Ultra Limited and have yet to ride it but one thing I can guarantee you is that I installed a new set of aftermarket shocks before I ever took it for a ride. I salute those that like the air shock ride, but mine just wore me out. Your mileage may vary.

 

Well you must be pretty confident that the 2016 shocks aren't valved to your liking before ever having even ridden them! Hey, when you know what you want, then you know what you want! Your completely right though, mileage does vary. Personally I'm just a light-weight when it comes to riding. I only average 20,000 miles/year on my bike and only do one 12-18 day trip/year. I did meet a guy last year at a rally that had just racked up 1,240,000 MILES, now THAT is hardcore!
Willing to send me your 2016 shocks? I'm always looking for good cores to mod for lowered bikes! I can give you a NY address.

Thanks!

 

Porschemann- I forgot to mention I rented a 2015 Ultra Limited Low and a 2014 Ultra Limited Standard putting on 2500 miles between them in Arizona. The 2014 standard was ok, but I did not like the 2015 Low much. I was just looking for more in ride quality out of both. For now the shocks are plugged and sitting on the shelf. I'm a hoarder so I will probably keep them until their worthless, or one of my buddy have a problem with theirs!
In your pic I see your at the race track, probably with a Porsche. I compete in the Central Division of the SCCA road racing with a single seater SRF3. If you ever make it to Road America we might bump in to each other.

 

Nice response!

Believe it or not-I like my stock shocks... a lot of people don't adjust them correctly and end up with a poor ride. There is a sweet spot with them, you have to adjust them a lot to find it. Mine (2010) ended up being 28- 30 solo and 45-50 two people.

I weigh 220.

 

I tell you what , if you love the stock shocks, you ride on them.
I used to ride air shocks , and to me they SUCK! I did a trip , and rode for 5 10 hour days , and was sore as hell not wanting to get on the bike for a while after.
Did the same after putting on Ohlins, and I could have ridden 12-14 hour days without issue, and after the trip I got back on the bike the next day to run errands , so that is well worth the extra money I payed.
This is a true story, and I had even changed the oil in the stockers.

 

Shocks are very personal choice different for everybody but to me air shocks sucks.... It seems that the ones like the air shocks is because they never try anything else different. To me is not just the ride quality improvement but the handling of the bike too. It is way more fun and secure.

 

Good eye, yes that is actually the lower paddock at Virginia International Raceway. Indeed with a Porsche, but if I have space in the trailer on a run (no paying customers that trip), we will take the bikes too just for some evening entertainment. Road America is on the bucket list, haven't run that one yet!
So yes, I'm very familiar with performance in the suspension world. The race cars I build have custom made suspension components (my own) and the shocks are custom built to my specs in England. As to the big baggers, hey if you think that changing a shock makes a world of difference to you then go for it! Personally I know the limitation of the chassis geometry, and the actual way the engine mount/chassis/swing arm interact. If you get rid of the rubber suspension pucks at the cleave blocks and change the swingarm to frame mount, then yes a damper change may indeed help. But these will never be a "hotrod performance bike" with this design. Suspension trying to correct a frame/drivetrain mounting problem is a losing battle in my book.
Psst air shocks, oh so cheap... hahaha. Ok, so I charge mine with nitrogen (just because I can). Oh boy, how exotic now! Adjustable Nitrogen Shocks! chuckles...

Point of these bikes is to have fun and get out there and enjoy the open road! Period! Whatever it takes for you to get to that point and maximize your enjoyment is paramount!
Hope you see you all on the road. First round is on me :-)

 

45 - 50 PSI might prevent you from bottoming out but you sure are going to feel every 1/2 to 1 inch bump in the road. I tried everything and there is no such thing as a sweet spot with a passenger on an air shock. Set it on the soft side and the small to medium bumps are alright for the passenger. Hit a big bump and the bike bottoms out hard. I did however find while riding alone I could find a decent pressure.