Öhlins Shocks
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
From: Long Island , NY
Öhlins Shocks
Hello all so I think I am going to swap out my progesive 430 for Öhlins
.. BUT wich ones ,have been emailing with Howard @ motercycle metal and I am a bit confused on what to go with
Yes I love the look of a 11" lowerd shock and I am only 5.7 so i like to be flat foot But dont realy like the look of the Öhlins #2 Or #3 .. The #1s are normal looking chrome shock but in 12"
What are your thoughts I realy want my bike to be as plush comfort as it can be
Thanks
http://www.motorcyclemetal.com/gpage31.html
.. BUT wich ones ,have been emailing with Howard @ motercycle metal and I am a bit confused on what to go with
Yes I love the look of a 11" lowerd shock and I am only 5.7 so i like to be flat foot But dont realy like the look of the Öhlins #2 Or #3 .. The #1s are normal looking chrome shock but in 12"
What are your thoughts I realy want my bike to be as plush comfort as it can be
Thanks
http://www.motorcyclemetal.com/gpage31.html
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,282
Likes: 1,139
From: southeast PA
Not sure what the stock shock length is on your bike, but if you shorten it by 1" you won't find a lot of plush since you seriously reduce the amount of travel and handling capability. That's probably why Howard doesn't do lowered shocks.
I went with the #3-3, which is .6 in. longer than stock, but found that I sit as low or lower than the 12" stock length. A good part of that is due to the sag.
What I'm trying to say is that the #1 may not change your ability to flat foot. What does Howard say about this?
Only the #4's have yellow springs, but they can be pc'd.
I went with the #3-3, which is .6 in. longer than stock, but found that I sit as low or lower than the 12" stock length. A good part of that is due to the sag.
What I'm trying to say is that the #1 may not change your ability to flat foot. What does Howard say about this?
Only the #4's have yellow springs, but they can be pc'd.
Last edited by nevil; Aug 28, 2012 at 09:04 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,047
Likes: 72
From: Northwest Louisiana
The #1s would be my choice due to the chrome caps. They just look "finished" compared to the other ones. I'm guessing the others don't have caps so you can adjust them easier, but say what you want, for that kinda $ looks are important.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 633
Likes: 1
From: Southern Indiana
My #3-3s are yellow (unfortunately). Some come yellow, depending on the spring weight. I'll PC them in the off season. I couldn't do without them while at the Powder coater
You want a plush ride, then you need suspension travel. You also get much better performance and adjustability with the #3s. You are going to have to pick looks or performance/comfort. After talking to Howard (at length, he is a wealth of knowledge), I went with performance/comfort and know I made the right choice (for me). He didn't have much good to say about the #1s, just said they looked good, and were an improvement over stock.
Give him a call, he'll set you up right
You want a plush ride, then you need suspension travel. You also get much better performance and adjustability with the #3s. You are going to have to pick looks or performance/comfort. After talking to Howard (at length, he is a wealth of knowledge), I went with performance/comfort and know I made the right choice (for me). He didn't have much good to say about the #1s, just said they looked good, and were an improvement over stock.
Give him a call, he'll set you up right
Trending Topics
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,535
Likes: 42
From: Bossier City, LA
From what I've heard he is really good about making shorter shocks (12") work well. In the end it's a compromise and you have to add some travel to get the best ride. I'm running a 12.6" shock and it isn't too long. Pretty much the same length as the stock FXD shocks.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Verdad Gallardo
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public
Verdad Gallardo
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 737
Likes: 8
From: Near Atlanta, GA
#3-3 on my FXDWG... no regrets. Full details in a blog entry from last year can be found here.
Like you, I kinda wanted the best of both worlds: a low rider look but with good suspension. Well, those are mutually exclusive. So, I set aside a little vanity and went with the #3-3's that Howard recommended.
Now, I will confess that I "thought" I'd requested black springs with the upcharge for having them powdercoated if needed, but son of a gun if they didn't arrive in all of their yellow spring glory. While the yellow Ohlin springs look great on my BMW R1100S, not so much on the black Wide Glide.
So, I removed the springs and took them to a local powder coater who turned them around in 3 days for $40. Frankly, I like the more industrial / mechanical look of the Ohlins installation vs. being clad in chrome. As for the higher, static "look" of the bike, it does look a bit taller on the jiffy stand as someone already noted... I bought the bike to ride, not to look at. However, once you're on the bike it looks just fine and the performance and comfort are like nothing else you'll fit to a Harley.
Like you, I kinda wanted the best of both worlds: a low rider look but with good suspension. Well, those are mutually exclusive. So, I set aside a little vanity and went with the #3-3's that Howard recommended.
Now, I will confess that I "thought" I'd requested black springs with the upcharge for having them powdercoated if needed, but son of a gun if they didn't arrive in all of their yellow spring glory. While the yellow Ohlin springs look great on my BMW R1100S, not so much on the black Wide Glide.
So, I removed the springs and took them to a local powder coater who turned them around in 3 days for $40. Frankly, I like the more industrial / mechanical look of the Ohlins installation vs. being clad in chrome. As for the higher, static "look" of the bike, it does look a bit taller on the jiffy stand as someone already noted... I bought the bike to ride, not to look at. However, once you're on the bike it looks just fine and the performance and comfort are like nothing else you'll fit to a Harley.