My friend Howard Messner at MotorcycleMetal.com sent me an email on Wednesday letting me know that Ohlins finally released a longer then 12.5" version of their S46 mono shock for the HD softails. The 12.5" version has been around for a while, but I wanted longer to raise the *** end of the bike up a bit. The new model - HD 506, goes up to 13.2". I had been waiting for this, so naturally I told him to order it. Now, to his credit, he told me he had no experience with this shock, and would not be able to adjust the valving like he does to customize the other models to the rider. He just hasn't had the opportunity to get a softail and mess around yet. So he said all he could do is give me my usual discount and make sure it was set up with the correct spring, by Ohlins. He gives a considerable discount for HD forum members, but please don't ask me what I paid. I've bought a lot from him over the years and don't know if he gives me a bigger discount then some, so just ask him please.

Since he wasn't touching it, he would have Ohlins drop ship it direct to me. That was Wednesday night. It arrived Saturday. I had stuff to do so I didn't get to install it until today. Honestly, I was expecting more difficulty then it was. Yes, its more complex then simple two bolt Dyna shocks, but not much more.

First, the frame cross member comes off (three bolts)
Then you have to muscle off the front and rear main bolts. The rear was a PITA and needed a breaker bar. It also had a 1/4" pinch bolt that had to come out. Now I see why the instructions say to remove the rear fender. But you don't need to. I broke it loose with a 1/4" drive 1/4" allen head socket, but couldn't get it all the way out due to the fender interfering. So I finished a quarter turn at a time with an allen wrench.

Here it is going back in.



Once that was out, the rest was easy. two bolts. The rear T47 you had to crank down to 90ftlbs, and the front 3/4" to 75.

I did remove two torx bolts holding a cover down, just to give me a little more room to squeeze the longer shock in, but that was no big deal. You can see it slightly raised here:



Once in, I moved on to the hyd. preload adjuster. It comes with an odd bracket that they want you to use to screw into the left side cover and leave the **** exposed. No way. I don't know about most, but once I set up my shocks, I leave it alone. So I had some 1" stainless "L" brackets which I used to bolt it to the pre-existing tab on the cross member that the Heritage uses to mount its preload ****. Couldn't have worked out better... Just a couple of zip ties to keep the hydraulic line under control (though it wasn't going anywhere, but I like things tidy) and installation was done.






Then I set the initial free and loaded sag, used Ohlins recommendation for the damper adjustment, and done. The bike is definitely A LOT taller now, which is GREAT for my 6' 3" ***. The math says it should have increased the height by 1.4", but it feels like more.

I can still flat foot it, but my knees aren't bent anymore lol.



Now for the fun part. The first ride. For those of you who have never tried a premium shock like Ohlins (which is probably the best of the best), there's nothing like that first ride. Smooth, yet controlled is how I describe it. I took a particularly shitty road at 50mph that had some what must be 2" tall hard edge bumps that would normally compress my spine, and all I could do was giggle as the shock took them and asked for more. It was so comfortable, yet rock solid at speeds and leaned over. And hitting a bump while leaned over is a new experience with a great shock.

It's honestly better then I expected. Dare I say as good as the amazing HD774's I have on my FXR and had on past Dyna's.

The only problem is now I've got to drop the $800 on some NIX22 fork cartridges... Sigh.

 

Wow, your garage is big.
I think the stock length one would fit 5'9" me better.
I found the stock shock to be better than my 2014 Street Glide with Ohlins so I'm pretty happy for now.

 

Great writeup, Mchad. Glad you're liking your "new" ride!

FWIW, the rear fender is a breeze to remove on this Low Rider. Unclip the three electrical plugs, pull the 4 bolts in the front parts of the fender struts and voila!

OldMike, I'm only 5'7" and I wouldn't worry at all about the longer shock. In fact, this LR is the lowest bike I own. Only wish I had the coin to buy an Ohlins like this.

 

Apples to oranges. Two completely different frames and bikes. Though I do agree, I have a set of the second from best Ohlins shocks on my Road King, and while they are also a huge upgrade from the stock shocks, the Softail generally feels better. I attributed it to a lighter bike and stiffer frame. One day when the next touring design comes out maybe it’ll use the same design. Who knows.

 

I had posted a couple years ago about how my FLHTK needed more suspension travel and how I didn't like how the seating position and the short travel hurt my discs in my back. Some bigmouth on here with the screenname Nevada-something came on and said something about having a "glass ***" or some nonsense like that and how if I didn't like it I must have a vagina because the last thing in the world a "real Harley" needed was more suspension. I sold the FLHTK and went to a KTM and a BMW so I could get bikes with riding positions that protect my back and have some actual suspension under them. Now I am just laughing at posts like these were I read how "real Harleys" are so much better now with some actual suspension underneath them. I also used to have an FLSTN that I really loved - except that damn seating position and the fact that the Softail suspension sucked and there was no cornering clearance. I went into the local dealer and asked about getting a shock to increase the ride height. The desk jockey at the dealer and his buddy went "you want to RAISE the bike???" as if I had just bad mouthed Islam or something... I said yeah man, don't you guys ever ride bikes that can corner and don't hurt your back?? And they just shook their heads and told me that basically I just "didn't get it" and that I should sell the FLSTN (that I loved) because obviously I wasn't a "real rider". Now, every ride report I read about the new Softail platform, the first thing people rave about is the.... increased suspension travel and cornering clearance....

LOL... everything new is old again... or something like that.

I can't wait for the Pan America to come out because it seems like FINALLY Harley is going to make a motorcycle for us REAL RIDERS who have known all along what the bikes have been lacking but the culture was too ignorant to admit.

 

I don’t know how to respond to this... Installing better suspension is nothing new. Nobody ever badmouthed me for installing 13.5” shocks on my Dynas, that I posted several years ago.

 

Disregard and please carry on.

 

good answer

 

Just to be clear my comment wasn't aimed at you Mchad - I'm just getting a kick out of the reactions to the new bikes after the experiences I had.

 

wow McChad whats next Mod after the fork cartridges maybe a non condensating speedo LOL