Ohlins Shocks on FXDF
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4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8
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From: Australia
Ohlins Shocks on FXDF
A couple of months ago I purchased a set of Ohlins shocks from Howard at Motorcycle Metal and I am truly impressed with the ride and handling improvement offered.
The shocks themselves are S36PR1C1LB 336mm length eye to eye, have 95mm of useable stroke and are fully adjustable for compression, rebound and have hydraulic preload adjustment within a fine tuning range.
Going for the 336mm shock (over 300mm stock) does raise the parked height a smidge but once you are on the bike it isn't noticeable at all.
The benefit of the longer shock is in the ride travel offered as the same style of Ohlins shock in standard OEM (300mm) extended length only has a stroke of around 65mm and once you preload that shock with rider weight then you only get about 36mm of useable compression travel left as opposed to 68mm for the longer one.
Due to the increased travel and dampening valving that actually works, these shocks are definitely chalk and cheese when compared to the HD offering and far better in comfort and handling.
Prior to delivery Howard set the spring and valving to suit the rider weight specified. He certainly must be a fair hand at it too as despite all my trialling different settings to fine tune them I ended up within a couple of clicks rebound and one click of compression to where he had them set.
I did add about another 10mm of coarse spring preload (whilst maintaining the correct rider sag) though to allow the hydraulic adjusters some useable range just in case the wife is ever keen enough to accompany me.
To do this you just move the coarse adjustment retaining circlip down a notch on the shock body and back the hydraulic adjuster off to its upper end of range to compensate. All too easy. Previously with the correct preload set for my weight the hydraulic preloaders were down near the end of its fine travel adjustment. Preload setting was then fine tuned to the around recommended 1/3 of travel, in this case I went with 32mm.
The ride has improved dramatically. Where it used to bottom harshly and then rebound violently enough to lift me out of the seat, it now feels to float along in a controlled manner. On some big hits they will still bottom, as is to be expected, but they do not rebound with the same a## kicking return as the OEM shocks.
The only small criticism I have is that the FXDF guard does not allow the shocks to be orientated with the reservoir canisters on the high side. All still works just fine but I am cautious, now that I actually have some travel, that if the rear pegs were folded in too far against the bike that they might/could contact the canisters under a big suspension hit. It hasn't yet but I am careful to keep the pegs vertical when folded not leaned in all the way. Besides that it took me a bit to get my head around looking at them installed under slung.
Now hoping on the $USD versus $AUD improving a tad because if the Ohlins 30mm fork cartridges will do similar to the front then they are definitely on the list as well......
Thanks to Howard for his assistance and patience in answer my questions, it certainly made the purchase a pleasurable one.
The shocks themselves are S36PR1C1LB 336mm length eye to eye, have 95mm of useable stroke and are fully adjustable for compression, rebound and have hydraulic preload adjustment within a fine tuning range.
Going for the 336mm shock (over 300mm stock) does raise the parked height a smidge but once you are on the bike it isn't noticeable at all.
The benefit of the longer shock is in the ride travel offered as the same style of Ohlins shock in standard OEM (300mm) extended length only has a stroke of around 65mm and once you preload that shock with rider weight then you only get about 36mm of useable compression travel left as opposed to 68mm for the longer one.
Due to the increased travel and dampening valving that actually works, these shocks are definitely chalk and cheese when compared to the HD offering and far better in comfort and handling.
Prior to delivery Howard set the spring and valving to suit the rider weight specified. He certainly must be a fair hand at it too as despite all my trialling different settings to fine tune them I ended up within a couple of clicks rebound and one click of compression to where he had them set.
I did add about another 10mm of coarse spring preload (whilst maintaining the correct rider sag) though to allow the hydraulic adjusters some useable range just in case the wife is ever keen enough to accompany me.
To do this you just move the coarse adjustment retaining circlip down a notch on the shock body and back the hydraulic adjuster off to its upper end of range to compensate. All too easy. Previously with the correct preload set for my weight the hydraulic preloaders were down near the end of its fine travel adjustment. Preload setting was then fine tuned to the around recommended 1/3 of travel, in this case I went with 32mm.
The ride has improved dramatically. Where it used to bottom harshly and then rebound violently enough to lift me out of the seat, it now feels to float along in a controlled manner. On some big hits they will still bottom, as is to be expected, but they do not rebound with the same a## kicking return as the OEM shocks.
The only small criticism I have is that the FXDF guard does not allow the shocks to be orientated with the reservoir canisters on the high side. All still works just fine but I am cautious, now that I actually have some travel, that if the rear pegs were folded in too far against the bike that they might/could contact the canisters under a big suspension hit. It hasn't yet but I am careful to keep the pegs vertical when folded not leaned in all the way. Besides that it took me a bit to get my head around looking at them installed under slung.
Now hoping on the $USD versus $AUD improving a tad because if the Ohlins 30mm fork cartridges will do similar to the front then they are definitely on the list as well......
Thanks to Howard for his assistance and patience in answer my questions, it certainly made the purchase a pleasurable one.
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