New Ohlins Front End - Review
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Excellent news Howard.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,360
Likes: 453
From: Davie, FL
I am getting the cartridges tomorrow than start the process of what it needs to make it work. I know I will have to make damper rods, fork caps, and make the bottom mounting on the cartridge work with the screw that holds in the old (8 mm screw) damper onto the slider. All is easy before you try it out to see what needs to be done. I believe we have enough room inside of the new 35.2 mm inside diameter for the new 41 mm (actually 1 5/8") fork tubes. This is critical because the oil must enter the side of the cartridge freely and it is tight. If the oil does not flow freely enough than we are onto our next problem to be solved. These for tubes are strong enough to work because the wall thickness but I do not wish to make the wall thickness any smaller. The fork tubes will still bend if you hit a car!
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,961
Likes: 263
From: Conroe Texas
Well Howard I am back in town most of the rest of the year so let me know what weekend day you will be working I'll swing by. To all here I took Howards bike out for a nice little ride, yep everything he says is dead on, what a ride. I am going to do anothey Hoka Hey in 2011, if its like this years I will like to have this suspenson to go with me. The frikken Alcan was terrifying at speed, so was the Yukon and a lot of BC.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 4
From: Newtown, PA
How much?
A few months ago I began thinking about a new front end for my '00 FXDL. This came about because I was so impressed with the Ohlins rear shocks I recently put on the bike, and wanted a front end to match the performance.
Some brief background. The bike had a 39mm narrow glide front end with Custom Cycle Engineering triple trees and fork truss. It also had Progressive Fork Springs.
I spoke with Howard at Motorcyclemetal.com who told me about the Ohlins FGK 205 30mm Cartridges, which with some work on his end would work with Harley's 49mm front end. Since I had a 39mm front end, we would need to do a conversion to the 49mm mid glide. Howard did all the machine work and between us we gathered all the parts, including dyna triple trees, Nightrod Special lower forks, fork tubes, new 1" hub and axle (old wheel hub was 3/4"), custom fender brackets, Ohlins FGK cartridges, fork springs, etc. If your bike already has a 49mm front end you're way ahead of the game!
The cool thing about the Ohlins cartridges are that they are fully adjustable; the right fork for the rebound and the left fork for compression.
Once the build from Howard's end was complete, Rosa's Cycles, who did all the performance work on my bike, did the install and setup of the new front end.
My initial impression when I took it for my first ride was, the ride is amazing! Andrew Rosa, who test rode it said it was incredible the way bike handles on rutted and pot holed roads, and he was 100% right. It was amazing how the front end just soaked up the irregularities. The front end also gave the bike a real precision feel.
Over the weekend I put on about 150 miles and can report the following: Control over uneven roads is amazing, as is tight turn and sweeping turn responsiveness. On hard braking, front end dive is very controlled. Stability up to 120 MPH (the fastest I went) was great, especially since the bike previously used to get a front end wobble, usually around 100MPH. Overall, the comfort and performance is just awesome and I couldn't be more impressed.
Some brief background. The bike had a 39mm narrow glide front end with Custom Cycle Engineering triple trees and fork truss. It also had Progressive Fork Springs.
I spoke with Howard at Motorcyclemetal.com who told me about the Ohlins FGK 205 30mm Cartridges, which with some work on his end would work with Harley's 49mm front end. Since I had a 39mm front end, we would need to do a conversion to the 49mm mid glide. Howard did all the machine work and between us we gathered all the parts, including dyna triple trees, Nightrod Special lower forks, fork tubes, new 1" hub and axle (old wheel hub was 3/4"), custom fender brackets, Ohlins FGK cartridges, fork springs, etc. If your bike already has a 49mm front end you're way ahead of the game!
The cool thing about the Ohlins cartridges are that they are fully adjustable; the right fork for the rebound and the left fork for compression.
Once the build from Howard's end was complete, Rosa's Cycles, who did all the performance work on my bike, did the install and setup of the new front end.
My initial impression when I took it for my first ride was, the ride is amazing! Andrew Rosa, who test rode it said it was incredible the way bike handles on rutted and pot holed roads, and he was 100% right. It was amazing how the front end just soaked up the irregularities. The front end also gave the bike a real precision feel.
Over the weekend I put on about 150 miles and can report the following: Control over uneven roads is amazing, as is tight turn and sweeping turn responsiveness. On hard braking, front end dive is very controlled. Stability up to 120 MPH (the fastest I went) was great, especially since the bike previously used to get a front end wobble, usually around 100MPH. Overall, the comfort and performance is just awesome and I couldn't be more impressed.
Including parts and labor, how much did all this cost you?
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
Thanks. The bag next to the shock is the HD Leather Toolbox, part# 64245-97. It's a rigid box, well made and really comes in handy especially when you don't have any other storeage on the bike. Unfortunately, I hear it's been discontinued, although they do come up for sale now and then on ebay.
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
Likes: 11
From: Long Island, NY
Are you talking about the actual cost or the amount I told my wife? 
Doing a custom mod is much different than ordering a part out of a catalog. Also, your current setup can have a significant bearing on the total cost of the job, and what I spent may have little to do with your situation. For example, what size front end is on your bike now? If it is 49mm your cost will be much different (lower) than mine.
Give me a little info on your ride and I can give you a ballpark or better yet give Howard at motorcyclemetal.com a shout for a real estimate based on your bike.
Doing a custom mod is much different than ordering a part out of a catalog. Also, your current setup can have a significant bearing on the total cost of the job, and what I spent may have little to do with your situation. For example, what size front end is on your bike now? If it is 49mm your cost will be much different (lower) than mine.
Give me a little info on your ride and I can give you a ballpark or better yet give Howard at motorcyclemetal.com a shout for a real estimate based on your bike.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 406
Likes: 13
From: Langley, BC. Canada
Well Howard I am back in town most of the rest of the year so let me know what weekend day you will be working I'll swing by. To all here I took Howards bike out for a nice little ride, yep everything he says is dead on, what a ride. I am going to do anothey Hoka Hey in 2011, if its like this years I will like to have this suspenson to go with me. The frikken Alcan was terrifying at speed, so was the Yukon and a lot of BC.
Hey masterblaster, Sorry to be off topic, but did any of the finishers ever get their motorcycle clean?
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,961
Likes: 263
From: Conroe Texas
Not really, I think I will have mine clean just in time for next round hehehe.
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 939
Likes: 22
Stu,
Great write up. Couple questions to put your review into perspective....was this your first upgrade to your front end (i.e. have you try ricors, progressive springs, racetech, etc.)? Were your running dual discs up front prior to this latest upgrade?
I am seriously considering upgrading my front suspension and converting to the dual disc, but no matter which avenue I pursue it will be a costly expense.
I am partial to Ohlins because I upgraded my rear to Ohlins shocks this past summer and have been very happy.
Although Howard's labor charges are very minimal, the overall conversion(parts alone) is pretty expensive, considering I would need a new front wheel that accepts dual disc, new rotors, brake calipers and dual brake line. Currently my lowrider has a single disc cast wheel.
I guess what I am trying to determine is, was the Ohlins upgrade commensurate to the expense?
Thanks
Mat
Great write up. Couple questions to put your review into perspective....was this your first upgrade to your front end (i.e. have you try ricors, progressive springs, racetech, etc.)? Were your running dual discs up front prior to this latest upgrade?
I am seriously considering upgrading my front suspension and converting to the dual disc, but no matter which avenue I pursue it will be a costly expense.
I am partial to Ohlins because I upgraded my rear to Ohlins shocks this past summer and have been very happy.
Although Howard's labor charges are very minimal, the overall conversion(parts alone) is pretty expensive, considering I would need a new front wheel that accepts dual disc, new rotors, brake calipers and dual brake line. Currently my lowrider has a single disc cast wheel.
I guess what I am trying to determine is, was the Ohlins upgrade commensurate to the expense?
Thanks
Mat