IMO these are the best shocks on the market by far. You get quality when you buy Ohlins suspension as well as top notch customer service. I purchased mine through CycleSolutions.com. Made low ball offer after clicking make offer. I was called and told the lowest price they would go. Paid that price out the door. Received them quick, just a couple days. They were out of stock of the HD-357 so he asked is I wanted the HD-044. The newer model which only difference i'm finding Is the hose to the canister is a bit longer, and read the piston is upgraded, though the HD-357's shipping out now have an updated piston as well. Easy to install. I mounted the canisters on the bottom of the tour pack which gives it an odd look, but I like it. With the Michigan roads being crap. The bumps have to be substantial for me to even feel them from the back of the bike. Only really feeling the bumps at the fork to the handle bars. I will be upgrading the fork shocks soon for total ride comfort. Before I bought the shocks, my butt was numb, sore, whatever after just 4 hours of riding. I was needing breaks to let the blood flow. After putting the shocks on, 6 hours only stopping for gas and i'm still just as comfortable as I was at the beginning of the ride. Add the other comforts such as lower fearing and a good touring windshield, I'm good for the max at this point 600 mile ride. I was still wanting to go but already at destination.

After coming off my 2010 ultra to my 2014 CVO limited earlier this year, I removed the Ohlins HD-044 from the 2010 and installed on my 2014. There were some adjustments that needed to be made. It was the first time I just set back to zero and counted the clicks to go to recommended starting point. I just could not get the adjustment right. Here are lessons learned that may help some of you out if you ever find yourself doing the same. Though it was still improvement over the stock CVO air shocks, the ride on Michigan roads was leaving my wife's back sore with the bigger bumps. Combined with the windshield issues and wind blowing right into her face, she does not enjoy riding like she did with my 2010 ultra classic. She was spoiled with the good setting on the ultra and the better windshield.

First off after a good 45 min on the phone with Matt from Ohlins 1(828)692-4525 extension 308. He is a great guy who is vary informative. Things to check such as the rubber mounting bushings. Make sure the shocks have good play for the movement the swing arm moves. Your back wheel does not stay true and actually moves a little with the rubber bushings mounting the swing arm to the bike frame as a normal condition. If the rubber is hard or someone shimmed the shock to make it sturdy.. it will effect the ride quite a bit. Other harmonics also have a play in the ride comfort as well. Though the angle and mounting is similar 09+, the shock needs to be adjusted differently for the various model changes. 09-13, 14-17, 18-19. Also model has an effect. My setting is different on my 2014 CVO limited vs my buddy who got me to buy the Ohlins. He rides a 2014 Ultra Limited. Our combined weights with our wives and gear are similar. His still floats smoother than mine.... for now.

I was able to get the settings close enough that my wife and I can go ride around to get it dialed back in the rest of the way.
With 2 up riding you want your ride sag to be 30-35mm. I was at 25mm sag on the 2010 when I installed them so I left it. It was in the recommended window. There is quite a difference in feel between 25mm and 35mm. This means the Difference between bike lifted and shocks fully extended to taking the bike off the jack with You, your passenger, along with your typical gear in the tour pack. Saddle bags stay off the bike to be able to do the right measurements. Easiest I found was to use a 12" ruler with the mm measurement. Put the tape (cut to an arrow) on right at 12" or the full length of the ruler while bike is off the ground. When you set the bike down measure with both people that typically ride 2 up and your gear. Your measuring the difference from the mark down the ruler to where the bike rests with the weight. That is your ride sag. 35mm with Passenger, chances are you will still be in recommended range with 1 up.

Dampening adjustment is your main adjustment to dial in for comfort. It does adjust both compression and dampening. The Owners Manual just says to turn the **** at base of shock clockwise to zero. This was the biggest issue I was having. Zero is turning the **** counter clockwise as if you're screwing it up the shock, not down as the owners manual suggests. 14 clicks down towards the adjustable eyelet is standard. I found 17 clicks to be the best so far for comfort and still have good stability. This may still change as I'm not done tuning the shocks to best setting yet. Pulling the saddle bags off, well leaning them out to get to the shock for adjustment as you ride. It is probably better to ride without the bags while adjusting since they don't weigh much. Just put your normal gear in the tour pack or strapped to the rack on the back for the weight. I weighed my gear and just used a dumbbell in the tour pack. Was the easiest way with all the gear I carry as a road captain. First aid kit, rain gear, tool bag, flag, and misc other things.

Once your dampening is set. You can fine tune your adjustments with the compression setting. Even if your dampening is open a little too much, you can compensate with compression adjustment to tighten the bike back up. Zero is with the **** screwed into the canister all the way. Back out 12-14 clicks to start out with. Once dampening is adjusted, adjust compression from there to fine tune your shocks.

Last bit of info to pass on is these shocks are completely rebuildable. The oil becomes contaminated and heat cycles so will eventually start breaking down. Rubbers tend to get hard. Both of which starts effecting the ride quality. Normal maintenance is 25k miles or 3 years to send in or go to local shop for rebuild. Typical cost is $250 for replacement of rubber parts, oil and Recharge the nitrogen. If no other issues, the shocks will be like new again in ride quality. This can be extended a bit, but better to just pull off the suspension every 3 years and have it done. Prevent any other issues that may result. I'll find out later in the season if I can just buy the parts, oil, and do the service myself. I may only need the equipment to charge the nitrogen and was thinking of buying the stuff to charge the tires rather than using air anyway.

 

Nice write up, but I though the bottom adjustment (around the shaft) is rebound dampening and the **** at the top is compression dampening?

Did something change?

 

Ya, that's the way it was written up in the owners manual. Above is what I got out of my long convo with Matt from Ohlins. Doing what I wrote above, I was able to get my suspension close. Just need to get the time away from work to have my wife ride with me and do the stops to tune it in the best it can be.

 

Question for ya: In your original post you state
First off after a good 45 min on the phone with Matt from Ohlins 1(828)692-4525 extension 308. He is a great guy who is vary informative. Things to check such as the rubber mounting bushings. Make sure the shocks have good play for the movement the swing arm moves. Your back wheel does not stay true and actually moves a little with the rubber bushings mounting the swing arm to the bike frame as a normal condition. If the rubber is hard or someone shimmed the shock to make it sturdy.. it will effect the ride quite a bit. Other harmonics also have a play in the ride comfort as well. Though the angle and mounting is similar 09+, the shock needs to be adjusted differently for the various model changes. 09-13, 14-17, 18-19. Also model has an effect. My setting is different on my 2014 CVO limited vs my buddy who got me to buy the Ohlins. He rides a 2014 Ultra Limited. Our combined weights with our wives and gear are similar. His still floats smoother than mine.... for now.

By shimming, are you meaning using washers to line up the shocks with the mounts? In other words, say you bolt the shocks to the bottom mount, and line them up to the top mount. You look, and see that you have a slight gap on one side, so you use a washer to take that gap up. It that the type shimming you are referring to?

 

yes, sorry about the delay in responding. Was at my annual camp site since Wed. Crappy connection there.

 

Reason I asked is the Ohlins I got from Howard, in his directions state to do exactly that. Strange, indeed.

Rotate shock upwards so the top bolt mounting hole in the
frame aligns with the cylinder head bolt hole.

Look from the rear forward at the space (if any) between the
frame and the cylinder head (#1).

Add the appropriate amount of spacer(s) to shim the shock
to eliminate the gap if needed.

Caution! Under no circumstances ever tighten the mounting bolt to close the gap

 

He is right. I should have added that. I am sorry. The spacers that do not raise off the bolt too far are used for filling that gap, Not washers. Washers are too wide around. The shims need to only mounting between the mounting point on the bike and the center metal part of the rod end bearings. They cannot interfere with the rubber or outer metal part of the rod end bearing. Giving room for them to move they way they were designed to. The shocks rod end bearing needs the rubber isolation to be able to move to do its job. The swing arm that the shocks mount to have quite a bit of side to side movement in normal riding conditions. Motor alignment also has a play in where the swing arm is located vs the bike frame. If the shock was too far off the bike and needing the shim in the first place. You're just binding and restricting the natural movement of that part.