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Ohlin experience less than expected

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Old Apr 29, 2015 | 06:52 PM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by 2013_FLHTK
I have three authorized dealers within 25 miles of my home. Its too bad you did not have that as an option.
Can you share the dealers info?
 

Last edited by soos; Apr 29, 2015 at 06:54 PM.
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Old Apr 29, 2015 | 08:29 PM
  #12  
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Unfortunately, sometimes a small shop is so swamped that they can't get to everyone as quickly as they'd like to. In my experience Howard is a reputable guy and worth the wait. It's nearly impossible to be personally involved with every customer but Howard tries to do just that. It's like your favorite restaurant, good food, like good service is worth the extra time it sometimes takes.
I hope the rest of your experience goes better. Ohlin really make a great product.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2015 | 08:55 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by FinalShot
I'd be aggravated too with the slowness of Ohlin but I am impressed they sent them signature required. Sucks that you weren't there to receive them. Maybe now that they are assembled to correct way, they will perform better

I went a different route and went with Pro Action Street series. They are by far much better than stock. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ock-story.html

I am actually going to ride an ultra this weekend with a guy that is my weight and has the 13" Ohlins and we are going to compare, side-by-side Pro Action and Ohlins.
Please let us know your feedback! Thanks in advance
 
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Old Apr 29, 2015 | 11:59 PM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by wsaxton
Never intended to "by-pass" Howard. Fact is I contacted him first, sent him 3 emails and called him 3 times over a 7 day time period letting him know I wanted to order shocks from him. Knew he was the guy to get shocks from from the forum. When he did not return my emails or phone calls I contacted Ohlins to find a different vendor. They offered to sell the shock directly to me. A week after ordering the shocks directly from Ohlins Howard finally called me back. I told him that I had purchased them directly from Ohlins, he got mad and was rude to me. I do not see why it would take 2 weeks to return a call or send back a quick email. I tried to use Howard, he chose for whatever reason not to return my calls or emails.

I may not have been home the day UPS tried to deliver my shocks but my son was. Ohlins required a 21 or older signature. UPS has signature and over 21 signature, frustrating as he could have signed if 21 and over was not required.
This explanation will not be accepted by the huggers. I would say you gave the favored vendor and the manufacturer more than a fair chance. The idea that we shouldn't expect a $900 premium product to work at all unless purchased from a single vendor is absolute bs.
 
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Old Apr 30, 2015 | 01:15 AM
  #15  
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Originally Posted by wsaxton
Never intended to "by-pass" Howard. Fact is I contacted him first, sent him 3 emails and called him 3 times over a 7 day time period letting him know I wanted to order shocks from him. Knew he was the guy to get shocks from from the forum. When he did not return my emails or phone calls I contacted Ohlins to find a different vendor. They offered to sell the shock directly to me. A week after ordering the shocks directly from Ohlins Howard finally called me back. I told him that I had purchased them directly from Ohlins, he got mad and was rude to me. I do not see why it would take 2 weeks to return a call or send back a quick email. I tried to use Howard, he chose for whatever reason not to return my calls or emails.

I may not have been home the day UPS tried to deliver my shocks but my son was. Ohlins required a 21 or older signature. UPS has signature and over 21 signature, frustrating as he could have signed if 21 and over was not required.
You seem to have issues with everyone you deal with. I am really sorry if the world did not stop because you were in need of service. Ohlins is traditionally swamped with work at this time of the year. You know racing and such so they should stop what they were doing, take your shocks out of the long list of those shocks in front of you and just jump on your job. Were you also aware of a world wide recall of Ohlins TTX racing shocks also? Addressing your statement of one of the technicians:

Originally Posted by wsaxton
A few days later I get another e-mail from the service tech working on the shocks says he does not see anything wrong with them and wants me to let him know what is going on with the shock. I called him and spoke directly with him. Told him that the shocks started bottoming out and I went to adjust dampening on right side shock but felt like the aluminum had galled up and I could not turn the adjuster anymore. He agreed with that but said he forced it and was now stiff but worked.
I call OhlinsUSA just about everyday, go there for many reasons and know many of the technicians personally. One thing I can assure everyone here reading this post is no one at Ohlins ever "said he forced it" as that is just plain BS or at the very least a serious misunderstanding on the OP's part in listening. The part of adjusting the shock that you are talking about can not get galled unless the OP turned the compression/rebound adjuster so tight that he stripped the detentes off of the adjuster. If the technician felt that the "he forced it and was now stiff", he would have taken apart the adjuster and removed the pin for inspection, same as I would. This is what is inside of your shocks and this is how they work:


There is nothing to gall except from misusing the adjusting **** by torquing it so far tight. The adjuster **** comes off without removing the fixture on your shocks by unscrewing it and taking it out through the bottom. The sideways pin is than removed and all is checked. OP: do you see anything that remotely is the problem that you describe? Would an Ohlins service technician force it, absolutely not. I am publicly stating you are full of crap.

The only thing that could happen is the adjuster was destroyed. I do not work for Ohlins but I take lots of shocks apart as well as being a factory trained and Ohlins factory certified service center. This is what an adjuster looks like that has been destroyed by the customer.



This would be my guess and Ohlins probably just replaced the adjuster and pin and not charging the OP for the destruction you caused and write it off as good customer relations. Let me make this point absolutely clear, I did not ask Ohlins about this because I really do not care as I have no dog in the fight. I also did not see this problem in person.

Look what is there, all members that are reading this post here, use your head and think how it works. It is not magic, it is a mechanical assembly. What the OP said makes absolutely no sense.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>....END......<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< <
Originally Posted by wsaxton
When he did not return my emails or phone calls I contacted Ohlins
I always answer my phone, 3 Times, that is obscured, you are trying to tell me that I did not return your phone calls much less answer my phone 3 times? There are many who call me as I spend the biggest part of my day on the phone, 8am~10PM Monday through Sunday, ya, 7 days a week. Not only that I look at my phone to see if I have missed calls many, many times a day & return all missed calls. There are times when I have no reception when I go to the VA Hospital in Miami, FL. No missed calls, no reception unless I am next to a window or door.

If you would include the date of these calls, please check to see if I was at Daytona FL for Bike Week. I go to Bike Week & other rally's to support my customers. I have never come close to ever breaking even, much turning a profit, by attending them, I just go for my customers. My past customers with providing customer service long after the sale are the focus of my business model. If that was the time frame (Thursday March 5th to the 17th of March) I am sorry but I was busy attending to other peoples needs. Most of that time is spent adjusting and re-mounting shocks because the ride was not what they expected or to their liking. I use the exact same tools as what is outlined on my instructions I provide at point of sale/delivery. I have never had a person leave without being nothing less than thrilled. That is what I do, customer service.

E-mails: I am swamped at work. It takes me 2 hours to take apart every new pair of shocks I sell, inspect the parts and surfaces, put it completely back together, than put it in a box than make a label. At around 5:30pm I deliver the shocks myself to UPS or the USPO, than personally get a receipt. The people who came first in line are than serviced first. I can do only 6 pair of shocks per day. My priority is servicing my customers first than sending out invoices to new customers and not the other way around. If I can not take care of my customers who trusted me than I do not deserve new customers. Of course I am rebuilding previous customers shocks and also designing, developing, than bringing to market new products. It is 1:50am now and could not sleep so I got on this great forum. I will be up again at 4:30am to start my work day all over again. You can get much quicker service by buying a shock in the box by the many vendors or through Ohlins like you did.

wsaxton, I am truly sorry I did not live up to your expectations but I will give you an expiation. In hindsight, it really worked out for the best for me. Please do not give me the opportunity to disappoint you again by never contacting me again for anything. Yes, I still have your e-Mail & to protect you from my bad service I will black list you just in case you forget.

I think I would, if I were you, work on taking responsibility for your own actions and do not come on here whining like a little bitch that you were not at home to accept your $900 pair of shocks that Ohlins fixed for free than shipped back for free including the extra $4.50 for you to sign for the package by a person over 21. I suppose throwing them in the bushes or leaving your $900 investment on the front porch is acceptable? In being an outside observer and having no financial ties to Ohlins and who they sell their products to, but actually know what they are talking about, I am stating that you are full of crap! Look what is there and use common sense.

Lastly
Originally Posted by wsaxton
I told him that I had purchased them directly from Ohlins, he got mad and was rude to me.
I would not get mad or even care, however when our conversation was over I would have hung up. I am so swamped with work the fact that you went to Ohlins would not phase me at all. I believe that you, wsaxton, absolutely overstate your importance and position to the world. I dismiss you forever. I am thrilled for myself of my good luck.
 

Last edited by FastHarley; Apr 30, 2015 at 05:30 AM.
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Old Apr 30, 2015 | 01:45 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by Bmusg
This explanation will not be accepted by the huggers. I would say you gave the favored vendor and the manufacturer more than a fair chance. The idea that we shouldn't expect a $900 premium product to work at all unless purchased from a single vendor is absolute bs.
You have absolutely no idea what I do and how I do it. Why do you post when you have no idea what you are talking about. What is BS is a guy who posts and does not have any sort of clue.
 
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Old Apr 30, 2015 | 04:15 AM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by soos
Can you share the dealers info?


http://www.ohlinsusa.com/ohlins-dealers
 
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Old Apr 30, 2015 | 05:30 AM
  #18  
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Yep... Knew that was going to happen.
 

Last edited by lp; Apr 30, 2015 at 05:33 AM.
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Old Apr 30, 2015 | 06:16 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by wsaxton
Never intended to "by-pass" Howard. Fact is I contacted him first, sent him 3 emails and called him 3 times over a 7 day time period letting him know I wanted to order shocks from him. Knew he was the guy to get shocks from from the forum. When he did not return my emails or phone calls I contacted Ohlins to find a different vendor. They offered to sell the shock directly to me. A week after ordering the shocks directly from Ohlins Howard finally called me back. I told him that I had purchased them directly from Ohlins, he got mad and was rude to me. I do not see why it would take 2 weeks to return a call or send back a quick email. I tried to use Howard, he chose for whatever reason not to return my calls or emails.

I may not have been home the day UPS tried to deliver my shocks but my son was. Ohlins required a 21 or older signature. UPS has signature and over 21 signature, frustrating as he could have signed if 21 and over was not required.

I just ordered my Ohlins through Howard. I called him at least 5 times before I ordered to ask questions before deciding which shock to choose. He answered the phone every time. While he is a bit salty, his knowledge about shocks in general and Ohlins in particular is beyond reproach. I can't wait to get mine installed.
 
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Old Apr 30, 2015 | 06:28 AM
  #20  
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I like salty and can completely relate to Howard and dealing with certain customers........especially at the busy beginning of the riding season.

I come from a race/track background in "another life" and Ohlins is regarded as the best shock period! (I ran them on my sport bikes)

I'll give Howard my businesses when I order Ohlins for my Road King.
 
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