Close..but I thought the real answer was "Call, only after completely navigating the website." Maybe that's changed. Let's see if we can get to page 2 before anyone offers the OP anything useful.

 

I did call Howard and if anything I'm more confused now than I was before I called him. I told him that my bike was lowered and he asked me why I would do such a thing, I told him it was done so I can reach the ground. After that all he would tell me is do you want your bike to look good sitting outside of a bar or do you want to Ride nice.

I do belive he knows his **** when it comes to shocks, that is the reason I still want to purchase then from him.

I do not know the guy so I will not bash him in any way and that is not the point of my post

I simply was asking the opinion of those that have bought them and the fact that the bike is lowered I do not want my bike to be raked the wrong way buy buying the wrong shock

 

With the stock 12" shocks on my '15 limited low, unladen the shocks sat at 12". With me on it they sat at 12". No movement whatsoever. Bounce on the bike, still no movement.


My 3-3's from Howard unladen sit at about 12 5/8", with me on it they sit at about 12 3/8". Bounce on the bike & the suspension moves. So a little higher at rest, basically the same under load.

 

Yes Howard is... special
But like you said, he knows his **** and he will give you the best ride ever.

 

Yup. The 13" shocks with the correct sag sit close to 12" like the stockers. I have a vertically-challenged friend who's probably 5'7" or so that has 13" shocks on his bike with no reach issues.

 

I did buy mine from Howard but you do know there are other vendors that sell them, like Fuel Moto and you can do a dealer search on the Ohlins USA website.

 

I tell everyone, not just you, "I told him that my bike was lowered and he asked me why I would do such a thing". This is to gather vitally important information as to why and what is important to you. I get these questions asked everyday, several times a day. If you are height challenged, or bad hip that you can not get your leg over the seat, just say so as that is the purpose of me talking to you. Stroke is time and the way I set them up determines where the bike will sit. Since I can take any shock, as long as it fits, either Sportster, Dyna, or what have you, I just use the capabilities and technology included in the shock to fit the criteria you are trying to achieve. Because it says FLT on the box and the many no talent on-line re-sellers can drop ship you a shock in a box that has not seen the light of day since Sweden built it does not apply to me. I do not need to do that and I already know what Ohlins sizes are available to do what you wanted to achieve.

"After that all he would tell me is do you want your bike to look good sitting outside of a bar or do you want to Ride nice" is also a question I also ask many times a day. Actually I say; "Do you want your bike to look good on the kickstand in front of the bar or do you want a good ride as you pass the bar." This is to open up your mind to the thing called stroke and shock height. I am really busy and have no time to B.S. on the phone or even care what your personal reasoning or preferences are or what you want to do, even so low you can not turn your bike, that is not my job, it is your bike, not mine. I have my own bike and I do care about my own bike & how it rides. I do not lower myself to sell crap over the phone like some cheap *** vacuum salesman, I provide you information for you to think about & than hang up. The difference is that I know what I am taking about, can build it for you, and I am 100% sure I provided you with all of the answers to where the bike will sit when you are sitting on the bike and how I am going to do it. That is what I provided you, not an opinion on your riding style, or if your *** looks fat sitting on your lowered or raised motorcycle, I care about you getting what is right for you beforehand.

In closing, if anyone considering chatting about suspension, no problem but if anyone does not wish to listen what I have to say, there are many other no talent_ jerk-off's that will stroke you or provide a really good reach-around while looking like a deer in the headlights when asked unscripted questions. As stated many times, do not waste my time and just move on in the very beginning. It is midnight & I start work around 4:30 am or so, seven (7) days a week. No hard feeling to anyone here but that is what I expect of anyone who calls me, listen, take notes if need be, and ask questions if you do not understand something. I am not here to be your buddy, pal or anything else, I do not care what your religion, race, color, or sexual orientation is, leave that at the door. I hope I make myself clear to everyone here.

 

 

before i sold my bike i had the #3-#3's and they were amazing! best mod besides led headlights i ever did. i initially wanted to #3-#1 because i wanted it as low as possible but after talking to howard i went with the longest instead of the shortest. after setting up ride sag i actually sat lower than my stock street glide shocks. you wont be disappointed! i have my #3-#3's for sale

 

There's even a bit of that with the stock shocks. On the 13" shocks my weight drops it down about 1/4" maybe almost 1/2". On the 12" shocks, with their stiffer springs, I don't deflect them.

So the 1" difference in length becomes less in use, 3/4" or maybe even 1/2".