I also put a set of 3-3s on my '10 RG. Great improvement to the ride. Lot's of adjustments for any setup. Howard is a great resource. I will put a set of his shocks on any bike I have in the future. When setup properly, the difference is amazing.

 

hey Howard after reading this i am sure glad i bought my #6 from you. they just arrived today and planning on installing this evening.

 

I have the 2.5s , which have a threaded body with adjustable pre-load, and I am plenty happy. I don't think Howard sells a shock that doesn't perform well.

 

I put the 2.5s on my bike and after spending last week in the Smokey Mountains riding the roads there, I can say they do a great job of making the bike feel planted to the road.

 

How low do the shocks sit. My current shocks sit at 11.5 inches. Would love to get something close to that. Thanks!

 

once you set the sag you would sit at about 11"

 

Heard some where that they(ohlin's) have to taken off and rebuilt every year?
Any truth to this?

 

When I had mine installed they (Ohlins) recommended having them rebuilt annually but based on the 5-7,000 miles I ride a year they said every other year would suffice.

"To keep your investment performing at it's design level, Ohlins recommends servicing your street motorcycle suspension every 12,000 to 15,000 miles, and your track/race bike suspension every 10 hours of track time." From their web site.

 

Howard posted in another thread, that a touring bike on the street doesn't need rebuilt that often if you keep them clean, and don't ride on dirt roads often.

 

Keep the shafts clean and follow my directions installing them and I take many Ohlins shocks apart to rebuild them.

I have found persons who wash their bikes by riding in the rain and the inside of their shocks looked like a mud puddle after 18,000 miles. Shafts worn out, shock bodies hogged out from the piston scraping on one side and the oil seals leaking and the seal head bushings wore the coating on one side off the shaft. All due to alignment and not cleaning the shafts on a regular basis.

I have taken Ohlins shocks apart with 38,000 miles and the shock bodies, shafts, and shock overall appearance looked near somewhat new. The oil inside of these shocks are in need of changing as just like your motor, heat is a killer of oil. I saw very little dirt in the bottom of the shock bodies.

I have a customer who wrote me that he just got back from a 4,000 mile trip, tried to adjust the spring pre-load without ever cleaning the threads. He sent the shocks to me complaining that he was disappointed in these expensive shocks that only lasted 4,000 miles before tearing the threads right out of them. You can bet your last shekel that his shocks were never cleaned or maintained and they will not last 20K miles.

ON everyone's invoice is printed (before they ever have the chance to pay for them) [QUOTE] My shocks will last a lifetime. The warranty is a conditional 5 years (must be maintained). The shafts and threads must be cleaned regularly. Service Ask me. If this customer ever bother reading his paperwork and followed very simple directions this would never have happened. Common sense would dictate that on an aluminum body shock with an aluminum spring pre-load nut you clean the threads out of dirt and debris.

With this being stated by me, the length of mileage before an Ohlins shock needs to be rebuilt is entirely up to the owner and how they maintain their equipment.

There you have it from someone who does it for a living.