Ever wonder if you require shock absorbers for your Harley Davidson bike? And if you do get them, what things do you need to look at in them? If so, you’re in the right place. This article will answer all of these questions.
Whether you own a new bike or are looking for an upgrade; shocks offer comfort, safety, and control especially if you’re travelling on rocky or bumpy tracks. They are one of the factors that make your ride safe and enjoyable.
The article specifically talks about Ohlin shocks and whether they’re a good fit for Harley Davidson bikes or not.
Ohlin Shocks
History
Ohlin Racing has been a significant part of the motorsport, motorcycle, and automotive industry for over 40 years now. Their focus has always been on high-quality products, service, and support, all the way from the MotoGP circuits to the local, national racing events in over 50 distributing countries.
They have a strategy to supply the aftermarket, OEM partners, and teams with high-end suspension technology, and their whole team is extremely dedicated to fulfilling their customer’s expectations throughout the world.
They are headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, and have subsidiaries in the USA, Germany, and Thailand. They produce over 200,000 shock absorbers, front forks and steering dampers, and around 3 million CES valves annually. 97 % of all their sales come from exports.
They have a focus on R&D, A/M, OEM, and racing of Advanced Suspension Technology for motorcycles, cars, snowmobiles, mountain bikes, and ATVs.
Performance
Ohlin shocks are famous for their phenomenal performance- the main reason being that they solely focus on suspension. The higher suspension leads to lower flexing which in turn leads to premium quality, better-tolerance components, higher compatibility, and easy handling of the bike.
Ohlin has a team of suspension engineers and professionals around them, which in their case have proved quite beneficial. They also do have some of the advanced features and technology in place that others are way behind. Incorporating an aftermarket part is their thing and needless to say it does make a difference.
Marketing
Another thing that makes Ohlin shocks so famous is the efforts they put into marketing. Focusing on quality does make a brand reputable but that alone doesn’t stay in the minds of customers for long. It is the time, effort, and money the brand puts in marketing that stays with the customers and goes a long way.
The same is the case with Ohlin. Their smart marketing tactics boost their sales way more than their competitors and they can in turn spend that money on the research and development for the upcoming products which again gives them a plus point over their competitors.
An example of the Ohlin shocks being well marketed can be of the MotoGP races. When you watch a MotoGP race, you would rarely see people wearing any competitor’s merch such as WP or Showa and helping around Harley Davidson or Yamaha set up these million-dollar machines. That’s where the real game begins and the classy gold logo and brand recognition come into play.
Speed
Ohlin shocks are specially made for you if you prefer speed. For someone who doesn’t go fast enough, it would just look like an added ornament to your bike. But the real game starts when you prefer that soul-satisfying, super-fast speed.
Comfort
The reviews provided by the customers who have used Ohlin shocks with their Harley Davidson bikes are a very good way to learn if you should do the same or not. Well, most of them have pretty good things to say. One customer even goes on to describe their experience as if they were sitting on a couch while driving the bike.
Price
Since Ohlin spends a great deal of money on performance as well as marketing, their prices are a little higher than their competitors which may be a cause of concern for some. However, if you prefer style and quality over anything else, you have got nothing to worry about.
Some things to keep in mind while getting Ohlin shocks for your Harley Davidson
Forks
The first and foremost thing that you should look for is the forks. They are not only responsible for giving you comfort and control after the suspension but are also required for tracking and steering well to keep you in line.
Springs and Dampers
Next, you should check the springs and dampers. The springs should be adjusted to suit the weight of your bike while the dampers should be adjusted to control the action of the fork.
Axles and Fit
You should always check if the front wheel axle spacing is the standard 100 mm or the advanced 110 mm for plus-sizing. These come as optional for most of the bikes so this detail is very important.
Moreover, the length of the fork and the travel also play a huge part in the compatibility. A longer fork with more travel, although a tempting choice, may slacken the head angle and raise the bottom bracket height.
This detail is important because a well-designed bike will be structured while keeping a certain travel fork in mind. Adding 10-20 mm to that may not be an issue but it shouldn’t be any more than that.
Structure
The structure of the fork is also important. The lower and upper legs have a certain making which should reduce the weight, provide good steering, less flex, strong grip, and enhanced brake control.
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We hope that you found the article insightful and it helped you in answering all the questions in your mind as to why you should or should not get those shocks for your bike. It is pretty evident from the above discussion that you should use Ohlin shocks for your Harley Davidson! However, you should always keep in mind certain things such as price, quality, structure, fork length, compatibility, springs, dampers, and so on before making the final purchase.
