Long post sorry, just mad right now

Purchased HD-159 shocks directly from Ohlin about 6 months ago and I am not impressed at all. I have had them on and off my 09 Ultra that I purchased new, several times now comparing them to the stock air ride. Yes they are better but only by a very small margin, no where near the $900 dollars it cost to get them. I have adjusted sag and rebound, pretty sure it is set up properly but the ride is not much better than stock.

Up until now I would have never posted this but here is what has gone on over the last five weeks.

The right side shock broke. Not sure what happened but motorcycle started bottoming out all the time on roads that it had not previously. Took the saddle bags off and could not adjust the dampening ring at all on the right side shock. It may have moved 1-2 clicks of distance with no click then just locked up and would not move.

Called Ohlin, they said to send the socks back they are under warranty. So I sent them back after filling out their return form and providing a detail description of the problem. Two weeks later I get an e-mail from them stating that they had received the shocks. Tracking the package told me it took 2 days to get there. I called and asked them about the e-mail. Answer given was that it took them that long to enter the shocks into the system. 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. Wow, from the tech, forced and now it works, told them to take the shocks apart and find the problem. Several days later an e-mail was sent stating the shocks were fixed and attached was the invoice. The invoice just said 1 hour labor no charge warranty. I wanted to know what they did to fix the shock so I called. Something was assembled wrong with a seal and it had failed, was replaced and was working again.

Shocks were then shipped back to me. Should have been deliver last week but I was out of town Thursday and Friday when UPS tried to deliver them I tried to get them yesterday but they had been shipped back to Ohlin because they required a 21 or over signature. Package was not left at my house and it was not left at the UPS facility for me to pick up. Now I have to wait for Ohlin to get the shocks back and re-ship them to me.

Purchased $900 shocks that should be super based on forum, mine are barely better than stock and broke in 6 months. They have been off the bike now for about 5 weeks waiting to be repaired and returned.

Ohlin assembled shocks wrong to start with
Ohlin service department is slow to respond
Ohlin service department feels that forcing something is the fix(unacceptable)
Ohlin requires 21 and over signature to get shocks back. It would have been nice to tell me that up front. Now I am waiting for the shocks to get back to Ohlin and to be re-shipped back to me

Disappointed at this point with the performance shocks and Ohlins customer service
Maybe they will be better after being fixed

 

Sorry that sucks. I will never buy anything but Ohlin shocks for my rides best system that I have ever had

 

Sorry about your issues, but you should have purchased your Ohlins from Motorcycle Metal. Not many people know more or care more about Ohlins shocks and their customers than Howard.

 

Actually as much as respect as I have for Howard, Ohlins shouldn't sell shocks to the public if they cannot get the springs and valving in the ball park for the intended application. As far as the cs I don't see a huge problem. They got the shocks fixed and shipped back to the customer, he was not present to accept them. Was it optimum? No but they are a big co. Dealing with a smaller co would have been better but you make your choices and you live with the outcome of them.

 

If you made a choice to by-pass Howard and deal direct with Ohlins, then this is ON YOU! Howard would have built them to your exact specs, help you dial them in, and stand behind his work, and probably been a little cheaper in the end. Ohlins have a near flawless reputation, and are king of the hill in my eyes. Mine work 100% as they should.

 

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.

 

Didn't they require a signature the first time they ups them to ya?

 

Mine did too.
I wound up going to ups at night to a pick up facility to get them.

I'm telling ya that the 3-3 are the best shocks I've had on this bike.
Stock HD air shocks were crapola.
440 progressives were much better and I had those for 4 years until one blew. They sent me a new set of 444's and I sold them in the box and put that money toward the 3-3-s.

Not stiff like the progressives and ride is very nice....thanks Howard.

 

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.

 

I have three authorized dealers within 25 miles of my home. Its too bad you did not have that as an option.