Shhhhhhhhh! Don't tell everyone until we've got ours!

 

Marcparnes did a comparison about a year ago. According to him it was a virtual dead heat.

 

Thank you! After reading that excellent write-up and the one you did a while back, I'm going to purchase Ricor's front and rear.

 

I would love to have an impartial and unknowing persons do a for real comparison test. Show up using real riders who are the best in the world and actually know how to ride. I am sure the results would be far different. I do this suspension thing as a living, there is no comparison between other brands that are not world class. If there was anything that remotely compares to the performance of a real shock and could sell it cheaper, I would have already done so.

 

BS? Oh, OK.....then why did you not respond back to this post when you had the chance? Your creditability went out the door on that thread... Link See Article 39

On another note: I can't buy a product from a company that can't invest in a website. Your website looks like something from 1994 and has low budget and cheap all over it. Image is #1 in sales and I want to buy from a company that portrays a corporate image, not a mom & pop as you as displaying. Frankly....its looks like trailer trash.

I trust, http://store.ricorshocks.com/
I don't trust: http://www.motorcyclemetal.com/

 

Trust who you like! There are very few suspension specialists out there producing high quality suspension for Harleys. Howard runs a small business developing and custom building Ohlins shocks to suit Harleys, particularly dressers. It's good enough for me that he uses as the basis for his handiwork the same brand that BMW uses. I've ridden BMWs for almost as long as I've owned Harleys. If Harley used comparable quality shocks to BMW we would have nothing to talk about here and Howard would have to find something else to do. Have you seen his carbon-fibre wheels for dressers?

 

CigarCritic, I have read your post while I am up in Daytona. I would really like to know what exactly is your contribution to the motorcycling community? Do you really know what the real difference or how suspension really works? I do show and explain exactly with pictures what is inside of our system. I do not use cartoons, I do expect those who wish to view have some background in the product. I have a few video's on the site that shows the average "Trailer Trash" owner how to work on his bike. I do not need to respond to those who are talking falsely. Ohlins stands on it own in the winners circle. Unfortunately, the Harley community has no idea how a motorcycle is suppose to ride nor do they have the experience in riding where precision counts.

After reading many of your posts I see that you are among the aforementioned persons. I would not even get into what kind of moron would put an aftermarket steering damper onto his bike without checking the stroke than whining like a little bitch to KC International. You are the person who put it on and you are the person responsible to check the outcome. But that is another story.

Now getting back to our original post, who are you and what have you accomplished? Just another big mouth armchair critic as I wish to know the facts? If you're in Daytona please stop by and tell me to my face I have no credibility. Let me know how that works out for you. Now let me hear from our keyboard commando boasts, just show up as I take my honor and word very seriously.

 

The ignorance in your post is alarming.

....and thank you for putting your threat out here on the forum for all to see. It's abundantly clear that you have issues with anger and self control. Up to this point, I was considering buying your "third Party" product, but not any longer.

Make it a great day and I hope you seek help for your delusions and anger (paranoid) issues.

 

Anyone who has been around a while should know better than to judge a book by its cover. Howard has fantastic Harley suspension products and service, and the expert knowledge gained through years of personal experience that he is more than willing to share with you, over the phone, at 10PM on Sunday if necessary. Motorcycle Metal website is a little wanting, but I wasn’t looking for a dazzling web page when I contacted Howard, I was looking for good shocks. The “wow me” presentation marketing strategy is for the sheep in our ranks, and the only performance benefit realized is in the profit margin. In this age of information, I can’t imagine why anyone would trust a manufacturer’s advertising claims without doing some independent research to validate. True I didn’t like everything about the way Howard baby step coached me through the installation, but after the fact I realized this is his process which he has developed over the years from working with many people, from competent technicians to complete retards. I even let him know I wasn’t pleased and he kept things totally professional which allowed me to move on, with my silly attitude. I The thing about people who are the best at what they do, they tend to be a little on the cocky side, and justifiably so. I’ll never talk bad about Ricor’s product, and their customer service isn’t bad either, but not even in the same league as Howard. Howard makes the extra effort to educate people and explains or even shows exactly what is going on mechanically inside the suspension components. Call Ricor and ask them to thoroughly explain exactly how their Intiminators work (a real explanation beyond the advertising blurb), or buy the tuning shim kit and disassembly tools, and see if they send any disassembly/assembly instructions or even basic torque values, let alone documented guidance on how to tune them. The difficulty I experienced trying to get the info I wanted from Ricor will definitely weigh on any future purchase decisions. The Detailed personal attention I received from Howard will also weigh on any future purchase decisions. Keep on doing what you do, your way Howard, cause anybody that knows will be a return customer and they will help spread the word.

 

I have about 300 miles on the new Ohlins now. Put 150 of that on today. Wonderful weather and temp here in coastal SC, crept up near 80 today, plus another hour of daylight.
I did relax spring preload another 2mm, to get it right on the 31mm rider sag measurement (as measured by my wife). This produced a subtle softening to the ride, and I believe I am there. I didn't touch the compression and rebound damping beyond previous adjustments made a few days ago.
I plan to put another 300 or more on these and continue my evaluation. I understand from Howard that it takes 500 or so miles to break-in the Ohlins. So plans are to just ride them for a while, enjoying each tire revolution.
Some of my superbike friends that participate in track days most weekends are completely amazed that there are Ohlins available for Harleys. Not a single one of these guys will use any suspension product other than Ohlins. They said that the other manufacturers exist to play catch-up and that they are completely convinced that for a performance racing bike, or for any bike, it's Ohlins or nothing. I was glad to hear their comments.
I'll follow-up again once I get over the 500 mile mark with some final thoughts. Thanks again to Howard and Motorcycle Metal for all the customer service, help, and for a great product at a good price.