Adjusting #3 preload, changing from solo to say 2-up, is the same as for #6 and involves turning the spring collar a few turns back or forth. The single damping controller on #3s is at the base of each shock so is fairly easy to get at.

My wife and I do an occasional long tour, so they are the only occasions I go to the effort of swapping between solo and fully loaded suspension settings. Except for a few pre-tour runs, to check I have got things just right, I don't change settings very often.

 

So do the 3's work as good as the 6's? Anybody every tried both? Do the 3's soak up the bumps enough for somebody with a bad back to be comfortable?

 

I doubt if anyone other than Howard has tried both. It is most unlikely that #3 are as good as #6, otherwise there would be no point making them.

If you have a bad back phone Howard and have a chat. Bear in mind he is suffering from broken bones at present, so expect a very sympathetic ear! One or other of these shocks will probably do what you want.

 

Never tried the 6's, but the 3's take the "jolt" out of the worst of bumps, a lot easier on my bad neck.

 

A sport bike only has one shock to deal with it, not two.

The sheer weight and lack of ground clearance of a Harley is going to limit its ability to be hustled down a windy road, not its rear suspension control.
I think that I can ride pretty well but I leave a large margin on my Glide because if it bites, it will bite hard and it was never designed for that kind of riding.
For those of you who ask if they should get the 6s instead of the 3s or do they work better etc...you probably dont need them.If you needed them, you would know you need them.Wanting the best and needing the best are two different things.
Are the 6s the most sophisticated, high quality shock available.... yes
Do I think I need the extra performance over the 3s... no,everyone else will have to make up their own minds.

dewky

 

Mine hustles quite well on a windy road or race track, whats holding you back is probably your perception of what your ultra can do rather than what its actual limit is.

"They are better bikes than we are riders".

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...hese-pics.html

 

Im leaning towards the 3's now... If i had a Ultra or Tourpak - id maybe put the 6's so external resovoir is easier accessed and i agree looks cool..but since the Street Glide is lower and closer to the pavement maybe the 6's will prevent the bottoming out vs the 3's ! AHHHHHHH !!!!!... i keep bouncing back and forth..

 

One of the things the #6s have is the maximum possible travel.

This illustration shows why - the separating piston in the #3s reduces the travel - drawing number 2 is the #3s, Drawing 4 is the #6s.

When you lower a bike you reduce travel. Reduced travel means increased likelihood of bottoming out or a harder ride or both.

If you want to leave your bike lowered then you are already prepared to bottom out more. So on one hand things are already compromised, another compromise on shocks seems logical.

On the other hand things are already compromised so the increased travel of the #6s goes some way to removing that compromise.

I dont know what the answer is!

 

Thats what many people dont take into account. Regardless of how good the dampening characteristics of the shock are the more travel they have the more they can make the bumps disappear, providing they have well designed dampening features. They need travel to be effective. One of the problems with the 12" shocks are no matter who makes them they lack travel.

 

And the #2's have more travel than the #6's at the same 13.25" shock length , 10mm more to be true. I know all you guys on here think you are real race riders but the fact still remains that the emulsion 36e Ohlins is quite capable of delivering a pro level ride when correctly set up on these bikes, at a $500 price point. I have shock envy though King!!!!