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[phantomxrt]

I have a 2015 CVO Streetglide. First new bike since 2008.
My right-hand rear shock appears to be upside down.

Does this sound right?

Local dealer can't shed any light; he thinks it came that way deliberately. And for all I know he may be right.
But it seems strange that dust and grime etc has the potential to enter the shock a lot easier now because the thing is upside down.

Discuss....

[North Star]

 

[North Star]

.... or maybe it's because you're in Australia....you know, the toilet water spins the opposite direction kinda thing (just kidding!) 

The dealer SHOULD know. If they aren't sure, compare the orientation of the shocks with any other touring model, CVO or not. Should look the same as the other bikes.

[phantomxrt]

.... or maybe it's because you're in Australia....you know, the toilet water spins the opposite direction kinda thing (just kidding!) 

The dealer SHOULD know. If they aren't sure, compare the orientation of the shocks with any other touring model, CVO or not. Should look the same as the other bikes.

"Maybe because I'm in Australia"... Lol. Love it mate.

There's been less than a handful of CVOs sold here, so it's hard to get any comparative information. I'll dig a little deeper, and take a photo later on (we're at work at the moment on this side of the planet). To my untrained eye it just looks weird. Cheers.

[krypto2011]

There is a thread going on over in the SG catagory about this. Most guys found the shock installed upside down when they were trying to install a passenger backrest. They have confirmed that one rear shock was installed upside down, they swapped them and the backrest then fits like it should.

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=100928.0

[grc]

Yes, for whatever reason the right shock is mounted upside down.  Do yourself a favor and remount it correctly, or tell your dealership to do so.  Read the thread mentioned by krypto2011.

Jerry

[deldago]

It's good to know that Harley spreads that wonderful "quality control" around the world! 

[phantomxrt]

Yes, for whatever reason the right shock is mounted upside down.  Do yourself a favor and remount it correctly, or tell your dealership to do so.  Read the thread mentioned by krypto2011.

Jerry

Thanks Jerry. Appreciate it.
Here it is in all its upside down glory...

[North Star]

Wow. Unbelievable.

[luc.who]

Wow. Unbelievable.

I agree.  Seems like they would issue an update to the production floor.  I understand the supply chain, but they need to correct this everywhere.

[HighOnHD]

I'm one of the ones who had to flip my right shock so that the backrest hardware would clear the top of the shock if I recall correctly.

Not to stir anything up, but... and I am not a shock engineer (although I am an engineer), it is entirely possible that it is the left side shock that is actually flipped upside down from the original engineered intent. Maybe MOCO flipped it to allow better access to the knob?? The shocks may actually perform better with the shaft on the top and the oil inside the shock works is expected to be on the downside?? Just saying it is possible.

In any case, I have Ohlins on my older SG and may change up in the future anyway.

[phantomxrt]

I'm one of the ones who had to flip my right shock so that the backrest hardware would clear the top of the shock if I recall correctly.

Not to stir anything up, but... and I am not a shock engineer (although I am an engineer), it is entirely possible that it is the left side shock that is actually flipped upside down from the original engineered intent. Maybe MOCO flipped it to allow better access to the knob?? The shocks may actually perform better with the shaft on the top and the oil inside the shock works is expected to be on the downside?? Just saying it is possible.

In any case, I have Ohlins on my older SG and may change up in the future anyway.

Thanks - you're 100% correct. Anything's possible. But not being a suspension specialist, I have no idea where the truth lies.
It matters not to my limited intellect if they are supposed to be upside down. What I DO have an issue with, is ONE shock being upside down, whilst THE OTHER is inverted the other way (right side up). Surely they would both be the pointing the same way??? Strange.

[HighOnHD]

Since there has been a lot of worrying going on about having one of the shocks "right-side" or "up-side" down or not I figured I would look into it. It took just a few minutes of searching and from the Harley website it says the following about the shocks (main points being nitrogen, emulsion, and MONOTUBE highlighted in red):

Experience the ultimate in superior ride quality with these Premium Touring Shocks. These shocks utilize a single tube, nitrogen charged emulsion design.
Standard Ride Height
Offers enhanced compression and rebound damping compared to the Original Equipment-style air adjustable shocks
Provides a controlled yet plush ride with less bottoming
Larger chambers (40mm diameter pistons and 14mm rods) allow these shocks to react more quickly to impacts - this keeps the tires tracking while minimizing harshness transmitted through the frame
Knob behind the left saddlebag allows the rider to conveniently modify the spring preload via a hydraulic adjuster
Available in Standard Ride Height and Low Ride Height versions

=================== End of harley website info ===========

============= Info found at a shock manufacturer website (Monroe) ==============

Mono-tube design
These are high-pressure gas shocks with only one tube, the pressure tube. Inside the pressure tube there are two pistons: a dividing piston and a working piston. The working piston and rod are very similar to the twin tube shock design. The difference in actual application is that a mono-tube shock absorber can be mounted upside down or right side up and will work either way. In addition to its mounting flexibility, mono-tube shocks are a significant component, along with the spring, in supporting vehicle weight.
============== End of shock manufacturer info =========

In summary, the shocks work the same no matter which direction they are in. I flipped mine the other way just for a clearance issue with the backrest mount. BTW I had the exact same issue with the Ohlins shocks I installed on my 2008 SG. I had to flip the right side to the opposite direction so the shock would would clear the backrest mount bracket. No big deal to me in that case either. Five minute job. They are behind the bags and out of sight.

[phantomxrt]

Thank you my friend. I appreciate your time and your expertise. Greatly appreciated.

[HighOnHD]

Thank you my friend. I appreciate your time and your expertise. Greatly appreciated.

No problem. Good to know either way. BTW I personally would not worry about dirt being a problem either. I raced in the dirt for a lot of years with shocks also in either direction (pre and post nitrogen gas) and there was a lot more dirt and mud involved in that than we are getting in the street. Although maybe down-under you guys are playing in the dirt more!