I have a stabilizer and air ride the biggest problem with Harleys as they get heavier and heavier is the springs are never the same with air it equalizes the springs and the rear and the springs in the front it makes a major difference between the front and rear air ride and the stabilizer off the transmission my bike has never wobbled
My 1999 Ultra has the urethane motor mounts and a stabilizer and it helped tremendously. I would not take it over 90mph. It handles pretty well on the sweepers and on the highway including creek roads. I'm just not going to push it too much even with Metzler's. I don't think the newer frames require a stabilizer.
@@johndsmith7785 my 01 came with air ride front and rear I changed the rear over to dirty air when the old shocks wore out. I can run my bike about 135 with the gear change in it
My friend has a 2005 Super Glide Dyna. He had a wobble. A number of things we did that helped eliminate that wobble: (1.) we added a Fork Brace from Arlen Ness which helped, (2.) we added engine stabilizers from Sputh; (3.) we put in new engine mounts; (4.) we replaced the neck and wheel bearings and made sure that the tires were well aligned. No more wobble: solid as a Gibraltar Rock The Sputh Stabilizers and Engine Mounts made the biggest difference.
I have a friend who had a shovel head dresser that would wobble on the highway intermittently. It was a bad front wobble, you had to get off the throttle to get it to stop. To make a long story short, the pinch bolts on the lower tree for the fork tubes were loose. Not falling out loose, kinda just a little snug, and when you hit the right dip or bump in the road all hell would break loose. I'm talking scary. Haven't seen anything like this again and that was about 30 years ago, but now I get into the habit of looking at those bolts.
Great info! Bought a 2002 RK classic a few years ago with 8k miles, all stock. First time out on the highway, death wobble at any speed over 55mph. Turned out to be spoke wheels out of round/ loose spokes. Had the wheels trued up, end of problem.
The "Harley wobble" is almost always due to several reasons. Improperly loaded, low tire pressure, improperly adjusted suspension, neglected and out of adjustment steering head bearings, broken engine mounts and swingarm bushings, loose or broken spokes, misaligned rear wheel. It's almost always one of those. Do NOT confuse the "Harley wobble" with the coast down wobble. It's a 2 wheel vehicle. There's going to be a instability point somewhere no matter what. Lack of rider skill is also a major contributing factor as well.
Why does it happen on brand new bikes then? There is inherent flex in the frames on newish touring bikes. Only way to adequately prevent it is to install a brace. I've tried everything on multiple new bikes and that is the only thing that stops it.
@@ricko9879 Just because it's a new bike doesn't mean it has a straight chassis, proper tire inflation, straight wheel alignment, true wheels if they're spokes, and proper suspension adjustment. Being a new bike just means it's a new bike. Nothing more.
Great video Gixxerfoo! I notice the wobble in my 95 Electra Glide Classic under three conditions, freeway speeds, cross winds, and hard cornering. I may not need one, but I would rather have piece of mind, so I'm getting a stabilizer anyway. You make a great point about the rubber vs poly bushings. I had not considered that, but may just go with new rubber mounts now. By the way, if your bike is over 20 years old, even if they look good, you may need new mounts. UV destroys natural rubber over time, plus heat cycles from just normal riding. Better safe than sorry.
For years Wranglers have had a similar phenomenon called the "death wobble" that is likely caused by harmonic oscillations generated out of the suspension linkage. Never experienced it myself but it does seem to occur in vehicles that are out of spec from the original design (lifted, tire spacers, etc.) and it's probably the same thing here. Given that this bike is pretty heavy, I imagine there's a considerable amount of force on those corners. So I could see how a few loose spokes or a volume of missing tire pressure could set the system up for an oscillation event given the right trigger from a bump or pothole.
Panhead Dave here, I was the lead tech at Santa Barbara Harley Davidson through most of the 90s, I figured out how to make a set of "traction bars" that eliminated fore and aft movement of the driveline swingarm in the frame without affecting any of the articulation of the rubber mount system on the big twin harleys, I'm actually willing to share this
I've noticed my front tire wears more on the left side than the right. I never thought it was road conditions. I suspected I ride left turns harder than right.A few years back, I experience a slight wobble in the turns. I replaced the rear rubbers, and the front as well. The rear ones were shot. This was at 90,000 miles.
I had a bar shake on my 09 ultra classic. After checking the front bearings a second time they had just the slightest barely noticeable slop when wiggling the wheel by hand. Changed bearings and been smooth as silk since even with no hands
First start off with checking your front motor mount make sure that oil hasn't deteriorated it replace if needed there's also steel mesh ones on the market that are great next check the alignment if that's all good make sure your tire tread is intact both but rear is most important after that's done if you're still experiencing these problems I then recommend Alloy Arts stabilizer link. Thanks Gixxer Foo I forgot tire pressure that should be just common like checking your fluids
2013 Ultra Classic.. I have had it a few times at hwy speeds.. specially if riding behind a Tractor Trailer.. Bike was not loaded at anytime when I had to deal with the wobble with the rear walking a good amount.. The times it happened when I got home I went over the bike and checked tire pressure, shock pressure, ect.. Only 9000k on the bike.. never figured it out.. When I have the GF on the back, I never had the issue.. Now the bike is going to CSC for a trike conversion..
As you point out, tire condition and wear patterns can affect stability. Roadway 'crown', paving material and conditions does cause unpredictable tire wear. Some tires wear-in better than others. Rain grooves or steel grate bridges are another experience! 🥺 Other issues that can and do affect ride & handling; 1. Tire pressure (especially front). 2. Tire alignment, front tire perfectly in-line with rear. 3. Steering head bearings. Lubed, not 2 tight, not too loose. 4. Wheel bearings. See notes on 3. 5. Swingarm bushings/bearings. 6. Shocks, inc bushings. 7. Load balance. Rider, passenger and cargo. 8. Handlebars. Some position the rider with a forward lean, putting more load on the forks/tire, like a sportbike. Many, if not most Harley riders prefer to sit straight up or back. Some higher bars cause ya to pull back/up and unweight the front end. Especially when wrestling with the wind. I've never had any kind of 'wobble' on my Roadking. I had only 1 I can remember in over 30yrs of riding the old 4spd swingarm frames after hitting a hole in the road. After riding the older chassis Harleys for so many years, the Roadking/FLT is simply amazing in it's handling and stability. One thing I did notice was that the older platforms would actually go fairly straight with hands off the bars. Not so with the FLT! I suspect the ''inverted rake'' of the steering head/forks have something to do with this. 🤔 I've had numerous full-tilt "tank-slappers'' on various high performance sportbikes under various situation.
I definitely had a sway back and forth with factory “premium adjustable shocks”. I haven’t noticed the sway since I upgraded. Now I notice the front needing the same treatment.
Hi, GixxerFoo your topics are fantastic !!!! Thanks for all the great content.I have a 2021 street glide.At 12,500 miles I started with a low speed 40miles an hour handlebar wobble and poor handling, After checking all the things you mention and changing tires and front wheel bearings that did NOT solve the problem at my HD dealer $$$$$, .The 2 Harley dealer's said that All is fine. I took the bike bike to a mom and pop shop where they confirmed the neck was very lose and in need of a neck adjustment, POP'S took the time did it right and I'm golden. 2 different Harley dealers said the neck was fine.so be cautious of neck adjustments they need to be done more Frequently then the older HD touring bikes.
Your bike is still under warranty, so the bearings-if they were defective would be covered. Tires- no. Either one of those dealers should have found the neck play.
I like how the dealerships replace the wheel bearings and the front tire and then throw their hands up 🤷🏻♂️ noting that the problem is still there but oh well, they’ve changed some parts and made some money from you so there’s nothing more they can do!?!?? Yet, Pops good ‘ol fashioned customers first service took the time to thoroughly check over the problem as noted by the customer and then they correctly diagnosed and resolved the issue. 🎉🎉 At what point does the dealership that you went to who you paid good money to for them to not resolve your bikes issue become negligent in their actions?? The only way this attitude changes is by going to small claims court and suing dealerships for lack of professional services and charging you hundreds and the problem was resolved by another shop. Only then will the dealerships become more responsible in resolving the issue instead of making a quick buck and sending you on your way. And I add, the bike is in a very dangerous way to be on the road for yourself and other drivers due to the heightened potential for an accident.
My 07 Dyna had a scary high speed front end wobble, I chocked up the frame and got the lower rails absolutely horizontal with a good spirit level and then with the primary cover off, I got a spirit level across the primary gasket surfaces to check engine true vertical. It was out a fair bit so I adjusted the top engine mount adjuster to get the engine true vertical which solved the problem. I since had a rear rubber mount fail and the engine would go ker clunk over big bumps as it went up and came down hard. Lastly, I made my own true tracking device and the Dyna is handling sweet but the true vertical of engine was what made the most difference as the rear wheel mounts up to the engine / trans which wasn't true vertical
I own a XR1200 and I bumped up my redline up from 6900 to 7300 with my Power Commander. It now can hit 130. Most XRs went straight to the track. They switched from the belt to chain and the roadrace bikes hit 145mph. I never heard anybody having any handling problems at that speed.
I know a guy who had a BSA 650 with a quick attack rear wheel and we pulled into a gas station and just as we got up to the gas pump half of his spokes broke and the wheel was crooked. Was a humongous weight of a Harley people are used to cast Wheels I do not require maintenance and when they go to spoke wheels they do not realize that spoke wheels require maintenance especially when they are carrying the load of a thousand pounds worth of motorcycle and Rider. In the old days when you had a chain you used to check your spokes when you did chain maintenance. Nowadays most Harley Riders are incapable of even adjusting a chain. Any old days they used to be able to fix a transmission on the side of the road.
@@freebehindbars8654 you Can't Blame A motorcycles 30-year-old transmission for breaking down from age. The fact that it could be dissembled with simple hand tools and repaired with parts from a hardware store says much about the fact that Simplicity rules. And even in the AMF days I didn't know anybody who put two quarts of oil in their bike every time they stopped to get gas. You used to have to have a knack to get a Kickstarter motorcycle to start now all you have to do is push a pussy button or have the credit card in your wallet when you sit on the motorcycle for it to start. Kick starting is an art and a skill that is gone by the wayside like knowing how to ride your motorcycle without traffic control and AVS and all of the other electronic age that's simply mask the crappy way that you ride a motorcycle if you wrote a motorcycle stupidly in the old days you would end up on your ass sliding down the road now the motorcycle compensates for your incompetence in its operation which I find to be truly sorry.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 kick start is cool but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a starter. And the 2 quarts is an exaggerated joke, but the joke exists for a reason and thank God those days are over, because that was 40+ years ago and we still never hear the end of it. Add in the simple transmission that needs to be rebuilt periodically isn't necessarily a good thing, in fact I like knowing that I can go from 1 side of the country to the other and back again with no issues. All that said I fully agree with all the modern traction control BS. I get why it exists, but it's going to stunt people's riding capability
Being able to wrench and fix your own bike is what sets the "biker" apart from the "rider". Getting to know you mount and being the "expert" of your machine..... the older the ride the more care and maintenance required to keep it running... it thins the herd of those willing and able to maintain the lifestyle....
@@shenanigansofmannanan Well said! I was planning to say that the most dangerous part of a Harley today was the average rider; some middle-aged or older guy who hasn't got a clue about motorcycles beyond which 'accessories' they can bolt on to make them cooler in the eyes of their peers. Hint: folks like us ain't their peers and they have a long way to go before they reach that status. Ride safe friend!
I have an 09 ultra classic and the death wobble showed up a couple of times. Routine maintenance showed 26 psi in the front tire. Brought it up to spec and no more wobble.
I paid a Harley dealer to replace head bearings on my fxd. . Developed very slight decel jiggle at 45. They couldn't figure it out. I just found the front tire at 18 psi. Im taking it for a ride tomorrow.
have 05 ultraclassic, I've ridden miles on cruise control with both hands off the bars. had my motor stroked too a 103. had legends 12" front and back. took a corner freeway interchange, left to right. doing about 50. my rear tire started the backend wobble. this was this summer. one and only time i ever felt it.
you are so right on age of tires. i have 2014 sportster for around town and the tires were original. upon inspection they were 8 1/2 years old. they only have 3500 miles on them and look perfect but like you said seemed real hard. i went ahead and replaced them. just prudent thing to do. i was not getting any problems in handling but ugggh. hey i got the money dont be foolish. good video man.
Had this (wobble) happen with my brand new, not overloaded 2006 Street glide. After massive “interaction” with Harley dealer, they replaced it. Second one, no problem
I had a similar problem on my ‘21 Goldwing when using cruise control, around 35-55mph and l would let go of the bars (because it would vibrate my hands). The bars would start wobbling and get progressively worse. The problem ended up being the horrible factory Dunflop front tire. Dunflop is OEM for a lot of motorcycle manufacturers. Try a different brand and see what happens. I went with Michelin Commander III and the problem went away instantly.
I had a wobble that showed up during a high speed pass when I pulled back into my lane the bike started a wobble that didn't go away till I slowed down. So, new wheel bearings, new tires, didn't fix it. Rebuilt the swing arm and replaced rear and front mounts. I also put...stiffy cups in the rear isolators. No wobble, no walking around in corners...and yes the urethane front mount was terrible.
What I'm doing to mitigate any wobble problems on my '00 RKC build that I'm doing right now is upgrading to spherical bearings on my swingarm, billet isolators, Legends Suspension front and rear, and of course new tires. I'm probably going to change out the front motor mount just for good measure. I'm hopin' it'll never wobble on me. What do you think, G.F.? Any other base I need to cover?
Counteract balance beads fixed any front end wobble ive ever had. 2 Dynas and a FXR all had a wobble until i put beads in. The beads keep the tires/wheels in constant balance for life of the tire.
I have a 2005 dyna. The swingarm is mounted at the back of the transmission, near the rear mount, which is rubber. There was all sorts of play at the back since new. I installed that Trutrak stabilizer.. made all the difference. Fixed what I consider a design flaw!
"..... in his 70s and doesn't ride that much....." I'm 75 and average 7,000 to 9,000 miles a year. I've ridden since the mid-60s on BSA, Triumph, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki bikes..... what is this "wobble" you're talking about?
2009? shit ive had it happen on panheads, shovels and my newest twincam. when they first started making the big front fenders they would catch air and the harmonics would make the bikes wobble. most people didnt know because you had to have big horseys to get there but....
Yeah, let's blame loose spokes and low tire pressure and completely ignore ridiculously bad engineering from the factory. If you own a Dyna and you've never had the back wheel try to steer you off the outside of a curve it's only because you ride like an old fart. I wonder why Moto GP bikes don't have their swingarms bolted to a rubber-mounted drivetrain? Meh, it'll be fine.
Yeah. I'm older now. I never had this problem with my old rigid mount shovelhead. If I ride again I think I'll just buy another brand. Not a guarantee against wobble of course but I'm hopeful.
I’ve rode Harleys all my life, owned many still have two of them, I’ve never experienced this wobble or seen anyone wobbling. This is another gimmick to sell stuff.
I have a theory that one possible contribution (not the cause) is the very poorly designed top triple clamp that Harley used on all rubber mount touring bikes from 1980 to 2013. I had a 2001 RK and a 2016 RK and although I never experienced a wobble with either bike the 16 definitely handled much better. Like it was on rails. I could be wrong on this, but it's food for thought.
Had this problem (slight wobble) with OEM suspension. Just swap over to Legend and never look back. FYI, some riders (myself included) experience this issue with the use of bead balancers in the front; this DOES NOT work in baggers well, and only adds to the already insufficient suspension, thereby increasing the wobble. At least it did with me. Once I swapped in the Legend, not only did all these issues go away, but the bike began handling like is *should* have from the factory. One day, harley will provide a "sport" suspension rather than the soft touring specifications that are current OEM. Regardless of your riding style, the OEM suspension sucks and should be the first mod you do at the same time as Stage One (header, slip-ons, intake, tune).
I noticed a wobble on my 07 FXD a couple years ago at higher speeds,I took it in for tires and fork service and bad motor mounts were found and seemed to be much better but have not had it up to the speeds where I noticed the wobble. I was trying to keep up with friends who wanted to ride around 90 in traffic where I was very uncomfortable being at but had it to 80 and no wobble.
Tires are the most important thing on the bike to not mess around with like ya said, could be a matter of life or death, or at least a lot of pain and a messed up bike. Love your videos
You will never stop a tank slapper! Nobody’s that strong.. just twist the screw ^ not speaking of the Harley “wobble”.. what brand is that stabilizer @ 9:00?
The handle bar shake happened on old (1970's) Kawasaki 900's but not until you were well over 100 mph. Of course, that's not a good time to find out about it :-0)
Have multiple experiences. Couple: 2001 PoliceFLH DEATH wobble- turned out no air in front air suspension. Of course it caused me to nut & bolt the entire bike. 2014- FLH Ultra Classic: replaced rear w/Legends and front with Progressive cartridges. Can still get a wobble, but not scary. NEVER man handle the handlebars.. relax and it calms. I have had to drag to jam rear breaks to get 1 bike to stop bucking. Key for me is, relax. I usually use American Elite for fronts. No problems yet.
I have a Sportglide and recently on a trip noticed changes in the handling. Looked at my tyres and the front after only 12000 kms had worn unevenly. Changed it straight away and the handling is great again. Tyres can be a big issue and it is super important to check, maintain and replace early. Great informative vid! 😎🇦🇺
I had a brand new Sportglide last year and this bike had “stick slip”. The frontfork doesnt work well and stays down when you push it at place. They put in new springs and better SKF seals….then the bike’s suspension is how it suppose to!!! It drove like a hobbyhorse
I only noticed the death wobble at speeds over 100 mph... I have felt some weird handling issues at lower speeds but totally manageable....2001 electra glide
Greasing the steering, aka Neck bearings, at least once a year especially in hot weather and replacing swing arm bushings every 50k helps with the "Death Wobble"!
One correction, at least for pre-2017 Softails: there are NO rubber engine mounts or rubber engine mount dampeners. The engine is solidly mounted (hence the counterbalancers on the 2000 - 2016 Twin Cam engines), and forms part of the structural integrity of the chassis on those bikes. Cheers!
I had a 2009 FLHT. It would occasionally feel unstable at 80 mph and in high speed long curves. Once I put legends Revo-As on the rear and Legends front fork cartridges, it was flawless in handling. I hate that I waited so long to do that suspension.
I did the same thing to my FLHTCU. Wow, what a difference the Revo A’s and the Legend front suspension made. No matter what bike I have, upgrading the suspension makes a huge difference. My GL1800 was the same when I upgraded to the Traxsion suspension.
Check the fork tube oil...! + or - two ounces of fluid in one side or the other...?? Big time wobble... And? It can be "mis filled" right from the factory....
After well over fifty years of riding Harleys as well as Metrics l have found a lot of the handling problems found with motorcycles come from a maladjusted wing nut on the throttle.
Sound analysis. Great advice. Methodical. Work your way through the obvious before applying "remedies" I speak as someone who experienced an odd steering wobble at low speed. Turned out to be a misalignment of the rear (out by 1cm at the axle - doesn't sound much does it? Now multiply that by your rear wheel diameter - to see where that was facing...) add in a worn front tyre. Thanks for putting this together! ☺️
In my 32 years and 250,000 miles on Ultras, 2 EVO’s 2 TC’s, I’ve never had a wobble at speed. I did have bar shake, but it was a loose steering head bearing.
I have seen the Harley Wobble on 2 Electraglides. Both were overloaded and the rear shocks were at zero psi on stock air shocks. The best upgrade that can be done to a touring bike is to ditch the rear air shocks and get some decent progressive shocks.
@@randymccalla9995 No, you need riding experience AND technical knowledge. You have to understand the machine before you can locate the source. I solved one on a VN and even the official dealers could not find the problem. Experience...
@@corneilcorneil yeah I know what you mean I been riding motors since 1970.. I've had three honda 50s .A Yamaha 305. which by the way blows away any honda 350..Ive had two Honda 450 s one had a freakin front end wobble, ( no front fender) was the cause..My CB 750 F would wobble slightly on bad pavement, around 90 mph.. My 500 honda never had a wobble.. Then I was doing about 80 when my FLHTCU started the wobble of the century.. no motha freakin shocks would have done a damn It was the factory junk isolator mounts on the swingarm letting the rear tire steer Like I said you dont know Jack, and you can keep you shock sales thing the fuck away fool !
Off topic always see that andrews sign in you garage. What’s your take on andrews cam 48 in a twin cam 96. Never see you talk about them in your cam videos.
Never had death wobble on anything in 48 yrs, till my 2006 f250 superduty.About 130,000 miles ,when the factory front end parts wore out. Good tires, sometimes by them self and / or , new front end( moog parts, don't waste time with Autozone, or cheap parts) cured it.
Yes Tyers. Camber wear. Especially a highway bike too. BIG FLAT SPOT IN CENTRE Then come into corners. , and who packs a dresser correctly ,not me , and the main one o want to say is spokes piss them off. Put mags if you flog you ride hard. I’ve seen a spoke wheel on a two year old bike move almost a 1/2” each way. But he did do burnouts lol. And old Tyers I dropped my girls nightster with 8 year old Tyers. Spun out from underneath me. Only 5000mls on it , and I have an 99 and 08 dresser. The rubber will be shot just by age. Both about 24,000 mls on them. The top stabiliser wear out quick a couple 32nds would start to steer you too. Love your work. And information.
I had front end wobble on my 2001 Deuce. It was kind of freaky. Tire pressure good. Spokes good. Fall away? Horrible! Pulled the front end apart. New bearings in the head. Set the fall away. New tires. Swapped out fork guts for Progressive mono-tubes. Fixed. Guys, check that fall away. It's got to be perfect.
Dyna WG. 2002. Never wobbled. Ever. At any speed (95 mph). Even tried to induce it.. Nope. I changed my mounts @ 35k, and got rid of the wire wheels before I picked it up. Wobble comes from being a RUB.
My 2017 ultra classic 2 up and overloaded for Sturgis…. Developed a head shake that required hands on the bars at all times. I know, what idiot takes his hands off the bars? Lol 👉🏼😎👍🏼. I just had too much weight on the bike. Put the old lady on a diet and fixed the issue!😂 don’t tell my gal I said that, she gets violent😮
I most adamantly agree about tires just never scrimp, that's between you and death. Best to run the same style and brand front and rear. Got a BMW. No maintenance done, had a 12-year-old Michelin on the front, and about 10-year-old Metzler rear. Just touching a painted line, or specially slowing, it was like black ice. Surprised I didn't lay it down. New tires and holy crap like a new bike. 120 and it's solid, and Any Corner even past 50°, no problem. A long history of bikes, 60 years, and first experiences, an old Harley, old ajs, and Honda superhawk. Now an r1100 s, and r1150r bmws... I like antiques which is what Harley and their design really is, the BMWs, it is more capable than my level of confidence. Push it hard and it always comes out. Since about 2000 I've ridden a lot of Triumph triples, one of them especially, Speed Triple 955, ridden hard, but still nice bike even at 80,000 miles. It only had minimal oil changes really not maintained. It was played and stunted, but I'm telling you it's still Road straight and tight. I really don't understand how Harley can not address this deadly issue. It's like telling a tourist to walk through the jungle, no problem it's beautiful there.. 9 out of 10 tourists come back. But one of them is eating Alive by the deadly Harley wobble. I guess I've got to admit, the last three people I heard of dying on a bike we're all on Harleys. And they all were sober. Old crazy buddy years ago, also fatal on a rock wall, but that's why everyone called them crazy.. but alcohol was so high they couldn't figure out how he was even conscious to ride. But I've seen more fatals coming on to the scene, while riding in Asia. Frankly if you're coming under the scene and you see a couple of shoes laying here and there, that indicates fatality oftentimes. Always ride sober and expect they're trying to kill you.🙏🙏
When I had my 2016 Dyna LowRider with 4500 miles in a left turn the tar had a crack my rear end of bike wobble. That was the only time it happened. I heard reason Harley stopped Dyna's multiple lawsuits, is that true? P.S. I'm looking at getting a mini bike for fun time off road. Like the Coleman 200 or little bigger. Last year I rode a DR 200 on trails going in the woods, plenty of power for that, sometimes too much. Kids today are missing out on mini bike of the 70's and BMX bikes, those 70's days were a blast!
My 95 and 2001 FLHTCUs both had that wobble if you take both hands off the bars. 90' FatBoy FLSTF didn't have that 'feature'. Never felt that happen in a corner.
I never had the problem in 70,000 miles of cross country riding. That being said,I am anal about preparation,maintenance,tire /wheel settings. I do all my own mechanical work. I buy the best parts available……..I do all you talk about and more. I buy new tires long before they’re worn out. Due diligence = carefree ride
Touring Harleys are a very heavy bike, with average suspension. As a stock bagger, please don't expect it to handle like Goldwing or a FJR in the twisties. And I'm not knocking Harleys. I went from a Goldwing to an Ultra Classic, and I love it!
Commonly known as Dyna death wobble.......because this only happens to dyna's, that is according to a utubr Harley hater According to him it's because no 2 shocks are exactly the same........of course crotch rocket tank slappers being the same thing have only one shock in the rear, and Harley doesn't make them Tire pressure.......when my gauge said 42lb I was actually running 48 on my crotch rocket, I had belt showing in the center at about 2k miles......found 2 gauges that said same thing and went with them.....I traded crotch rocket at 3k and tire showed no wear and handled great..... didn't seem to hurt the front tire At same time my Wide Glide had been running with too much air also, but I hadn't ridden it as much nor as hard.....I ended up with 7k on the rear when I changed it.....on each side there was visible where tread had been, all the way across the tire it was smooth, I've got about 1k on new tire and keeping it aired according to handheld gauge it's showing no wear and handling is great...... I've got new front tire for it but I can still see tread...........the point is make sure the gauge your using is correct Stiff ride....I had 2002 and 2004 883's......02 was far better handling and it didn't shake me to death...... actually everything about that bike I liked better than the 04...good luck for me to find another..........If I ever need mounts/bushings I'll look up them hard ones
Where’s your shop, mate? If I get a second bike I’m thinking a Lowrider S. But first I want to see what I can wring out of a Triumph triple. Because Norton is dead as an affordable hooner bike. And I have a quarter miler’s aversion to pesky power curves and excess weight. I’m retired, sort of, now, but I still gravitate towards sleepers and street fighters. My one concession to maturity is that this time I will do my tons on the strip, where they don’t give out traffic summons. Think I can get deep into the tens at around 140 on an “ordinary” used Triumph. Street gas, no forced air. That will be enough to put a permanent grin on my face. There’s a lot of us old guys still setting up a fast drag bike. Just for kicks. It all started when I made a late addition to my bucket list. Doing the ton one more time took me on a search that ended up with a sweet used triple. 11 flat stock and it’s not… Getting some maintenance and mods over the winter. Being optimistic I will pursue a drag bike license so I can go as quick as I can. And I am in no hurry with the dealer because I’m not into winter riding anymore. But come the Spring… PS a good friend just beat a 140+ mph speeding ticket. On a rat Kwaka. And yeah, my physical came back perfect so if you think I’m too old for this my MD disagrees. So see ya at the strip, I hope…
Sir I need help with a stage 1 topic please. A few weeks at biketober fest Rinehart racing did a full stage1 up grade on my 2015 ultra. Before the upgrade I could cruise around the block in 3rd or 4th say 30 -40 mph no issues. Hit 5th gear drive 45mph no issues No after the stage 1 I can’t the bike will begin to buck so I have to rev up a few time I have been at the light and the rpm feel like dropping and engine starving for air and it will turn off. My mechanic says I need to drive the bike differently because of the stage 1 like rev the rpm or drop one gear say 3rd if I want to cruise at 30 -35 mph What os your opinion? Besides the full exhaust I got the big sucker air cleaner from Arlen ness and power Vision tune all done the Reinhardt Other than that the bike woke up and runs great! Thank you for you time.
I had wobble, torque steer, bar shake, and off center tire wear, all on the same bike. Crown of the road? Yeah, that's what Harley told me. I bought the bike from them and had it back to them three times for this issue. They also accused my riding skills and experience (I have been riding about 43 years). As it turns out an independent shop found that Harley had installed the front wheel spacers on the wrong side so the wheel was off center. Yes, everybody, including Harley, tells me that can't be done...well they did it. They had to shim the caliper WAY off to do it. Yes, this was done at Harley Davidson. Take it to an expert? I had stayed away from the Harley dealers for almost 25 years, then I bought that bike. I learned a very serious lesson: don't trust them, and question their expertise. The bike was dangerous and they said it was the crown of the road and/or my riding after inspecting the bike three times while the problem itself was caused by their own improper assembly. That bike is gone. I totaled it and bought a used CVO. Polyurethane? I highly recommend it for the cush drive, engine mounts, and swingarm. It's like a whole different bike. Shakes? Yeah, so? Buy a Honda if that's an issue. I much prefer good handling. Stabilizer? Fix the motorcycle, then a stabilizer is about want, not need.
Dunlop covered this like 20 years ago. Dunlop wobble & weave - ruclips.net/video/z3OQTU-kE2s/видео.html TLDR- When you get a high speed weave, lay down on your tank like a crotch rocket. It works.
Have you tried a stabilizer on your Harley for a problem that just couldn't be found?
and i put a new set of tires on and didnt take care of it
I have a stabilizer and air ride the biggest problem with Harleys as they get heavier and heavier is the springs are never the same with air it equalizes the springs and the rear and the springs in the front it makes a major difference between the front and rear air ride and the stabilizer off the transmission my bike has never wobbled
My 1999 Ultra has the urethane motor mounts and a stabilizer and it helped tremendously. I would not take it over 90mph. It handles pretty well on the sweepers and on the highway including creek roads. I'm just not going to push it too much even with Metzler's. I don't think the newer frames require a stabilizer.
Nope. Imho it's a band-aid masking something else fundamental going on.
@@johndsmith7785 my 01 came with air ride front and rear I changed the rear over to dirty air when the old shocks wore out. I can run my bike about 135 with the gear change in it
I love how Harley leaves the research and development up to the proud customer
The Harley Collective is large, and well informed. With the other bike brands, not so much.
Grumpy Troll Balls
When you live in the trenches.....and your bike quite possibly can get you killed,...then you'll look for the solution that is necessary
gotta stop by other channels instead of just listening to posers who like creating monetized videos.
@@vancedyer755
"well informed" blokes don't ride HOGs (except a few models) 😁
If you ever find yourself in a wobble put some drag on your rear brake before it gets too bad and you should straighten right up.
My friend has a 2005 Super Glide Dyna. He had a wobble. A number of things we did that helped eliminate that wobble: (1.) we added a Fork Brace from Arlen Ness which helped, (2.) we added engine stabilizers from Sputh; (3.) we put in new engine mounts; (4.) we replaced the neck and wheel bearings and made sure that the tires were well aligned. No more wobble: solid as a Gibraltar Rock The Sputh Stabilizers and Engine Mounts made the biggest difference.
I have a friend who had a shovel head dresser that would wobble on the highway intermittently. It was a bad front wobble, you had to get off the throttle to get it to stop. To make a long story short, the pinch bolts on the lower tree for the fork tubes were loose. Not falling out loose, kinda just a little snug, and when you hit the right dip or bump in the road all hell would break loose. I'm talking scary. Haven't seen anything like this again and that was about 30 years ago, but now I get into the habit of looking at those bolts.
Great info! Bought a 2002 RK classic a few years ago with 8k miles, all stock. First time out on the highway, death wobble at any speed over 55mph. Turned out to be spoke wheels out of round/ loose spokes. Had the wheels trued up, end of problem.
The "Harley wobble" is almost always due to several reasons. Improperly loaded, low tire pressure, improperly adjusted suspension, neglected and out of adjustment steering head bearings, broken engine mounts and swingarm bushings, loose or broken spokes, misaligned rear wheel. It's almost always one of those. Do NOT confuse the "Harley wobble" with the coast down wobble. It's a 2 wheel vehicle. There's going to be a instability point somewhere no matter what. Lack of rider skill is also a major contributing factor as well.
Why does it happen on brand new bikes then? There is inherent flex in the frames on newish touring bikes. Only way to adequately prevent it is to install a brace. I've tried everything on multiple new bikes and that is the only thing that stops it.
@@ricko9879 Just because it's a new bike doesn't mean it has a straight chassis, proper tire inflation, straight wheel alignment, true wheels if they're spokes, and proper suspension adjustment. Being a new bike just means it's a new bike. Nothing more.
Great video Gixxerfoo! I notice the wobble in my 95 Electra Glide Classic under three conditions, freeway speeds, cross winds, and hard cornering. I may not need one, but I would rather have piece of mind, so I'm getting a stabilizer anyway. You make a great point about the rubber vs poly bushings. I had not considered that, but may just go with new rubber mounts now. By the way, if your bike is over 20 years old, even if they look good, you may need new mounts. UV destroys natural rubber over time, plus heat cycles from just normal riding. Better safe than sorry.
For years Wranglers have had a similar phenomenon called the "death wobble" that is likely caused by harmonic oscillations generated out of the suspension linkage. Never experienced it myself but it does seem to occur in vehicles that are out of spec from the original design (lifted, tire spacers, etc.) and it's probably the same thing here. Given that this bike is pretty heavy, I imagine there's a considerable amount of force on those corners. So I could see how a few loose spokes or a volume of missing tire pressure could set the system up for an oscillation event given the right trigger from a bump or pothole.
Panhead Dave here, I was the lead tech at Santa Barbara Harley Davidson through most of the 90s, I figured out how to make a set of "traction bars" that eliminated fore and aft movement of the driveline swingarm in the frame without affecting any of the articulation of the rubber mount system on the big twin harleys, I'm actually willing to share this
Do you have a video?
@@danfecke no, I'm afraid I don't have video of anything
I've noticed my front tire wears more on the left side than the right. I never thought it was road conditions. I suspected I ride left turns harder than right.A few years back, I experience a slight wobble in the turns. I replaced the rear rubbers, and the front as well. The rear ones were shot. This was at 90,000 miles.
I had a bar shake on my 09 ultra classic. After checking the front bearings a second time they had just the slightest barely noticeable slop when wiggling the wheel by hand. Changed bearings and been smooth as silk since even with no hands
First start off with checking your front motor mount make sure that oil hasn't deteriorated it replace if needed there's also steel mesh ones on the market that are great next check the alignment if that's all good make sure your tire tread is intact both but rear is most important after that's done if you're still experiencing these problems I then recommend Alloy Arts stabilizer link. Thanks Gixxer Foo I forgot tire pressure that should be just common like checking your fluids
2013 Ultra Classic.. I have had it a few times at hwy speeds.. specially if riding behind a Tractor Trailer.. Bike was not loaded at anytime when I had to deal with the wobble with the rear walking a good amount..
The times it happened when I got home I went over the bike and checked tire pressure, shock pressure, ect.. Only 9000k on the bike.. never figured it out.. When I have the GF on the back, I never had the issue..
Now the bike is going to CSC for a trike conversion..
you are so right in fact not only does a stabilizer mask a potentially dangerous issue but it also would put extra stress on the actual problem
As you point out, tire condition and wear patterns can affect stability. Roadway 'crown', paving material and conditions does cause unpredictable tire wear. Some tires wear-in better than others.
Rain grooves or steel grate bridges are another experience! 🥺
Other issues that can and do affect ride & handling;
1. Tire pressure (especially front).
2. Tire alignment, front tire perfectly in-line with rear.
3. Steering head bearings. Lubed, not 2 tight, not too loose.
4. Wheel bearings. See notes on 3.
5. Swingarm bushings/bearings.
6. Shocks, inc bushings.
7. Load balance. Rider, passenger and cargo.
8. Handlebars. Some position the rider with a forward lean, putting more load on the forks/tire, like a sportbike. Many, if not most Harley riders prefer to sit straight up or back. Some higher bars cause ya to pull back/up and unweight the front end. Especially when wrestling with the wind.
I've never had any kind of 'wobble' on my Roadking. I had only 1 I can remember in over 30yrs of riding the old 4spd swingarm frames after hitting a hole in the road. After riding the older chassis Harleys for so many years, the Roadking/FLT is simply amazing in it's handling and stability. One thing I did notice was that the older platforms would actually go fairly straight with hands off the bars. Not so with the FLT! I suspect the ''inverted rake'' of the steering head/forks have something to do with this. 🤔
I've had numerous full-tilt "tank-slappers'' on various high performance sportbikes under various situation.
I definitely had a sway back and forth with factory “premium adjustable shocks”. I haven’t noticed the sway since I upgraded. Now I notice the front needing the same treatment.
Hi, GixxerFoo your topics are fantastic !!!! Thanks for all the great content.I have a 2021 street glide.At 12,500 miles I started with a low speed 40miles an hour handlebar wobble and poor handling, After checking all the things you mention and changing tires and front wheel bearings that did NOT solve the problem at my HD dealer $$$$$, .The 2 Harley dealer's said that All is fine. I took the bike bike to a mom and pop shop where they confirmed the neck was very lose and in need of a neck adjustment, POP'S took the time did it right and I'm golden. 2 different Harley dealers said the neck was fine.so be cautious of neck adjustments they need to be done more Frequently then the older HD touring bikes.
Your bike is still under warranty, so the bearings-if they were defective would be covered. Tires- no. Either one of those dealers should have found the neck play.
I like how the dealerships replace the wheel bearings and the front tire and then throw their hands up 🤷🏻♂️ noting that the problem is still there but oh well, they’ve changed some parts and made some money from you so there’s nothing more they can do!?!??
Yet, Pops good ‘ol fashioned customers first service took the time to thoroughly check over the problem as noted by the customer and then they correctly diagnosed and resolved the issue. 🎉🎉
At what point does the dealership that you went to who you paid good money to for them to not resolve your bikes issue become negligent in their actions?? The only way this attitude changes is by going to small claims court and suing dealerships for lack of professional services and charging you hundreds and the problem was resolved by another shop. Only then will the dealerships become more responsible in resolving the issue instead of making a quick buck and sending you on your way. And I add, the bike is in a very dangerous way to be on the road for yourself and other drivers due to the heightened potential for an accident.
My "new" to me '98 DYNA FXD had the rear end weave. In my case it was old & tired front&rear isolators. New ones cleared up slop.
My 07 Dyna had a scary high speed front end wobble, I chocked up the frame and got the lower rails absolutely horizontal with a good spirit level and then with the primary cover off, I got a spirit level across the primary gasket surfaces to check engine true vertical. It was out a fair bit so I adjusted the top engine mount adjuster to get the engine true vertical which solved the problem. I since had a rear rubber mount fail and the engine would go ker clunk over big bumps as it went up and came down hard. Lastly, I made my own true tracking device and the Dyna is handling sweet but the true vertical of engine was what made the most difference as the rear wheel mounts up to the engine / trans which wasn't true vertical
I own a XR1200 and I bumped up my redline up from 6900 to 7300 with my Power Commander. It now can hit 130. Most XRs went straight to the track. They switched from the belt to chain and the roadrace bikes hit 145mph. I never heard anybody having any handling problems at that speed.
I felt this wobble on Honda's and other bikes to. Suspencion, weight, frame, windshield, tires etc, it can be 1 or several.
I love my panhead ,old,slow ,and still goes down the road like a arrow .
One more thing ,tires on my 64 are over 30 years old ,Goodyear eagles .
I know a guy who had a BSA 650 with a quick attack rear wheel and we pulled into a gas station and just as we got up to the gas pump half of his spokes broke and the wheel was crooked. Was a humongous weight of a Harley people are used to cast Wheels I do not require maintenance and when they go to spoke wheels they do not realize that spoke wheels require maintenance especially when they are carrying the load of a thousand pounds worth of motorcycle and Rider. In the old days when you had a chain you used to check your spokes when you did chain maintenance. Nowadays most Harley Riders are incapable of even adjusting a chain. Any old days they used to be able to fix a transmission on the side of the road.
Thankfully we no longer have to repair transmissions on the side of the road or put two quart’s of oil at every gas station fill up.
@@freebehindbars8654 you Can't Blame A motorcycles 30-year-old transmission for breaking down from age. The fact that it could be dissembled with simple hand tools and repaired with parts from a hardware store says much about the fact that Simplicity rules. And even in the AMF days I didn't know anybody who put two quarts of oil in their bike every time they stopped to get gas. You used to have to have a knack to get a Kickstarter motorcycle to start now all you have to do is push a pussy button or have the credit card in your wallet when you sit on the motorcycle for it to start. Kick starting is an art and a skill that is gone by the wayside like knowing how to ride your motorcycle without traffic control and AVS and all of the other electronic age that's simply mask the crappy way that you ride a motorcycle if you wrote a motorcycle stupidly in the old days you would end up on your ass sliding down the road now the motorcycle compensates for your incompetence in its operation which I find to be truly sorry.
@@frankmarkovcijr5459 kick start is cool but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a starter.
And the 2 quarts is an exaggerated joke, but the joke exists for a reason and thank God those days are over, because that was 40+ years ago and we still never hear the end of it.
Add in the simple transmission that needs to be rebuilt periodically isn't necessarily a good thing, in fact I like knowing that I can go from 1 side of the country to the other and back again with no issues.
All that said I fully agree with all the modern traction control BS. I get why it exists, but it's going to stunt people's riding capability
Being able to wrench and fix your own bike is what sets the "biker" apart from the "rider". Getting to know you mount and being the "expert" of your machine..... the older the ride the more care and maintenance required to keep it running... it thins the herd of those willing and able to maintain the lifestyle....
@@shenanigansofmannanan Well said! I was planning to say that the most dangerous part of a Harley today was the average rider; some middle-aged or older guy who hasn't got a clue about motorcycles beyond which 'accessories' they can bolt on to make them cooler in the eyes of their peers. Hint: folks like us ain't their peers and they have a long way to go before they reach that status. Ride safe friend!
I have an 09 ultra classic and the death wobble showed up a couple of times. Routine maintenance showed 26 psi in the front tire. Brought it up to spec and no more wobble.
I paid a Harley dealer to replace head bearings on my fxd. . Developed very slight decel jiggle at 45. They couldn't figure it out. I just found the front tire at 18 psi.
Im taking it for a ride tomorrow.
have 05 ultraclassic, I've ridden miles on cruise control with both hands off the bars. had my motor stroked too a 103. had legends 12" front and back. took a corner freeway interchange, left to right. doing about 50. my rear tire started the backend wobble. this was this summer. one and only time i ever felt it.
Last video on Harleys that I need to see. Sticking with the Big Four.
Salute
Never had any problems with my Shovelheads... but they have a proper frame with no rubber in there.
you are so right on age of tires. i have 2014 sportster for around town and the tires were original. upon inspection they were 8 1/2 years old. they only have 3500 miles on them and look perfect but like you said seemed real hard. i went ahead and replaced them. just prudent thing to do. i was not getting any problems in handling but ugggh. hey i got the money dont be foolish. good video man.
Had this (wobble) happen with my brand new, not overloaded 2006 Street glide. After massive “interaction” with Harley dealer, they replaced it. Second one, no problem
I had a similar problem on my ‘21 Goldwing when using cruise control, around 35-55mph and l would let go of the bars (because it would vibrate my hands). The bars would start wobbling and get progressively worse.
The problem ended up being the horrible factory Dunflop front tire. Dunflop is OEM for a lot of motorcycle manufacturers. Try a different brand and see what happens. I went with Michelin Commander III and the problem went away instantly.
I had a wobble that showed up during a high speed pass when I pulled back into my lane the bike started a wobble that didn't go away till I slowed down. So, new wheel bearings, new tires, didn't fix it. Rebuilt the swing arm and replaced rear and front mounts. I also put...stiffy cups in the rear isolators. No wobble, no walking around in corners...and yes the urethane front mount was terrible.
What I'm doing to mitigate any wobble problems on my '00 RKC build that I'm doing right now is upgrading to spherical bearings on my swingarm, billet isolators, Legends Suspension front and rear, and of course new tires. I'm probably going to change out the front motor mount just for good measure. I'm hopin' it'll never wobble on me. What do you think, G.F.? Any other base I need to cover?
Bad Rubber mounts ,,,Bad wheel bearings.. bad spokes ....bad designs
That stinkin wobble! Thankfully it’s never happened to me.
Counteract balance beads fixed any front end wobble ive ever had. 2 Dynas and a FXR all had a wobble until i put beads in. The beads keep the tires/wheels in constant balance for life of the tire.
I have a 2005 dyna. The swingarm is mounted at the back of the transmission, near the rear mount, which is rubber. There was all sorts of play at the back since new. I installed that Trutrak stabilizer.. made all the difference. Fixed what I consider a design flaw!
I ride a rigid mounted 883 engine on a sportster. There is no wobble. But taking the tight turns needs a bit of care as the bikes are a bit top heavy.
"..... in his 70s and doesn't ride that much....." I'm 75 and average 7,000 to 9,000 miles a year. I've ridden since the mid-60s on BSA, Triumph, Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki bikes..... what is this "wobble" you're talking about?
All your suggestions are valid. The truth is though; it all comes down to bad design.
2009? shit ive had it happen on panheads, shovels and my newest twincam. when they first started making the big front fenders they would catch air and the harmonics would make the bikes wobble. most people didnt know because you had to have big horseys to get there but....
Yeah, let's blame loose spokes and low tire pressure and completely ignore ridiculously bad engineering from the factory. If you own a Dyna and you've never had the back wheel try to steer you off the outside of a curve it's only because you ride like an old fart. I wonder why Moto GP bikes don't have their swingarms bolted to a rubber-mounted drivetrain? Meh, it'll be fine.
Yeah. I'm older now. I never had this problem with my old rigid mount shovelhead.
If I ride again I think I'll just buy another brand.
Not a guarantee against wobble of course but I'm hopeful.
I’ve rode Harleys all my life, owned many still have two of them, I’ve never experienced this wobble or seen anyone wobbling. This is another gimmick to sell stuff.
Tires have expiration date even if not used. Is there an expiration date on rubber mounts. I.E. switch out every decade?
I have a theory that one possible contribution (not the cause) is the very poorly designed top triple clamp that Harley used on all rubber mount touring bikes from 1980 to 2013. I had a 2001 RK and a 2016 RK and although I never experienced a wobble with either bike the 16 definitely handled much better. Like it was on rails. I could be wrong on this, but it's food for thought.
2001 and 2016 touring frames are completely different.
@@georgewetzel4380 they are, but I still believe the top clamp also makes a difference.
Good Video. I experienced a High Speed wobble once on my 2009 FLHTCU, a new set of tires cured it.
Had this problem (slight wobble) with OEM suspension. Just swap over to Legend and never look back.
FYI, some riders (myself included) experience this issue with the use of bead balancers in the front; this DOES NOT work in baggers well, and only adds to the already insufficient suspension, thereby increasing the wobble. At least it did with me.
Once I swapped in the Legend, not only did all these issues go away, but the bike began handling like is *should* have from the factory.
One day, harley will provide a "sport" suspension rather than the soft touring specifications that are current OEM. Regardless of your riding style, the OEM suspension sucks and should be the first mod you do at the same time as Stage One (header, slip-ons, intake, tune).
I noticed a wobble on my 07 FXD a couple years ago at higher speeds,I took it in for tires and fork service and bad motor mounts were found and seemed to be much better but have not had it up to the speeds where I noticed the wobble. I was trying to keep up with friends who wanted to ride around 90 in traffic where I was very uncomfortable being at but had it to 80 and no wobble.
Tires are the most important thing on the bike to not mess around with like ya said, could be a matter of life or death, or at least a lot of pain and a messed up bike. Love your videos
I know some of the Dynas had this issue. I had a stabilizer on my 06 Dyna and it never wobbled.
If you have a lowered Softail make sure both rear shocks are adjusted exactly the same length.
Got rid of the air shocks (rear), and replaced with 11 1/2" in length (shorter) conventional shocks.
No more wobble.
You will never stop a tank slapper! Nobody’s that strong.. just twist the screw
^ not speaking of the Harley “wobble”.. what brand is that stabilizer @ 9:00?
I bought a 2015 Roadking this summer and it had the original tires.
Usually due to lack of maintenance or something overlooked while focusing on something else.🤘
Not too mention a lot of people that experience the "Harley Wobble" don't experience it up until 110-115mph....😳
Just another RUclips motorcycle want to be
The handle bar shake happened on old (1970's) Kawasaki 900's
but not until you were well over 100 mph.
Of course, that's not a good time to find out about it :-0)
Have multiple experiences. Couple: 2001 PoliceFLH DEATH wobble- turned out no air in front air suspension. Of course it caused me to nut & bolt the entire bike.
2014- FLH Ultra Classic: replaced rear w/Legends and front with Progressive cartridges. Can still get a wobble, but not scary.
NEVER man handle the handlebars.. relax and it calms. I have had to drag to jam rear breaks to get 1 bike to stop bucking. Key for me is, relax.
I usually use American Elite for fronts. No problems yet.
Getting rid of the air shocks helps a bunch.
I have a Sportglide and recently on a trip noticed changes in the handling. Looked at my tyres and the front after only 12000 kms had worn unevenly. Changed it straight away and the handling is great again. Tyres can be a big issue and it is super important to check, maintain and replace early. Great informative vid! 😎🇦🇺
I had a brand new Sportglide last year and this bike had “stick slip”. The frontfork doesnt work well and stays down when you push it at place. They put in new springs and better SKF seals….then the bike’s suspension is how it suppose to!!! It drove like a hobbyhorse
Changing my tires fixed the wobble I had in my 2012 electra glide
great video! explains an issue I was having with the tires on my RG when I bought it used. replaced the tires and the problems went away.
The line around the tyre is an anti static strip.
I put Stabilizer on just as perverted matnence
When I push mine hard and scrape floor boards it wobbles a little. Good thing I started out as a maniac kid on dirt bikes many moons ago!
I only noticed the death wobble at speeds over 100 mph... I have felt some weird handling issues at lower speeds but totally manageable....2001 electra glide
Greasing the steering, aka Neck bearings, at least once a year especially in hot weather and replacing swing arm bushings every 50k helps with the "Death Wobble"!
One correction, at least for pre-2017 Softails: there are NO rubber engine mounts or rubber engine mount dampeners. The engine is solidly mounted (hence the counterbalancers on the 2000 - 2016 Twin Cam engines), and forms part of the structural integrity of the chassis on those bikes.
Cheers!
Counter balancers are only on one or two maybe 3years of twincam
@@randymccalla9995 Actually, they're on all years of Twin Cam B engines in Softails - 2000 -2016.
@@randymccalla9995 I mean you even edited the comment and you're still wrong
I had a 2009 FLHT. It would occasionally feel unstable at 80 mph and in high speed long curves. Once I put legends Revo-As on the rear and Legends front fork cartridges, it was flawless in handling. I hate that I waited so long to do that suspension.
I did the same thing to my FLHTCU. Wow, what a difference the Revo A’s and the Legend front suspension made. No matter what bike I have, upgrading the suspension makes a huge difference. My GL1800 was the same when I upgraded to the Traxsion suspension.
Thanks brother . SPORTSTER4LIFE
Check the fork tube oil...! + or - two ounces of fluid in one side or the other...?? Big time wobble...
And? It can be "mis filled" right from the factory....
After well over fifty years of riding Harleys as well as Metrics l have found a lot of the handling problems found with motorcycles come from a maladjusted wing nut on the throttle.
Sound analysis. Great advice. Methodical. Work your way through the obvious before applying "remedies" I speak as someone who experienced an odd steering wobble at low speed. Turned out to be a misalignment of the rear (out by 1cm at the axle - doesn't sound much does it? Now multiply that by your rear wheel diameter - to see where that was facing...) add in a worn front tyre. Thanks for putting this together! ☺️
Great advice, yep my back tire air was low after a cold night so put 40 pounds in the back of my Road king and 36 up front and outstanding 👍🇺🇸
In my 32 years and 250,000 miles on Ultras, 2 EVO’s 2 TC’s, I’ve never had a wobble at speed. I did have bar shake, but it was a loose steering head bearing.
I know this is an older vid. Love your content.
Thank you! I really appreciate the support!
Dyna death wobble is no joke!
All bikes and all brands can high speed wobble. There are as many causes as opinions. Rubber mount has been on Harleys since the early 80s.
That happened to me, on the highway going about 80. or 90 on a 85' yamaha V-Max.
When I backed off the throttle, the condition went away! Ride Safe!!
I have seen the Harley Wobble on 2 Electraglides. Both were overloaded and the rear shocks were at zero psi on stock air shocks. The best upgrade that can be done to a touring bike is to ditch the rear air shocks and get some decent progressive shocks.
Add descent shocks on a absurd expensive "cruiser" (showbike)... the have to come stock with good suspension.
You dont know jack...You gotta ride the wobble to talk about the wobble. Shocks ain't s..t.
@@randymccalla9995 No, you need riding experience AND technical knowledge. You have to understand the machine before you can locate the source. I solved one on a VN and even the official dealers could not find the problem. Experience...
@@corneilcorneil yeah I know what you mean I been riding motors since 1970.. I've had three honda 50s .A Yamaha 305. which by the way blows away any honda 350..Ive had two Honda 450 s one had a freakin front end wobble, ( no front fender) was the cause..My CB 750 F would wobble slightly on bad pavement, around 90 mph.. My 500 honda never had a wobble.. Then I was doing about 80 when my FLHTCU started the wobble of the century.. no motha freakin shocks would have done a damn It was the factory junk isolator mounts on the swingarm letting the rear tire steer Like I said you dont know Jack, and you can keep you shock sales thing the fuck away fool !
Off topic always see that andrews sign in you garage. What’s your take on andrews cam 48 in a twin cam 96. Never see you talk about them in your cam videos.
Harleys makes the World's most powerful personal vibrators, NOT motorcycles!
Never had death wobble on anything in 48 yrs, till my 2006 f250 superduty.About 130,000 miles ,when the factory front end parts wore out. Good tires, sometimes by them self and / or , new front end( moog parts, don't waste time with Autozone, or cheap parts) cured it.
Yes Tyers. Camber wear. Especially a highway bike too. BIG FLAT SPOT IN CENTRE Then come into corners. , and who packs a dresser correctly ,not me , and the main one o want to say is spokes piss them off. Put mags if you flog you ride hard. I’ve seen a spoke wheel on a two year old bike move almost a 1/2” each way. But he did do burnouts lol. And old Tyers I dropped my girls nightster with 8 year old Tyers. Spun out from underneath me. Only 5000mls on it , and I have an 99 and 08 dresser. The rubber will be shot just by age. Both about 24,000 mls on them. The top stabiliser wear out quick a couple 32nds would start to steer you too.
Love your work. And information.
I had front end wobble on my 2001 Deuce. It was kind of freaky. Tire pressure good. Spokes good. Fall away? Horrible! Pulled the front end apart. New bearings in the head. Set the fall away. New tires. Swapped out fork guts for Progressive mono-tubes. Fixed. Guys, check that fall away. It's got to be perfect.
ROFLMMFAO..I've a 96 roadking..never had it...new harleys( last 20 ) are total garbage
Dyna WG. 2002. Never wobbled. Ever. At any speed (95 mph). Even tried to induce it.. Nope. I changed my mounts @ 35k, and got rid of the wire wheels before I picked it up. Wobble comes from being a RUB.
My 2017 ultra classic 2 up and overloaded for Sturgis…. Developed a head shake that required hands on the bars at all times. I know, what idiot takes his hands off the bars? Lol 👉🏼😎👍🏼. I just had too much weight on the bike. Put the old lady on a diet and fixed the issue!😂 don’t tell my gal I said that, she gets violent😮
I most adamantly agree about tires just never scrimp, that's between you and death. Best to run the same style and brand front and rear. Got a BMW. No maintenance done, had a 12-year-old Michelin on the front, and about 10-year-old Metzler rear. Just touching a painted line, or specially slowing, it was like black ice. Surprised I didn't lay it down. New tires and holy crap like a new bike. 120 and it's solid, and Any Corner even past 50°, no problem. A long history of bikes, 60 years, and first experiences, an old Harley, old ajs, and Honda superhawk. Now an r1100 s, and r1150r bmws... I like antiques which is what Harley and their design really is, the BMWs, it is more capable than my level of confidence. Push it hard and it always comes out.
Since about 2000 I've ridden a lot of Triumph triples, one of them especially, Speed Triple 955, ridden hard, but still nice bike even at 80,000 miles. It only had minimal oil changes really not maintained. It was played and stunted, but I'm telling you it's still Road straight and tight. I really don't understand how Harley can not address this deadly issue. It's like telling a tourist to walk through the jungle, no problem it's beautiful there.. 9 out of 10 tourists come back. But one of them is eating Alive by the deadly Harley wobble. I guess I've got to admit, the last three people I heard of dying on a bike we're all on Harleys. And they all were sober. Old crazy buddy years ago, also fatal on a rock wall, but that's why everyone called them crazy.. but alcohol was so high they couldn't figure out how he was even conscious to ride. But I've seen more fatals coming on to the scene, while riding in Asia. Frankly if you're coming under the scene and you see a couple of shoes laying here and there, that indicates fatality oftentimes. Always ride sober and expect they're trying to kill you.🙏🙏
When I had my 2016 Dyna LowRider with 4500 miles in a left turn the tar had a crack my rear end of bike wobble. That was the only time it happened. I heard reason Harley stopped Dyna's multiple lawsuits, is that true? P.S. I'm looking at getting a mini bike for fun time off road. Like the Coleman 200 or little bigger. Last year I rode a DR 200 on trails going in the woods, plenty of power for that, sometimes too much. Kids today are missing out on mini bike of the 70's and BMX bikes, those 70's days were a blast!
My 95 and 2001 FLHTCUs both had that wobble if you take both hands off the bars. 90' FatBoy FLSTF didn't have that 'feature'. Never felt that happen in a corner.
I never had the problem in 70,000 miles of cross country riding. That being said,I am anal about preparation,maintenance,tire /wheel settings. I do all my own mechanical work. I buy the best parts available……..I do all you talk about and more. I buy new tires long before they’re worn out. Due diligence = carefree ride
Touring Harleys are a very heavy bike, with average suspension. As a stock bagger, please don't expect it to handle like Goldwing or a FJR in the twisties. And I'm not knocking Harleys. I went from a Goldwing to an Ultra Classic, and I love it!
Commonly known as Dyna death wobble.......because this only happens to dyna's, that is according to a utubr Harley hater
According to him it's because no 2 shocks are exactly the same........of course crotch rocket tank slappers being the same thing have only one shock in the rear, and Harley doesn't make them
Tire pressure.......when my gauge said 42lb I was actually running 48 on my crotch rocket, I had belt showing in the center at about 2k miles......found 2 gauges that said same thing and went with them.....I traded crotch rocket at 3k and tire showed no wear and handled great..... didn't seem to hurt the front tire
At same time my Wide Glide had been running with too much air also, but I hadn't ridden it as much nor as hard.....I ended up with 7k on the rear when I changed it.....on each side there was visible where tread had been, all the way across the tire it was smooth, I've got about 1k on new tire and keeping it aired according to handheld gauge it's showing no wear and handling is great...... I've got new front tire for it but I can still see tread...........the point is make sure the gauge your using is correct
Stiff ride....I had 2002 and 2004 883's......02 was far better handling and it didn't shake me to death...... actually everything about that bike I liked better than the 04...good luck for me to find another..........If I ever need mounts/bushings I'll look up them hard ones
Where’s your shop, mate? If I get a second bike I’m thinking a Lowrider S. But first I want to see what I can wring out of a Triumph triple. Because Norton is dead as an affordable hooner bike. And I have a quarter miler’s aversion to pesky power curves and excess weight. I’m retired, sort of, now, but I still gravitate towards sleepers and street fighters.
My one concession to maturity is that this time I will do my tons on the strip, where they don’t give out traffic summons. Think I can get deep into the tens at around 140 on an “ordinary” used Triumph. Street gas, no forced air. That will be enough to put a permanent grin on my face.
There’s a lot of us old guys still setting up a fast drag bike. Just for kicks. It all started when I made a late addition to my bucket list. Doing the ton one more time took me on a search that ended up with a sweet used triple. 11 flat stock and it’s not…
Getting some maintenance and mods over the winter. Being optimistic I will pursue a drag bike license so I can go as quick as I can. And I am in no hurry with the dealer because I’m not into winter riding anymore. But come the Spring…
PS a good friend just beat a 140+ mph speeding ticket. On a rat Kwaka.
And yeah, my physical came back perfect so if you think I’m too old for this my MD disagrees. So see ya at the strip, I hope…
Sir I need help with a stage 1 topic please.
A few weeks at biketober fest
Rinehart racing did a full stage1 up grade on my 2015 ultra.
Before the upgrade I could cruise around the block in 3rd or 4th say 30 -40 mph no issues.
Hit 5th gear drive 45mph no issues
No after the stage 1 I can’t the bike will begin to buck so I have to rev up a few time I have been at the light and the rpm feel like dropping and engine starving for air and it will turn off.
My mechanic says I need to drive the bike differently because of the stage 1 like rev the rpm or drop one gear say 3rd if I want to cruise at 30 -35 mph
What os your opinion?
Besides the full exhaust I got the big sucker air cleaner from Arlen ness and power Vision tune all done the Reinhardt
Other than that the bike woke up and runs great!
Thank you for you time.
I had wobble, torque steer, bar shake, and off center tire wear, all on the same bike. Crown of the road? Yeah, that's what Harley told me. I bought the bike from them and had it back to them three times for this issue. They also accused my riding skills and experience (I have been riding about 43 years). As it turns out an independent shop found that Harley had installed the front wheel spacers on the wrong side so the wheel was off center. Yes, everybody, including Harley, tells me that can't be done...well they did it. They had to shim the caliper WAY off to do it. Yes, this was done at Harley Davidson. Take it to an expert? I had stayed away from the Harley dealers for almost 25 years, then I bought that bike. I learned a very serious lesson: don't trust them, and question their expertise. The bike was dangerous and they said it was the crown of the road and/or my riding after inspecting the bike three times while the problem itself was caused by their own improper assembly. That bike is gone. I totaled it and bought a used CVO. Polyurethane? I highly recommend it for the cush drive, engine mounts, and swingarm. It's like a whole different bike. Shakes? Yeah, so? Buy a Honda if that's an issue. I much prefer good handling. Stabilizer? Fix the motorcycle, then a stabilizer is about want, not need.
Dunlop covered this like 20 years ago. Dunlop wobble & weave - ruclips.net/video/z3OQTU-kE2s/видео.html TLDR- When you get a high speed weave, lay down on your tank like a crotch rocket. It works.
All really great points on about old rubber. Handle BaR bushings can be a quick preference 😂❤