I'm a relatively new rider, first bike in 2012, a new Fat Boy Lo. I really love the bike.

The other day the local dealership had a "Demo Days" event, and I rode a 2014 Street Glide Special, and I have to say, I was completely shocked at the engine / bike vibration at idle. I have never really ridden anything but my Fat Boy Low, and had no idea that my bike even had a special counter balanced engine, I just assumed they all were like that. I actually thought the bike I was riding was in some fashion defective until I started asking about it.

So the question: WHY would HD not use a counterbalanced engine in all their bikes? I really don't understand. The reasons I can think of to keep the vibrator motors are not compelling:

- I understand the counter balanced bike will have a slightly lower HP rating due to the added mass, but it's not significant, and let's be honest - there aren't THAT many riders who really wring out the last few HP from their bikes.

- I understand the "it's HD tradition" argument, but that's weak - it's not tradition to keep around a poor design feature that is going to cause all kinds of mechanical problems when it is so easily fixed. That's not being traditionalist, that's just being bullheaded, and the entire community isn't bullheaded. Most cars have starters in them now, they don't require the Model-T engine crank on the front to get started.

- Intentionally leaving the bike to shake, rattle, and vibrate like that can't help but have a negative impact on reliability. You can't vibrate the crap out of your machinery like that for long periods without expecting to have mechanical problems induced by the shaking.

Someone tell me what I'm missing.

 

It's not so much that they don't used a balanced engine, but rather that the Softail could NOT be a rubber mount (which came first) because the motor had to fit tightly in the frame t achieve the LOOK that they wanted. Many, myself included, like the feel of the rubber mount, which smoothes out as soon as you get going; the Balanced motor is only smooth at idle, & At speeds over 70 the vibration becomes almost intolerable. And, the balanced motor is too big to vibrate in the frame.

 

I've always been curious about it as well. I've assumed it's because that's one of the things HD fans "like" about the bike, that rumbling feeling of a powerful engine.

No doubt about it, though, given the choice for a ride longer than across town, I'd take that 103B engine every time.

 

I don't if is totally fact but I believe there is also a power loss.

Dickey, thanks for the background I never knew that.

 

Ride your bike 800 miles in a day & ride a bagger 800 miles in one day. You couldn't get me to ride 100 miles on a softail. Why, I had a few rigid frames back in the day. Softails are basicly the same just with shocks. Have you rode your bike at 80 mph for over 1 hr?

 

Like a whole hour, no stopping!?! That's crazy talk! I think I would need a huge fairing and maybe even the HD screaming eagle roof and doors kit to pull something like that off. I get bored after 20 minutes, I would for sure need a stereo in my fairing blaring Kid Rocks latest album. And at 80 mph!?! That's like 3100 Rpm's on my softail slim in sixth. I don't even shift into sixth! I just polish my bike in a tempature controlled garage and harass forum members who don't wear full face helmets. Who the hell in their right mind buy a harley and do something crazy like that!?!

 

[ The mis information runs deep. I rode an Ultra Classic for 6 weeks now have the Heritage. The Heritage runs fine at 80MPH No vibes of any significance and is a lot smoother around town. Much easier to maneuver slowly as well. I rode both to Charleston a few times 2 hours each way. Ultra was less windy.....Otherwise I could not feel much difference. Maybe after 600 miles.

Biggest difference was the high output 103 on the Ultra With all the weight it was much quicker and the seating position. I sat ON the Ultra and IN the Heritage. Heritage has far less lean angle as well/

 

I like how smooth my bike idles. My buddy pulls up next to me on his sportster and it looks like his teeth are about to rattle out. I can ride at 3k rpms all day and it doesn't bother me.

 

I rented a Heritage Classic last month while in California. Put over a 1000 miles on it. I did notice a buzzy vibe, not a vibration, in the hand grips that really became annoying after a while. This was at higher rpms, but not sure how much as no tach. I thought it was due to the stock motor, pipes, suspension, etc.

My Dyna vibrates at idle, but I try not to stand still too much. I dont have the same buzzy vibes at speed. Is that just a "B" motor thing?

 

I'm guessing if the truth was to be known, its economics. The "B" motor is probably a bit more expensive to produce. That would affect the MoCo's bottom line. As far as a Softail ride being intolerable at speeds over 70mph, c'mon man. I'm guessing you've never ridden one, especially a newer model year. Probably just listened to someone else's opinion, who listened to someone else's opinion. Does it roll down the interstate as smoothly as a Touring Model? No. But, intolerable? Please!