Ok, see if i can explain this, i have a 2005 softail standard, brand new tires, correct pressure in both, 2" lowered rear, preload set on the shocks, all the spokes "seem" good/tight, just change the fork oil as well, i did neck washer and re-torque "upgrade" that Harley suggests, there doesn't appear to be any play in the front end/bearing either, NOW..this is the issue im having, at highway speed about 65 and up, it gets a little hairy feeling, its hard to explain, but its almost like the front end seems "light", much more so in turns, it doesn't shake or vibrate really, MAYBE a hair, but it just seem really unstable to the point where i avoid the highway lately, i haven't had the bike that long...any help on where to look?
is the tall and skinny 21" wheel these have? i had a sporty with the same size and never had this feeling though.
any help would be awesome!!..
thanks

 

Your rear end is lowered so the bike isn't balanced. Now if the bike in your signature is the same one you are talking about, most of your body weight is also moved off the front end.

My '05 Fatboy had 2" floorboard extenders, 16" apes and a Mustang Vintage solo seat for 10 years. I had the same "hairy" feeling at highway speeds but chalked that up to it being a Harley, not a sportbike.

One day I wanted a change and removed the floorboard extenders and put drag bars on - huge improvement over handling at speed. A couple of months later, I changed out the seat for a Danny Grey Speedcradle. At first I thought this was a mistake when I first sat on it because it moved me forward a couple of inches (description said it was stock position). Once I got on the highway, the bike felt even more stable than it did before.

To put it another way, look at sportbikes, the rider's weight is on the front end, not the rear. That is for more control at high speeds.

 

thats where im confused, i had a sportster setup pretty much the same and it was very stable at speed, even with a passenger.

 

I would agree that the geometry change along with skinny front tire may lend to the feeling you are getting

 

you already said the spokes were tight, but that's what I felt initially before I realized mine were loose.

 

Wondering if should pull the front wheel and go have it trued just to make sure?

 

I had the same feeling on my Deluxe after installing my 21 up front and lowering the rear 2". I have since gotten used to the difference.

 

Apples and Grapes. Different frame geometry, gravity center points, trail & rake, etc.

 

I have a 21" skinny tire on my Softail Custom. Very stable at high speeds. Mine is not lowered though.

 

If it feels a little light or loose, check your fallaway again. Absence of play in the neck bearings isn't enough. They need to have some preload. It's Harley's half-assed form of a steering damper.

Or you can leave the fallaway the way it is (as long as there is no play), and just get used to the looser feel.