A friend of mine was at the daeler on Saturday trying to buy an 07 Fatboy. The salesman, a friend of his, warned him away after demonstrating the following flaw in the new Fatboy design.

It seems that that the 2007 Fatboy front fender is 1/2" off center. Also, when the front shocks bottom out, the fender gets struck and scratched.

Has anyone looked closely at this on an 07 Fatboy?

By design and in order to accommodate the front brake rotor, which is on the left side, not only the fender but the wheel and tire assembly are all offset a bit from the left front fork. The gap between the right fork and the front fender is less than that from the left.

I ride mine every day here in L.A. (aka pothole world) and I just checked my fender and no scratches found at all. Bike rides like no other HD I know, brakes are awesome and steers with no flaws. I just love it. Of course I'm still braking it in and not going over 50 mph, but that's just fine with me.

This is not a surprise by any means, there is always ALWAYS !!! going to be issues with new model year bikes that have new mechanical features, not sure why anyone is suprised. Im waiting for the 96" engine issues to start rearing their ugly head also. Thats just the name of the game. Next years bikes will have all the kinks worked out, just how it is in mass production........[sm=chairshot.gif]

There can be no good reason for this. Having the wheel off center of the forks means physically the one handlebar must travel further than the other in a turn. It means there will be asymmetrical steering. Also, impact loading on the front end will not be distributed evenly between the two forks. These are just the physics of the arrangement and of the materials being used.

I like my suspension to be symetrically ballanced all around, so when I am taking a turn and hit bumps, the frame does not flex or wobble. It's the safest way to go.

so is it a flaw or not???? I noticed the spacing difference on my 07 FB but it appears on the fork brackets (or whatever holds them on) that one side is wider than the other, hence, the offset.

I saw the same thing on a dealer bike... Flaw or not... I would not buy one for that reason alone. (even if it didn't have that stripe across every tin!!!)

It IS the bracket spacing, and in my eyes, it is a glaring design fauxpas. The dang fender needs to be centered. Who's idea was that? Willie G is probably snapping #2 pencils at his desk right now! If you look at an '06 Fatboy, it's centered, and there is a provision (bolts in the hub) for a rotor on the opposite side of the stndard single rotor. On the '07, the provision isn't there on those new wheels. Dumb.

UNBELEIVABLE. how could harley release a bike into production with such a major flaw. i was thinking on gettin 1 but ill wait till i see next years.

Not so fast! I believe they noticed this and are doing a recall on the fork leg, and not allowing anymore out the door without the proper leg. Don't take this to the bank, but I've heard delivery of the '07 Fatboys have been delayed a bit......this might be the reason if it is true.

I have a 07 with 800 miles on it. Now I am a newbee, but have not noticed any problems. Just went out and looked at the bike ad you guys are correct. It is offset just a bit. What problem am I going to run into down the road? Handling? Wear and tear? ect.... Will be going in next week for my 1000 check up and oil change and I will talk to the service department about this. I am sure they will tell me everything will be fine and don't worry, trust us. ;)

Overall I am very happy with the bike and love it.

ORIGINAL: Mr Wonderful

Not so fast! I believe they noticed this and are doing a recall on the fork leg, and not allowing anymore out the door without the proper leg. Don't take this to the bank, but I've heard delivery of the '07 Fatboys have been delayed a bit......this might be the reason if it is true.


and for those of us that do have the 07 FatBoys.....I can only hope that they do a recall and remedy this flaw.

this reminds me of when i bought a new 04 1200 custom sportster. i got 1 of the 1st ones. at bottom of chrome strip on tank was a rivet with a lock washer,looked like ****. i brought back to dealer and he said they noticed it right off. couldnt miss it on top of tank. they also thought something like a cover fell off but it was supposed to be like that. then the later 04s had 2 way tape to hold chrome on. looked much better but couldnt believe thet designed something like mine. bike was beautiful, all except for that. dont know what they were thinking.

There have been front and rear wheels offset on bikes for years. Used to lace 5.00x16 wheel rims to Sporty hubs 30 years ago. We'd have to offset them to get clearance. Never was a problem. Is this a problem on these FatBoys? Beats me, but so far there is nothing but rumors about it. Does anyone have anything definite, as in something in writing from HD?

ORIGINAL: pococj

There have been front and rear wheels offset on bikes for years. Used to lace 5.00x16 wheel rims to Sporty hubs 30 years ago. We'd have to offset them to get clearance. Never was a problem. Is this a problem on these FatBoys? Beats me, but so far there is nothing but rumors about it. Does anyone have anything definite, as in something in writing from HD?



I would expect this on a jackleg chopper, not on a Harley Fatboy. The Fatboy was my dream Harley. Not this one, though. That's why this issue interests me so.

Jackleg choppers handle badly and everyone knows it. Even so, no-one with any sense would have the wheels missaligned. Let go of the handlebars and watch it veer[:'(]

There are offsets that become necessary when a large rear tire is used. But these offsets are to the drive chain or belt. They do not move the tire with respect to the frame. Of course, the ideal is to have no drive line offset. The more you have, the more distortion of the frame will occur with high torque.

I take delivery of my new 2007 Fat Boy this Saturday. As a SERIOUS buyer, not only am I not worried about this rumor I'm a little skeptical. While it's possible there could be a design flaw as with any new product, it's unlikely that the engineers on the design team at Harley missed such a glaring flaw as the one described. All this and then to be discovered by some guy at dealer whos a friend of a friend after eluding the actual designers of the machine??? Not to mention the fact that if your running around bottoming out the forks on your bike, your going to have a lot more serious problems than scratches on your fender. Lastly I've spoken to 3 different Harley dealers and while they could be lying to me, none of them have heard one word about this and all say the dealy is due to a shortage of parts for the new model. Even the guys on this forum who own that bike say they have had no problems yet. Frankly, after watching this topic for awhile I'm a little suprised I'm the only one seeing problems with this story. While I hope it's totally untrue (design flaw) and have to believe it is, I have total faith that Harley and my dealer will make it right if this is the case. While the graphics are FUgly and the rumors are swirling, this bike mechanically looks to be superior to last years model in many ways. Having put no money down I have the option of going with an existing 06 (plenty out there just sitting at a discount) or this 07 and I'm sticking with the new 07.

I take delivery of my new 2007 Fat Boy this Saturday. As a SERIOUS buyer, not only am I not worried about this rumor I'm a little skeptical. While it's possible there could be a design flaw as with any new product, it's unlikely that the engineers on the design team at Harley missed such a glaring flaw as the one described. All this and then to be discovered by some guy at dealer whos a friend of a friend after eluding the actual designers of the machine??? Not to mention the fact that if your running around bottoming out the forks on your bike, your going to have a lot more serious problems than scratches on your fender. Lastly I've spoken to 3 different Harley dealers and while they could be lying to me, none of them have heard one word about this and all say the delay is due to a shortage of parts for the new model. Even the guys on this forum who own that bike say they have had no problems yet. Frankly, after watching this topic for awhile I'm a little suprised I'm the only one seeing problems with this story. While I hope it's totally untrue (design flaw) and have to believe it is, I have total faith that Harley and my dealer will make it right if this is the case. While the graphics are FUgly and the rumors are swirling, this bike mechanically looks to be superior to last years model in many ways. Having put no money down I have the option of going with an existing 06 (plenty out there just sitting at a discount) or this 07 and I'm sticking with the new 07.

I am also from the school that you NEVER buy any thing the first year its put out. I agree with the member who said he was waiting for the problems to show up on the new 96 CI engines. They can test all they want at Harley but its us the riders who will make these flaws show up. As far as the fat boy issue with the fender any thing can be. Its like newspapers and magazines no matter how may people check it for typo's they still show up. Good luck 07 fat boy owners also to any one with the new 96 engine

Well, I admit my first alert was heresay. It was from what I consider a reputable source, however - and a SERIOUS buyer. Yet even in this thread there are three eye witnesses. How then do you rationalize this as a rumor I wonder? Because the big cash outlay wants comfort?

The guys who actually design and build the bikes are under pressure to save money and maximise bottom line margins. The bean counters have undue clout these days.

How much is saved by removing the second brake option and offsetting the forks? Maybe the same amount that a certain very reputable car manufacturer saved on gas tank brackets? Less than a dollar each I believe that was. Then, how many people died because the gas tank exploded?

You need not worry, though. If it is a problem you can always replace the front end with an 06 front end for just a little more money.

Anybody got any pics of this offset condition? I'd like to see what everyone is talking about.

I think there is some paranoia in the room. This design flaw rumor is nothing but absurd. Spoke in depth to my dealer today about the subject. One of the largest dealers in the Northeast and he said the rumor is nonsense.

He explained to me that the wheel is slightly offset due to am engineering design improvement over last years model because of the specs on the new bike. You guys think that the engineers at Harley overlooked something as glaring as this offset? Your nuts if you believe that.

Also, I have a deposit tranferable to any bike in the dealership. My dealer has three 06's loaded that hed love to sell. Like the gentleman before me, I am buying an 07 Fatboy. Until someone substantiates this rumor, I am going to laugh it off as a few guys buying into propaganda.

Good luck boys and ride on.

Broken Leg and a few others seem a bit upset that maybe they have an 06 with an 06 tranny and engine. On the other hand, I totally agree with the idea that bugs always need to be worked out on bikes and cars in the first and second model year. Also, if you guys love the 88's and are looking for 06's they are starting to make unbelievable deals here in the northeast. Good luck.

This evening I spoke face to face with several people who saw the 07 Fatboy in a local dealership. By all three accounts, the fender is almost up against the right side, 3/4" off set from the other fork. When the prospective buyer got on the bike, he was able to make the fender strike the upper slider since it was too close, by hopping on the bike. This was observed with two bikes at different dealerships.

Anyone who thinks you will not reach full fork travel while riding has not ridden much. The prospective buyer has been told that the entire tree, brace and other components are being changed out by Harley. This offer was made to him as well, and Harley made him a good offer for his Dyna. He REALLY wants an 07 FatBoy, but this has shaken his confidence.

Since Harley is in the process of changing the trees, etc. on these bikes, some may be fixed while others not.

To call me paranoid is an insult. It is also just popycock to try and gloss this over. I would be wary of the motives of anyone who does this.

Following Update on August 24.

One of the fellows who was with the buyer at the dealership has sent me a pdf copy of Harley Davidson Service Bulletin M-1195 dated August 18, 2006. This pdf shows that Harley is putting a bandaid on the problem by basically replacing the right slider cover and other parts so that it will not damage the fender. Apparently there is a now recall to correct any existing damage and put the bandaid on. This does not subtantiate what I was previously told about the triple trees, so that may be wrong. With this bandaid, the 3/4" offset will remain after the recall. If I can figure it out, I will attach the pdf.

Following Update on August 24.

One of the fellows who was with the buyer at the dealership has sent me a pdf copy of Harley Davidson Service Bulletin M-1195 dated August 18, 2006. This pdf shows that Harley is putting a bandaid on the problem by basically replacing the right slider cover and other parts so that it will not damage the fender. Apparently there is a now recall to correct any existing damage and put the bandaid on. This does not subtantiate what I was previously told about the triple trees, so that may be wrong. With this bandaid, the 3/4" offset will remain after the recall. I cannot figure out how to attach the pdf.

Ok here is a picture of the front finder. I am just shy of 1000 miles and will be going in in the next couple of days for my service. You can see it is offset just a bit.

local://upfiles/16298/FD48B2F9FE204DD094D0FB7FB7A8DBD6.jpg

I have resized the picture. I hope this works out. Sorry for the double post

local://upfiles/16298/350E3508775943D8B1F7AC22D527BF86.jpg

I looked at my' 07 FatBoy and sure enough I have the same problem. This is my first Harley Davidson bike and I sure as hell don't want it to become a bad experience due to some num nut designer at HD. Will I be getting a recall notice in the mail........damn well better.

I took my Fatboy in on Sat. and told the service department about the problem and the Service Bulletin. They looked at me like I was crazy. I then showed them and the small rub on my finder. They said they would look into it, but have not heard anything. Told me the something about the trany noise that myself and others are having. They keep it and said they would look at it. The good news, as I was waiting for my wife to pick me up I ran into my salesman in the showroom. I told him about the problem with the finder and showed him on a floor model. He agreed that I was a problem and assured me Harley would take care of it. Once I hear back I will let you all know what they say and do. I just put 1000 miles on it taking it to the dealership and this is the third time I have taken my bike to them. Have not been real happy about the service I have gotten.

I haven't seen the 07 Fatboy so can't comment on that but I do want to warn all against assuming that something other than fairly standard riding could lead to the mentioned scratch if the thing bottoms out. I have a Deluxe and it has a huge dent on top of the front fender from riding across an uneven seam in the pavement where the old surface had been removed. I am pretty careful and so was shocked by this. Even when I hit it (unexpected and poorly lighted area) I was irritated but not worried.

so I guess I should wait and see what HD decides to do about this offset fork fiasco before I buy the chrome fork sliders......huh??

Picked up my 07 FatBoy mid August, It is true the sliders do cause damage to the front fender. Taking it to the dealership in the morning. There is a dime size chunk of paint missing from the fender....

The fender spacing is by no measure equal on both sides, but that seems by design as the left slider has a "thicker" fender mount. I think that was to leave room for the brake caliper.

So the front wheel is not centered in the fork. It is off center by about 3/4 inch. The fender is center to the wheel and it is this that causes the slider to come down and gouge the fender when the suspension is at it's bottom.

Now, maybe I have watched too many biker build offs, but the only fix I can see that can solve this is for the front wheel to be "centered" in the fork and a the fender mounts on both sliders to be equal in thickness.

Now, whith that being said, the only way I can see that could be accomplished is this...the front wheel has to have the left hub machined by about half an inch so that the brake rotor would sit further inside the wheel...and a wider wheel spacer be used on the right side. This is going to mean that they are going to have to have a new wheel and obviously a newfender and a fender spacer on the right slider.

Did that make any sense?

Well, I talked to the dealer today...They said they are going to take a notch out of the slider cover...RIGHT...such a bandaid. They said the new slider will not ship till September 11th...he is getting only one of these FIX kits...I'll take picture tonight of the ship and post...

Actually, I believe the chipped fender would be the least of my worries. Take it out on an even road and drive it with your hands off the bars. See if it tracks to the right while you remain in the center (or it could go left but I think this will go right). I would not own a bike that will not track true with my hands off the bars. Or, I would get it fixed PDQ.

I've been down four times already in 40 years of riding. Having an off center wheel would just be asking for a fifth. No thanks.

I hear that! What can I do at this point....throw it thru the window like the old Discount Tire commercial? The only thing I am worried about is the safety issue...I AM SCARED! Even the corporate bean counter guys can understand safety issues...and this is so a safety issue...I wrench for a motorcycle team at the BAJA1000, and an Offset FRONT wheel is a NO NO! I am sure they are going to come up with a solution that is satisfactory. After all, we all know what happens to Bikes and Riders that ride on bikes that do not have lined up wheels....they CRASH!!! And H-D would never want that!

dar

Do you want a design-flawless machine wait like I did and got a '99 the last shaker generation of Evo./carb

You guys can still get one of the '06 remaining models. Or wait a couple of years more ;)

Regards.

(there is no such thing as design-flawless Harley, I've spent over 15K redesigning mine!!!:D)

Finally got over to the Harley dealership during a poker run. Went inside and asked the first salesman to "Please say it ain't so!"

"Huh" was the reply, of course.

So, I had him lead me over to a beautifull gold 07 Fatboy. Low and behold, the triple tree is on straight as ever, so the forks are centered. The front wheel and fender are offset to the right about 3/4". The right side of the fender is about 1/8" from the right fork. The salesman was shocked when I pointed this out. He had never noticed.

I left him staring and scratching his head, and went on to draw another rotten card. The wife is happy I won't be putting us in hock for a while yet [:@]

yep, I was at two different dealers this weekend and asked if they knew anything about the offset front fender fiasco and they said "no". Second dealer I was at I took the salesman out and showed him my 07' FB and he was dumbfounded.

C'mon HD get with the program and make this flaw right!

I AM WAITING ARRIVAL OF NEW FATBOY, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE FRONT FENDER,ARE THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS ALIGNED PROPERLY OR IS IT COSMETIC

The wheels are 3/4" out of alignment. Lawyers will be sharpenig their pencils and waiting for crashes.

ORIGINAL: Broken Leg Rider

The wheels are 3/4" out of alignment. Lawyers will be sharpenig their pencils and waiting for crashes.

Are you sure it's the wheel and not the fender that is misaligned? I studied my 07 FB and it appears to me that it's the fender that is offset.

hi guys,
spoke to a salesperson at harley davidson of baton rouge and he told me the m.c.halted production on fatboys for a while.he spoke with a compnay rep.and could not get an answer why production was halted.i have a 2005 ann.fat boy and i love it.wish everyone luck on purchasing one.be careful,ride safe.
cajunman831

ORIGINAL: bud1

I AM WAITING ARRIVAL OF NEW FATBOY, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE FRONT FENDER,ARE THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS ALIGNED PROPERLY OR IS IT COSMETIC

either way i would HOLD OFF ON A NEW ONE.

The tire and fender are both offset 3/4". The fender had to follow the tire :eek:

The fix is simple. Widen the trees and redesign the front axle. I hope they just do it!

It makes you wonder if something as obvious and as glaring a flaw as this could get through, what else lies hidden on the 07 Harleys? I'm hearing rumors about the transmissions, but I won't even go there.

I looked at one today and I am wondering if the fork is just offset and everything else is in line because of the spacer. It looks like there is a little more room between the riser and the fork, I did not have a tape.

FYI The salesman told me if you hit a bump large enough you coud actually dent or scratch the Fender since the fork is so close to the fender.

Just courios as which Dealer did you purchase your bike?

I looked at an '07 Fatboy today and the "fix" appears to be a notch in the slider to clear the fender. Of course they notched both left and right sliders so they'd match.

I wish an '07 owner would answer the question asked earlier, when you take your hands off the bars, does the bike pull one way or the other?

Jim

yep, stupid me took my hands off the bars (for a quick two seconds) just to see if it tracks differently....fortunately the bike stayed straight..... and I won't try it again. So I guess since the fender is offset it doesn't affect the steering. I'm not 100% sure the wheel is offset but I'm 200% sure the fender is.

Does anyone know why they offset the front wheel and fender? I think it was to fit everything in, but doesn't make sense to move the wheel off center. Thanks. [sm=badidea.gif]

I'm an 07 Fat Boy owner and yes, it tracks straight as an arrow when you take your hands off the bars. You can clearly see the fender is off-set slightly but it hasn't effected me at all in any way. HD is aware of the scraping issue and my new fender and fix was on order since I picked it up 3 weeks ago. My fender has the chip because the bike was shipped in from another dealer because I decided I didn't want to wait for their delay. I'm going to have it done at my 1000 mile service in a month or so. I have over 700 miles on it without issue and it's by far the best bike I've ever ridden. My advice is believe what you want but look real hard at whos telling it to you.

ORIGINAL: bikebuilderdude

Does anyone know why they offset the front wheel and fender? I think it was to fit everything in, but doesn't make sense to move the wheel off center. Thanks. [sm=badidea.gif]


This is a good question.. It would be lovely to see a parts# comparison of the front end from 06 or prior to 07. Or is this just something we're noticing and nitpicking now? Could it possibly be some kind of alignment change (with the new wheel) as result of going with the wider rear tire? hmmm I dunno, but just throwing it out there.

Amazing thing is, if this issue is indeed confirmed and avowed by the company, look at the benefit the forum paid in getting discussion out there for a potential issue..

I'll bet when early TC88's were seizing up due to poorly designed cam bearings or whatever it was, the forums were on fire.. or were they? I just heard about it from word of mouth and said, "Thank God mine's an 04"..

But daaaang.. Is H-D as bad a silly Chrysler or Ford or GM.. You gotta worry about one defect or another between years because they wait for customers to report them rather than proper engineering and testing.. It's not like the whole bike was redesigned or something.

Love my Toooooooyota! Sorry, on my foreign car rant again. :D

Nope it does not steer away. Bike rides like an arrow, smooth and straight. No chips in fender either. 985 miles and bike rides strong and with no problems. Man I love my Fat Boy, you guys should stop whining and enjoy riding more.

I just got back from my local dealer "Antelope Valley HD" and they had a new Fatboy on the floor. They said it was the first one delivered in a month. The fix from the MOCO for the offset wheel was the inside of both upper fork sliders had a 1/2 circle notch cut out of them.

It looked very cheap, the sales staff were disapointed in the look, for that much $ it's a cheap fix.

Waltman: Thank you!!! And here I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

I would like to stop whining and ride.Buttt....my 07 Fat Boy with 1400 miles is being tore down to replace a bad oil seal between the primary and moter.It started knocking really bad when I was riding last Saturday.Checked the oil,and no oil.The dealer found 3 qts in the motor.The way my fatty was banging and clanging its hard to believe that an oil seal will make it as good as new.Dont get me wrong its the best bike I have ever rode..I love it.I cant stop riding it.The dealer offered me a Suzuki for a loaner.Yeh right!Then there is the uncontrolable shaking at 80 mph.I believe thats due to my front end points to the rightwhen im going down the road but the bike still goes straight.then there is a short in the wiring my nuetral light stays on in every gear and my speedo back light stays on when it is off,runs down my batt.Tranny bangs going into 5th gear.Maybe its because my heel to toe shifter is loose inside the casing.Had fire shooting out my exhaust,Pipes glow red at motor within a minute,pipes turned deep purple almost black within the first week.My bike is 30 days old.The dealer said it was all normal except for the wiring and the oil dissapearing into the motor.They said the knocking was due to the rods having to push through all that oil.The dealer is Minors h-d Suzuki in Cape Girardeau MO.Ill keep you posted on how it all comes out.Hope this helps.

good googlie mooglie FatBoy.....not what Iwant to read. I only have 600 miles on my FB and have concerns about the heat, clanking in fifth gear and the offset fender but after reading your post maybe I should consider myself lucky.

I've just returned from my Thursday regular local HOG meeting. The owner of the dealer was there. He says that nothing changed in the front fender of the '07 Fat Boy vs the '06 Screamin' Eagle Fat Boy... Hummm... does this means that the '06 SE FLSTFI has the same flaw??? Any SE owners???

He says that he doesn't know about any flaw what so ever... he just knows that production stopped for a period of time... Yeah right... what else would he've said...

Regards.

all i know is if im gonna spend 20k for a bike it better be PERFECT.

ORIGINAL: Fatboy 69

I would like to stop whining and ride.Buttt....my 07 Fat Boy with 1400 miles is being tore down to replace a bad oil seal between the primary and moter.It started knocking really bad when I was riding last Saturday.Checked the oil,and no oil.The dealer found 3 qts in the motor.The way my fatty was banging and clanging its hard to believe that an oil seal will make it as good as new.Dont get me wrong its the best bike I have ever rode..I love it.I cant stop riding it.The dealer offered me a Suzuki for a loaner.Yeh right!Then there is the uncontrolable shaking at 80 mph.I believe thats due to my front end points to the rightwhen im going down the road but the bike still goes straight.then there is a short in the wiring my nuetral light stays on in every gear and my speedo back light stays on when it is off,runs down my batt.Tranny bangs going into 5th gear.Maybe its because my heel to toe shifter is loose inside the casing.Had fire shooting out my exhaust,Pipes glow red at motor within a minute,pipes turned deep purple almost black within the first week.My bike is 30 days old.The dealer said it was all normal except for the wiring and the oil dissapearing into the motor.They said the knocking was due to the rods having to push through all that oil.The dealer is Minors h-d Suzuki in Cape Girardeau MO.Ill keep you posted on how it all comes out.Hope this helps.


Remember they are made in the US of fine union labor.. 1 out of 10 "thrown-togethers" are typically acceptible under such environments.. Keeps those rich mean ole bad bad stockholders reaching in their deep pockets for more wage and benefit increases. So unfortunately, as the poor consumer, it's about not picking the short straw. I hope your dealer that has to deal with this demon bike can get it rideable for you.

ORIGINAL: nutsy

all i know is if im gonna spend 20k for a bike it better be PERFECT.


Absodanglutely! :)
Ya Dam^ Skippy!

Either it's perfect, or people will realize they just spend $20k on a 40's-technology tractor engine in a bike that weighs a 1/3 ton, while the rest of the bike makers giggle but scratch their heads at how the marketing has worked.

I had one leak when I bought mine.. pinched seal (of course, poor assembly).. Easily fixed by COMPLETELY tearing down the primary to get to the stupid thing.. So I ride and pray.

Good grief, I'm starting to sound like that guy with the H-D flamer site.. I'm sorry.. I really do love my fatboy (2004).. But I just fear for the company slipping from grace with little bugs making it to the public, becoming big fiasco's and getting blown out of proportion.. That's how companies die. Then people that don't even know anything about harleys will get some kind of opinion like: "oh yeah, they came out with that fatboy that was a basket-case.. sad.. just bought a Yamaha.. cool huh!" This is why Ford and GM may have to merge to survive. Perception. H-D better start scrambling to do some damage control, even if the bugs are only perceived rather than real. There are plenty of cool bikes out there to be had. Might be what Indian needs to get a startup.. some bad press.

Sorry to hear about your problems with your bikes, I hate when that happens to a new bike. But remember there is NO PERFECT bike or car anywhere at ANY price. That's why they come with a warranty and there are lemon laws to protect the consumer. If they made perfect machines we would not need mechanics. I've always bought new (car or bike), never used and believe me they all had problems and some had recalls.

I am taking my FB this weekend for its 1K service, so far (knock on wood) no leaks, no problems.

I am just overwehlmd I guess, I really think its a good machine,but thats my luck.If there was one bad one I could pick it out.I got some news today,Ill put it in a message so others can check it out.Maybe Minors H-D read this forum and realized they were close to being on the H-D forum **** list..Hah..Hah.

Aside from what will now forever be known as the "front fender fiasco" which is not a serious problem, I think 2007 Softail and Dyna owners may have gotten off easy. Here is a link to a page where a guy goes on for pages about his wifes 2007 Road King and it's issues. He mentions the heat issue I've heard before but it sounds like the touring line may have had a numb-nut working on the assembly line wiring headlamps.

http://www.coolclimbing.com/2007harleydavidsonroadkingclassi.htm

It just blows my mind all the issues new 07 owners have been having with bikes that are basicly improved items from older yrs.The QA is really been bad so far.How can a fender that is offset ever get out w/o someone questioning this?Yes the touring line is getting it real bad,Im one of those people.C/S has never been worse on getting things resolved.Everything on the trannys/primarys has been kept mum.Dealers wont stick their necks out to upset the factory.Hard to go lemon law rte if nothing was replaced to try to cure our noises.I have contacted every consumer advocate on these issues as well as the big bike magazines.Harleys sales are being affected by this,the net is the best way to stay up w/this and Harley isnt liking it one bit.Dont kid yourself ,they watch these sites.New bikes shouldnt have these problems if the factory did their jobs.

ORIGINAL: pittguy

It just blows my mind all the issues new 07 owners have been having with bikes that are basicly improved items from older yrs.The QA is really been bad so far.How can a fender that is offset ever get out w/o someone questioning this?Yes the touring line is getting it real bad,Im one of those people.C/S has never been worse on getting things resolved.Everything on the trannys/primarys has been kept mum.Dealers wont stick their necks out to upset the factory.Hard to go lemon law rte if nothing was replaced to try to cure our noises.I have contacted every consumer advocate on these issues as well as the big bike magazines.Harleys sales are being affected by this,the net is the best way to stay up w/this and Harley isnt liking it one bit.Dont kid yourself ,they watch these sites.New bikes shouldnt have these problems if the factory did their jobs.



Went to my dealer last night and told the owner about the fender problem. He immediately jumped on a 07 Fat Boy and purposely bottomed out the front shocks multiple times. I have to say even though the fender is offset about 1/4" away it never moved any closer nor scrapped anything? He tried to tell me that the reason for the offset had to do with the new 200 mm tires that are on the bike this year?

Just saw an 07 Fatboy at the dealer's yesterday. I made a point to look at the front fender. I'll be dang if it isn't offcenter, just as reported. I was surprised that the LH lower fork leg actually had a lot longer fender mounting boss than the RH side. So the lower legs must be different this year as well. I was wanting to buy a new fatboy and put on a Heritage front fender, bet that fork boss would make it difficult, if not inpossible.

Went to another dealership today and saw a 2006 SE Fatboy. Looked at the front fender on the 06, completely centered. The lower fork fender bosses are equal in length as they have always been. Makes ya wonder what the heck they wanted to change it for.

Was back at the dealer today and they explained that the wheels are alined with each other , so the new 07 Fatboys handle and track correctly , but the wheels are not centered on the bike. In order to align the front wheel with the new larger back it had to be moved to the right, that is why the fork slider issue has come up .

Here is a picture (got from another site) that shows the "fix" for the slider hitting the fender. They basicly cut back / notched the inner part of the upper slider.


local://upfiles/474/6A1332CA48BD4F0D9E7A107483067C93.jpg

Boy, does that look hokey! Someone really dropped the ball on this one at HD.

ORIGINAL: XARAN
Was back at the dealer today and they explained that the wheels are alined with each otyher , so the new 07 Fatboys handle and track correctly , but the wheels are not centered on the bike. In order to align the front wheel withthe new larger back it had to be moved to the right, that is why the fork slider issue has come up .
Here is a picture (got from another site) that shows the "fix" for the slider hitting the fender. They basicly cut back / notched the inner slider.

local://upfiles/474/6A1332CA48BD4F0D9E7A107483067C93.jpg


As I suspected..
All this pain and suffering resulted from sticking a 200mm fat rear tire on the back of a bike with the entire drivetrain on the left side. In order to have a fat rear tire on what would have otherwise been a perfectly fine bike.. Wonder if the Vics with the 250's have these kinds of issues? sorry, cheap jab.

But still, I'd say this defect is as much the fault of trying to satisfy the market where guys want fat tires to be cool on their stock scoots. That's what customs are for! So in trying to stay up with the Jone's, H-D compromised with a drivetrain that isn't designed for a fat rear tire. It simply isn't setup for that.. Final drive and primary are both on the same side, so there's a bunch of stuff crammed on the left side. So the moco simply moved the tire to the right.. well howbout that.. Ain't that some engineering.. As if the bike isn't already enough off-balance from all the primary and drive hardware stacked up on the left side... Same reason Big Dog and a lot of the other custom companies broke down and went to right side drive trannies.

So now, on a completely bone stock bike, you don't get a choice.. Now you got a 200mm tire on a poorly designed platform mounted completely on the left side.. Notice the skinny forks. You don't have the choice of riding a 150 or 180 stock and worry free or the option to screw up your own scoot by attempting a fat tire kit of somekind. All in attempt to attract the youger buyers because the VRods aren't selling and the custom and metric market is kicking their butts with the younger buyers.

Choice is a very big word... I liked it better when you could buy a stock bike with tried and true track record, or a custom, for all the fancy junk.

Given the addition of a fat rear tire on a previously ballanced frame, tire and engine combo. No, we won't redesign the case and frame to house an internal sprocket offset. Too much trouble. Lets just move the wheels to the side!! While we are at it why not increase the front tire diameter like they want without thinking too hard about it? Sure. What cost saving ideas [:'(]

If both tires are off center (all I could confirm is that the front is off center) then the bike will forever ride at a slight angle. Thus, the tires will not wear evenly. Also if your balllance is right and you are sitting straight up, the bike must veer. Or, get used to sitting off center to compensate.

GARBAGE. Smells bad and makes me want to puke.

Was at a local HD dealer last week getting some goodies and the wife asked me if I wanted a new bike . Told her even if I was to trade straight across - no money deal ( must be dreaming , I know ) I would stick to my 04 Deuce ! That was before I read this thread and hear of all the stupid design flaws HD is coming out with as improvements . All this commotion over a 200mm tire , think anyone wanting a FB would be wise to pick up a remaining 2006 and avoid the problems , looks like motor/tranny will be an issue also . Glad I'm happy with my Deuce ! Good Luck to all the 2007 FB riders .

guys come on lets keep some perspective.

Harley have made some fundamental changes this year - bigger engine, 6 speed, etc.

On the whole I'm sure you agree that they have moved the game on.

I friend chopped in his 06 Fatboy for the 07 Fatboy and has nothing but praise for the bike. The power, the gearchange, and reduced clutch effort. Only thing he's waiting on is for a louder exhaust.

What I can't understand is that the 2006 SE Fatboy had the same tires as this year's Fatboy, and the front fender is NOT off center on the SE (Dealer had an SE on the floor). I haven't heard of any SE Fatboy owners complaining that their bikes felt heavy on any side, or that it didn't track right. So why did HD do this offcenter thing? Maybe the lawyers have more say now than the engineers.
Jerry

Got a letter from HD adivsing me to call my dealer to schedule the replacement of the slide fork covers. If damage has occured to the fender it will either be repaired or replaced. Pick up and delivery, if requested, is free of charge as well. From this letter the only flaw acknowledged by HD is not the off-set of the fender and wheel but the fork slide covers only.

ORIGINAL: Jerry L

What I can't understand is that the 2006 SE Fatboy had the same tires as this year's Fatboy, and the front fender is NOT off center on the SE (Dealer had an SE on the floor). I haven't heard of any SE Fatboy owners complaining that their bikes felt heavy on any side, or that it didn't track right. So why did HD do this offcenter thing? Maybe the lawyers have more say now than the engineers.
Jerry


I must have missed an 07 owner "complaining that their bikes felt heavy on any side, or that it didn't track right." All I've seen, heard and experienced since I actually own one is the opposite of that. 2007 Fat Boy's track straight as an arrow when you take your hands off the bars and I've never heard anything to to contrary. I know this is probably way too much to ask for, but let's try and keep it just a little bit real in this thread.

I don't think it's a design flaw, it's a "feature". As mentioned, the offset is necessary to get the center of the front wheel to track the center of the fat back wheel (well, the other way around actually but you know what I mean).

Anyway, that's why I snapped up one of the last '06 Fattys (got it yesterday) and I love it!!

Ride on.

ORIGINAL: BuckeyeHD

I don't think it's a design flaw, it's a "feature". As mentioned, the offset is necessary to get the center of the front wheel to track the center of the fat back wheel (well, the other way around actually but you know what I mean).

Anyway, that's why I snapped up one of the last '06 Fattys (got it yesterday) and I love it!!

Ride on.



Hahahaha :D that reminds me what we say when we stray from our planned path... "Harley riders don't get lost, we roam for fun!" hahahaha...

Regards.

ORIGINAL: DanDeuce

Was at a local HD dealer last week getting some goodies and the wife asked me if I wanted a new bike . Told her even if I was to trade straight across - no money deal ( must be dreaming , I know ) I would stick to my 04 Deuce ! That was before I read this thread and hear of all the stupid design flaws HD is coming out with as improvements . All this commotion over a 200mm tire , think anyone wanting a FB would be wise to pick up a remaining 2006 and avoid the problems , looks like motor/tranny will be an issue also . Glad I'm happy with my Deuce ! Good Luck to all the 2007 FB riders .


Yeah we were relatively lucky with our '04's.. We were after the early TC88's issues with CAM bearings, and before they redesigned the valve spring setup.. and it looks like, before the 200mm & helical 6'er debacles.. hehe :D

Ok ok.. Actually in effort to indeed keep it real. One nice thing... Two year warranty now and offer extended warranties. If there's a problem, and you've got a good dealer.. no problem. Shoot, companies like Victory are still trying to overcome the nickname their early transmissions received.. "Box o' Rocks".. At least the oil does actually flow through the motor, unlike some other less than stellar designs, "cough Indian cough".

It takes a long time for bad press to heal. I'd say it's all about perception.. If the end customer doesn't perceive a problem and the bike runs to their satisfaction.. so be it. If the older guys that are comparing it to the earlier bikes see a blatant slip in quality, be it assembly or design, then that's another perception.. Neither are wrong.

I've owned two.. an old beater heavily customized and hobbled together.. and a new stock scoot complete with factory birth certificate (nice touch). I've enjoyed them both.. It's a given though as each year goes on, for somethings you get more for your money, for others you don't. Used to be, I thought owning any Harley was a dream, back in college when they were on the rise and I heard 2 year waiting lists.. Yikes. They overcame that and are making more sales as result of the extra production.. Of course there's a trade-off.. Faster production given the same quality standards will always mean a few extra bugs get through.. At that point, prevention is impossible so it's in how the moco reacts and corrects that shall set them apart.

Babs: Thank you! That was in fact pretty real. The bottom line is enjoy what you chose to own and ride. I sure do and I would never be so arrogant as to ever criticize someone elses bike of another year or model. The motives of some strike me as a bit dubious, especially after the comment's I hear on the street from pre-07 owners bitching about their bikes now depreciated value like it's my fault. When 04-06 owners are up in arms and screaming about a minor problem with an 07 and the actual owners of the 07's with that issue are taking it in stride it strikes me as more than a little curious.

Yeah I think I am as guilty as any to be maybe a bit extra critical of the motor company at times.. It's easy to jump to conclusions that the moco is going to hades in a handbasket.. I think maybe it's fear of H-D falling to the sub-standard quality that almost got 'em back in the AMF years. So folks maybe don't cut them any slack for little things.. What's interesting is though the bikes really haven't changed much at all.. Each year has it's quirks.. I had a 90 heritage.. Nothing from any other year fit it.. It was a unique "transition" year for drivetrain stuff. Found that out when I was trying to save the tranny and primary. Look at an 89 or a 91 and from the outside they were completely identical. It's funny to me, that's all.. Check out Honda's site, you'll see a dramatic difference in their 06's and 07's on some of their bikes.. complete redesigns. Wonder what kind of crazy things they talk about on the honda forum? hehehe

Good point about the resale.. We've enjoyed having NO change from year to year for a good long time now.. Bought that same 1990 FLSTC for $11,500 back in 2001. Sold it for $11,500.. The hit I took was just in what parts I put into it and some service.. so not that much really. I really couldn't care about resale on the new one though.. bought it to keep and ride and run the crap out of it for a long long long time. If eventually it's worthless on the market, it shall still be worth every pennie I gave for it, to me. And I'm sure I'll still be tossing cash into chrome goodies and customizing.. Might not even look like the same bike then. So I couldn't care less if I can't sell it, cuz I'm bustin' bugs daily! [8D]

oops.. double post

Sorry, Ghostwolf, let me clarify. All I'm wondering is why the 06 SE Fatboy is not offset, but the 07 is, both having the same tires. Just wondering why HD chose to do that, not a criticism of the bike, or HD, just wondered why they did it. I don't know of anyone who thinks their SE 06 OR 07 Fatboy veers one way or the other, which is why I wondered why HD changed the geometry when no one was complaining. I don't have either one, so just curious about "why" HD chose to do what they did, is all.
Jerry

A friend of mine has an '03 Fatboy and got it with a spare set of Heritage spoke wheels. When he tried swapping from disk wheels to spokes the front tire was offset about 3/8" from centering between the forks so there must be alot of offset combo's floating around HD. Here (Ihope) is a photo of another guys bike with a stock HD springer that is clearly designed with an offset. Can't explain it, but it looks wierd!

local://upfiles/10180/7A607205CCCA4FAC949013CBE7A32C54.jpg

Yep, sure as crap. Went out just after reading this thread and my 07 Springer is offset. The tire and the fender both are about a quarter off to the left when looking straight at her. Never noticed untill reading this thread. It goes straight as an arrow and really doesnt bother me since it was done that way last year(pics of the Springer above I assume are of the '06 model). Do wonder a little why they couldnt find a better way to balance my $25,000.00 new ride. Oh well--I knew that buying the first year model is never a good idea, but didnt care because of the discontinued model and the first for the SE.

I remember reading the old svc manual for my old 90 flstc.. It showed a top view of the bike for wheel alignment and from memory had gap specs drawn for the widths on left and right sides of the front and rear tire on a top view.. The two were not symmetrical as you would think. The front tire was off-center from the rear (as specified in the manual).. So it is by design for one reason or another. If you think about it.. makes sense geometrically.. As the bike is weighted off center to begin with, due to the engine setup, primary drive location, etc..

Ever wonder why the stock exhaust is so dang heavy compared to aftermarket.. It's not an accident, and they don't just want to waste extra steel piping and thick welds. I believe, (opinion coming) that they purposely make the exhaust heavy as a counterbalance to the weight of the primary on the other side. Interesting stuff.. Makes ya go hmmmm. [sm=confused06.gif] The geometry and physics involved is definitely more than just elementary. I'd love to talk to their Engrs about it.. as if they'd talk to a PSB like me..

:) Is PSB even a term rather than RUB. There's RUB, but I sho ain't (r)ich and I sho ain't (u)rban. hehe :D Is there a slang term for your average married, 2 kid shmo that lives in the country and counts the minutes until he can actually get away to go for a ride on a bike he financed?

I stopped in to a dealer in St Louis yesterday while on a bizness trip and was talking to a service tech and he showed me what HD plans to do to remedy the fender fiasco. They will be replacing the fork covers with another set that is notched out at the end of the slider where it would meet the fender. Cheap fix on their part.

Sorry, Ghostwolf, let me clarify. All I'm wondering is why the 06 SE Fatboy is not offset, but the 07 is, both having the same tires. Just wondering why HD chose to do that, not a criticism of the bike, or HD, just wondered why they did it. I don't know of anyone who thinks their SE 06 OR 07 Fatboy veers one way or the other, which is why I wondered why HD changed the geometry when no one was complaining. I don't have either one, so just curious about "why" HD chose to do what they did, is all.
Jerry
I have the SE 06 and you pose a good question why the 06 SE Fatboy is not offset, but the 07 is, both having the same tires. Maybe the CVO SE design team is different than the other other? Not sure.

I don't have a fat boy, and not much I can add, except to say I'v got an 04 bmw rt 1150, and like most all bmws it pulls to the right if you take your hands off the bars. Bmw's are famous for it. Nonetheless, it's a great handling bike. If the fat boys go straight, I don't think there should be any problem. Sounds like just a cosmetic trade off - 200 mm rear tire for slightly offset front tire/fender. Personally, I think a 180 is a nicer looking size, and I don't care what anyone says, my 05 fxstb with the 150 handled better than my 06 fxstb with the 200. That said, I came to prefer the look of the 200 over the 150, and if I had my choice, I'd stick with the 200. I know Harleys aren't sport bikes, and I can live with their handling limitations, and I think this is true for everyone that's got a Harley.

ORIGINAL: Babs
... Is there a slang term for your average married, 2 kid shmo that lives in the country and counts the minutes until he can actually get away to go for a ride on a bike he financed?


AMDWB ?
(Average Married Dad With Bike)
:D
(IF so, then I'm one too!)

And now back to your regularly scheduled topic!

I live in Germany and visited a Harley store over the weekend. They had a 2008 Fatboy and the front fender and wheel were dead center on the fork, unlike my 2007 Fatboy. I then called Harley Davidson's Service department and they informed me that Harley actually put a new front fork and redesigned the frame... I'm not sure what to believe now. They say there is no flaw, but if there is no flaw, why did they change it in the 2008?

ORIGINAL: srandall25

I live in Germany and visited a Harley store over the weekend. They had a 2008 Fatboy and the front fender and wheel were dead center on the fork, unlike my 2007 Fatboy. I then called Harley Davidson's Service department and they informed me that Harley actually put a new front fork and redesigned the frame... I'm not sure what to believe now. They say there is no flaw, but if there is no flaw, why did they change it in the 2008?


Thats what i am thinking ! If it wasnt messed up then why did they change it for 08.
Oh and I can tell you that when I look at my back tire the wear in more towards the right side and not in the middle.
This tells me that the bike is having to be leaned to the right to go straight.
My lower back on the left side is getting muscle strain because of the unbalanced bike.
When i do sit up straight the bike will go off to the left UMMM sumthin aint right here.

My 07 rear tire wears just fine. Right down the middle. My front tire/fender is offset to the right side of the bike. It is my understanding that it came about because of the 200 rear tire on the 07 fatboy. Design flaw, probably, rides fine to me. Half the people here would not have know it unless pointed out to them as it was pointed out to me.

This problem was fixed for the 2008's

I dont know about you but, I lean my bike over in turns. My handlebars dont turn much if at all in turns.

ORIGINAL: Broken Leg Rider

There can be no good reason for this. Having the wheel off center of the forks means physically the one handlebar must travel further than the other in a turn. It means there will be asymmetrical steering. Also, impact loading on the front end will not be distributed evenly between the two forks. These are just the physics of the arrangement and of the materials being used.

I like my suspension to be symetrically ballanced all around, so when I am taking a turn and hit bumps, the frame does not flex or wobble. It's the safest way to go.

Not sure what I think about it, mine rides fine, however I am curious why they changed it for 2008 if nothing is supposed to be wrong with it.

Damn, this thread is like Lazarus, back from the dead!

So I bought an 03, 100 Year Model Fatboy with 4,000 mile on her, which predates most of the problems of the 07. Sure like the 08 though.

Do any of the other 07 Softails with 200mm rears have this issue? Such as Custom or Nightrain

It is a feature. A collectors item. [/align]I can only notice when taking a sharp turn and leaning way over. The truth is when the engineer designed the front for a wider tire instead of starting in the center and adding both directions they started from the left side and widened it to the right. I just tell my friends it is the right hand model.[/align]

OK the answer. Harley screwed up and when they made the front tire wider they measured from the one side to the other instead of starting in the middle. If you check the 08 model they corrected this error. Harley claims it has no effect but my front tire was scalloped on one side and i had to replace it when it still had tread.

Makes me glad I decided on a gently used '04 FB, vice a new '07, when I bought last year. I never noticed this "flaw", but I'm one of those fellas who is awfully worried about buying any first year production item, regardless of manufacturer. I like to get them a few years in, once all the kinks have been worked out.

I was surfing the net to see if anyone had the same delima with the off-set front tire of the 2007 Fat Boy and had come across your postings. I understand that this was a "flaw" or a "screwup"...but what's the remedy?....I bought my bike july 07 had it customized and when my chrome front end was in place, i noticed the off-set tire...since then i've been trying to get some answers...i haven't really noticed a problem in the ride but i had to have the sliders replaced with cut-outs to accommodate the front fender...i dreamt of this bike for so many years and finally got it...with an eye-sore...I was in touch with the corporate office and they said there wasnt anything wrong with the bike,it was the design of the 07...i mentioned that the 08's are in line and cheaper and the reply was that they decided not tocarry over the "off-set"feature for the 2008s...i dont think it should be considered a "feature"...i dont see the benefit...i'm not impressed at all....

Michelle

Welcome to the Feature club.
You can change to the 08 forks and then the wheel bearings. The rims are the same but Harley used different part numbers because they come with the bearings. When and if i chrome mine I will get 08 forks and change it. My first tire cupped one side and i am on the second and it seems it will do the same. I have 18000 miles now and I am sure Harley hops they get sold before the problems show up. I think it will take a class action before they do anything.

Thanks for your welcome...and reply! I guess i would just expect that since there are so many issues involving the off-set tire and people's complaints...that HD would accommodate the customer in resolving this issue? why should we have to spend the time and money tofix something that should've been that way in the first place?....what will it take to get the bike recalled?...and even at that....it still means a lot of work, all custom parts transferred...it seems like a nightmare to think about and the alternative?....just do nothing and live with it...i cant help but feel ripped-off.