Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
Heading south on Beeline Hwy in Arizona, with two buddies yesterday, coming back from the MMA State Rally. I'm on my 05 Super Glide with stock suspension and a QD windshield& 16" apes. Leading the group and pretty much givin' her all I got 'cause I have a splitting headache and want to get on home to the misses (I just know she can make it all better).
Anyway, going 75 mph or so around the wide sweeping turns I get speed wobbles. Mostly not so bad,but I can't throttle out of them. I have to let off the gas and she settles right down. A couple were pretty bad and one actually got my buddy (Hounddog from the HDF) wondering if he was gonna have to dodge some bike parts.
My question....is this the narrow and small front end...the windshield...the bars...or all three?
I've ridden mountain roads with the same setup and conditions before and really never noticed severe wobbles. Very minor wobbles are normal for the bars though.
Anyone have similar experiences with similar setups? Any suggestions (and please don't tell me to "dump the bars" or "get a real bike" etc)
Thanks,
MV
Anyway, going 75 mph or so around the wide sweeping turns I get speed wobbles. Mostly not so bad,but I can't throttle out of them. I have to let off the gas and she settles right down. A couple were pretty bad and one actually got my buddy (Hounddog from the HDF) wondering if he was gonna have to dodge some bike parts.
My question....is this the narrow and small front end...the windshield...the bars...or all three?
I've ridden mountain roads with the same setup and conditions before and really never noticed severe wobbles. Very minor wobbles are normal for the bars though.
Anyone have similar experiences with similar setups? Any suggestions (and please don't tell me to "dump the bars" or "get a real bike" etc)
Thanks,
MV
RE: Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
Yep...guess I asked for that 
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Maybe the windshield catching the side anlge draft, then getting into the wobble rythem trying to correct.
Thanks!
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Maybe the windshield catching the side anlge draft, then getting into the wobble rythem trying to correct.
Thanks!
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 397
Likes: 0
From: Queen Creek, Az
RE: Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
ya buddy yer *** about ate pavment!!! i personally think da windshield too but i also think the stock front end blows monkey ***** my friend. try da shield first doe its cheaper
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 0
From: SW Corner of NW Corner
RE: Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
could have something to do with the condition of the road in those turns, in combination with some very specific cross winds that were hitting the shield.
Is it a road nearby that you are familiar with? ... can you take the shield off and ride the road again?
I don't think its the apes... except that the farther away your hands are from the triple tree, any anomoly will be more exaggerated... so, they could have had a contributing factor.
what about tire pressure? Is your Fall Away good?
Is it a road nearby that you are familiar with? ... can you take the shield off and ride the road again?
I don't think its the apes... except that the farther away your hands are from the triple tree, any anomoly will be more exaggerated... so, they could have had a contributing factor.
what about tire pressure? Is your Fall Away good?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,871
Likes: 4
RE: Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
i had same problem on my wideglide, with windshield on or off, lowered the rear, put race tech springs up front lowered it a inch, and changed the front tire to mest, with 90/90/21 instead of the stock 80/90 dumblops, and handles like a sport bike nite and day
Trending Topics
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 5
From: Templeton California
RE: Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
Mine does the same thing, it has no windshield so you can safely eliminate that.It also has much lower bars than yours and still does it so you can forget that too.It mostly happens any time I try to lean it over at anything 60ish or better.It's oddly undramatic too it doesn't shake violently it just slowly weaves in any kind of semi fast sweeper.Tightening up the rear suspension helped a bit but didn't cure it.If anyone knows how to fix this I'd be real interested.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025
Verdad Gallardo
RE: Speed Wobbles - "Devil's Dance"
I would like to install 12" Prog. 412 HD's and Prog. springs with SE fork fluid up front. I wonder if that would help cure it?
Sounds like mayby the stock supsension is abit too soft for that kind of riding?
MV
Sounds like mayby the stock supsension is abit too soft for that kind of riding?
MV