bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 601
Likes: 0
From: Greenville, SC
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
My '07 WG started vibrating really bad at about the 500 mile mark. On the jiffy stand at idle, the back fender shakes side to side and there is a lot of vibration in the handlbars.
When I stand the bike up, a lot of that goes away, but there is still some vibration in the handlebars. In every gear at some rpm I get vibration bad enough to rattle the detachable back rest I had installed on my sled when I bought it. It was bad enough to unthread one of the backrest screws (which luckily I found hanging in the mounting bracket.)
I have to go in to the dealership this weekend to resign my paperwork (they lost it! woohoo! free bike! was my first thought =), I'll have them take a look and report what they find.
It kinda irritates me that I'm having a problem like this and haven't even hit the 1k mile mark yet.
In response to the original poster, I wonder what would happen if, when you tighten the front and rear isolator bolts (without the spacer) you do a couple of turns on the rear, then a couple on the front, until both are torqued to spec? It seems to me that if you were to say, tighten the rear all the way first with nothing holding the front, you probably end up compressing the rear isolator tighter than it should be, which might account for the gap you see on the front. Just a thought.
When I stand the bike up, a lot of that goes away, but there is still some vibration in the handlebars. In every gear at some rpm I get vibration bad enough to rattle the detachable back rest I had installed on my sled when I bought it. It was bad enough to unthread one of the backrest screws (which luckily I found hanging in the mounting bracket.)
I have to go in to the dealership this weekend to resign my paperwork (they lost it! woohoo! free bike! was my first thought =), I'll have them take a look and report what they find.
It kinda irritates me that I'm having a problem like this and haven't even hit the 1k mile mark yet.
In response to the original poster, I wonder what would happen if, when you tighten the front and rear isolator bolts (without the spacer) you do a couple of turns on the rear, then a couple on the front, until both are torqued to spec? It seems to me that if you were to say, tighten the rear all the way first with nothing holding the front, you probably end up compressing the rear isolator tighter than it should be, which might account for the gap you see on the front. Just a thought.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From:
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
Just got home from the stealer...NO Dealer....and my vibration at decel is cured. Those vibrations as the rpm's are just returning to idle that all on this thread have felt, are GONE on my 07 bob thanks to Jason Tardif (Service Manager, Nashua H-D in New Hampshire).He even (at personal risk to his own heterosexuality) rode with a heavier passenger (another dude), to test it both before and after the fix, and received snickers the SECOND time from a bunch of dudes in a van...now THATS going above and beyond!!
The fix? Well, he fully intended to install a spacer in the front engine mount after I sent him this forum thread, but after taking it apart, he found the front engine mount rubber bushing itself to be trashed all by itself!! He installed a new rubber bushing per the tech manual, torqued it to specs without a spacer, an TA-DA - no more vibes on decel solo or riding two-up.
I think I'll take a rest from the forum for awhile...it was real helpful though in getting to the root of my problem, and my dealer should be commended for being willing to try whtever it took to make my bike right for me.
BEFORE any of you install spacers, jus LOOK at the current bushing and make sure it is sound all by itself.
Tim
Nashua, NH
Stage IV
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From:
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
Great insight to my problem. My dealer could not fix and gave the same run around. I will try this and also let the D know this. Maybe they can help other with the same problem HA! HA! Has any one send this to HD engineering. They might want to know how we HD owner are disappointed with there non responsive means of taken care of there loyal owners.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 660
Likes: 2
From: Schaumburg, IL, near Elgin, IL
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
I get the feeling that when HD learns about their goof ups, they try hard to eliminate them for future model years, but they don't always think about those of us who already bought. They can make more by selling us a NEW bike.
I'd like to see them prove me wrong on this. Hey, Harley, you listening?
I'd like to see them prove me wrong on this. Hey, Harley, you listening?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,870
Likes: 499
From: Alberta
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
I went with Sputhe engine mounts and swingarm on my '01; better handling and no more vibes than new stock. Far better system then stock. Some don't realize that the whole swingarm/motor assembly is "loose" inside the frame to isloate the vibes. I also removed over 15lbs of unsprung weight from the rear wheel/swingarm assembly. The Nortons (anyone here remember them???) had a similar rubber mounted engine with similar problems.....and improved it in later years. My solution wasn't cheap but it sure made a difference.
[IMG]local://upfiles/32069/1CD91FD976304819810470C84CF2A704.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/32069/1CD91FD976304819810470C84CF2A704.jpg[/IMG]
Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 14,564
Likes: 9,225
From: the 50s & the 60s
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
ORIGINAL: sharkey
I went with Sputhe engine mounts and swingarm on my '01;
better handling and no more vibes than new stock.
Far better system then stock.
Some don't realize that the whole swingarm/motor assembly is "loose" inside the frame
to isloate the vibes.
I also removed over 15lbs of unsprung weight from the rear wheel/swingarm assembly.
The Nortons (anyone here remember them???)
had a similar rubber mounted engine with similar problems.....
and improved it in later years.
My solution wasn't cheap but it sure made a difference.
I went with Sputhe engine mounts and swingarm on my '01;
better handling and no more vibes than new stock.
Far better system then stock.
Some don't realize that the whole swingarm/motor assembly is "loose" inside the frame
to isloate the vibes.
I also removed over 15lbs of unsprung weight from the rear wheel/swingarm assembly.
The Nortons (anyone here remember them???)
had a similar rubber mounted engine with similar problems.....
and improved it in later years.
My solution wasn't cheap but it sure made a difference.
I see the rotor,
I'm guessing that some of the weight is in the swingarm???
Wheel as well??
Yes, I do remember the Norton.
Fondly.
mud
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,870
Likes: 499
From: Alberta
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
Makes you wonder howour bikeshandle at all when you consider all that (wheel, rotor/caliper and swingarm) are bolted to the back of the tranny, which is bolted to the back of the engine, all of which is held in the frame with a couple of rubber blocks and a top link.....just like my old Combat Commando (with the superblend bearing upgrade and vernier isolastics). Don't miss kicking that bike to life but I did like riding it. Tiny compared to our Dyna's.....
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 897
Likes: 0
From:
RE: bike vibrations possibly figured out, interesting
ORIGINAL: mudpuddle
shark, what are you showing us in the pix??
I see the rotor,
I'm guessing that some of the weight is in the swingarm???
Wheel as well??
Yes, I do remember the Norton.
Fondly.
mud
ORIGINAL: sharkey
I went with Sputhe engine mounts and swingarm on my '01
I went with Sputhe engine mounts and swingarm on my '01
I see the rotor,
I'm guessing that some of the weight is in the swingarm???
Wheel as well??
Yes, I do remember the Norton.
Fondly.
mud
[IMG]local://upfiles/48019/6F88DBE7BD9F4276A45456749E94B00A.jpg[/IMG]
A STATE DOWN SOWEF WE HAD A WAR WIT DA HATFIELDS[/b]