Question for Predator Front Mount Users
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,949
Likes: 150
From: South of Mordor
I installed mine mostly as a replacement do to mileage wear. I had 50k on my ride and was ready for the replacement, so I decided to go spend a little more money and get something that added more protection to the isolation component from oil and something that looks better. As for handling and vibrations, it is really hard to say because I change a few other things around the same time and my ride is no where near the same bike it was when I purchased it in its stock form.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 154
Likes: 43
From: NV
I just ordered a predator for mine today in hopes of tightening up the bike in corners. My factory front mount is toast with 18k on it. Don't like that Dyna wobble at all haha. I'll report back when I get it installed and riden.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 433
Likes: 18
From: Cheyenne, WY
I've had mine on for about 7,000 miles. It made virtually no difference in vibration (mine wasn't bad IMO to begin with) but I could tell after the first hard corner I took that it was worth the money. Bike felt like it was on rails.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 961
Likes: 192
From: Chicago
never installed for vibration reduction more for handling performance any vibrations dampened is a plus but nothing to brag about.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,440
Likes: 148
From: Northwest
Yeah, don't know that it reduced the vibration much.. but, the handling got better and I don't have to worry about the engine dropping forward and putting stress on the exhaust again... busting heat shield welds... that can be a little expensive from V&H.
I will say this on top of why people buy the Predator... if you've never done the vehicle alignment on your dyna.. DO IT. I would almost swear that the alignment was never done by either the factory or the dealer when it was finished assembled.
I had the high speed corner butt clencher wobble a couple of times, and after the vehicle alignment + front mount shim, it handled like a different bike.
I will say this on top of why people buy the Predator... if you've never done the vehicle alignment on your dyna.. DO IT. I would almost swear that the alignment was never done by either the factory or the dealer when it was finished assembled.
I had the high speed corner butt clencher wobble a couple of times, and after the vehicle alignment + front mount shim, it handled like a different bike.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,800
Likes: 7,945
From: poway
Yeah, don't know that it reduced the vibration much.. but, the handling got better and I don't have to worry about the engine dropping forward and putting stress on the exhaust again... busting heat shield welds... that can be a little expensive from V&H.
I will say this on top of why people buy the Predator... if you've never done the vehicle alignment on your dyna.. DO IT. I would almost swear that the alignment was never done by either the factory or the dealer when it was finished assembled.
I had the high speed corner butt clencher wobble a couple of times, and after the vehicle alignment + front mount shim, it handled like a different bike.
I will say this on top of why people buy the Predator... if you've never done the vehicle alignment on your dyna.. DO IT. I would almost swear that the alignment was never done by either the factory or the dealer when it was finished assembled.
I had the high speed corner butt clencher wobble a couple of times, and after the vehicle alignment + front mount shim, it handled like a different bike.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 56
Likes: 7
From: Indiana
Quoted for truth 
The Dyna's mounts have a critical role. Braking and acceleration forces from the rear transmit to the frame through the mounts, and engine torque is pitching the engine up and down at the front mount; the mounts need to be stiff enough to keep the wheels from going out of alignment in both vertical and longitudinal axis and the Dyna relies on the top stabilizer to keep the engine in vertical alignment.
While it may have worked in the pre-TwinCam era, now the mounts are overloaded; the bikes are heavier and engine displacement has gotten larger. To me the idea behind the Predator was to add stiffness and damping to the longitudinal, vertical, and yaw axis, along with the addition of a stablizer link to prevent any side to side motion.
Basically, the OEM mounts are a flawed design and HD gave the mounts no thought at all; it took the aftermarket to come up with some properly engineered solutions. The Predator is a very elegant solution; it may add vibrations at lower RPM's but the trade off in handling and stability is absolutely more than worth it. I doubt their goal was to reduce vibrations when they designed the Predator mount, but rather to correct the inherent flaws of the HD mount and improve the handling and stability of the Dyna.
Try the Predator, you will become a believer
The Dyna's mounts have a critical role. Braking and acceleration forces from the rear transmit to the frame through the mounts, and engine torque is pitching the engine up and down at the front mount; the mounts need to be stiff enough to keep the wheels from going out of alignment in both vertical and longitudinal axis and the Dyna relies on the top stabilizer to keep the engine in vertical alignment.
While it may have worked in the pre-TwinCam era, now the mounts are overloaded; the bikes are heavier and engine displacement has gotten larger. To me the idea behind the Predator was to add stiffness and damping to the longitudinal, vertical, and yaw axis, along with the addition of a stablizer link to prevent any side to side motion.
Basically, the OEM mounts are a flawed design and HD gave the mounts no thought at all; it took the aftermarket to come up with some properly engineered solutions. The Predator is a very elegant solution; it may add vibrations at lower RPM's but the trade off in handling and stability is absolutely more than worth it. I doubt their goal was to reduce vibrations when they designed the Predator mount, but rather to correct the inherent flaws of the HD mount and improve the handling and stability of the Dyna.
Try the Predator, you will become a believer
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 337
Likes: 214
From: California
My predator motor mount did at least 2 things.
1 it reduced th vibrations in my hands. I used to shake my hands every 5 min on the highway which seemed odd for a dyna. My rigid sporty chopper wasnt that bad.
2 it stopped the front end crashing on breaking and just overall mushy front end suspension feeling.
Once I installed it I could tell the bike felt higher. After looking at the mount I could see it was collapsed which screwed the whole purpose of it up.
Shortly after I also replaced yhe rear mount and added the Sputhe positrack stabilizer. The bike feels a lot better now.
I did buy my '05 FXD used with 32k on it.
1 it reduced th vibrations in my hands. I used to shake my hands every 5 min on the highway which seemed odd for a dyna. My rigid sporty chopper wasnt that bad.
2 it stopped the front end crashing on breaking and just overall mushy front end suspension feeling.
Once I installed it I could tell the bike felt higher. After looking at the mount I could see it was collapsed which screwed the whole purpose of it up.
Shortly after I also replaced yhe rear mount and added the Sputhe positrack stabilizer. The bike feels a lot better now.
I did buy my '05 FXD used with 32k on it.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,666
Likes: 133
From: TEXAS
at some rpms it was super smooth and some rpms it vibrated more. on really big bumps my pipe would hit the frame. too much verticle movement for me. I took it off. I have stock mounts with sputhe stabilizers and very happy
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,800
Likes: 7,945
From: poway
Same here. The motor in the bike is a high compression 116 (4 5/8 stroke) tho.