Death wobble question
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 683
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From: Florida
Checking in.
<.... ..> The other source is from the rear wheel and happens when cornering at speed, but can also be caused by hitting bad road surfaces, when the rubber mounts the engine/trans/rear wheel are mounted on flex sideways. This can affect Dynas and touring models and can be cured with a True-Track kit.
Front end wobble on the other hand (or tank slap in it's extreme) is less recoverable and usually results in the bike going down.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
Glad to get some input. I would like to say here that from what I have read the "rear" syndrome is not wobble but weave. And (from what I've read) it can be controlled if you do not panic and is not fatal.
Front end wobble on the other hand (or tank slap in it's extreme) is less recoverable and usually results in the bike going down.
Front end wobble on the other hand (or tank slap in it's extreme) is less recoverable and usually results in the bike going down.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
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From: Asscrackistan
There are two distinct causes of handling or wobble problems. One starts at the front and can be caused by high bars, some windshields, even noise. Buffetting of the windshield or the rider's arms gets transferred into the handlebars. This can also happen when travelling at speed, when high noise levels make the rider
tense arm muscles and hold the bars tight, which can also cause handlebar wobble.
As others have already stated, a change of windshield or bars can cure these problems, or using ear-plugs for high noise levels (the best and cheapest tuning aid out there!).
The other source is from the rear wheel and happens when cornering at speed, but can also be caused by hitting bad road surfaces, when the rubber mounts the engine/trans/rear wheel are mounted on flex sideways. This can affect Dynas and touring models and can be cured with a True-Track kit.
tense arm muscles and hold the bars tight, which can also cause handlebar wobble.
As others have already stated, a change of windshield or bars can cure these problems, or using ear-plugs for high noise levels (the best and cheapest tuning aid out there!).
The other source is from the rear wheel and happens when cornering at speed, but can also be caused by hitting bad road surfaces, when the rubber mounts the engine/trans/rear wheel are mounted on flex sideways. This can affect Dynas and touring models and can be cured with a True-Track kit.
I believe that one happened to me on the way to Street Vibrations, when that pesky deer cleared my front tire by 3-5 feet, at 70 MPH! Wasn't a fun feeling, but it happened so fast, I don't remember if I was on the brakes hard with a death grip on the bars! Or on the brakes at all till after the fact, that's how fast it happened...
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,192
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From: Knoxville, Tn
Bars
BD33 I went from mini apes or buck horns (stock bars) to a set of touring bars from an FXDC. The front is very stable now. I'm sure a set of drag bars would produce the same outcome. Not sure about the pull back drags from places like Carlini...http://www.carlinidesign.com/handleb...ersweep125.php
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
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From: Georgia
pre 09 Dynas mostly the super and low rider suffer from this.I know of several that this have happened to. My riding partner had it happen twice with me.Once at 50+ and another time going thru some 20mph switchbacks. Off the road both times and saved it.The desers from the same era also do it.You guys that think it's just tires or bars are fooling yourself.We took the low rider this happened on apart from front to rear replacing all bushings and bearings only to have it happen again.And yes tires,brands of tires,springs and fluid in the front end also. True-Trac solved this problem.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Long Island, NY
Glad to here the TT solved the problem. Hard to understand how your friend on the Low Rider managed to find himself in a death wobble at 50 mph and on 20 mph switchbacks. This is generally a higher speed issue.
I suppose a TT could help improve stability if he was having an issue with the bike, but it sounds as though either there is/was something really wrong with the bike or perhaps human error in how he approached the turn and then tried to correct it.
I suppose a TT could help improve stability if he was having an issue with the bike, but it sounds as though either there is/was something really wrong with the bike or perhaps human error in how he approached the turn and then tried to correct it.
pre 09 Dynas mostly the super and low rider suffer from this.I know of several that this have happened to. My riding partner had it happen twice with me.Once at 50+ and another time going thru some 20mph switchbacks. Off the road both times and saved it.The desers from the same era also do it.You guys that think it's just tires or bars are fooling yourself.We took the low rider this happened on apart from front to rear replacing all bushings and bearings only to have it happen again.And yes tires,brands of tires,springs and fluid in the front end also. True-Trac solved this problem.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,082
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From: Long Island, NY
Thanks for the info on the bars and how it improved the stability. I'm thinking about changing my bars to a Flanders cafe or flat track style bar as I think it will create a bit more of an aggressive riding position.
BD33 I went from mini apes or buck horns (stock bars) to a set of touring bars from an FXDC. The front is very stable now. I'm sure a set of drag bars would produce the same outcome. Not sure about the pull back drags from places like Carlini...http://www.carlinidesign.com/handleb...ersweep125.php
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
Lack of experience
Lack of experience, crazy mods, going way to fast, low air pressure. Nothing to do with alignment. Alignment on a Harley is alignment of rear tire to transmission (for the belt) You align the front tire when you move the handlebars or lean. Its called steering. Been on some WV mountians and 20 was too fast for some of the curves.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Dec 3, 2010 at 09:41 PM.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Missouri
The dreaded wobble, turned tank slapper. it can happen to anyone at anytime. Recovery chances, slim to none, but possible. Once that hinge in the frame and forks gets loose its over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtoO...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtoO...eature=related
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: USA
pre 09 Dynas mostly the super and low rider suffer from this.I know of several that this have happened to. My riding partner had it happen twice with me.Once at 50+ and another time going thru some 20mph switchbacks. Off the road both times and saved it.The desers from the same era also do it.You guys that think it's just tires or bars are fooling yourself.We took the low rider this happened on apart from front to rear replacing all bushings and bearings only to have it happen again.And yes tires,brands of tires,springs and fluid in the front end also. True-Trac solved this problem.