Jam436, I'm probably doing the same thing in a few days. Taking the vibration issue aside, what are your thoughts comparing the bikes otherwise?

 

how much did they did you for your trade in?

did you leave all your stock parts on it

my dad picked up a FLHX same time i got my FLD and iv spent a bit of seat time on that, now im seriously considering a trade in

 

I had the same issue with my FLD. A few bucks worth of parts from Home Depot and Grainger fixed the vibration issue.

Here's a post I made over on the FLD Owners Board (just do a search on "vibration" and you'll see a lot of discussion):

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The above fix worked wonders for my FLD. It's a shame that a new bike has these issues but it is a testament to the ingenuity of some Harley owners and taking matters into their own hands to come up with a solution and fix the issue.

 

It's a long story, but with this bike having been in the shop as often as it was, a regional manager from H-D finally got involved.
In the end, he agreed with me - and he worked with the dealer so that they ended up offering me the new 2013 Slim in a straight-up trade for the old 2012 Switchback with 8000 miles... I jumped on it.
I left a few things on it, primarily the security system, engine guard, brake-turn-running light module... I removed other, universal-fit bling...

 

The first big difference obviously is the Slim doesn't have the bags and windshield.
I really thought I'd miss those, but as it turns out, not really.
(I had originally traded up from a Sportster earlier this year and had gotten a little spoiled)
I added the swing-arm bag that same day so I at least have some storage - besides I can always add bags and a windshield later if I decide to.)
With the Switchback, I found that more often than not, I would ride with the windshield off, and the bags on - only using the windshield when highway speeds were needed.

Seating position is different - the seat is 1.5" lower which makes a huge difference. On the Switchback my legs would be extended at stops to get flat-footed, now I have plenty of knee bend - that really took some getting used to. (I'm 5'8" with a 30 in. inseam) Seems the Slim is now the lowest production model available (25.9") - even lower than the Sportster Superlow (26.8").

Also the bars are situated a little more forward causing me to lean a little.
Not uncomfortable, just different.
This is NBD since I already figure on adding the pullbacks (55900023) to compensate - for the time being.
I'll eventually probably go with new bars since I also want to add the freight-train nacelle in black (61300138), and that will only work with the stock risers. The Slim's Hollywood bars also offer a noticeably wider stance.

The two-up Switchback seat was more cushy, but the Slim's solo is plenty comfortable as is.
I may go with a Mustang at some point since seat upgrades are easy options, but there's no rush.
I find my feet landing on the forward half of the floorboards just like the Switchback - not much difference, and if anything more comfortable due to the lower seat.

The Slim specs out at just a little less power - due to the engine balancers, but the feel is negligible, if you can even feel it at all. The trade-off for a far smoother ride IMO makes this an acceptable swap. The Slim just purrs at all speeds and RPM's.

Handling is effortless. This thing is a blast on twisty roads.
The big difference though is the reduced lean angle.
The Sportster I had earlier had a lean angle of only 26°, same as the Slim. The Switchback had 29°.
I rarely touched down on the Switchback, but on the Slim, it's easy to do - maybe too easy.
Again NBD, it just requires a slight adjustment of your riding style.

Also, the Slim weights in about 20 lb. lighter than the Switchback.
One of the things that really appealed to me originally about the Switchback was the bagger style, without all the bagger weight.
It was all I could do (with my bad, now titanium knees) to get the Switchback out of my garage since there's a slight uphill hump right where the basement slab converts to blacktop - which is why a full bagger is probably out of the question for me forever, unless I move. The 20 lb. weight difference does help, and I'll take all I can get in that department.

Other than that, there is one thing I would have changed about the Switchback if given a do-over - I would have got the black one, instead of the red.
Well, now I have the denim black one, and I just freakin' love the look.

You know how you'll be walking through a showroom, and at some point the right bike will just "speak" to you?
Well, the Slim started yelling at me and it wouldn't STFU.

I also looked at both the Deluxe and Heritage, but I figured customizing options would be just a little limited, that is, without wrecking the classic style. I have no such worries with the blacked-out Slim...

Hope this helps...

 

My new 2012 Switchback does the identical thing. At 2800 RPM in 6th the thing shakes like my old 1980 Super Glide could years ago. It is smooth as glass until the big shake happpens. I complained at my 1000 mile service so I suppose if there is a fix I am on record complaining. I suppose it'll keep me cruising at a smooth 75 mph instead of shaking at 80 mph, but still.....wtf. My last bike, a 2007 Street Bob would and could run all day at 80 mph. I certainly didn't expect the Street Bob to be more friendly for touring out on the highway.

 

Three things I tried with varying success:
- Service Bulletin M-1324, which deals with vibration in ALL dynas from 2009 and up. - this one didn't do ****.

- loosened up the entire exhaust system, starting at the head, and re-torque everything back to spec, starting at the head. - this helped a lot. the Vibe was still very much there, just not all transmitting through the handlebars

- lose that front muffler flange bolt and replace it - that cured the problem 100% - so much so, I had to get used to riding it all over again - all that feedback was gone.
Now, in that range (2800 to 3200) it actually smoothed out completely.

Read this entire thread...
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After reading all of the posts about the vibration on the Switchback, I feel better knowing I'm not the only one concerned about it. I have a 2012 SB and it only has 1100 miles on it, I did have the slip-on muffler changed when I bought it right away. Stock exhaust is not very loud, so the dealership put a Vance & Hines on my SB, which I guess at this time there are few slip-ons for this bike. Anyway, I have the same vibration that most of the riders on here mentioned and it seems only a problem at higher speeds 80, and when you have to keep up with the guys you drive faster. LOL I had her up to 90 getting on the freeway which didn't take much and I love having 6 gears! I'm really happy with my bike just was glad I found out what the vibration is coming from. I'll try the washers where the muffler bolts to the bike, and see what happens.
I do wish there was more stuff available for this bike, but that takes time.

 

do a quick search on facebook for switchback and you will find one of the pages has details for how to perform the linchpin modification and parts required..

 

this comment comes from the ( guy???) that rides a softail and has never owned a switchback..... of course the owners of this bike after a few months of experiementation found an actual fix for the vibration problem that is supposedly all in our heads or "normal for a dyna"...