Spec is .012 (which is ridiculous enough), so they definitely should fix this!

 

I bought a unmodified second hand FLD last week and rode it the 500 miles back home. the bike only had 400 miles on the clock when I took delivery, the previous owner had a stroke and can't ride anymore. The vibration at 2500 -3400 rpm was damn annoying. I stopped at a Harley dealer along the way and after test riding it he confirmed that it was the worst dyna he had ever ridden. He checked the engine mounts (visually) before I carried on. There was plenty to think about for the remaining 300 miles. I searched the web when I got home and found this thread. Fantastic, I'm not the only one with the problem!

I loosened the mid exhaust bolt a turn and took it for a ride. 95% of the vibration was gone. There was still a small amount of vibration around 2700 rpm. I have since fitted a v&h slip on and it remains almost vibe free. I had the 1000 mile service done yesterday and asked them to carry out the work in bulletin M1324. They claimed that the front engine isolator clearance was acceptable (0.030 in).

I think I understand what the clevis pin modification is about, but can someone load some pictures and/or a description? I don't have a Facebook account, but I used my wife's to try and search for similar posts without any luck.

 

I have a 2000 FXR4 for sale. Lots of chrome. See it here.
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/mcy/3755257578.html

 

^ douchebag

 

unfortunately it is against the rules here to post a direct link to the site with the fix but if you cant find it on facebook just do a google search for
switchback owners and you should be able to find it

 

The vibration probably shook his brain so hard that he lost blood flow to his brain!

Where's an ambulance chaser when you need him?

 

 

So here is my experience dealing with a dealership regarding a new switchback

First trip back
I told them I’m experiencing a lot of vibration at certain rpms but mostly on the highway when I’m setting at 80mph in sixth gear

Service manager’s response: Is this your first Dyna. My response: Yes but I have been riding for 30 years with the last six on an Ultra so I know what a rubber mounted bike is supposed to feel like.

They take it for two days and tell me that the belt was a little on the tight side, technician loosens the belt, takes it for test drive and reports the vibration is gone.

I barely get down the road before I notice the vibration is obviously there, I continue onto the highway and still at 80 and 3000 rpms the vibration is numbing. I bring it back the following day.

Second trip back
My Description:
Feel vibration in driveline at 2900-3000rpm every gear or when motorcycle is cruising in sixth gear above 75mph

Dealer Resolution:
Tech called corporate tech services. Performed service bulletin M-1324. Test rode motorcycle 10 miles. Second tech test rode motorcycle, normal operation at this time.

My comments on their resolution:
Not only is the vibration still there it actually seems to be worst. Printed out M-1324, which mostly described modifications to the motor mounts and proper torque settings of the exhaust.

Third trip back
My Description:
Vibration very noticeable in every gear at 2900 to 3000RPM. Unbearable cruising on highway doing 80 in six gear and 3000RPM.

Sales manager slapped a plate on another new Switchback for me to test drive so I could make sure it was not just how Switchbacks are. The results of test drive showed no vibration in any gear. Cruising on highway at 80 in six gear on test bike had no noticeable vibration proving there is issue with the bike I bought. Sales manager goes back to service department with me and tells them to take the bike I took for a test drive so they can compare feel what a Switchback feels like that does not have any vibration. From their resolution below I don’t think they took the other one for a comparison ride.

Dealer Resolution:
Tech read customers letter of description to corporate tech services.
Corporate tech services states that is normal operation for a FLD103.
Six gear is for cruising at higher speeds. For acceleration, downshift to increase RPMS, then accelerate.
Tech services also stated that a comparison between two motorcycles of the same year and model cannot be done. Each motor has different parts, as does the entire motorcycle, using the seat as an example.

My Comments on their resolution:
Dealer had the bike for three full days, when I picked it up there was only an additional 2 tenths of a mile on the odometer which means all they did was make a call to HD Tech Services and moved it in and out of the shop in the morning and night to get it out of their way.
Since I did not experience any noticeable vibration on the test drive of another FLD, they are saying that severe vibration is normal for some FLD’s
The owner’s manual states you should shift into 6th gear at 55 MPH but Corp Tech Services states that six gear is for cruising at higher than the 80 that I said I was at. I typically shift into six gear when I’m in fifth gear an 3000rmp’s approximately doing 70MPH
The last thing they are trying to convince me of seems to be that the vibration I’m experiencing is because I swapped out their crap stock seat for a Corbin. When in fact the Corbin seat was the only good thing about the ride.

At this point I express my frustrations with the sales manager and that I’m even willing to pay more for a different model than the Dyna just to have a good running bike. He states that it is important to him that I’m a happy customer and will work with me and get me something else. So his initial definition of working with me to correct the issues is to offer me a 2013 Road King for an additional $6600 over what I paid for the Switchback with just over 2500 miles. After a lot of arguing my point that it’s not that I don’t like Switchback I just don’t like one that’s bad, and him saying that most dealers would tell me to go “Pound Sand” he wore me down and I agreed to an additional $3800 and $200 off the first service and they move over the alarm from the Switchback to the Road King @ $4000 out the door.

I went home that night and spent two hours taking off all the extras that I put on but had to eat $700 that I spent on the Corbin seat because I left the original seat in Daytona when I got the Corbin.

End result is although I feel they screwed me royally by not honoring a valid warranty issue, I now have a more expensive Road King that has ZERO vibration and yes some may say that all Harleys vibrate but that’s not what I consider the NORMAL operating feel of a Harley. What I consider vibration is what I was experiencing on the FLD.

As they say “Hind Sight Is 20/20” if I could do it over I would have taken the bike to an independent motorcycle repair shop and pay for a mechanical evaluation and then demand that my dealer fly a Harley Rep into evaluate the issue. What good is a two-year warranty when all they have to do is keep telling you the bike is operating normally.

I hope somehow this posting reaches Harley Cooperate and they reach out to me for the dealer info.

PS: So here’s is something I forgot to mention the following day I go back to turn in the Switchback and pick up the Road King the “General Manger” there wants to take the Switchback for a ride and suggest that I take the Road King that I’m getting and follow along with him. I tell him there is no way I going to start the beak-in of a bike with 5 miles on it by doing 80+ on the highway. (are you kidding me) Yes some may say that’s how they break-in a bike but I have never and I was not about to.

He gives me a used Road King to go with him and his comments of the test drive is that he does feel a LITTLE vibration but I just needed to power thru it and keep the bike in 4200rpm range. So here is the clincher I’m back there a few days later and one of the guys in the service department who was not involved with the Switchback earlier told me he took it for a test drive the day before and has never experience a bike with such bad vibration. At least there is someone there that’s honest.

 

No one ever suggested swapping the exhaust? That solves the problem for most.

 

I agree with this post. Instead of $4000 OTD on a new RK, a $700 swap to D&D FatCat would have been your answer. Ouch