Switchback Regret?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 239
From: northeast
I noticed you say you have the Bassani Road Rage 2>1. Can you tell me more about that system and why you chose it. From the picture on Bassani's website it looks to be almost as long as the OEM muffler. Does it eliminate the cat? Does it use the original mounting brackets and holes or does it use its own system?
Oddly enough my dealer is listed as a Drag Specialties dealer - interesting. Did you put this system on to eliminate the vibration, or just because you liked it?
Oddly enough my dealer is listed as a Drag Specialties dealer - interesting. Did you put this system on to eliminate the vibration, or just because you liked it?
the Bassani was installed because a member of the owners site had it for sale at a price too good to pass up and since we both live in NJ no shipping costs..
it does use all of the factory fasteners and mounting locations and only vibrations I have now is very slight and at 85MPH
it does eliminate the catalytic converter and is very similar in design to the stock system, this is why I had asked members of the owners site that had
decatted their head pipes to test their bikes for me.. right now we are 2 with no vibes and 2 still with vibes and they have reinstalled their clevis pin in
the testing over there..
before the Bassani my system was stock headpipe with V&H slip on and 99% of my vibrations were eliminated with TSB being properly performed and
then the clevis pin mod properly installed... as I said earlier to you when you tried it out I don't believe it was snug enough.
if too loose the vibrations move down in the RPM range to 2200-2400 and as you know too tight gives you the vibrations from 26-2700 up to 3200 or so..
like goldilocks it has to be JUST RIGHT which is why in the how to write up I did on the owners site I started with a much thicker nylon spacer and took it
to my bench grinder multiple times until I had just enough room to force the hairpin clip in..
wish you were closer to me as I would be glad to help you out with proper clevis pin install, believe me when I say once your vibes are gone you will enjoy
the HELL out of this bike.. in my opinion it IS the best all around motorcycle Harley currently makes
Last edited by 1HD1C; Jul 24, 2014 at 06:26 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 239
From: northeast
scuba he tried it BUT I don't think it was done correctly
Novice
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
After removing the muffler completely as per numerous suggestions on this thread all vibrations disappeared other than normal vibes expected with a rubber mounted engine.
If the clevis pin and/or other fixes had worked I would be happy. But we were unable to make them work. You are correct in the sense that giving up a bike I like seems stubborn. That is my middle name I guess. The issue is more complicated by a dealer GM who has treated me rudely and suggested I should accept this vibration as normal for all Dynas. BS. I know better.
The good news is the owner has stepped in as of late yesterday and we have agreed I will try the offered Nightstick. If that does not work he asked me for a list of aftermarket exhausts that others have used and have successfully removed the vibration. That is really all I wanted. A non confrontational effort to make it right.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 239
From: northeast
We tried the clevis pin fix, tapped the mounting hole and used a longer bolt with extra washers and a nylock, tried loosening the original bolt 1/2 turn, etc. We also shimmed the front engine mount as per other suggestions. The result was all those attempts moved the vibration to a lower rpm range (2200 to 2800) & made the ride even worse.
After removing the muffler completely as per numerous suggestions on this thread all vibrations disappeared other than normal vibes expected with a rubber mounted engine.
If the clevis pin and/or other fixes had worked I would be happy. But we were unable to make them work. You are correct in the sense that giving up a bike I like seems stubborn. That is my middle name I guess. The issue is more complicated by a dealer GM who has treated me rudely and suggested I should accept this vibration as normal for all Dynas. BS. I know better.
The good news is the owner has stepped in as of late yesterday and we have agreed I will try the offered Nightstick. If that does not work he asked me for a list of aftermarket exhausts that others have used and have successfully removed the vibration. That is really all I wanted. A non confrontational effort to make it right.
After removing the muffler completely as per numerous suggestions on this thread all vibrations disappeared other than normal vibes expected with a rubber mounted engine.
If the clevis pin and/or other fixes had worked I would be happy. But we were unable to make them work. You are correct in the sense that giving up a bike I like seems stubborn. That is my middle name I guess. The issue is more complicated by a dealer GM who has treated me rudely and suggested I should accept this vibration as normal for all Dynas. BS. I know better.
The good news is the owner has stepped in as of late yesterday and we have agreed I will try the offered Nightstick. If that does not work he asked me for a list of aftermarket exhausts that others have used and have successfully removed the vibration. That is really all I wanted. A non confrontational effort to make it right.
glad to hear the owner stepped up to the plate to make it right for you
DONT WASTE TIME WITH THE NIGHTSTICK" it doesn't fix the issue..
tell the dealership owner and GM in your area to do a google search for
switchbackowners.. proboards site and I believe we can straighten out
MR GM and his dyna normal comments cant tell you how many times this comment
has been posted by other members having the same issue with people that like to think
all Harleys are supposed to vibrate your eyes out of your skull
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,875
Likes: 197
From: Texas
I have a 2012 that I de-catted, with a Nightstick using a Supertrapp open end cap with 8 plates removed. Tightened to factory specs. About 80% of the vibration is gone. Don't even notice what little is still there.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 239
From: northeast
correct, BUT for around $5 the clevis pin mod has fixed it on 99%
of the motorcycles it was used on..
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Ohio Switchback update
Still waiting for the black Nightstick to arrive at my dealer. Was told end of next week. Another week of no riding it. He also asked for a list of after market exhausts. After hearing so much about the noise level of the Vance and Hines I settled for the Samson Legend Street Slashers in black, assuming the Nightstick does not fix the vibration problem. Of course I am not sure how loud the Samson pipes are either, but I like the look.
It is frustrating that the GM of my dealer tried to pull the "all dyna's vibrate like that" BS on me and told me what I read on the internet is immaterial. Does that mean everything on the HD website is also incorrect?
Thank God the owner of the dealership does not feel the same way. He has promised me it will be fixed, whatever has to be done. I never really wanted a performance or noisier exhaust, but it may be the best choice in the end. I wish (and hope) the owner does not have to foot the entire bill for this if I need the Samson. How unfair is that! HD has lowered themselves several notches on my respect scale.
More updates when I get my try with the Nightstick.
It is frustrating that the GM of my dealer tried to pull the "all dyna's vibrate like that" BS on me and told me what I read on the internet is immaterial. Does that mean everything on the HD website is also incorrect?
Thank God the owner of the dealership does not feel the same way. He has promised me it will be fixed, whatever has to be done. I never really wanted a performance or noisier exhaust, but it may be the best choice in the end. I wish (and hope) the owner does not have to foot the entire bill for this if I need the Samson. How unfair is that! HD has lowered themselves several notches on my respect scale.
More updates when I get my try with the Nightstick.