So this is my first HD. It is a wide glide. When slowing down without brakes the handle bars shake quite a bit. If I don't have the clutch engaged it doesn't do this. Thoughts?

 

It is engine braking instead of being slowed by the rear wheel. Will always do it like this. Same as if you use only the front brake. You'll get a "shudder" like stopping sensation.

Use more rear brake or don't remove your hands from the bars while doing this. LOL.

Griz

 

Great. Thank you!

 

A couple of years ago, I realized I had developed the habit of taking my hands off the bars and doing a little stretch as I was coming up to a stop. It was entirely subconscious. Didn't know I was even doing it.

UNTIL I put new tires on the FXR. As soon as I did, it developed a bit of a shimmy in the front under the "no hands/rear brake" situation. No biggie, although the first time it happened it was a bit of a pucker. For all I knew it was about to flop into a tank slapper.

As the tire wore in, this went away, mostly.

 

Change down a gear when it starts doing that, to lift engine speed, when it will probably stop. You may simply be allowing engine speed to drop too low.

 

I'd be willing to bet it's the rpm shake these dynas have. With a worn front mount it's very noticeable down shifting as the RPMs drop through the 2k range and the engine braking is putting extra strain on it.

Pulling in the clutch masks it because it drops past it instantly when pulled in.

 

My 94 did that until I replaced the engine mounts. Front was shot, rear was OK but replaced them both.

The rubber in the front mount can fail faster if motor oil gets on it (from an oil filter change). I guess the oil is not good for longevity of the rubber.

Do a search on the dyna motor mounts, hard to describe, but you can look to see if the center rubber square inside the mount has sagged and is touching the inside bottom edge of the mount. It should not be touching.

If you have to replace the mounts, follow the engine alignment procedure in the manual, and do yourself a favor and pick up two of these when aligning the engine:

http://www.harborfreight.com/dial-ga...der-34214.html

One for the front brake rotor and one for the rear. YD