Hello from Munich!

i have a few little problems with my bike. At first, I want to tell a little bit about the history of the bike, so if you want to skip just to the problems, feel free to do so, I'll mark the section .

History
I got the bike from my father (he decided to end biking with 77 years, fortunate for me ) last year, with 24000km (around 15000 miles). It took him 23 years to get there, and in the last five years there was not much added to that, around 150 miles a year. Mostly ridden from the garage to the Indy and back.

After I got the bike last year, I went to my Indy, who did all the relevant things at that time:
- new tires (the old ones where the ones my father got the bike with )
- new carb (stock)
- all fluids and oils new
- new speedometer
- new filters
- somewhat like a full service

This year she already got:
- new shocks for the front (progressive)
- new battery

Drove her around 8000 miles last year, I love that bike.

Problems
My main problem at the moment is the voltage. Even with the new battery, fully charged, the voltage drops while ideling at every stop. It wouldn't concern me that much, but the turn signals won't work, as long as the voltage is under 12V. I have to pull the throttle, to get the voltage up. Then I can turn on the signal, as soon as the voltage drops the neutral lamp and the turnsignal lamp in the dash beginn to flicker.
I already did the guide that is a sticky here, all seems well. Any ideas what I can do? new regulator, new stator, maybe the bigger ones from cycle electric?

Another problem is the driving. Between 50mph and 55mph I have a "wobbling" from the front. If I took the hands off, it starts to wobble pretty harsh. I already had that last year, it got better after the change of the front shocks and filling up the air in the suspension and the tyre. But it's still there, and I'm beginning to loose my trust, especially in curves.

there are some more things, like the non working CB. The radio is still not getting any station, but I think I found the error in a broken cable.

Any help what I can try for myself or what I have to tell my Indy would be very much appreciated. oh, and sorry for my english. trying my best, but sometimes the words don't come in that handy like in your native language.

Thanks a lot!

 

Look at the sticky above about diagnosing your charging system.

 

What is your warm idle set at? It should be set between 900rpm and 1000rpm. And as Tex said, look at the sticky (post in the top section of the main ego page) to make sure your charging system is working properly

 

It is not unusual for them to not charge at idle. If you pass the tests in the sticky, particularly the voltage AT THE BATTERY at around 1500-2K RPM, your charging system is fine. Do you have the auto-cancel version of the blinkers or the old kind that you push on and hold? If it is the old kind, you can get a modern solid state blinker at any auto parts store and solve that problem.

Don't be too worried about the voltage on the dash gauge. You have to go by what's at the battery.

 

I know that self-canceling turn signals appeared on Sportsters and Softails in '91, so I'm pretty sure a '91 bagger would have them, too.

 

For your wobble, loosen up the bottom pinch bolts on the trees and snug the bolt on the neck bearings about a quarter turn, re-tighten the pinch bolts and see if it makes a difference. I've found if I set my front end with the factory fall-away test, it will wobble hands off.

 

Welcome to the forum! Really like that the international crowd is beginning to find this site.

When the bike is fully warmed up, what is the idle RPM?
Was the bike new when your father got it? Doesn't sound like it, but I need to know.
Was the bike an original export bike from HD, or did it get to Germany by other means?
Are the tyres mounted with the correct rotation?

 

Paddy in Munich?! Hi from the UK. Sounds like your charging is fine. Setting your idle at the correct rpm of 1000rpm (not lower!) may keep the lights from flickering. As for your signals not flashing, that may be doen to a bad earth/ground o poor connections, so give the wiring to them a thorough checking over.

The wobble! Read my thread on the subject here, however be aware there are various routine things that can cause it. Tyre condition is one: if your tyres are more than 5/6 years old then replace them. Check tyre pressures: if you are heavy add a couple of pounds or so (H-D is very bad IMHO about tyre pressures) and if you use a not stock brand then check their website, as not all of them use stock pressures (Avon for example).

Check what our US cousins call 'fall-away', in other words how freely your forks turn from side to side. If they are loose the forks will play games.

 

Not unusual for it not to charge at idle...but the battery voltage shouldn't drop to the point that things quit working either...do the turn signals work with the bike off?

First I would have the battery load tested...not impossible to have a "new" bad battery.

Next I would check where the regulator plugs into the case...a bad connection here will cause all kinds of weird problems.

If the signals work fine with the bike off, and the voltage drop only occurs when it is running, the regulator is suspect...if the signals won't work with the bike off...either the battery is bad, or you have a short...pulling down the voltage...which could also be the regulator...test by completely disconnecting the regulator, and see if the turn signals work fine off a fully charged battery.

 

Amen to that....