I'm not sure exactly what to call this. So if I shake the bars (push left then push right) quick and hard, there seems to be a reverberation happening. The rest of the bike shakes for a second until it stops. I did this because at time is seems like when pushing the bars to counter steer it takes a second to respond. It almost seems like the upper and lower trees flex and don't stay in line like they should. I have checked the entire front end and cannot find anything that is out of torque or spec. Just had the front tire replaced and wbe bearings checked.

97 Ultra Classic

 

Did it happen before the tire change? At what speed? Have you checked ur steering stem torque and bearings?

 

Check your risers bolts, they can get loose and then here you are, that would the easiest thing.

 

Yes it did, and yes, everything is torqued. It happens at all speeds and at a stop, front wheel off the ground, doesn't matter.

I checked them last week before I noticed this. I ordered new riser bushings last night, thinking that's the most likely culprit.

 

I may be misunderstanding what you're describing but if I'm imagining this correctly, sounds like the swing arm isolator blocks an/or bushings are worn out. That will make them wobble (sometimes violently) in a bumpy curve and cause them to be hard to put into a curve or come out of one. Counter steer normally takes very little effort, almost like "think it" to turn rather than actually doing any physical effort.

If you can get someone to follow you and watch, just ride, change lanes over the pavement seam. See if the rear wobbles then settles out. I've stopped many a stranger on a Evo Tour bike to tell them this after seeing them struggle with this exact symptom on the road.

I dealt with this problem for years until I fixed the swing arm. Live in the mountains and got afraid to ride till I figured it all out....

 

The front end shakes when off the ground. Has nothing to do with the swing arm bushings.

However I am swapping those out also just due to the age.

 

OK. I was confused about the "off the ground" part and misunderstood the description/question.

Only thing I might add and maybe you've already checked - loosen the lower tree pinch bolts. Loosen the right fork cap and torque the axle nut. Then re-torque the right cap nuts, shake the bars and then torque the lower tree bolts. I've see a couple times the fork cap gets snugged before the axle nut is tight, leaving the bearing not preloaded.