Not normal. The only movement on my engine at idle is the horn cover. I would start getting the issue documented with your dealer. I'm a first time Harley owner but life long rider and I've noticed how expectations are so different with the longtime owners. Should have a "They all do that" tattoo! Lol.
Seriously, the M8 is counterbalanced to 75% vibration reduction. My 102ci Warrior shakes more!

 

Not normal. I've ridden seven M8 bikes. $hit, the major reason I bought mine was it was almost as smooth as a Goldwing. Otherwise my 103 was fine.

If I even thought ANY vibration was in the same league as a shifted crank, my bike would be back at the dealer. And if THAT dealer was no help, I'd move to the next. The M8 shouldn't vibrate, and it damn sure shouldn't make you compare it to a shifted crank.

 

Hmmm, Harley wheel weights are famous for falling off. The front ones on my M8 were laying on the garage floor the 3rd day I owned it. I suggest you check yours, grossly imbalanced wheels can cause vibrations as well as a loose motor mount. I suspect your issue is probably a minor one that can be corrected. Of course all the non M8 owners that read this stuff and love to bash the new bikes will again claim the new bikes are crap. They actually want one but the wife said no. For some reason as soon as any issue shows up people automatically think the worst when in reality it's something minor that needs correction.

 

May not be a shifted crank.. Could simply be the counter balancer was assembled out of time..

 

True. Yeah I don't think it's the crank, just feels like that low speed engine wobble you get at low RPM followed by a high speed buzz/vibration at high RPM like you get with some shifted cranks.

Kinda thinking it has something to do with the valve train as I get a bunch of lifter noise at 2K and a high pitched squeal (like bad bearing noise) coming from the upper engine at 3.5K+ intermittently. Intermittently...

Oil pressure seems fine but the bike does shoot black smoke out the pipes when cold. Seems rich.

I'm not taking it in to let them tell me it's normal just yet. Instead I'm waiting on someone else brave enough to buy one here locally so I can ride it.

Might be nothing - minus the squeal/smoke. I dunno. Got my head up. It's under warranty.

 

Well I'm moving to Longs SC just up the road from you. You could ride mine, but it's gonna be a few months. Not much help right now

 

I appreciate the offer Gunny.

 

Mine has some vibration feedback when I do weaves from left to right in the handlebars. If I weave to the left the feedback is in the right handgrip and vice versa. If you have 4.5 slip ons installed, I recommend checking to see if the right muffler is hitting the axle nut. I installed my own and had to use a washer to space it away from the axle bolt or whatever you call it. If a dealer installs them they may just crank them right up against it and may cause some vibration.

 

Haven't necessarily noticed a vibration, but certain RPM's are so unbelievably smooth it's like the bike's coasting in neutral with the motor off. Eerily smooth for any motorcycle. First time I noticed it I thought the bike had died.

 

Peel the front weights off and put in 2 ounces of Dynabeads. Cheap and easy fix to try and will keep it out of the dealer and possibly creating some new issue. Worth a try.