Road Glide Fairing Alignment
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 3,182
Likes: 2,225
From: College Station, TX
On my 2018, the handlebars / speedo / tach don't seem well aligned with the outer fairing. Some of that could be the roads I ride on. But it seems to track straight and doesn't pull one way or the other on flat and straight roads. So for the most part I try to not look at it. But I admit it's not easy to not look at it when I check my speed.
Paul
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 382
Likes: 217
From: Wisconsin
Mine was the same way from new. Looking from the cockpit, the faring was shifted to the left by ~1/4", and OF COURSE, no one at the dealership could see it. Had it in two different dealerships and it was still off...I told them that it had to be the mounting bracket that is attached to the frame..."no, no, no...is all I heard". I got sick and tired of the bike being in the shop and I wanted to ride, so "F" them. Over the winter I did a lot of upgrades; bars, heated grips, front and rear suspension, slip-ons.
Short story long, while I had the entire front end 90% torn apart, I went all the way down to the fairing support mount and sure enough, that thing was either not welded correctly or something, but it was not square to the frame when it was mounted...4 mounting bolts and zero adjustability. I could have bought a new mount, but trying to save a little bit of $$ after all of the add-on I just bought, I ended up making some shims to put between the mount and the fairing on one side only, to counter the offset...thought I would give it a shot and it has held up and is doing just fine 3 years later.
Shimming is an option for you or you could buy a new fairing mount...but IMO, the dealership with give you every excuse they can to not have to tear apart the bike. Very sad if you ask me.
I think I sandwiched some silicone sheeting I had on hand between 2 metal washers. The reason I did this was to have some compression to the set up if the stack up was too much and it worked out fine for me. Good luck on this, but you may have to do the work yourself or risk having your ride in the shop for a long, long time.
Short story long, while I had the entire front end 90% torn apart, I went all the way down to the fairing support mount and sure enough, that thing was either not welded correctly or something, but it was not square to the frame when it was mounted...4 mounting bolts and zero adjustability. I could have bought a new mount, but trying to save a little bit of $$ after all of the add-on I just bought, I ended up making some shims to put between the mount and the fairing on one side only, to counter the offset...thought I would give it a shot and it has held up and is doing just fine 3 years later.
Shimming is an option for you or you could buy a new fairing mount...but IMO, the dealership with give you every excuse they can to not have to tear apart the bike. Very sad if you ask me.
I think I sandwiched some silicone sheeting I had on hand between 2 metal washers. The reason I did this was to have some compression to the set up if the stack up was too much and it worked out fine for me. Good luck on this, but you may have to do the work yourself or risk having your ride in the shop for a long, long time.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 433
Likes: 67
From: NOR CAL
My fairing seems off on my 2020 RGL the salesmen at the dealer stated they measured it and it was good as they measured the same on both sides. When I purchased the bike it seemed off as I mentioned it to the salesman, so I'll guess it not in my head now that I read this thread 🤷♂️ but I knew that.
I'll live with it for now as shimming seems like a lot or work for only noticing when not riding the bike but Harley has slipped yet again in there product quality IMO
I'll live with it for now as shimming seems like a lot or work for only noticing when not riding the bike but Harley has slipped yet again in there product quality IMO
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,341
Likes: 982
From: Trinity NC
Quick update - dealer is working with HD, but no resolution as of yet. I measured from the center of the engine guard to the outer edge of the fairing and it is off 1/2”. Measured several other places and all off 1/2”.
It is very noticeable when you are riding and look at the inner fairing between the speedo/tach and the two sides have a different gap. Also if the bike is on a lift you can see the fairing is off when you look at it straight on.
It is very noticeable when you are riding and look at the inner fairing between the speedo/tach and the two sides have a different gap. Also if the bike is on a lift you can see the fairing is off when you look at it straight on.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 3,182
Likes: 2,225
From: College Station, TX
Quick update - dealer is working with HD, but no resolution as of yet. I measured from the center of the engine guard to the outer edge of the fairing and it is off 1/2”. Measured several other places and all off 1/2”.
It is very noticeable when you are riding and look at the inner fairing between the speedo/tach and the two sides have a different gap. Also if the bike is on a lift you can see the fairing is off when you look at it straight on.
It is very noticeable when you are riding and look at the inner fairing between the speedo/tach and the two sides have a different gap. Also if the bike is on a lift you can see the fairing is off when you look at it straight on.
My 2018 RG is very close, something like an 1/8th inch or less between sides. Same with the space between where the speedo housing attached to the forks and the inside of the inner fairing, it's very close on the sides. Although sometimes it looks like the speedo tach housing isn't always aligned with the fairing. That may be due to the crown of the road I'm on, but it's something I look at occasionally. Sometimes it looks ok, other times it doesn't.
Paul
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