I just bought a 08 fat boy last week. It has about 150 miles on it. It was bone stock, and everything was fine. I had some drag bars installed yesterday. Now, when I'm going about 45-50mph and let go of the bars the front end starts wobbling/bars start thrashing back and forth. Any idea of what may be going on?

Thanks!

 

Get your fall away adjusted, more than likely they didnt set it right when they did the pdi(pre-delivery inspection).

 

What's the fall away? It didn't do this until yesterday, when I got the drag bars installed. Can you think of anything that may have been involved in that procedure that may have caused this?

 

Buddy of mine put drag bars on a bike that normally would have almost beach bars and it did the same thing. The only answer he got was the stock bars kind of balanced the front end like a high wire walker using a long pole.
He never got it sorted and put the stock bars back on.
It wasn't the wheel, I guess the rake and such was just designed for bigger bars, don't know.
Could try adding weight to the bar ends, lead weight and such.

 

had a friende of mine who had the same experience had to put original bars back on...gremlins

 

I'm wondering if the steering head nut needs to be tightened up. I'm hoping it's that, would be nice if it's a nice simple fix. I had drag bars on my old fat boy with no problem, but those were 8" straight risers with drag bars. These new drag bars I'm running are 6" rise with probably a 3" or 4" pullback.

 

Don't just grab a wrench and tighten the front end. The fall away needs to be done correctly. My dealer took a good hour to get mine right and it wasn't very expensive at all.
Good luck

 

What is the fall away? I haven't heard that term before. Could you explain for me?

Thanks!

 

With the front end suspended off the ground, you make a centerline of the front fender, wheel etc.
When the front end is moved slowly to either side, there is a specific amount it moves before it "falls away". It's like an inch and a half or something.......it's explained in the softail manual, I'm throwing things out from memory.....don't quote me on it. It's a way to correctly tighten the stem nut for the correct friction.

 

my night train did the same thing earlier this year and had the dealer tighten my neck bearings. did you also replace the bushing with the poly urathane ones? i've seen pullback drags shimmy because of the stock bushings before too.