Handlebar shake
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Likes: 1
From: Ogden, Utah
Handlebar shake
I have a 05 Heritage and when I let off the gas and comming down from 50 mph or less the handlebars shake. It is not too much just a little. My question is, does the head nut need to be tightend? Or what is the best choice of action?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,654
Likes: 362
From: Mansfield Texas
RE: Handlebar shake
Put your bikes on a lift and check the fall over. I bet your steering head is too lose. Mine did the same thing
and that is what it turned out to be. With the bike on the lift if you touch the handle bars and the front
end just "falls" to one side the steering head bearings are too loose. The guys at the HD shop recommended
that they be adjusted a little tight, book calls for 2" fall over and they suggested 3". There is a procedure
for this in the manual but it is pretty simple. With the bike on the lift tape a piece of string to the bottom
of the rear fender. Put some type of weight on the end of the string to where the weight is just off the
floor then put marks on the floor or use a yard stick. With the front wheel straight slowly push the end
of the bar and watch the inch marks to see where the wheel begins to fall over by itself. should
start at about 2" of movement, if not tighten the bearings.
I tried tightening the spokes and checking the tightness of the swing arm but it turned out to
be that the steering head was loose, after tightening that no more wobble and it is like riding a different
bike as far as handling goes.
Note: some bikes require that you remove items like the clutch cable to check this.
Barry
and that is what it turned out to be. With the bike on the lift if you touch the handle bars and the front
end just "falls" to one side the steering head bearings are too loose. The guys at the HD shop recommended
that they be adjusted a little tight, book calls for 2" fall over and they suggested 3". There is a procedure
for this in the manual but it is pretty simple. With the bike on the lift tape a piece of string to the bottom
of the rear fender. Put some type of weight on the end of the string to where the weight is just off the
floor then put marks on the floor or use a yard stick. With the front wheel straight slowly push the end
of the bar and watch the inch marks to see where the wheel begins to fall over by itself. should
start at about 2" of movement, if not tighten the bearings.
I tried tightening the spokes and checking the tightness of the swing arm but it turned out to
be that the steering head was loose, after tightening that no more wobble and it is like riding a different
bike as far as handling goes.
Note: some bikes require that you remove items like the clutch cable to check this.
Barry
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City Mo. Area
RE: Handlebar shake
My 06 did the same thing it was stering head loose at 1000 miles look for the post of mine. Many people said it was the spokes I don't think you should mess them if you don't know how. The stering head being tightened fixed mine. Good luck
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 626
Likes: 1
From: Ogden, Utah
RE: Handlebar shake
Hey thanks guys, That was what I thought it was nice to get a good second opinion on the subject. Just another geat reason to be apart of the forum.
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Apr 8, 2011 11:40 AM
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