2007 Fatboy has a Design Flaw?
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 185
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From:
RE: 2007 Fatboy has a Design Flaw?
My 07 rear tire wears just fine. Right down the middle. My front tire/fender is offset to the right side of the bike. It is my understanding that it came about because of the 200 rear tire on the 07 fatboy. Design flaw, probably, rides fine to me. Half the people here would not have know it unless pointed out to them as it was pointed out to me.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From:
RE: 2007 Fatboy has a Design Flaw?
I dont know about you but, I lean my bike over in turns. My handlebars dont turn much if at all in turns.
ORIGINAL: Broken Leg Rider
There can be no good reason for this. Having the wheel off center of the forks means physically the one handlebar must travel further than the other in a turn. It means there will be asymmetrical steering. Also, impact loading on the front end will not be distributed evenly between the two forks. These are just the physics of the arrangement and of the materials being used.
I like my suspension to be symetrically ballanced all around, so when I am taking a turn and hit bumps, the frame does not flex or wobble. It's the safest way to go.
There can be no good reason for this. Having the wheel off center of the forks means physically the one handlebar must travel further than the other in a turn. It means there will be asymmetrical steering. Also, impact loading on the front end will not be distributed evenly between the two forks. These are just the physics of the arrangement and of the materials being used.
I like my suspension to be symetrically ballanced all around, so when I am taking a turn and hit bumps, the frame does not flex or wobble. It's the safest way to go.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,257
Likes: 6
From: Leander Texas
RE: 2007 Fatboy has a Design Flaw?
It is a feature. A collectors item. [/align]I can only notice when taking a sharp turn and leaning way over. The truth is when the engineer designed the front for a wider tire instead of starting in the center and adding both directions they started from the left side and widened it to the right. I just tell my friends it is the right hand model.[/align]
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,257
Likes: 6
From: Leander Texas
RE: 2007 Fatboy has a Design Flaw?
OK the answer. Harley screwed up and when they made the front tire wider they measured from the one side to the other instead of starting in the middle. If you check the 08 model they corrected this error. Harley claims it has no effect but my front tire was scalloped on one side and i had to replace it when it still had tread.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,427
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RE: 2007 Fatboy has a Design Flaw?
Makes me glad I decided on a gently used '04 FB, vice a new '07, when I bought last year. I never noticed this "flaw", but I'm one of those fellas who is awfully worried about buying any first year production item, regardless of manufacturer. I like to get them a few years in, once all the kinks have been worked out.