Fatboy front end wobble?
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
Fatboy front end wobble?
Just recently, the front end will wobble on deceleration at 43 to 40 mph when i take my hands off the bar. Haven't noticed it before. Bike is stock and with or with out the windshield on it. Hasnt done it everytime. 2600 miles and serviced at the dealer at 1000 miles. Wheel weights are still in place and haven't hit any big holes. ? Thanks for any help.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 6
From: Aruba
On the front end, cupped tires, low tire pressure, out of balance wheels, steering bearings and shocks in need of maintenance will cause wobble. From the rear end, a misaligned rear tire could cause this. While there's other things, these would be the most common.
If you're getting wobble because of your tire, you should probably be able to see the cupping. Cupping would probably indicate another problem such as running the tires low on air. You said your weights are all in place, so that probably rules out balance. Ditto for a bent rim since you said you haven't hit anything. Doing the fall away adjustment on your steering head bearings will solve and rule out the steering. It's a PITA, but will fix all sorts of problems. Your shocks have only 2600 miles on them, the fluid should still be good. A lot of people, me included, like to run a heavier weight oil in them, 15 or 20 wt. Makes them a little firmer and handles better. SE oil or Bel-Ray or any of the other quality names are fine. Rear tire alignment is measured from the hole in the axle to the swing arm bolt. Easiest is to use a small rod bent at 90 degrees and inserted into the hole in the axle. Slide an o-ring on the rod lined up with the swing arm bolt. Then move to the other side and see if they are the same.
If you're getting wobble because of your tire, you should probably be able to see the cupping. Cupping would probably indicate another problem such as running the tires low on air. You said your weights are all in place, so that probably rules out balance. Ditto for a bent rim since you said you haven't hit anything. Doing the fall away adjustment on your steering head bearings will solve and rule out the steering. It's a PITA, but will fix all sorts of problems. Your shocks have only 2600 miles on them, the fluid should still be good. A lot of people, me included, like to run a heavier weight oil in them, 15 or 20 wt. Makes them a little firmer and handles better. SE oil or Bel-Ray or any of the other quality names are fine. Rear tire alignment is measured from the hole in the axle to the swing arm bolt. Easiest is to use a small rod bent at 90 degrees and inserted into the hole in the axle. Slide an o-ring on the rod lined up with the swing arm bolt. Then move to the other side and see if they are the same.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,620
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, Orange County, Ca
I had to have my neck bearings done at about 2000 miles. The dealer didn't touch it during my 1000 mile service even though it's part of the service. A different dealer found the problem immediately and wouldn't even let me ride it out of there before they fixed it under warranty.
Dealer did it once, and I have adjusted them again..
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Cruiser
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
I thought about doing that to see how bad it really was...then I remembered I hadn't made a payment. I've had the thrill of a highside on pavement, not on my to do again list
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