So after research a bit and mostly covering other peoples advice I am looking for further input. I have an '03 Softail Standard with a touch over 11k miles. Like the title says I have a wobble at deceleration. I have checked the tire pressures and actually let some air out of the front as I was sitting at 45psi thinking it was an over-inflation issue. The back is under that at 38psi. No change existed even after this. I checked the fall away last year/1k miles ago but it was on the upper side as per the manual, so I believe that is not the culprit. The wobble is not a knee slapper just a bit on the concerning side. If I stay into the throttle I never feel it. It has a weird feel to it. Its not the usual "follow the cracks and imperfections in road" skinny tire feel either. It feels like a low pressure tire, but I continually check and its at the right levels. Brakes are not contacting either disc, but exhibit a good bit of life left. It doesn't wobble under braking. Treads on the Dunlops feel smooth without cupping or variances. The tires have about 3-4k miles on them. Would a rim out of true cause this or could I have over adjusted it enough to cause this? I mean I know I could, but from basic tightening with listening to the spokes and a wrench? I do tighten some of the spokes typically no more than a half turn, that I remember, at the beginning of the warmer weather each year. I haven't hit anything taht would cause the change. I have not checked the bearings yet but I feel I would get a constant shake or wobble if they were the cause. I am kind scratching my head here. I am going to talk to an indie tonight so he can take a look at it and possibly check the runout on the rims and adjust if necessary, specifically the front and see if it changes anything. I have been quoted $120 to just check the runout and then time and parts to adjust by one dealership, and then another quoted me $300 all the way up to near $500 depending on how bad the runout was. The indie wouldn't quote me until after he looked at it in person, but said he gets $70/hr. Any advice or potential causes I may have missed would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

I have had a wobble on decel with my hands off the bars on a few bikes. It doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary for some bikes Harley or others. I was just as concerned as you the first time I encountered it, but now it's not a big deal...Just something that happens on some bikes.

If it is pulling the bars with your hands on the bars I might be more concerned.

 

Odd... I mean I don't doubt you, but last year it wasn't even there. I could take my hands off the bars (I know not the smartest but we've all done it) and it would smoothly continue on its path until this year.

 

I agree it's odd, and probably caused by a combination of factors that are not worth changing to correct. I don't think you mentioned if it was happening only with your hands off the bars in the OP, but I assumed so since that's when I encountered it. If I put my hands on my bars even lightly, it stops. On some bikes it can be pretty violent if your hands are off and others, little to no wobble.

Hey, maybe it's a safety feature telling you to put your friggin' hands back on the bars

 

I've had the decel wobble on my 08 FLSTC for probably the last 2-3 years and it occurs about 40% of the time. Never bothered to troubleshoot it. I just figured it was a free accessory the service dept. added when they last worked on it

 

My 97 heritage had the wobble whenever I let loose of the bars. Over winter I replaced tires, trued rims, replaced wheel bearings tightened my neck bearings. Felt like a brand new old bike when I took it out in the spring and the wobble was gone. None of this really cost that much if you do the work yourself. I had a indy mount the tires and do the rims for me. The bike had 30,000 miles on it so I guess it was time....

 

Check your fall away. Neck bearing most likely has alittle too much play and give it a squirt of heavy grease while your in there. Don't over do it or you'll be cleaning grease from all over for years to come.

Joe

 

New front tire stock Dunlop from the dealer. Immediately noticed decel wobble around 40 mph. Brought it back, they rechecked everything, rebalanced, etc. Slight wobble still around 40 mph . . . Returned it again and just got a call from the dealer stating "everything checks out fine." WTF?!? Guess I will see if the wobble is still there when I pick it up. BTW, stock tire, stock rims

 

Don't overlook the rotor.Invest 50.00 in a cheap dial indicator and check your own stuff,that way you know.

 

For safety and it could be the problem...check your wheel bearings, asap...I had two wheel bearing failures in thirteen k miles on a new bike, first at seven k! Whole new set is only thirty bucks. Change them.
My second failure was at sixty five mph, almost went down and it did twelve hundred bucks additional damage...Good luck and ride safe.