This is something I only noticed recently after a year of ownership (bought the bike new). Forgive me, I do not know what these parts are called; thus, I could not research.

If you notice, the nut/bolt is tighter on one side than the other. And that bar thingamajig held in between them is crooked. It is not exactly "loose"...it seems to be squished in place by rubber bushings; meant to be that way to give it some room to move while the engine vibrates. Anyway, just by observation, the whole thing appears to be normal, like it was calibrated to be this way at the factory according to how much the engine vibrates when idle, and never to be messed with. Is that a correct assumption or is it a concern? Nuts/bolt are not loose, by the way...they absolutely won't budge.

 

Doesn't look normal. Mine, after 10 + years doesn't look like that. It is tight and level straight across. Maybe things have changed with the 2014+ models... maybe not

 

After some web research, I think these parts are called and Engine Mount and Stabilizer Link. I did some searches on these terms, and so far I could only find people who have asked the questions, but received no answers.

Anyway, I believe that stabilizer link is designed to fit "freely" due to engine vibration. I straightened the crookedness with a screwdriver and it's been holding for over a week now. I imagine after 17,000 miles of constant vibrating it might have got that way. As for the nuts and bolts for the mount... I guess I'll mark them to see if they rotate over time. Then I'll know for certain things are coming loose. The reason I'm iffy on tightening them myself because I tried, and they absolutely will not budge (I stopped after 80 foot lbs).

 

that's good, hold tight for more responses

 

Its just your Tie Link and brackets. Its perfectly normal. If the nuts and bolts wont budge then theyre probably maxed out. Yes you have more threads showing on one bolt than the other but that doesn't necessarily mean that one is tighter than the other. As long as theyre both torqued to the proper spec you shouldnt have any issues. That Tie Link is designd to move because of engine vibration. You could tilt it any way you like, youre not going to hurt anything.
Get on it and ride!

 

Your engine is rubber-mounted in the frame and that link is a lateral stabiliser that enables your engine to shake up and down, and prevents it from moving sideways. There is an identical one to the rear of the transmission. It has a spherical bearing at each end, and you should be able to grip it with your fingers and rotate it slightly on its bearings. Check your FSM for the correct torque on the fixings.

 

80 ft/lbs?? That's probably more than double the spec and exactly how you snap bolts which will have you in a world of trouble on some parts. Don't do that.

 

Actual torque on the stabilizer bars is 25-35 ft lbs. on my 2007 Sportster C Custom, and I can't see them being any more than that on your bike.

 

Looks like the pic on the left, the bracket is above and below the link. In the right pic it is only below, the difference in the metal thickness should be the extra amount of threads you are seeing. Double check this on the bike.