Highway stability
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Battle Creek, Michigan
Highway stability
Hello all,
Recently picked up a 2019 1200 Iron. At short highway blasts much over 90 the front end of the bike starts to get pretty darn wobbly. I've been combing through old threads here and can't seem to find much mention of a similar issue, so looking for ideas or anything I should be taking a peak at? Or more aptly, make sure they take a peak at?
My first sportster and no other comparable experience on any other sportsters to assess if that's just normal.
I've got a phone call into the dealer to have it checked out as well.
Thanks in advance,
-BVC
Recently picked up a 2019 1200 Iron. At short highway blasts much over 90 the front end of the bike starts to get pretty darn wobbly. I've been combing through old threads here and can't seem to find much mention of a similar issue, so looking for ideas or anything I should be taking a peak at? Or more aptly, make sure they take a peak at?
My first sportster and no other comparable experience on any other sportsters to assess if that's just normal.
I've got a phone call into the dealer to have it checked out as well.
Thanks in advance,
-BVC
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,097
Likes: 4,676
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
I'd carefully look the whole front and rear tires over, and check the air pressures. A little low can really affect handling. My '04 Sportster is rock solid well above that speed.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 4,890
Likes: 553
From: USA
Just curious, how many miles do you have on your sporty? Did you follow the break-in procedure assuming you got it new? I believe you should not be riding over 3500 rpm during break-in.
In addition to what Imold suggested....you may want to re-torque critical fasteners to spec..
In addition to what Imold suggested....you may want to re-torque critical fasteners to spec..
Last edited by hscic; Jun 6, 2019 at 01:16 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 614
Likes: 231
From: Hendeson, NV
My front end feels light at high speeds; not the first bike I have owned with this feel. My experience is that the heavier the bike the more stable it feels at highway speeds--particularly over 80 mph. If you will be doing significant riding on the freeways (touring) and want to go really fast, a Sportster may not be the right bike for you. If not, keeping the speed at or under 80 mph should allow you to feel stable on the bike. The gain of a Sportster is as a cruiser in urban use.
Assuming that I've been looking at pictures of the same bike , what were you expecting a bike with Ape Hangers to feel like at 90 mph plus ? Maybe It ain't the bike that's wobbly , maybe it's you . My Roadster has medium height wide bars as standard and at anything over 80 I'm being buffeted around .This is not made any better by my wearing a WW2 style sheepskin flying jacket which is a little bulky. Oddly enough it doesn't seem to get any worse if I go faster still . At a hundred the steering does feel less effective or as you might say , light , but again what were you expecting from a bike that hasn't altered much since 1957 ? I'm done with going fast , that's why I bought mine and I love it . I want to see the world going by and if I'm really honest I want it to see me going by too.
Last edited by Midpegs; Jun 7, 2019 at 09:45 AM.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Battle Creek, Michigan
About 450 miles now. I don't subscribe tot that break in method, I'm more of a use the rev range in moderation method kind of guy. I'll check the fasteners, any idea of posted torque specs as a resource?
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 35
Likes: 4
From: Battle Creek, Michigan
Assuming that I've been looking at pictures of the same bike , what were you expecting a bike with Ape Hangers to feel like at 90 mph plus ? Maybe It ain't the bike that's wobbly , maybe it's you . My Roadster has medium height wide bars as standard and at anything over 80 I'm being buffeted around . Oddly enough it doesn't seem to get any worse if I go faster still . At a hundred the steering feels less effective or as you might say , light , but again what were you expecting from a bike that hasn't altered much since 1957 ? I'm done with going fast , that's why I bought mine and I love it .
Same bike in the pics yessir. It's certainly a different bike than I came from which was a rocket/naked, so that was clearly much better at higher speeds. I too am getting away from going fast. I tried to preface the thread with "short highway blasts", which is exactly what I meant. Just to jet by a semi or some traffic, I don't like being stuck in a herd. I'm not dragging it or on a quest for it's maximum speed.
I'm asking others with similar bikes/builds if that's how these normally feel at that speed, and I consistently have been hearing that it isn't really a common feeling. I'm also accustom to being buffeted around (previous bike was a naked).
I certainly love the bike, it's phenomenal and put a grin on my face from ear to ear, definitely getting more smiles per gallon than I did with the previous one.
Appreciate everyone's input, thank you all, loving the community.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,755
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From: Northern Los Angeles area.
FWIW my whole bike is wobbly at that speed.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
If you are sitting upright on your bike and riding at speed your wobble is simple to explain. Not only does it get noisy, thanks to wind blast, but wind pressure also builds up. That often leads to clinging onto the bars with a vice-like grip, which is the probably source of the wobble. Try some ear plugs, should be available at most bike shops, and repeat your previous ride. I have found that the wobbles move up the speed range, out of my normal riding speed range. In addition riding comfort is improved, thanks to reduced noise.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,755
Likes: 253
From: Northern Los Angeles area.
If you are sitting upright on your bike and riding at speed your wobble is simple to explain. Not only does it get noisy, thanks to wind blast, but wind pressure also builds up. That often leads to clinging onto the bars with a vice-like grip, which is the probably source of the wobble. Try some ear plugs, should be available at most bike shops, and repeat your previous ride. I have found that the wobbles move up the speed range, out of my normal riding speed range. In addition riding comfort is improved, thanks to reduced noise.
Are you saying wearing earplugs will remove the bike wobble??? Sir Graham did you forget your meds this morning?!
Last edited by lewk; Jun 7, 2019 at 11:12 AM.
