2012 FLHX Wobble
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara California
2012 FLHX Wobble
I just purchased a 2012 FLHX that has Renegade 23" front and 18" with Arlen Ness 7/7 triple trees. I'm 6'4" and 245lbs. Around 75mph the front end develops a slow wobble and gets worse as speed inreases, not out of control but I can't stop it unless I lean forward and get more weight over the front end. I've tried putting more pressure in the rear shocks (stock) but no help. Does anyone have any ideas on what might be inducing this instability? Yes I know the non-stock setup will induce this kind of behavior, but I also know if its done right it will work fine. Thanks in advance for your advice.
Last edited by BlackTout; May 16, 2015 at 12:00 AM.
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara California
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into them today.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 654
Likes: 5
From: oklahoma
is it when your going straight or in the curve? if its straight i would say its in the front end and since you have had the front end totally apart thats where i would start. brand new parts like that usually need to be rechecked after a few miles of riding. some things have to settle in to their spot and be retorqued
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Next time you go for a ride take notes on your riding position. For example if you are holding the bars tight, or leaning backwards a little and pulling on them, you may be a part of the solution! Another possibility is that at the speeds you mention life can get pretty noisy, which in turn can create tension in the rider. Using ear plugs is worth a try, especially as it only costs a few cents to buy a set!
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara California
Next time you go for a ride take notes on your riding position. For example if you are holding the bars tight, or leaning backwards a little and pulling on them, you may be a part of the solution! Another possibility is that at the speeds you mention life can get pretty noisy, which in turn can create tension in the rider. Using ear plugs is worth a try, especially as it only costs a few cents to buy a set!
I may have stumbled on the cause. After going through all of the suggestions I decided to double check my tire pressure. I used a different gauge and found the pressure to be low by 4 psi. After increasing the pressure to 42 psi front and rear (as stated on the tire) the wobble seems to have disappeared. The front end was stable at speeds up to 85 mph. I'm going on a long ride tomorrow and will really get a chance to see how it's working then. I'll update the thread tomorrow night with my results. I really do appreciate all of the input. I also have a few things to check, based on all of your input, to make sure the bike is in correct working order even if the issue is resolved.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 654
Likes: 5
From: oklahoma
had the same problem with a tire pressure gauge. local tire shop recommended a milton. he said they were as accurate as his snap on digital is
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Milton has a model with a long reach flexible hose, which should be good for rear tyres, or those pesky umpteen spoke cast wheels.
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Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
From: Santa Barbara California
The ride went well today. The wobble is completely eliminated at speeds below 90 mph as long as I'm traveling in a straight line. If I encounter a high speed sweeping corner the wobble rears its ugly head. It never gets out of control but I think with a little more fine tuning (and maybe replacing the stock suspension) I can get it to track true. I spoke with Harley about the fall away spec and they told me to talk to Renegade Wheels since the mass of the wheel is different the specification and setup may be different.
The bike was setup for a guy that was 5'10" and I'm 6'4" so the bars are a little close and low for me. I think if I get bars fit for me it will shift my weight forward and may also help quiet the wobble down.
Thanks again for all of the suggestions and keep them coming. I'll continue to update the thread as I learn more and hopefully fix the issue for good.
