wobble - death??
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 625
Likes: 12
From: Texas
I had the wobble at very low speed.. Right before a complete stop or in a tight turn. The more weight I had on the bike the worse it got. First time I noticed it I was two up and loaded for a 4 day trip.. I could shake the bars at low speed and induce the wobble.. Neck bearing adjustment solved it.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 104
From: Mississippi
this fall away spec/test is a crock. hahaha. if u dont want headshake then tighten up your steering stem to the point were you have to actually push the handlebars to make them hit the stops. this way you are using your bearings and tightness as a steering dampener. trust me. your not gonna hurt modern bearings my tightening down on them. i do this and i have no headshake. been doing this on motocross bikes for years and the beating they take is much more than a harley gets even a 900 lb ultra. i always laugh when i see this test on you tube.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,145
Likes: 6,168
From: SE Michigan
Exactly. Vs just making sure everything is adjusted and inflated properly. Because no motorcycle manufacturer is going to be responsible for what happens when your hands are not on the bars, rightfully so.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
When all is said and done, the front wheel of all motorcycles is no more than a slightly improved supermarket trolley castor. There are going to be times when the darned thing will wobble.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 755
Likes: 9
From: Phoenix, AZ
You might be noticing other symptoms as your front tire wears. If you have more than 40k miles, check out your neck bearings and handlebar bushings. My bike shook more when the front tire was worn more but I found out that my fork bearings were going and I just replaced my handlebar bushings and the bike felt brand new again!
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 18
From: SE Michigan
Hands off!!
Actually hands off the handlebars is an excellent way to check tire alignment; front to rear. At around 45 to 50 mph take your hands off and bike should track in a straight line. If it veers to either side on a relatively flat road it is out of alignment. I take my hands off all the time to adjust helmet, gloves, etc. No big deal.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 18
From: SE Michigan
Slow wobble...
I had the wobble at very low speed.. Right before a complete stop or in a tight turn. The more weight I had on the bike the worse it got. First time I noticed it I was two up and loaded for a 4 day trip.. I could shake the bars at low speed and induce the wobble.. Neck bearing adjustment solved it.
Wow, that's good to know. I had the same thing happen as I turning into a parking lot at very low speed with my lady on the back of my '07 RK. The "wobble" was so bad I got off and was shaking parts and looking for something falling off. Will have to check those neck bearings for sure. Would you tighten or loosen to cure this ultra low speed wobble btw?
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 625
Likes: 12
From: Texas
Same here. We stopped on the side of the road and started calling for tow..
You need to tighten.. It will also make your ride track way better in the twisties also. Couldn't believe how much better it handled.. Shoot some good lube in them first. It may solve your problem for a while!!!!
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...hip-rocks.html
You need to tighten.. It will also make your ride track way better in the twisties also. Couldn't believe how much better it handled.. Shoot some good lube in them first. It may solve your problem for a while!!!!
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/gener...hip-rocks.html
Banned
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,036
Likes: 67
If it were me (but it isn't)) I would tighten up on the neck bearings just a little before I replaced them. Lots of guys like a tighter front end than the manual calls for with their swing test. Me for one.
Just remember that it will tighten up a little when you put the torque wrench on it.
Just remember that it will tighten up a little when you put the torque wrench on it.