Death Wobble
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 647
From: Santa Clarita
Ya know what grubsie...I've owned Harleys off and on for like 43 years...loved 'em all.
But I couldn't agree with ya more. I commute on a Suzuki VL1500 Intruder...over 110K miles...dependable nail the rubber intake manifolds got old and hard and wouldn't seal...but I honestly wouldn't have gotten that kind of service from any of the ten Harleys I've owned, I am certain.
To me, if yer spending Harley money, you should expect Japanese bike dependability, and shifters shouldn't be falling off the bike!
So...I'll be your witness! But like you, I'll still keep on riding my Harley.
On weekends...
But I couldn't agree with ya more. I commute on a Suzuki VL1500 Intruder...over 110K miles...dependable nail the rubber intake manifolds got old and hard and wouldn't seal...but I honestly wouldn't have gotten that kind of service from any of the ten Harleys I've owned, I am certain.
To me, if yer spending Harley money, you should expect Japanese bike dependability, and shifters shouldn't be falling off the bike!
So...I'll be your witness! But like you, I'll still keep on riding my Harley.
On weekends...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
Happens on any motorcycle. Make sure your wheels are balanced, tires are inflated at proper PSI, weight is balanced reasonably on front and rear wheels and the wheels are aligned. Watch these vids and see if you can spot why it happens. It seems in each case the rear wheel is out of sync with the front:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpeNWxHF6uI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpeNWxHF6uI
so grubsie, how many k on the clock for that Yamaha?
Last edited by skratch; Apr 29, 2017 at 11:00 PM.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 19
Likes: 6
From: New Zealand
Nice to see a sense of humour... nothing has put me off the FXDC yet... bite the bullet and damn the torpedoes? Given I'm not Freddie Spencer I'm pretty sure my limits are well within the bikes as well so going down to bike shop to get a better deal....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 33,717
Likes: 3,723
From: Connecticut.
I had a custom and a fat bob, I rode both too their limits.......Both ran and handled well...albeit the dyna was a lot smoother, and the sg I own now is even better. To get a death wobble your doing something wrong,imo, let's face it.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 520
Likes: 37
From: houston, tx
Keep riding buddy, it can be caused by numerous items but it is inevitable, especially if you ride fast in long sweepers that might have a bump in it. New tires can hide the problem until they start wearing unevenly due to either air pressure not being strictly maintained or by swingarm to frame alignment.
I have suspension, glide pro rear mounts, and alloy art rear stabilizer. Each item raises the speed threshold until the wobble develops but it is still present. Which other motorcycle manufacturer mounts the swingarm to the frame in rubber bushings?
I have suspension, glide pro rear mounts, and alloy art rear stabilizer. Each item raises the speed threshold until the wobble develops but it is still present. Which other motorcycle manufacturer mounts the swingarm to the frame in rubber bushings?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 22,999
Likes: 11,439
Most of the death wobble story came from aftermarket suppliers trying to sell stabilizers.
A tactic still going on today. Look around the net. There is not a part on your Harley that is not a target , if you don't change this to our aftermarket, you will crash and burn, you engine, trans, primary will fall apart in 5K. Better buy my special pin set or someone will steal your bags. It going on everyday. Then of course the special seat bolt, they will steal you seat. Makes you think you will walk out of the store and find your Harley stripped.
It was focused on the Touring line . You have to do your own home work and figure it out.
A tactic still going on today. Look around the net. There is not a part on your Harley that is not a target , if you don't change this to our aftermarket, you will crash and burn, you engine, trans, primary will fall apart in 5K. Better buy my special pin set or someone will steal your bags. It going on everyday. Then of course the special seat bolt, they will steal you seat. Makes you think you will walk out of the store and find your Harley stripped.
It was focused on the Touring line . You have to do your own home work and figure it out.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 8,055
Likes: 8,080
From: Canada
Moco continues to produce bikes with front wheel bearing problems, **** poor swingarm issues, The aftermarket guys love Moco, they have the solutions for these problems yet Moco won't incorporate them in your new $20+K bike. TC cam problems that now have a so called cure of hydraulic tensioners that still need to have the cam chest opened at 50K for inspection and everybody buys into this as a service item. We won't even get into the early TC's. Yet Moco continues to use those INI bearings.
Every year, every make has not one but several problems and we as customers just seem to accept it.
Every year, every make has not one but several problems and we as customers just seem to accept it.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 310
From: coastal sc
I am going to rant here. Flame me if you want but the truth is the truth.
That is the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever heard! Yeah and I mean bullshit! Anyone and everybody knows this is a problem with HD's. It's been a problem like forever.
Why don't you guys strap your legs across a metric bike like a Yamaha Road Star or Yamaha Royal Star Venture for a full day or several months of hard riding and come back and tell me that all bikes do this.
Moco continues to produce bikes with front wheel bearing problems, **** poor swingarm issues, The aftermarket guys love Moco, they have the solutions for these problems yet Moco won't incorporate them in your new $20+K bike. TC cam problems that now have a so called cure of hydraulic tensioners that still need to have the cam chest opened at 50K for inspection and everybody buys into this as a service item. We won't even get into the early TC's. Yet Moco continues to use those INI bearings.
Every year, every make has not one but several problems and we as customers just seem to accept it.
In case you are wondering, these issues, for the most part are non-existant with most metric bikes.
My neighbor has a HD 2006 full dresser that blew the engine at 30K (cam tensioners the fault), yet he still makes fun of my '08 Yamaha Royal Star Venture that has 103K that has only required tire changes, oil changes, and batteries over it's lifetime. He now has thousands invested in high performance parts now in his new engine and my Venture with 103K on the clock still smokes his *** all day long. I have $0 invested in my engine. All that money he spent and he never addressed the squirrelly rear end of his bike. Didn't have to do anything with mine.
But yet, I still own a 1997 Road king that requires my attendance constantly. Damn thing spends more time getting things fixed than being ridden.
Why can't anyone just admit that HD needs to be held accountable for their lack of commitment to their customers? The US auto manufacturers finally figured it out.
Not normally a ranting type of guy, but siting here having a few brewskies thinking about the work ahead to replace the the front wheel bearings when the parts get here. I planned to ride the whole day on my '97 RK but an hour in, I had to return home because of bad front end bearings. The vibration was so bad that I limped home. So to make the best of the day, I took my Yamaha Venture with 103 K on the clock out for the rest of the day. Ran like the day I bought it. (Front and rear wheel bearings are still original)
That is the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever heard! Yeah and I mean bullshit! Anyone and everybody knows this is a problem with HD's. It's been a problem like forever.
Why don't you guys strap your legs across a metric bike like a Yamaha Road Star or Yamaha Royal Star Venture for a full day or several months of hard riding and come back and tell me that all bikes do this.
Moco continues to produce bikes with front wheel bearing problems, **** poor swingarm issues, The aftermarket guys love Moco, they have the solutions for these problems yet Moco won't incorporate them in your new $20+K bike. TC cam problems that now have a so called cure of hydraulic tensioners that still need to have the cam chest opened at 50K for inspection and everybody buys into this as a service item. We won't even get into the early TC's. Yet Moco continues to use those INI bearings.
Every year, every make has not one but several problems and we as customers just seem to accept it.
In case you are wondering, these issues, for the most part are non-existant with most metric bikes.
My neighbor has a HD 2006 full dresser that blew the engine at 30K (cam tensioners the fault), yet he still makes fun of my '08 Yamaha Royal Star Venture that has 103K that has only required tire changes, oil changes, and batteries over it's lifetime. He now has thousands invested in high performance parts now in his new engine and my Venture with 103K on the clock still smokes his *** all day long. I have $0 invested in my engine. All that money he spent and he never addressed the squirrelly rear end of his bike. Didn't have to do anything with mine.
But yet, I still own a 1997 Road king that requires my attendance constantly. Damn thing spends more time getting things fixed than being ridden.
Why can't anyone just admit that HD needs to be held accountable for their lack of commitment to their customers? The US auto manufacturers finally figured it out.
Not normally a ranting type of guy, but siting here having a few brewskies thinking about the work ahead to replace the the front wheel bearings when the parts get here. I planned to ride the whole day on my '97 RK but an hour in, I had to return home because of bad front end bearings. The vibration was so bad that I limped home. So to make the best of the day, I took my Yamaha Venture with 103 K on the clock out for the rest of the day. Ran like the day I bought it. (Front and rear wheel bearings are still original)
I also think working on my Harley is therapeutic, to each his own I guess, I will be keeping mine and working on it is just a plus.