Death Wobble
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 12,656
Likes: 8,261
From: Ottawa, Ontario
I can say that when I found almost 1/4" side to side movement of my rear wheel around the swing arm shaft, that's the bike manufacturers fault. OEM parts have excessive clearance between the inner bushing and the shaft, letting the swing arm move side to side.
I fixed it, and made the bike much more stable.
Good bit of slackness in the front steering head too, which can make things interesting when heeled over in a hard turn. Pretty sure a steering damper would help this piece.
I fixed it, and made the bike much more stable.
Good bit of slackness in the front steering head too, which can make things interesting when heeled over in a hard turn. Pretty sure a steering damper would help this piece.
Scratching my head trying to imagine a scenario where he would need it?
Last edited by roussfam; Sep 20, 2017 at 01:23 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 185
From: Mountain West, Big Sky Country
the wobble was very well documented in the pre 09 frames with a number of aftermarket suppliers offering various remedies.
the culprit, IMHO, which has been a constant, in pre 09 frames are the cleve bushings in the swingarm and the flex from the rubber biscuits. replace the bushings with bearings and supplement the rubber biscuits with an insert and movement, or rear steer, is greatly, if not 99% eliminated.
on post 09 frames, the actual stiffness overcomes the majority of these design choices, but can still benefit from component upgrades in the same areas.
my 04 at around 90K miles would give a rear wiggle in long sweepers. bushing replacement with bearings eliminated that feeling.
on my 10 and 12, i have pushed to fairly strong triple digit speeds and have never felt a wiggle or rear steer. perhaps i wil, but to date this has not occurred primilary i believe due to improved frame stiffness.
my .02
the culprit, IMHO, which has been a constant, in pre 09 frames are the cleve bushings in the swingarm and the flex from the rubber biscuits. replace the bushings with bearings and supplement the rubber biscuits with an insert and movement, or rear steer, is greatly, if not 99% eliminated.
on post 09 frames, the actual stiffness overcomes the majority of these design choices, but can still benefit from component upgrades in the same areas.
my 04 at around 90K miles would give a rear wiggle in long sweepers. bushing replacement with bearings eliminated that feeling.
on my 10 and 12, i have pushed to fairly strong triple digit speeds and have never felt a wiggle or rear steer. perhaps i wil, but to date this has not occurred primilary i believe due to improved frame stiffness.
my .02
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 308
From: coastal sc
I just added a true track yesterday. It changes the way the bike feels. I first noticed the bike seemed to hold the line easier. I have only went for a short ride I plan to get out and ride some today. No vibration felt. bike feels more rigid.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 33,711
Likes: 3,720
From: Connecticut.
Dumb question, ( I have no lift for my bike) But is there any tell tale signs,tuggs or pulls you can do on the bike while in the air to see if there is signifigant lateral movement?
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 83
Likes: 14
From: SLC
I picked up my 2nd Harley this past March (last one was 25+ years ago) and I'd never heard of the 'death wobble'. I've owned a dozen different bikes over the past 35 years and had a couple that would get a high-speed wobble on the front end, but not like the Harley 'death wobble'.
I experienced the wobble myself on my RKC coming down a curvy canyon Interstate. I was moving a little faster than traffic (80 in a 70 zone) and in the left lane. About halfway into a moderate curve, I felt this soft, kinda of slow wiggle on the rear, but didn't really note it until the 2nd turn a minute later, when it was a bit more pronounced. I backed off a touch and brought it down to 70 for the rest of the trip out of the canyon. Didn't experience it again that trip.
When I got home, I started digging in and found a LOT of info everywhere. The general consensus appears to point at the rubber bushings that are part of the connection to the rear end, heavy loads, AND high speed turns. For my solution, I upgraded my shocks to Progressive 944's and haven't been able to induce a wobble again on a multitude of different curves and even gave the original one a try at a little higher speed. I've apparently squared away my issues.
Though, as someone who's also loaded plenty of trailers over the years, oscillation can be induced with top heavy loads going down the road at high speeds too.
Your mileage may vary...
I experienced the wobble myself on my RKC coming down a curvy canyon Interstate. I was moving a little faster than traffic (80 in a 70 zone) and in the left lane. About halfway into a moderate curve, I felt this soft, kinda of slow wiggle on the rear, but didn't really note it until the 2nd turn a minute later, when it was a bit more pronounced. I backed off a touch and brought it down to 70 for the rest of the trip out of the canyon. Didn't experience it again that trip.
When I got home, I started digging in and found a LOT of info everywhere. The general consensus appears to point at the rubber bushings that are part of the connection to the rear end, heavy loads, AND high speed turns. For my solution, I upgraded my shocks to Progressive 944's and haven't been able to induce a wobble again on a multitude of different curves and even gave the original one a try at a little higher speed. I've apparently squared away my issues.
Though, as someone who's also loaded plenty of trailers over the years, oscillation can be induced with top heavy loads going down the road at high speeds too.
Your mileage may vary...
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,897
From: Bedford UK
Not that I'm aware of. There is no actual measurable slack as such, the movement is all down to compression of rubbery materials, either in the engine mounts or, for older bikes, the cleve-block swingarm bearings. If you handle an engine mount the darned rubber is so stiff it would probably need an engineer's vice to make any impression on the stuff!
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6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 12
Likes: 1
From: Canada
I've been riding a 2014 Cvo road king for about a year and haven't experienced it yet, but I've been hearing more and more about the "death wobble". Is this something that is affecting touring bikes more, or all HD motorcycles? And are newer M8 bikes also affected? Just curious.
First time it happened on this bike, but also happened on my old '05 Ultra at about the same speed.
My theory (and I realize there could be several causes), is tire mismatch.
When I replaced the tires on the '05, I never had it happen again.
Right now I am in the process of waiting for a new rear tire install on the '10. This leaves me with a Michelin Commander II on the front (new), and a rather worn Harley Dunlop on the back.
I shall repeat that stretch of road when I get the new tire to confirm.
JJ