Was about to purchase a 2011 Super Glide and my wife sent me a link regarding a "Death Wobble" and now I'm not sure I should buy it? I've googled this regarding Dyna models and there is some suggestion that they too suffer this issue. Is it still a problem, I've not heard of one case here in New Zealand and does it only effect early models with the rubber mounted engines?

 

If it was as bad as your making it sound, they wouldn't still be in business selling bikes.

Note: This "wobble" can be found on anything with two wheels if you look hard enough.
The 2011 Super Glide would not be any more (or less) prone to wobble than any other make.

 

Especially the "touring" dynas. They may wobble but they don't fall over. (Some riders even name them "Weeble.")

Now, the TOURING FL's from Harley? Yup, get the speeds up and you can swap ends regardless of your skill level...(Cops do it all the time on their issued bikes.)

 

Where is Izzo Quazzo when you need him? He's got the magic 'move' button, right?

 

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:

Why bikes wobble:

 

It's a ticking time bomb I tell ya

 

[QUOTE=Roadghost;16187549]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:

It's been mentioned that the mounting of the swing-arm on bikes with the rubber mounted engine is the cause for HD ...

 

Although to be fair I didn't make this up... it was out there long before I took the FXDC out for a test ride (didn't wobble). My wife just sent me the link.

Suzuki had an issue with a TL1000 motorcycle that had front end issues that claimed lives, fixed with steering damper but doesn't seem to have hurt Suzuki ...

 

I'm a former motor officer from 25 plus years ago when we rode Harleys on the interstate at high speeds that were less technologically advanced than today's models. This "death wobble" thing is overblown. Any motorcycle can wobble under the correct circumstances, even sport bikes. I've experienced only one what I would describe as a wobble in 35 years of riding in 1987. It was my own fault because I was in a hurry and failed to balance the load. One side was much heavier than the other and I knew better.

There's a difference between wobble, oscillation, and weaving. Most of what people describe as a wobble isn't, it's oscillation or weaving. I can induce weaving on my 2016 RGS virtually anytime I want by taking one particular sweeping curve at 80 plus mph. I'm simply taking the curve too darn fast and reaching the limits of the bike's design in that situation.

As long as a motorcycle (including a Dyna) is mechanically sound, and ridden within its limits, wobbles are very rare. I know a number of officers who ride FLH's, some of whom have ridden 20 plus years, and none of them have ever wobbled or "swapped ends." FWIW I've got a friend who's had a 2009 since it's was new and it's solid.

 

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)