Tail Wag at Higher Speeds
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Club Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11,623
Likes: 8,448
From: Inland NW
Man, the stretch of road I mentioned is about as close to perfect as I will ever see again. Not a freaking crack. If I had been unloaded and hadnt been riding for 8 hours already, I would have been pushing it even harder LOL.
You need to take this loop before you die.
We we did the Jasper National Park highway yesterday, and it is easily the most beautiful ride I have been on, and I lived in Alaska for 15 years.
Anyhow, I played with the preload a bit, and was going to pay more attention yesterday, but we could not EVEN get to the pace we were at the day before on this stretch through the park. Took us all day to go 300 miles
thanks for all the replies fellas!
You need to take this loop before you die.
We we did the Jasper National Park highway yesterday, and it is easily the most beautiful ride I have been on, and I lived in Alaska for 15 years.
Anyhow, I played with the preload a bit, and was going to pay more attention yesterday, but we could not EVEN get to the pace we were at the day before on this stretch through the park. Took us all day to go 300 miles
thanks for all the replies fellas!
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11,623
Likes: 8,448
From: Inland NW
Thats what I get for ****ing with it LOL. If it does not change after stiffening it, I will put it back to stock
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 307
From: mid Michigan
Poor design the swing arm is held to the frame by rubber isolater. So wobble at high speeds is the results for some. Everything effects it, so that's why some never see it. True track is a most have if u want a stable bike. Slowing down and leaning forward are the two things that bring it out of the wobble. It's called a death wobble, for a reason.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 307
From: Houston, Texas
Definitely the frame flexing as part of the design and very common. I have an 08 with the old frame and it's worse. They said the new frame in 09 would stop it. I also have a 13 and the new frame design helped a lot but it's still there. Only shows up on high speed ( well over the speed limit) sweeping turns and the slightest bump will set off the oscillation. Sometimes mild and sometimes wild depending on the speed and the curve.
The easy fix is to slow down and go the speed limit. I've never had it happen going the speed limit on either bike. Since I know you just thought to yourself. ' that's not happening " my next advice is to just hang on. If you know it might happen and anticipate it, you can easily ride through it and it will stop as soon as your going straight again. Yes you can buy a true track or other stiffeners, I chose to spend my money on other things since I know when to anticipate it and I don't let it surprise me anymore. The first time it will scare the crap out of you. After a couple, no big deal.
For those of you that say it's not normal and never happened to you, that just means you've never seen the right set of circumstances for it to occur or you don't ride hard. Be proud. It means you're a safe rider.
The easy fix is to slow down and go the speed limit. I've never had it happen going the speed limit on either bike. Since I know you just thought to yourself. ' that's not happening " my next advice is to just hang on. If you know it might happen and anticipate it, you can easily ride through it and it will stop as soon as your going straight again. Yes you can buy a true track or other stiffeners, I chose to spend my money on other things since I know when to anticipate it and I don't let it surprise me anymore. The first time it will scare the crap out of you. After a couple, no big deal.
For those of you that say it's not normal and never happened to you, that just means you've never seen the right set of circumstances for it to occur or you don't ride hard. Be proud. It means you're a safe rider.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 115
Likes: 33
From: Central California Coast
As the rear swing arm pivot shaft passes through the back of the transmission, there can sometimes be a condition where the engine front motor mount has to be recentered so that the rear wheel is correctly trailing behind the front wheel.
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Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 11,623
Likes: 8,448
From: Inland NW
Definitely the frame flexing as part of the design and very common. I have an 08 with the old frame and it's worse. They said the new frame in 09 would stop it. I also have a 13 and the new frame design helped a lot but it's still there. Only shows up on high speed ( well over the speed limit) sweeping turns and the slightest bump will set off the oscillation. Sometimes mild and sometimes wild depending on the speed and the curve.
The easy fix is to slow down and go the speed limit. I've never had it happen going the speed limit on either bike. Since I know you just thought to yourself. ' that's not happening " my next advice is to just hang on. If you know it might happen and anticipate it, you can easily ride through it and it will stop as soon as your going straight again. Yes you can buy a true track or other stiffeners, I chose to spend my money on other things since I know when to anticipate it and I don't let it surprise me anymore. The first time it will scare the crap out of you. After a couple, no big deal.
For those of you that say it's not normal and never happened to you, that just means you've never seen the right set of circumstances for it to occur or you don't ride hard. Be proud. It means you're a safe rider.
The easy fix is to slow down and go the speed limit. I've never had it happen going the speed limit on either bike. Since I know you just thought to yourself. ' that's not happening " my next advice is to just hang on. If you know it might happen and anticipate it, you can easily ride through it and it will stop as soon as your going straight again. Yes you can buy a true track or other stiffeners, I chose to spend my money on other things since I know when to anticipate it and I don't let it surprise me anymore. The first time it will scare the crap out of you. After a couple, no big deal.
For those of you that say it's not normal and never happened to you, that just means you've never seen the right set of circumstances for it to occur or you don't ride hard. Be proud. It means you're a safe rider.
I played with pre-load, and backing it off had a better result than stiffening it up. I set it back to the "stock" position (where it was when I left the showroom) and it was better.
We did 1500 miles, most of it awesome, and all of it at speeds I shouldn't be going any longer. I stopped noticing it as much. I think I just got used to it.
Love the bike. I can't say enough about it, and the ride we had.
Thanks all!
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 441
Likes: 495
From: canada
Probably from worn tires. As the back squares off the transition when leaning over feels sketchy cause the round edge is now square. When you get a new tire the wobble will be gone till it squares off.