Wobble
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3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 6
From: U.S.
When solo you are obviously not heavy enough! Joking aside, you may be riding a little more sedately and smoothly while carrying Mrs G, which we should all do for the one we love, plus her (modest) weight adds that little extra something to smooth the ride out. Give her a hug! 
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Wow. Don't see how the rear shocks could have caused wobbling, since they don't do anything side to side, but I don't dispute you're seeing the results you're seeing. Glad you got it corrected.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 932
Likes: 592
From: Connecticut
I found a leaky air shock can allow wobble to occur. Specially when the air starts bleeding out after the oils left. Not OP's issue, but was mine. Cure with new shocks.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Well, then it would seem a lot of the wobble is actually bobble. Not a side to side wiggling, but a bouncing on the shocks while leaned over in the turn.
which gets us back to the remarkable under damping Harley has been determined to maintain in their touring bike suspensions.
which gets us back to the remarkable under damping Harley has been determined to maintain in their touring bike suspensions.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I have no experience with Legends, but shocks can indeed contribute to a wobble. The swingarm on the Touring bikes up to and including 2008 is not very stiff in torsion, unlike later bikes which have far stiffer swingarms. If our shocks have poor damping or a failure such as Trumpet experienced, then they are not going to work in unison and the swingarm is more likely to twist under duress.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
I have no experience with Legends, but shocks can indeed contribute to a wobble. The swingarm on the Touring bikes up to and including 2008 is not very stiff in torsion, unlike later bikes which have far stiffer swingarms. If our shocks have poor damping or a failure such as Trumpet experienced, then they are not going to work in unison and the swingarm is more likely to twist under duress.
Stage I
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Belleville
I had the same experience after installing, Legends Revo-A, 13 inch shocks on my 2019 Sportster 1200NS. Front-end wobble occurred between 80-90 mph. NO wobble at all with the wife in the back. Stock OEM shocks are 11.25 inches.
Converting the 13 to a 12 inch shocks to try and get rid of the wobble. Hopefully that does the trick. Changing height in the rear sure changes the rake-trail of the motorcycle.
Converting the 13 to a 12 inch shocks to try and get rid of the wobble. Hopefully that does the trick. Changing height in the rear sure changes the rake-trail of the motorcycle.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
I had the same experience after installing, Legends Revo-A, 13 inch shocks on my 2019 Sportster 1200NS. Front-end wobble occurred between 80-90 mph. NO wobble at all with the wife in the back. Stock OEM shocks are 11.25 inches.
Converting the 13 to a 12 inch shocks to try and get rid of the wobble. Hopefully that does the trick. Changing height in the rear sure changes the rake-trail of the motorcycle.
Converting the 13 to a 12 inch shocks to try and get rid of the wobble. Hopefully that does the trick. Changing height in the rear sure changes the rake-trail of the motorcycle.
I fitted taller shocks to my Superlow, to improve ride quality, but also discovered that front fork sag was over half total fork travel. So I also rectified that, which raised the front end over an inch, so the front and rear are pretty level, much as the bike was when new. I haven't had any handling problems, so suggest you investigate your forks first, before changing your shocks. If your forks are sagging too much all you need is a length of thick-walled plastic water pipe and a pipe cutter, from your local friendly IDY store!
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