For the first time I'm considering a Road King. But I've noticed nearly every article in various magazines mentions an "instability" of the bike at high speeds. Have any of you owners noticed?
I rarely ride above 75 MPH but on the rare occasion that I do I don't want the bike wobbling it's way to oblivion. Ditto not being stable in a fast sweeper.
What are your thoughts/experiences?

 

No problems here, 15k miles in a year old bike, slight wobble in long sweepers at 85 + mph, only noticed once though. I am an agressive rider.

 

I've had mine for a year now and never felt it wobble or be unsteady. The only time I felt like it was going down was when I was trying to panic stop in a tight curve to avoid a guy that was going off the road ahead of me and I didn't want to run into him. But that was probably more me than the bike, I was at pucker factor 9 cause we were hauling a$$ when he decided to try offroading on a Sportster.

 

I've read some of those articles lately too (AIM being one of them). I think the authors are making comparison comments. That is, in comparison to an UC which is much heavier in the front end with fairing and lowers, I'm sure my RKC doesn't feel the same. That said I have never expereinced any kind of wobble or instability in the front end at high or low speeds. I typically cruise between 75 and 80 on the highway. I love my Road King Classic!! I just don't like it when other guys walk over and drool on it (I mean really...drooling over my OL is enough, but for God's sake stop drooling on the bike : )

 

Wobble can be experienced in any of the rubber mounted touring models. It doesn't mean that it will happen to your bike. Some do, some don't. If your worried install a stabilizer for peace of mind.

 

I have experienced front wobble onmy '05RKC ahandfull of times; always on the highway, always on a turn, always riding aggressively,and it always gets worst OFF throttle. It usually is a semi-panic situation after the wobble starts, but the best thing to do is to just break over the throttle, to move your center of gravity towards the front . Easier said than done. Something that should be practiced (and dumped) onthe dirt rather than the highway.It's been a long time off the trackfor me and my old friends always tell me--remember, you're not riding a GSX anymore!! Chances are if you've experienced front wheel wobble on a bagger, you're riding too fast for the conditions.

 

I think you can get a wobble on any bike if you don't have the fork oil level in both tubes,
and if you have put something on the bars that aren't stock.
I would also imagine that saddle bags being unevenly loaded may be interpreted at front end wobble to someone that didn't know better.
I think the rear shocks and load on the bke, front or rear would make a difference also.
I think if your air pressure isn't what it should be you may think it has a wobble.
If your tire has flat spots on it from sitting or odd wear patterns it may feel a wobble.
If the road sucked it may feel a wobble also.
I sure there're other variable factors that may present themselves as a front end wobble that could be explained as not having anything to do with the front end if it were set up and maintained correctly.

I don't have a road king, and haven't experienced that wobble on one.
I do have a shake on my ultra cause I need to adjust the steering bearing though.

 

ride my 01 road king 80 mph on highway and fairly aggressive on back roads.i have never had that problem.mine is ajoy to ride and feels more stable than the softails i rode for many years[sm=biker2.gif]

 

haven't had any speed wobbles as of yet. i am a new rider and if we any one would get them it would be me. the roads can be pretty bad out here in cali because of all the travel on I-5 and my front tire would ride try and ride the groves a little... wonder if thats what they are talking about

 

Mine does a bit of rain groove type "hunting" once in a while. Sometimes I can see the groove where a 16 wheeler lost atire, sometimes not. It's probably Dunflop tread design versus FL roads andnever has become anything at all like a full-on wobble. Never have had any problem due to cornering instability either and I scrape floorboards once in a while too (even though I am an old-fart).

Does anyone remember the old steering dampeners that we used to stick on Kawasakitriples and what fun you could have going through the eyes at the far end with it set too loose? Man those things were flexi-flyers.