Help!!! I'm seriously aggravated and at a loss (of both ideas, sanity, and money)! I bought a used 2004 FLHTPI last year that had a bit of excessive vibration (more of a whole bike shake) in it! After several months of shaking (only really temorarily fixed by raising the RPM's at idle so as to see out of the mirrors and keep myself from vibrating off the bike, I took the bike to the local stealership and was told it was the front motor mount which they replaced at cost to me. Unfortunately, the bike shook worse after the replacement!

Now I will say that I have scoured every post on this site about vibration and although some of the posts seemsimilar in thier descriptions to what I'm experiencing, my problem remains annoyingly different! I dealt with the problem through 2 front mount changes and rode the bike the rest of the riding season last year and put the bike away! This year, I pulled it out for the few nice days we've had so far and noticed that the vibration is not only still there but seems to be getting worse by the day. When I pull the clutch in as I roll up to a stop, the whole bike shutters almost violently. I feel a vibration in the floorboards at all speeds that seems to be getting worse, and now the handlebars and fairing is vibrating badly at just about any RPM. Hell, the damn bike isn't even fun to ride any more and I'm finding myself riding my metric cruiser more than the Hog. I took it into an independant shop today and heard some depressing news. The guy test drove the bike and told me that even he found the vibration seriously excessive (something the stealershipshave been telling mewas normal) and mentioned that 2003 and later bikes seemed to be having issues with the flywheels shifting or something to that effect and that the crank might need to be replaced and said that I might have to have a bottom end rebuild - a repair he said ran $2k to $3k!!! He said with out digging into the engine he couldn't be sure, but even to see what the issue might be would be several hundred bucks at least!

Help!!! That kinda moneys not in the budget right now! Any ideas on whether he might be right or wrong in that opinion? Anything elseI should look at before settling for the idea of a bottom end rebuild? This is my first Harley - something I've wanted for 20 years now and my first experience is leaving a really sour taste in my mouth and making me reconsider metric cruisersas a serious possibility! I don't want to abandon Harleys just yet but I'm at a loss!

Much Thanks in advance ~ Scott

 

From what you describe it certainly could be that the crank scissored. I would eliminate all other possible causes of vibration before coming to the conclusion that is the problem.

Post #9 on this Link has a good review on this subject.

 

My front fairing shakes up and down at idle, it's almost comical. Espcially since my other bike is a Valkyrie and is known for the "nickle trick".. able to start the bike and idle and rev it up while a nickle is blanced on it's edge on the engine. (seriously) So needless to say, this shake is a little different than what I'm used to.. but it disappears as soon as I add gas and the bike starts moving. It's hard to believe it's a big twin when moving along.

If the biker is still under warrantly I'd have another talk with your service manager and if you don't get anywhere talk to his boss and then the HD customer service number in the front of the owners manual. Be nice and work the system and see what happens.

 

replace plugs
engine transmission motorcycle not aligned properley
primary chain badly worn tight spots or misalignment
upper engine mounting bracket loose
ignition timing incorrect/poorly tuned engine
broken frame
stabilizer links worn or loose
rubber mounts loose or worn rear swingarm pivot shaft nuts loose
front engine mounting bolts loose