High Speed wobble-2008 SG!!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 11
From: El Paso, Texas
hey man ignore the speed limit idiots its your bike and if your willing to risk the tickets ride as hard as you want.Ive posted this same thing 3 times and allways get the want to be cop guys comments.
Ive had two roadking customs and both have bad wobble at 110 to 120 range.Ive tried one so called cure but now luck.Personally I think its in the frontend geometry.I think the 28 degree rake makes the front to lite,yes they turn easy.Ive not tried the harder bushiings yet,I plan on trying them but doubt they will realy fix the highspeed wobble.
Ive read lots of threads about this and it seems most are concerned about the wobble in corners,which I have had but nothing like the front tring to past the rear at real speeds.Good luck and let me know if you find true reason for problem.
Ive had two roadking customs and both have bad wobble at 110 to 120 range.Ive tried one so called cure but now luck.Personally I think its in the frontend geometry.I think the 28 degree rake makes the front to lite,yes they turn easy.Ive not tried the harder bushiings yet,I plan on trying them but doubt they will realy fix the highspeed wobble.
Ive read lots of threads about this and it seems most are concerned about the wobble in corners,which I have had but nothing like the front tring to past the rear at real speeds.Good luck and let me know if you find true reason for problem.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,395
Likes: 25
From: St George, UT
I am sitting grinning at this thread. My first Harley (and several after that) wouldn't DO 100 mph. 80 was a big thrill. My 1963 electra glide got up to maybe 90 going down a six percent grade, though speedometer needle was waving bye bye most of the time. The vibration left my hands numb. And now we're talking about how they handle at 100+ mph.
My 02 Ultra maxxed out at 105, no wobbles. My 07 accelerates easily to 100 with more left on the table, no wobbles. But my early bikes would wobble some at maximum speeds, and my new 1965 went into a tank slapper due to missing bearing shims in the front axle assembly.
I think that at high speed, the front end might just get a bit light, especially two up, and that would reduce the traction of the second of two spinning gyroscopes. A little squirm at the front would be telegraphed to the rear, and a wobble could result. But then, I'm no engineer. I just keep the tires at 36/40lbs, properly balanced, and don't overload the bike.
My 02 Ultra maxxed out at 105, no wobbles. My 07 accelerates easily to 100 with more left on the table, no wobbles. But my early bikes would wobble some at maximum speeds, and my new 1965 went into a tank slapper due to missing bearing shims in the front axle assembly.
I think that at high speed, the front end might just get a bit light, especially two up, and that would reduce the traction of the second of two spinning gyroscopes. A little squirm at the front would be telegraphed to the rear, and a wobble could result. But then, I'm no engineer. I just keep the tires at 36/40lbs, properly balanced, and don't overload the bike.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 0
From: Hoboken, New Jersey
This wobble thing is crazy. One person wants to know why their
STREET..... GLIDE wobbles at speeds higher than the factory designed it for. Another says he's crazy for going too fast and hence the wobble. Another tells the second person to mind his own business.
So how's this version? [[[ And I mean no offense to anyone ]]]
My Porsche Turbo starts to get light in the fromt end at 195. What can I do to fix it? Duh!?!? Maybe that's as fast as the 'stock' version will go? Easy enough, right.
But if I said my Honda Accord gets squirly at 135, people would probably say : IT WASN'T DESIGNED TO CRUISE THAT FAST!!! TRY IT AT 95 AND GET BACK TO US!
My Jag gets goofy at 140 or so and it's got more in it, but.... Oh did I forget to say it's a convertible and the top was down that day, and I had a cross wind of 40 knots, and pebbles were on the dirt road and...the sun was in my eyes. Maybe I should try it with the top up on a paved road with less crosswind. SEEMS KIND OF OBVIOUS!!!
And don't tell me. I already know it's faster in the dark!
Come on people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where's the love?????????
STREET..... GLIDE wobbles at speeds higher than the factory designed it for. Another says he's crazy for going too fast and hence the wobble. Another tells the second person to mind his own business.
So how's this version? [[[ And I mean no offense to anyone ]]]
My Porsche Turbo starts to get light in the fromt end at 195. What can I do to fix it? Duh!?!? Maybe that's as fast as the 'stock' version will go? Easy enough, right.
But if I said my Honda Accord gets squirly at 135, people would probably say : IT WASN'T DESIGNED TO CRUISE THAT FAST!!! TRY IT AT 95 AND GET BACK TO US!
My Jag gets goofy at 140 or so and it's got more in it, but.... Oh did I forget to say it's a convertible and the top was down that day, and I had a cross wind of 40 knots, and pebbles were on the dirt road and...the sun was in my eyes. Maybe I should try it with the top up on a paved road with less crosswind. SEEMS KIND OF OBVIOUS!!!
And don't tell me. I already know it's faster in the dark!
Come on people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where's the love?????????
What is too fast....for you is not too fast for me...and so on and on down the line. I live in NJ also, and when I am riding solo, I like to hammer the thing once in a while. I will sit at 100 for a mile or two if all the conditions are right. I will take it up to 120 for short bursts. I do not do this in a reckless way.....but I will do it from time to time. My SG does get feeling just a tad light in front, but never got any sort of wobble. The wobble in the high speed 60-80 sweepers is not the same thing....but that is cured on 08 and older bikes with a third link of one brand or another....I am using the TWR.
There are several things than need to be checked until you weed out the cause of the wobble. My bet would be wheel balance.
These bikes should be able to go to their rated top speed with no wobble.....as long as its a rated speed...tires included.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 279
Likes: 3
From: N. Alabama
I have experienced wobble on my RKC and on a Honda V-65. Could make them wobble by holding the the handle bars to tight, as in a death grip. Kinda of a natural thing to tighten up the grip at speed. Relax and no wobble on those two bikes. Yes I do know there are other reasons for wobble.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,282
Likes: 52
From: DFW
My bike is lowered 1" on the front using progressive springs.I run a 21" front-18" rear combo.When the bike was brand new with stock wheels I noticed it as well.
The fellow who mentioned the Batwing as being the problem-I kinda agree with him,as it does differ from day to day,meaning the wind[s] is effecting it.I dont think my tire pressure is going up & down by 10psi day to day.
I had my fastest speed with a passenger[oh man-I can only imagine what Im going to stir up with that comment-LOL,so dont bother commenting]
So it may have changed the angle of the windscreen,any how,I dont mean to complain about my new bike-Its a wicked ride,& I thought I would just throw it out there,& see if others expierenced this,& if there was a simple cure.
No biggie-If it goes into wobble Ill just slow it down 5mph-I never bought A Harley to compete in any type of "CannonBall Run" anyways.-LOL.
The fellow who mentioned the Batwing as being the problem-I kinda agree with him,as it does differ from day to day,meaning the wind[s] is effecting it.I dont think my tire pressure is going up & down by 10psi day to day.
I had my fastest speed with a passenger[oh man-I can only imagine what Im going to stir up with that comment-LOL,so dont bother commenting]
So it may have changed the angle of the windscreen,any how,I dont mean to complain about my new bike-Its a wicked ride,& I thought I would just throw it out there,& see if others expierenced this,& if there was a simple cure.
No biggie-If it goes into wobble Ill just slow it down 5mph-I never bought A Harley to compete in any type of "CannonBall Run" anyways.-LOL.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 248
Likes: 4
From: Fort Worth, Texas
You may want to try something like this windshield from Klock Werks. Not sure how it works, but might be worth a shot.
https://www.kustombaggers.com/products/?id=175
https://www.kustombaggers.com/products/?id=175
I'd be interested to hear from those who have it if it adds any stability or not...
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,009
Likes: 0
From: South Jersey
Only goodbirds mentioned the #1 cause of a high speed front wobble. Spinning Gyroscopes! One of the most common attributes to the front wobble is that almost all motorcycle tires are STATIC BALANCED. Dynamic balancing is not generally offered in the motorcycle world. There many other attributes that are involved in front end wobble. The super bike world began tackling these things in the early to mid 80s when it became apparent that a motorcycles with as little as possible rake handles and performs better while trying to eliminate the gyroscopic affect created by the wheel, tires, and brake assemblies. There is a long laundry list of other contributing factors as listed above that affect one bike to another. Model to model and brand to brand.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,137
Likes: 17
From:
The cause of the bagger wobbles is well-known; It's the two rubber engine mounts. The older Evo baggers with the three mounts never had this problem. The change to two mounts was made initially on the first Dynas. The reason was ease and speed of assembly in the factory, and the hell with safety. With only two mounts the drivetrain can shift enough under some conditions, that the wheels are not in alignment with each other, causing instant wobble. There are companies that have made so-called "bagger braces" to eliminate this problem. You can google that term and find them.
I'm assuming here that everone has checked their tire pressure; modern tires don't look flat even if they only have a few pounds of air in them.
Has everyone noticed the '09 baggers have gone back to three rubber mounts? I guess with the flexible flyer two-piece frame(again, for ease of assembly of the trike), they figured they better at least have a suitable engine mounting system.
I'm assuming here that everone has checked their tire pressure; modern tires don't look flat even if they only have a few pounds of air in them.
Has everyone noticed the '09 baggers have gone back to three rubber mounts? I guess with the flexible flyer two-piece frame(again, for ease of assembly of the trike), they figured they better at least have a suitable engine mounting system.