It's not a freak'n wobble!
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 12
From: SE Florida
If a bike is older, say 6-7-8 +/- years, wouldn't it be prudent to at least change out the swingarm bushings with new ones, first. I don't mean custom, just the HD replacement factory bushings to get the bike back to original, factory riding specs. I'm thinking that putting on a stabilzer would make bad/worn bushings even worse?!?!
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,063
Likes: 1
From: Alabama Gulf Coast
Been trying to come up with a new business idea since we closed my wife's Interior Decorating business. Hmmmmmm, let's see, (1) create 4 or 5 new forum names +(2) create some mass hysteria over an imagined safty issue +(3) come out with a new product to fix said problem (4) market said product on HD Forums. (5)new millionaire on forbes list.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
For those of you that have made the bagger wobble a repetitive, common phrase on here, please consider the following...
On a regular basis, reluctant buyers come on here and ask about this wobble that they hear of on sites such as this and from bagger brace manufactuers. It seems our most common response is sure they wobble but this brace will eliminate it.
Now lets define a wobble: defined its a pronounced quick oscillation that clearly implies instability. In the motorcycling context, particularly for those of us who have raced bikes, a wobble is often used to describe a tank slapper or a speed wobble or a death wobble. As someone whos experienced the bars on my sportbike going stop to stop at over 100mph I can tell you that a wobble is often uncontrollable, is downright dangerous and sometimes fatal.
In realty, without getting into the details, what some people are experiencing on Harley tourers - under the right load and circumstances and always outside of normal operating conditions - is some chassis flex or in the words of the recent Cycle World test; a slight weave. It IS completely controllable, and I dont think a seasoned rider would panic if they were to encounter it. Of course, under the "duh!" category; no weave is better than a slight weave so a brace or any number of modifications that can improve handling is never a bad idea.
My RKC shares space in my garage with a Ohlins equiped Fireblade and a paralever/telelever equiped BMW. Despite its relatively humble technology, I find the Harley to be amazingly agile and fairly compentent for its size and origins. Sure it can be more stable at higher speeds, but possibly at the expense of its amazing low speed handling. Cycle World seems to agree with me, calling the 08 RKC the best handling and most confidence inspiring bagger of the 8 that they tested in October.
So lets leave the sensationalizing to those trying to make a buck. We are not being truthfull or doing anybody a service implying that pre-09 baggers are downright unstable or even dangerous.
..there, I feel better.
On a regular basis, reluctant buyers come on here and ask about this wobble that they hear of on sites such as this and from bagger brace manufactuers. It seems our most common response is sure they wobble but this brace will eliminate it.
Now lets define a wobble: defined its a pronounced quick oscillation that clearly implies instability. In the motorcycling context, particularly for those of us who have raced bikes, a wobble is often used to describe a tank slapper or a speed wobble or a death wobble. As someone whos experienced the bars on my sportbike going stop to stop at over 100mph I can tell you that a wobble is often uncontrollable, is downright dangerous and sometimes fatal.
In realty, without getting into the details, what some people are experiencing on Harley tourers - under the right load and circumstances and always outside of normal operating conditions - is some chassis flex or in the words of the recent Cycle World test; a slight weave. It IS completely controllable, and I dont think a seasoned rider would panic if they were to encounter it. Of course, under the "duh!" category; no weave is better than a slight weave so a brace or any number of modifications that can improve handling is never a bad idea.
My RKC shares space in my garage with a Ohlins equiped Fireblade and a paralever/telelever equiped BMW. Despite its relatively humble technology, I find the Harley to be amazingly agile and fairly compentent for its size and origins. Sure it can be more stable at higher speeds, but possibly at the expense of its amazing low speed handling. Cycle World seems to agree with me, calling the 08 RKC the best handling and most confidence inspiring bagger of the 8 that they tested in October.
So lets leave the sensationalizing to those trying to make a buck. We are not being truthfull or doing anybody a service implying that pre-09 baggers are downright unstable or even dangerous.
..there, I feel better.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa, OK
wobble, flex , whatever..
Hogs Wallow and thats a fact..
mine did at 80mph coming into a big sweeper on the freeway in traffic, I hit a dip and the "slight flex" damn near high sided me.
Hogs Wallow and thats a fact..
mine did at 80mph coming into a big sweeper on the freeway in traffic, I hit a dip and the "slight flex" damn near high sided me.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 307
Likes: 2
I remember when I first bought my 08 Street Glide a year ago and started reading these posts.. After riding a couple thousand miles, I had yet to experience any "wobble". When I asked some guys on here about it and they described when it happens then I said.. "OH, that?". I didin't think twice about it when I felt it. It's a big *** heavy bike and I was going 80 around a sweeping curve with my chick on back and we hit a small dip. I was surprised to find out that that tiny little deflection was the root of all these postings. Kinda crazy guys. Ride on!