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 let’s define a wobble: defined it’s 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 who’s 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 don’t 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.

 

I agree totally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I thought all along that this must be some kind of minor mass hysteria. Thanks PITA for the breath of sanity.
Marsh

 

true to the core

 

Good Post! Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. I kept hearing about the "wobble" then on a trip last summer to the mountains, I did experience it and thought, man, so is this what all the hoopla is about. Sheeesh! Never happened again as those were not normal riding conditions for me.

 

How come mine only wobbles when im shivering?

 

Amen! After racing motocross for several years; enduring 3 concussions, many nut-busters, exhaust burns from having my bike land on me after wiping out, tearing ligaments in my left shoulder and otherwise loving every minute of it. Riding my RKC is like being on a cloud, comparably

 

I must have the only '06 EGC that doesn't have a wobble. The first morning of my 7 day vacation of the Canadian maritimes had me starting out at 5:30 am, 2 up fully loaded and leaving in a down pour. I had a ferry to catch by 8 am. 25 miles out I realized I forgot my wallet. I turned around and went back for it. 75 plus mph and I couldn't see the highway for the downpour. Back on the road, I out ran the rain line. Now pushing 85-90 mph fully loaded 2 up rolling along very smoothly. No wobble, no nothing. She handled like a dream and for the remaining days of my vacation, not a single handling problem. I must be one of the lucky few.

 

Pita,

Excellent post. I haven't had the 'weave' enough to worry about trying to solve it. Definately never felt like death was an issue.

 

"Harley wobble" is the excuse poor riders use when they f*#k up and crash. No harley has EVER wobbled its owner into the grave on its own.

Tim