One thing I've already noticed about everyone's reply. They're all going left! No one has said theirs has gone right.
KINGKINGKING: That's a good idea. What it's doing is like crabbing in my opinion. It is subtle though so might be hard to see. I know people are learning to live with it but why should we? You pay $20k for a bike and my arm is going to ache on a long day of riding. Around town I've almost learned to ignore it but still, why should I? Either the swing arm is off a mm or so which means the line up marks might be right but the alignment is still off or something like that. My old Heritage we used to like up with guides on the floor. The dealer tells me they now use marks in the rear like a dirt bike. To me that technique shouldn't be used on a road bike. I have close to 10k on mine now and I'm starting to see some subtle cupping on the tire. I guess I knew I would have to get it to this point for the dealer to say there might be something wrong. Now they will probably tell me tires aren't covered!
Agnes: If you were riding a dirt bike you might pull left on the bars to go left and on a street bike when going extremely slow. But at any amount of speed you would pull left and push right to go right and pull right and push left to go left.
Trout: I definetly don't have the nut problem! LOL I do keep my wallet in my left pocket though. If only that was the cause. I do keep my equipment tucked down the left leg. HUM, never thought of that. I try switching legs.
My buddie's 08 SG does not do it either. I beleive it when you say some have it and some don't. I also thought of the crown of the road thing too. But on a two lane road and I'm close to the curb, my bike will go right across the lane, over the center of it and into the oncoming lane. If I'm riding side by side with my brother it is a job to keep the bike straight because there is no free play so to speak. I'm tired of the problem.

 

Many Harley front wheels are off set from the back wheel, but even then they are supposed to be on same plane-exactly parallel to each other on all planes-a full 360 degrees....They are offset by design, not by accident. The designed offset should actually help the bike track straight, not cause it to pull left or right....I seriously doubt your offset is incorrect because your brake rotors would not fit inside the calipers if you had improperly installed wheel spacers front or rear....so the problem lies elsewhere.

There is a problem. You guys who say yours does it also have a problem. So don't just shrug and accept it cause it seems 'normal' if other guys have it.

There is a very specialized and expensive set of tools from HD that is used to set total bike alignment. Not all HD shops invest in those tools, nor are their mechs trained in their use. The tools and training are model and year specific, so it is a major investment for dealers to have all alignment tool sets required and also train mechs in their use on different bikes.

Some HD shops do specialize in chassis alignment. Those shops are the ones who do major accident repairs on a routine basis. Those same shops buy bikes "totaled" by insurance companies and rebuild them to resell with slavaged titles. Most HD dealers don't bother with that sector of the market.

Give up battling with your dealer. He simply can't help you because no one there has the experience, tools or training. Call/email around your state and locate a shop with a chassis specialist. First contact HD customer service and ask them to suggest a shop who is capable.

 

It sounds like your motor and frame are out off alignment to me. If your left arm is getting sore from holding the bars you have a major problem there. I would try another dealer or ring Harley direct and complain to them about this. My bike will drift left if I let go of my bars but its not dangerous at all.

 

Sorry oinker02 I missed page 2 when I replied to this thread

 

This is ridiculous. The price we pay for these bikes(as much as a car) and HD can't make two bikes the same or correct a problem with a particular bike. The customer loyalty that people have for HD isn't always earned by HD it seems to me. I know. This adds nothing. Just feeling this guys pain.

 

Yep, except I'd craft my call to customer service to sound more like a call for assistance than a complaint.

"Hello, I need your help. Can you suggest an HD dealer in my state who is properly equiped and trained in full chassis alignment? I have a serious alignment problem that my local dealer can't resolve. I'm concerned because it's become dangerous and prevents me from riding my bike safely."

Craft your request as a call for help and cite safety. Follow it up with a letter or email. The MOCO itself is sensitive to potential law suits and will make a reasonable effort to respond to a written notice about any unsafe bike....go on record with them in that fashion and you might get a proper response.

 

Put some weight in the right saddle bag. See if it changes things. Just a thought. Could balance things out.

 

my 06 roadking has the same problem . cant take your hands of the bars or the bike pulls
hard right. i havnt complained about it but i might have it looked at during my 10k service

JR

 

My 08 SG also pulls left if you let go of the bars. Not that bad but definitely drifts left. No problem normal riding.
Crazy me but Ive noticed that the batwing looks off center or crooked while riding and Im thinking air flow direction might be pushing the bike left.
On my 07 Heritage I could let go for miles (would not advise this) and it tracked straight. I to would love to know of a fix.

 

I traded my last bike (VTX 1800) for this one. The main thing that got me looking for a new bike was the fact that it pulled hard to the right. A local Honda dealer did a lot of free work on it trying to fix it but couldn't. On long rides I would be worn out from the constant counter steer it took to keep it straight. So I feel your pain.

Now the SG drifts slightly to the left, but the amount of counter steer necessary to keep it running straight is hardly noticeable. It would be nice if it would run straight with no counter steer.