Street Glide Stablizer Link ?
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 37
Likes: 6
Street Glide Stablizer Link ?
Hi Everyone, I am fairly new to the HD bikes. I bought my SO a Fatboy about 2 years ago that she dearly loves.
I have bought me a 2006 Street Glide two weeks ago. The bike was not maintained as well as I like but I could not walk away from the price so I can deal with a few minor flaws and minor repair issues.
Here is my question. The motor vibrates something fierce!
I know its a HD and the vibration is part of the design of the engine but it is much much worse than the fatboy. Same engine in both. the FI 88CI.
The engine was vibrating so much that it was shaking the fairing and rattling.
I stopped by the dealer on the way home to have him check it. It had a bad motor mount and broken fairing mounts.
I replaced the motor mount that night and repaired the fairing mounts.
Vibration is much better on the fairing but it still shakes much worse than the Fatboy.
I know it has rubber mounts vs solid mounts but I wouldn't think it would be that much difference.
Is there an adjustment for the stabilizer links that will help this problem? How can I check them or adjust them?
Would this have any effect on it at all?
Thanks for any and all advice!
Tom
I have bought me a 2006 Street Glide two weeks ago. The bike was not maintained as well as I like but I could not walk away from the price so I can deal with a few minor flaws and minor repair issues.
Here is my question. The motor vibrates something fierce!
I know its a HD and the vibration is part of the design of the engine but it is much much worse than the fatboy. Same engine in both. the FI 88CI.
The engine was vibrating so much that it was shaking the fairing and rattling.
I stopped by the dealer on the way home to have him check it. It had a bad motor mount and broken fairing mounts.
I replaced the motor mount that night and repaired the fairing mounts.
Vibration is much better on the fairing but it still shakes much worse than the Fatboy.
I know it has rubber mounts vs solid mounts but I wouldn't think it would be that much difference.
Is there an adjustment for the stabilizer links that will help this problem? How can I check them or adjust them?
Would this have any effect on it at all?
Thanks for any and all advice!
Tom
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 4
From: Central Coast CA
Look at the Glide Pro motor mounts and swingarm stabilizer good stuff lots of good things said about them. It is my plan to go to these in the near future.
http://www.glide-pro.com/
Oh ya welcome, great first post!
http://www.glide-pro.com/
Oh ya welcome, great first post!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,476
Likes: 3,002
From: Charleston, SC
The Fatboy's engine is counter balanced. The Street Glide's is not.
The Fatboy is going to be smooth at idle and may have a high pitched vibration at speed. Some may think it's annoying.
The SG is going to shake like hell at idle but smooth out perfectly at speed. Which is why the TC88 (not TC88B) is in the touring bike...
Give it some time. You'll get used to it.
lp
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,476
Likes: 23
From: Summit, Mississippi
Hopefully....it's what these other guys are saying. It should smooth out at speed and you have not really mentioned whether it did or not. Also...hopefully, somebody didn't sell it at a bargain because they knew the flywheel halves have slipped. That.is way out there though. It's just that you are making it sound......maybe a lot worse because it's something you're not use to. I am sure that's the case. We have buddies that we ride with that are on a couple of metric bikes. They just point to my horn and laugh as it shakes at stop lights.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 52
From: South Jersey
There is a big difference between the balance motors and the rubber mounted. I too have a '06 SG. Had to replace the motor mounts a few times. The new type (79D) mounts they are installing at present are much harder than the old 79B mounts that came with the '06 therefore they make the motor vibrate too much in my opinion. I have made things a lot better by installing the Glide -Pro motor mount that others have mentioned. I would recommend changing the mount the dealer installed. The fairing brackets are another issue. I have lost track of how many times I have replaced or repaired them. With that said, once you make some minor tweeks, you will grow to love that rubber mounted motor. That is the soul of a HD!
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Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 37
Likes: 6
I did not realize that they were two different motors. I knew they had different mounts..
It does smooth out at speed and is silky smooth at highway speeds.
I ran some Seafoam through the 1st tank, I am getting good gas mileage upper 40's - 50 mpg. and engine is surprisingly strong up to 80mph (which is all I have had it to) so I don't think anything has slipped.
Brakes are awesome!
My other bike is a Valkyrie so I am used to smooth so I understand about the horn shaking comment. lol This bike rides much different than my Valk.
All my riding buddies are HD riders. They all told me sooner or later I would own one.
I am still having trouble wrapping my head around why HD would design a bike that shakes so bad it breaks the fairing mounts on a regular basis?
But other than the vibration and the air-shocks (see next post) I love the bike so far. I am sure I will get used to the shaking, It is not all that objectionable . I just thought it was supposed to be a smooth as the Fatboy so I thought something was wrong.
Thanks for the info and stand by for many more questions.
Tom
It does smooth out at speed and is silky smooth at highway speeds.
I ran some Seafoam through the 1st tank, I am getting good gas mileage upper 40's - 50 mpg. and engine is surprisingly strong up to 80mph (which is all I have had it to) so I don't think anything has slipped.
Brakes are awesome!
My other bike is a Valkyrie so I am used to smooth so I understand about the horn shaking comment. lol This bike rides much different than my Valk.
All my riding buddies are HD riders. They all told me sooner or later I would own one.
I am still having trouble wrapping my head around why HD would design a bike that shakes so bad it breaks the fairing mounts on a regular basis?
But other than the vibration and the air-shocks (see next post) I love the bike so far. I am sure I will get used to the shaking, It is not all that objectionable . I just thought it was supposed to be a smooth as the Fatboy so I thought something was wrong.
Thanks for the info and stand by for many more questions.
Tom
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,951
Likes: 6
From: Kingman, AZ
When we were shopping for my wife's bike she used to say "if it doesn't shake. I don't want it." She would look at a Heritage and start to drool and all I had to say is "it don't shake" and she would frown and walk away. They just shake a lot at idle, some like it some don't.
If you are really concerned go by a dealer and ask to sit on a new one and start it up or take a test ride. Sounds like from your description of it smoothing out on accel it is doing what they were designed to do.
If you are really concerned go by a dealer and ask to sit on a new one and start it up or take a test ride. Sounds like from your description of it smoothing out on accel it is doing what they were designed to do.