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New Road Glide -dangerous shaking-front end

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Old Aug 29, 2011 | 07:46 PM
  #21  
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 08:08 PM
  #22  
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My front end wobble seems to be getting worse. Approaching 5,000 miles on my '11 Ultra and it's very consistent, at about 33 mph when decelerating, it'll wobble every time with no hands, and you can feel the wobble even if you hold loosely with one hand. I can also feel it as I slow down going into curves. It'll get worse if you don't grab the bars, no doubt it could result in a crash. My dealer is aware of the problem and said they would tighten the neck bearings down past factory spec to try to correct the problem. Both local dealers have customers complaining about this problem.

I seem to have traded an '07 with a rear steer issue (that was correctable with a stabilizer) for an '11 with a front wobble issue!
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 08:19 PM
  #23  
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steering head bearings
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 08:33 PM
  #24  
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The Road Glide forum has a thread on this subject - www.roadglide.org
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 08:38 PM
  #25  
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Default Roadglide wobble

Originally Posted by stro1965
My front end wobble seems to be getting worse. Approaching 5,000 miles on my '11 Ultra and it's very consistent, at about 33 mph when decelerating, it'll wobble every time with no hands, and you can feel the wobble even if you hold loosely with one hand. I can also feel it as I slow down going into curves. It'll get worse if you don't grab the bars, no doubt it could result in a crash. My dealer is aware of the problem and said they would tighten the neck bearings down past factory spec to try to correct the problem. Both local dealers have customers complaining about this problem.

I seem to have traded an '07 with a rear steer issue (that was correctable with a stabilizer) for an '11 with a front wobble issue!
I have a 2010 Roadglide custom and the decel wobble has gotten worse. Only use to do it when you let go of the bars right around 40mph now i can feel it with my hands on the bars a little and it is way worse when i let go of the bars around 40 it's fine above and below that speed. My steering head bearings are at the tight end of the spec. Dealership knows about the issue and is tightening some peoples steering heads up tighter to try to mask the shake. A tech friend of mine says it started on the newer RGs when they changed the front tire size. I was just out in my shop looking over things because of this issue. I'm not going to tighten the steering head down tighter than specs to try to mask the problem. HD will just tell you not to take your hands off the bars. A few friends that own fixed fairing RGs that work for HD say they expect a service bulletin and i'm waiting.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 08:43 PM
  #26  
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Not all do it. Mine doesn't. I took it in and had the bearings and fall away checked anyway... but I've not experienced this problem in 10,000 miles.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 09:01 PM
  #27  
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I have a 2011 Road Glide Ultra with about 3000 miles on it and no problem however I just came from a 08 Goldwing which had it and it is a well known problem with the wings. The main fix that seems to work is the new neck bearings. Honda would not fix the problem and said keep your hands on the bars.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 09:06 PM
  #28  
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2011 FLTRU

Mine had the wobble. Dealer "adjusted" neck bearings. Hope they didnt overtighten to mask the problem. Solid now. Said "factory doesn't do a good job adjusting them.". BS. There is a problem with the bikes - we'll see what happens after the first few fatalities.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 10:13 PM
  #29  
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Default Wobble

Originally Posted by pargenz
Not all do it. Mine doesn't. I took it in and had the bearings and fall away checked anyway... but I've not experienced this problem in 10,000 miles.
They probably have your steering head bearings cranked right down so they don't have to listen to complaints. It's very hard to find a new model Frame mounted RG that does not do the wobble when set to specs if that is even possibly. It starts off on decel around 40 with your hands off the bars and gets worse from there as mileage gets higher. Overtightened steering head seems to be the only solution as of now.
 
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Old Sep 5, 2011 | 10:21 PM
  #30  
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Good luck to anyone who tries to say they had an accident because they weren't holding on to the handlebars & blames it on the bike. I'm not saying that it should do it, but I think everybody is making too much of it. It does seem to make a difference as far as tires go, I noticed on mine until I put a new front tire on & it went away. I can ride 20 miles at highway speeds without my hands on the bars with no problem & admit that I'll coast up to lights sometimes with my hands off the bars, but I certainly don't have to. I've also purposely let the shake go to see how bad it would get, I admit it rattles pretty good, but nothing that would actually make you lose control. Anyway flame away if you think I'm crazy, I just think everyone is making a mountain out of a mole hill.
 
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