New Road Glide -dangerous shaking-front end
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: At Work
We have seen a few FLTR's where the fall away wasn't adjusted properly and the neck bearings were ruined. This is an adjustment that I feel should be done on FLTR's during setup and at every major service thereafter. We believe the reason this is more noticable on this model as opposed to other Touring models is because of the ultra sensitive steering you get from having nothing attached to your forks (other than the bike, of course).
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
http://www.glide-pro.com/wp-content/...djustment1.pdf
No excuse for a dealer to not know about this.... look at the date on the PDF
No excuse for a dealer to not know about this.... look at the date on the PDF
forgot to ask - is there a link available for me to print off one of these for the 2011 Road Glide - we'll be picking up our bike in the 24 hours or so & would be great to have one of thes service bulletin's for our bike. Will take it on our trip all around the US coast at month end - incase we have it happen again (which I am asuming is a possibility? from some of the replies we've had, from owners who had adjustments made & it happened 2000 miles later, etc.)
Anyway, if you have the 2011 version available - We'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 31
From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
Sorry,
forgot to ask - is there a link available for me to print off one of these for the 2011 Road Glide - we'll be picking up our bike in the 24 hours or so & would be great to have one of thes service bulletin's for our bike. Will take it on our trip all around the US coast at month end - incase we have it happen again (which I am asuming is a possibility? from some of the replies we've had, from owners who had adjustments made & it happened 2000 miles later, etc.)
Anyway, if you have the 2011 version available - We'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks
forgot to ask - is there a link available for me to print off one of these for the 2011 Road Glide - we'll be picking up our bike in the 24 hours or so & would be great to have one of thes service bulletin's for our bike. Will take it on our trip all around the US coast at month end - incase we have it happen again (which I am asuming is a possibility? from some of the replies we've had, from owners who had adjustments made & it happened 2000 miles later, etc.)
Anyway, if you have the 2011 version available - We'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks
That service bulletin is for 09 and later..... they all share the same basic frame. So it is the one you need. In the cases of those who had the adjustment made.... don't assume the adjustments were done correctly, just because they were done. And NEVER assume the tech is good just because he's been a tech for a long time...... He may just have been incompetent for a long time
Last edited by shooter5074; Sep 6, 2011 at 03:22 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
We have seen a few FLTR's where the fall away wasn't adjusted properly and the neck bearings were ruined. This is an adjustment that I feel should be done on FLTR's during setup and at every major service thereafter. We believe the reason this is more noticable on this model as opposed to other Touring models is because of the ultra sensitive steering you get from having nothing attached to your forks (other than the bike, of course).
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Ontario, Canada
Really appreciate your help.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,158
Likes: 68
From: Martinsburg, WV
I've read a couple pages, but not the entire thread yet.
What I was always taught is that a nice tight grip is not a good thing. If you're holding onto the bars too tight and you start to get headshake, that can travel through you and create an even worse situation by magnifying the shake because the handlebars are starting to move you.
Having a nice light grip is normally best in these situations and under any circumstances. This is generally because head shake is caused by the wheel contacting the ground at an angle that's not straight and by having a shorter rake. but even if the bike itself is causing this problem, you wouldn't want to try and force it to stop on your own or else you could cause an even bigger issue by having a death grip on the bars.
What I was always taught is that a nice tight grip is not a good thing. If you're holding onto the bars too tight and you start to get headshake, that can travel through you and create an even worse situation by magnifying the shake because the handlebars are starting to move you.
Having a nice light grip is normally best in these situations and under any circumstances. This is generally because head shake is caused by the wheel contacting the ground at an angle that's not straight and by having a shorter rake. but even if the bike itself is causing this problem, you wouldn't want to try and force it to stop on your own or else you could cause an even bigger issue by having a death grip on the bars.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,331
Likes: 4
From: South Jersey, AC area
I've read a couple pages, but not the entire thread yet.
What I was always taught is that a nice tight grip is not a good thing. If you're holding onto the bars too tight and you start to get headshake, that can travel through you and create an even worse situation by magnifying the shake because the handlebars are starting to move you.
Having a nice light grip is normally best in these situations and under any circumstances. This is generally because head shake is caused by the wheel contacting the ground at an angle that's not straight and by having a shorter rake. but even if the bike itself is causing this problem, you wouldn't want to try and force it to stop on your own or else you could cause an even bigger issue by having a death grip on the bars.
What I was always taught is that a nice tight grip is not a good thing. If you're holding onto the bars too tight and you start to get headshake, that can travel through you and create an even worse situation by magnifying the shake because the handlebars are starting to move you.
Having a nice light grip is normally best in these situations and under any circumstances. This is generally because head shake is caused by the wheel contacting the ground at an angle that's not straight and by having a shorter rake. but even if the bike itself is causing this problem, you wouldn't want to try and force it to stop on your own or else you could cause an even bigger issue by having a death grip on the bars.
this shake happens by letting go of the handlebars and decelerating from about 45mph to 35mph.... not by having too tight a grip on the bars.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,510
Likes: 23
From: Connecticut
Although it may not be related to the problem the original poster of this thread had, I owned a 2000 Road Glide (now on an '07 RG) that would experience "head shake" while decelerating around 40mph. If I took my hands off the bars, it would start mild and get progressively worse (never tried to see how bad it would get, but probably bad enough to wreck the bike if not "checked"). A slight "hand" on the bars, and it dissipated quickly.
I noticed it when a front tire was getting worn, and guessed it might be either cupping on the worn tire, and also possibly from the front brake rotors (which were original).
When I got the tire changed, I had floating rotors put on and the problem was gone.
Tried to reproduce it on the 2007 Road Glide (which still has the 16" front tire), and it seems smooth and steady, at least for now. But even though the bike has only about 7800 miles on it (I picked it up with 7300), I'm thinking the [factory original, non-floating] rotors may have slight warping already, for I feel the front end "pulsing" as I haul it down to a stop. First time I have to change the tire on this one, it's going to get floating rotors as well.
- John
I noticed it when a front tire was getting worn, and guessed it might be either cupping on the worn tire, and also possibly from the front brake rotors (which were original).
When I got the tire changed, I had floating rotors put on and the problem was gone.
Tried to reproduce it on the 2007 Road Glide (which still has the 16" front tire), and it seems smooth and steady, at least for now. But even though the bike has only about 7800 miles on it (I picked it up with 7300), I'm thinking the [factory original, non-floating] rotors may have slight warping already, for I feel the front end "pulsing" as I haul it down to a stop. First time I have to change the tire on this one, it's going to get floating rotors as well.
- John
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 32,562
Likes: 2,577
From: Shit Weather USA
I don't have any shake on mine. Someone said earlier it's because of the increase in tire size on the new bikes. I put larger wheels on mine,and haven't had any problems. I will say there is no excuse for any Harley tech that didn't know about this problem,and how the neck bearings specs were different on the RG's.
