2012 Street Glide stability problem
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,260
Likes: 44
From: Back woods of Maine
Just for grins and giggles take a look at your rear tire to make sure that it is mounted with the rotational direction correct. I have a friend who took his bike to an indy for a new tire. When he brought it home, it was very hard to handle, squirmed constantly. He checked the tire, an OE Dunlop, when he got home and it was mounted backwards. He brought it back to the indy, they remounted the tire in the proper direction and the problem went away. Turns out, the indy hired a high school kid to do tires for him and the kid didn't pay attention.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,524
Likes: 34
From: Maryland
Firstly, disregard everyone on these forums that immediately posts "I have a (similar bike) and I have never had that happen!". It continues to boggle me as to how that's supposed to help.
The weave / wiggle / wobble you feel is real, regardless of how many people haven't felt it.
These bikes are not all perfectly identical. The MoCo has some strange tolerances and things slip through the cracks. Trust your experience not these forum nerds.
You've checked some simple things, now move on to some bigger things.
What I felt as ***-end wiggle on highway sweeps was actually a tight steering head bearing. To check that, lift the bike so that the front end is clear, get any binding cables or gear outta the way and turn the bars all the way to one side then let go. The should smoothly roll to the opposite direction, then back to center, perhaps just past center and then to rest. Do this from the left and right. Mine barely just made it to center from the left and never to center from the right. I tore into the fairing and adjusted the bearing and viola, it handles SO much better. The manual even says that if it's too tight the bike will not be able to absorb a weave and if it's too loose it can develop a wobble.
So, now you did the drop-down test from the manual and it's perfect. Awesome, now strap that bike to your lift with the rear wheel hanging try putting significant, but not harmful, upward pressure on your drive belt. Does the swing-arm move horizontally? If so, that's a problem. I'd never heard of this test, but a builder buddy had a bike in his shop that they diagnosed in this way. You can also just manhandle the thing to see if there's is play. Inspect the swing arm mount and engine mount bushings for weird wear while she's in the air. If you suspect the swing-arm is moving horizontally, Progressive Suspension is selling a Tour-Link for the 2009-2012 models to address this exact issue. I got mine from directharparts.com for $50 less than MSRP. I'm still trying to decide whether to install it.
If it's under warranty and you trust your dealer, make them check this stuff out, why not?
The weave / wiggle / wobble you feel is real, regardless of how many people haven't felt it.
These bikes are not all perfectly identical. The MoCo has some strange tolerances and things slip through the cracks. Trust your experience not these forum nerds.
You've checked some simple things, now move on to some bigger things.
What I felt as ***-end wiggle on highway sweeps was actually a tight steering head bearing. To check that, lift the bike so that the front end is clear, get any binding cables or gear outta the way and turn the bars all the way to one side then let go. The should smoothly roll to the opposite direction, then back to center, perhaps just past center and then to rest. Do this from the left and right. Mine barely just made it to center from the left and never to center from the right. I tore into the fairing and adjusted the bearing and viola, it handles SO much better. The manual even says that if it's too tight the bike will not be able to absorb a weave and if it's too loose it can develop a wobble.
So, now you did the drop-down test from the manual and it's perfect. Awesome, now strap that bike to your lift with the rear wheel hanging try putting significant, but not harmful, upward pressure on your drive belt. Does the swing-arm move horizontally? If so, that's a problem. I'd never heard of this test, but a builder buddy had a bike in his shop that they diagnosed in this way. You can also just manhandle the thing to see if there's is play. Inspect the swing arm mount and engine mount bushings for weird wear while she's in the air. If you suspect the swing-arm is moving horizontally, Progressive Suspension is selling a Tour-Link for the 2009-2012 models to address this exact issue. I got mine from directharparts.com for $50 less than MSRP. I'm still trying to decide whether to install it.
If it's under warranty and you trust your dealer, make them check this stuff out, why not?
Maybe the screw I found in the front tire has taken it out of balance? It is not loosing air though. I may have to start a thread about plugging/patching/or new tire. Haven't seen as much doing a search as I would have expected.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
+1 on this. Check your shocks, too much or not enough air will make it go squirrel on you.
Last edited by jjnoble; Jul 13, 2012 at 08:23 AM.
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