Well you bring up an excellent point, I do have issues with that leg (right tibia/fibula) where the titanium rods are. When I was hit, my lower right leg took the entire impact so I do limp and have weird twitches but I never thought it was affecting my brake. I'm gonna definitely check the rotor, this is possible (it's OEM 30k or more), and I've never had this issue on my last 15 bikes, but I'm getting older and less precise.

I'll keep everyone posted but thank you for the information and what to look for! It's also possible that I'm just unable to fine press the brake because of my leg issues (with a far better brake system) then I'm used to. I had to STOMP my rear brakes on all my shovels. Shovels made up the majority of the 30 years I've been riding so at this point, anything if possible!

 

So it turns out, you hit the nail on the head with my leg damage! Turns out, I'm not lighting up my rear at take off but I'm sure as heck, locking up the rear when slowing but my dang super glide is so smooth, it feels like normal dyna swings so I didn't even notice it. I've felt this since day 1 so it's a normal vibration to me (over 30,000 miles ago) but it's my own fault. I'm going to the doctor this month (hopefully, he's a specialist so it's difficult to see), but I'm going to discuss my nerve damage and bone damage (the titanium makes my leg pulse all day long) especially with humidity so I'm actually twitching without noticing it all day long (on and off the bike). That PLUS my damn rotor IS warped!! IDK how I didn't catch the warp OR that I'm locking up, it's so gradual and almost unnoticeable that I've been doing it for years. The ONLY difference between my big twins are age of manufacturing, meaning all but 3, of my 16 big twins, were SHOVELHEADS, with 2 evos and my current EFI super glide! Of those, most were drum brakes (to keep it original) but some I modified to disc but I just never noticed it before. My drums needed me to STOMP hard so it wasn't an issue. The 3 big twins that weren't shovels, were 2 evo Softail (Fatboy and heritage classic) with my current super glide EFI (07). Between the timing of owning my EFI dyna (current bike) and my last shovel was 2 years or so in between so I just didn't catch my twin cam was stopping so much better plus my natural titanium twitch I live with (since 95), I just didn't catch was happening.

Yeah I know that sounds silly, someone with 30 years riding and rebuilding so many Harley Davidsons over the years, how could I not notice, well it's simple. My shovels were vibrating machines, I've ridden EVERY type of shovel, hard tail, FX, and so on, that I've just gotten used to the vibrating and terrible rides, so I didn't catch the my dyna slipping under me. It's really hard to explain if it doesn't happen to yours, but it does NOT feel like it's locking/slipping at all, instead it just feels like my dampeners are old, and vibrating like normal. Even the guy behind me, says it doesn't make sense because it was happening so fast, he didn't notice it for the majority of the ride, until he caught me chirp the tiniest bit at the end of a day long ride. To me, that blip is barely felt on the bike so I had no idea but now I understand why I have flat spots (and no other bike has happened like this so I didn't think of my leg damages). That's because of disk verse drum brakes.

This is EXACTLY why I come here, and play dumb. I ask questions across a large spectrum so I get a lot of different answers. From the answers, I pick out what I think is going on then check and confirm the theory. If I had come here asking for the best tire, I'd get opinions, but when I say things like, 8,000 miles and my tires aren't lasting, you guys all pick it apart and help my brain, help me come up with the answer. The answer here is my leg damage and warped rotors, both of which I didn't think anything of, until you guys mentioned it!!

Thank you all, and as usual, I am the culprit but I couldn't figure what the heck I was doing or what was failing, but now I understand my leg is part of the issue with a warped rotor. I can only assume I warped the rotor when I last fixed a bearing that melted to the rim, and I spent 3 days dremel'ing it out. I'll replace the rotor and pass and go from there but thank you everyone!!

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Maybe you could rig up an interconnected braking system like my wife's Freewheeler and eliminate the foot brake all together.

 

Nah, I need the fine control of rear to engine brake to front brake. I know pretty much the speed I'm at, in what gear, at what RPM with the vibrations. I use engine brake and the vibrations to tell me the speed and/or to slow the bike with the engine, then rear, then front and I know roughly the speed max in what gear so all I gotta do is keep it in gear and engine brake. I have ridden since 91 legally but since I could walk starting in 81 (dirt bike/quad/mini bike), then I was hit in 95 so since then, I always ride with two fingers on the clutch, and 1 on the front brake at all times, no matter the distance. It's the only way I feel safe, so I can react as quickly as needed, I'm also shifting up and down far more than anyone I ride with. I do it to keep me in my powerband so I'm always at max power to pull away from danger, or release the throttle to engine brake. I've done it so long now, that I'd be afraid to try anything else (like you suggestion).

My family, work, friends, none of them get it, but I feel the safest alone, on my Harley, than I EVER do in an car or truck. I have full control over the entire ride so all I gotta do is watch out for dummies with cars. It's muscle memory at this point so I'm not even thinking about it (and likely how I missed the lockups, thinking is was vibration). I appreciate the idea though, I'm always open to learning something new but with my brakes, I need it to be specific to rear and front separate..

 

I don't want to start a fight, but it seems that's exactly what you don't have, given that you are inadvertently locking up the back wheel. Maybe time to think outside that box!

 

No no, you're 1 trillion percent right, but now that I know what's happening (and I'm locking up), I am being way more aware of it know, and more cognitive of it, and haven't locked up since. That plus, I am redoing rotor, pads, bearing and tire this weekend in hopes to resolve it for good.

Just like there's no dumb question, there's no dumb advice in my book! I listen to everyone and always have and always will, then share my findings and advice to others down the road. In my opinion, it's how we all stay safer (by knowing the INS and OUTS) of everything by other bikers!

I appreciate the feedback!

 

Maybe you should learn to depend more on the front like I do.. I use engine braking on the rear and primarily front braking for normal riding..

 

That's exactly what I've been doing with engine brake, and using far less rear use. I missed your reply, I apologize, I just saw it when I came to make an update on exactly what you're saying.

I was gonna say, that now I'm more aware of what I've been doing, I am more alert and watching my twitch (right leg) and using my front more than I ever did in the past and sure enough, it hasn't locked up (as far as I know). I have a big ride tomorrow and I lead 100 bikes (all types, not a Harley run) so I've asked everyone behind me to let me know if they see it and to keep an eye out for it. They're all aware of my past, and are well aware of my accident and my health issues from it, so they know I have leg issues but we didn't yet know, that it's causing lockups.

​​​​​They all rely on me to keep them safe (my experience over 30 years legally riding big twins and over 40 years illegally riding) so I'm the most experienced. I'm saying that to make the point that even with all that experience, I am still not perfect and clearly locking up the rears without knowing it! I use it to teach them because they all think I'm like Harley Davidson from Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. They think I'm the best rider they know, so I'm using it to teach them, you're NEVER perfect and to ALWAYS be aware of everything!

I am trying to use it (my rear lockups, aka my MISTAKES) as a teaching tool to help the newbs behind me on the runs be safe now, and without me! We've already had a paralyzing accident, the one ride I couldn't do so it's critical to me to teach them and keep them safe!! My main point is that, you're NEVER proficient enough to lax on riding and I'm trying to get them to understand to ALWAYS be on their game and to ALWAYS keep frosty no matter what!!

I hope my words came out right, I don't mean to sound arrogant or a know it all, but riding is my life and I died twice doing so but it's super important to me to keep new riders safe. That's all I meant with the Harley movie comment, they all think I'm 'cool' but that's not my intention. I use my experience and straight pipes to mentor and keep them safe, they all look up to me so I try to use my failures as a teaching tool. That's all I'm saying... Other then riding and being a good father and good at what I do in my career, I'm a disaster everywhere else in life. I know it and I'm OK with it. Riding is the ONLY thing that keeps me sane so I want everyone else who is the same, to be safe.

Sorry I'm so long winded and write books, I don't mean to but I always have to over explain everything but it's also something I am working on! My new tire will be here tomorrow (Amazon).

 

Just wanted to give an update, the shinko is amazing, I did an 8 hour ride yesterday, I led 100/150+ ​​​​​bikes through upper NY State, starting NYC, and it is a gripper! I'm gonna stick with these for now, especially with how quick I burn through them! I haven't felt that stable so far (IDK how many miles anymore but a lot) with my latest super glide. I don't have a speedo for mileage (I use my PV4 always on for RPM, speed, temp, knock/pings and other monitoring) but no actual mileage. I have no true idea of the mileage anymore but I do ride every day to work and never drive my brand new VW tiguan bought in January and I run rides every weekend so it's getting up there. I was always able to corner well, but now it seems amazing!

I don't think I locked up once with being aware, thanks everyone, I think I got this under control now!

One other question I'd like advice on is clutch cables, I'm on my 3rd clutch cable, in under 3 or 4 years. I know that's insanely fast to be breaking them but two things, 1 it's a Barnett performance clutch so it's tougher than stock. And 2, I do upshift/downshift a lot more than most bikers to keep in her the powerband at all times for safety (speed up with a twist of throttle or slow down quickly engine braking). I ride her every day so I get it, a lot of miles means wear and tear but I'm sick of adjusting and changing and always worrying.

Since being hit, I'm always aware and always ready to pull away or slow down using the engine brake (so I'm always riding around 2,500 RPM to 4,000 RPM). That being said, does anyone have recommendations on bullet proof cables? I've been using first, Amazon rush (to get back riding) but not the best quality, than JP cycles version (can't remember what brand but was about 75$s) and I bought the 3rd at a swap meet, so who knows but I want a good, long lasting cable. Money isn't a problem to spend more for one that lasts and doesn't strand me. I just want peace and mind so I'll spend a couple hundred dollars if needed but I don't want them stretching and breaking anymore. My last one I just replaced was stretching every few months so I was constantly adjusting but I just replaced it with the 3rd (doing a tranny flush). I do everything myself and have since the 80s, so doing the replacement is quick and easy, but I don't want to carry one in my bags, wrapped in a tight circle anymore, it's a pain in the *** to carry a spare, but I do, just in case.

​​​This is what I was considering but I'm open to all suggestions, I want the strongest cable possible:

Barnett Performance Products 101-30-10033HE6 - Black Vinyl Clutch Cable
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