Does anyone really know why HD beefed up the frame and the swingarm on its 09 touring models? I've been doing some research as I decided to buy a bagger to add to my stable of bikes...I got an '06 Streetglide with 7500 miles, never dropped and exceptionally clean for some touring trips this year. I simply want an entry level touring bike to complement my '04 Deuce. Riding Softails (my wife has an '05 Heritage) definitely is a different experience than riding touring baggers...period.
I had seen several advertisements on the Touring Links Chassis Stabilizers that Progressive and other manufacturers are marketing. In some ways, an impression is conveyed that dangerous wobbles can be realized at speed around long curves etc that can contribute to mishaps....thus, that it's in your safety interests to do so.
I've talked to various bagger riders and have received mixed responses. Some of the HD parts folks are even unaware or scoff at such equipment. A response that caught my attention was "if you are doing that kind of riding, you need to do it on a cruiser or a crotch rocket... interesting opinion. Which brings me to my question:
Can anyone of you with substantial touring bike experience comment on the matter? I've even heard that the beef up program was in response to a lawsuit against The Motor Company for some mishaps atributable to the flexing of the pre-'09 touring frames. What does anyone know?

 

Many Law suits about this so Harley invented their own and patented it last year. I have posted a few times . Old news and discussed on 10's of threads and no one wished to use the search function.