Great day to ride in middle TN high 60's but windy. I should not complain about my beautiful 08 fatboy buy it is driving me crazy. The geometry of the bike is not correct it is tracking like a small plane crabbing in a crosswind. Everyone who rides it but the dealer notices it immediately. They say that they have no idea what I am talking about. They have looked at the bike three times for this problem and still will not acknowledge the problem. Am I Crazy? Any thoughts please let me know. I have a local mechanic looking at the bike in the next few days maybe he can help. I love the bike but if this is normal I can't live with it.

 

You've taken the next step - getting another mech to look at it. Even better would be to find another dealer to take a gander at it.

 

I rode a fat boy for five years and I noticed the same feeling, It was the solid wheels I change the wheels and it change the feel of the bike 100%. the solid wheels do not have good aerodynamics...

 

Its not the first time thatthis has come up with solid wheeled models,makes sense though.

 

And if it's just the solid wheels, don't sweat it--you'll get used to it. Seriously, it bugged me out a bit at first, but quickly became a non-issue.

 

Does it always crab in the same direction? Has the rear axle alignment been checked? What has been done (by anyone to the bike)? Seems to me that the obvious needs to be eliminated first. The front and rear wheel travel in the same direction, so one (the rear) must be out-of-alignment relative to bike centerline. I'll bet the farm that when the other person here changed the rear wheel, the new one was aligned correctly.

 

Those solid wheels!!! I have a few buds with them and that seems to be themain complaint with fatboy owners.

 

What he said and ....

Especially in the wind, x-wind's were the worst. When passing a truck I've been moved completely across the lane []by the wind.

 

One black fly....Nothing has been done yet because they keep telling me nothing is wrong. I am hoping that the new guy that I am taking it to can get it straightened out it is probably something very simple. I will have him check the rear axle alignment that is what I am also thinking is the problem. I have two new chromed 08 fatboy wheels that I just had chromed I am putting on. Hoping when I put them on it gets aligned correctly. I wish I was a little bit more confident in my ability to work on the bike myself. I just hate to pay someone else for what should be covered under warranty but what do I do.

 

As a quick check with a good tape measure, carefully measure the distance between the rear swingarm pivot centerline and the rear axle centerline on both sides. Make the measurements several times on each side. Those left/right measurements need to be within 1/32" or better yet, less. If not, then the rear axle is misaligned. Start there. Easy check to hopefully anwser one question.