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Bike "Floats" at High Speeds

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  #11  
Old 12-23-2014 | 08:12 AM
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bigskyroadglide
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My list of things to check would be as follows

Tire pressure as per tire manfacture description or per tire sidewall

Shock air pressure

Weight or extra weight in saddlebags

Steering head bearing tightness

Motor mount front

Wheel bearings

Swing arm rear

Switch back to stock wheels

Apes

If all the above does not improve the situation

You could need to invest into a rear stabilizer or ther similar device

I would do the little low cost stuff first then move towards bigger more costly repairs
 
  #12  
Old 12-23-2014 | 08:18 AM
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i would agree with most as stated before.. i would add to set your cruise @ 68 and never go over till you get this figured out. it only takes once of you not being able to ride the wobble out and your in serious trouble
 
  #13  
Old 12-23-2014 | 08:44 AM
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Retrop
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Man, that bike has had so many customized things done to it that there is no telling what is going on. I would start by taking any custom wheels off and returning to stock wheels. Second, I would remove those 12" handlebars. All that stuff can change the geometry and characteristics drastically. Not sure what you mean by the bike "floats". If that means that it starts to wander and become unstable at speed then something is just wrong. Your steering head bearings might need adjustment. Check the fall away.
Bikes manufactured after 2008 model year have new frames which pretty much eliminated the so called "Death Wobble" you mentioned.
 
  #14  
Old 12-23-2014 | 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Uncle Larry
I'd put "Apes" on the top of the list
I've got 12" apes and have never experienced a wobble, even over 100mph. I also have stock wheels and suspension
 
  #15  
Old 12-23-2014 | 08:55 AM
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Ape haters!!!! Really??? Just can't see where 12" bars could be the problem guys.

2010 Limited with some stuff!!
 
  #16  
Old 12-23-2014 | 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by SBates08
Ape haters!!!! Really??? Just can't see where 12" bars could be the problem guys.
Apes aren't the only high bars that CAN cause handling problems. That doesn't mean to say they do in all cases! Go and ride the OP's bike for us and report back......
 
  #17  
Old 12-23-2014 | 09:08 AM
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+1 on the steering head bearings. A guy I ride with had issues on his '13 RGU right out of the box. They rebuilt it under warranty.
 

Last edited by Muttleybass; 12-23-2014 at 09:11 AM.
  #18  
Old 12-23-2014 | 09:10 AM
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What size is the rear tire? It sounds to me like you might have a 200/18 tire which is known to cause a high speed wobble. Check that out and let me know as I only mount 180/55/18 tires on an 18" rear wheel for 09 and newer baggers.
 
  #19  
Old 12-23-2014 | 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by grbrown
Apes aren't the only high bars that CAN cause handling problems. That doesn't mean to say they do in all cases! Go and ride the OP's bike for us and report back......
Okay, Ya'll lost me here somewhere,,,, how can 12" ape handlebars "cause" a motorcycle to wobble? The handlebars do not change the geometry of the motorcycle that I can see? What am I missing here? Where did ya'll come up with that?
I could buy driver error enhanced by ape handlebars, is that what your referring too?
 
  #20  
Old 12-23-2014 | 09:42 AM
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Originally Posted by DHubbs
Okay, Ya'll lost me here somewhere,,,, how can 12" ape handlebars "cause" a motorcycle to wobble? The handlebars do not change the geometry of the motorcycle that I can see? What am I missing here? Where did ya'll come up with that?
I could buy driver error enhanced by ape handlebars, is that what your referring too?
We are all subjected to increasing noise, as speed increases. The faster we ride the greater the noise level, which can easily reach or exceed 115dB. To put that into perspective, no industry is allowed to expose us to levels of noise approaching that high.

While riding we each deal with that in our different ways, but in some cases it makes a rider grip the bars tighter than is necessary, due to tension caused by the high noise level. A tight grip and 'solid' arms prevent the steering from moving slightly, to counter road irregularities etc, and causes a weave. High or wide bars in particular exaggerate that effect.

So it is nothing specific to apes, other than the leverage they give the rider over the steering.
 


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