I have a 2009 Street Glide... as I was doing some detailing the other day I noticed that something just didn't look right. I was wondering if anyone had any advice or thoughts on this.....excuse the long explaination and lack of technical terminology.

Running along the top of the fender on each side there are two pieces of chrome, I dont know the techical part name, but its where the quick-detach mounts attach for the back-rest and luggage rack. I noticed that the right side has a pretty good gap(maybe 3/8 inch) between the chrome piece and the fender. On the left side the chrome has almost no gap at all and it is snug to the fender.

I investigated further by removing the saddle bags to see if maybe the bolts were loose. As I stuck my hand under the right side ( the side with the gap ) I noticed are pretty large gap between the fender and the tire (maybe 2-2 1/2 inches, nothing abmormal) but the bolts seemed to be tight. I then attempted to inspect the left side ( the side without any gap) only to find my hand got stuck between the tire and the fender. There is maybe a 1/2 inch between the tire and the fender. It seems as if the fender is twisted or purposely tightend to the left side so that the tire doesn't rub.

I know a Harley is a Harley and the engineering will never be perfect, but now I am curious if maybe there is a more serious issue. I would expect this from a bike built in the 70s but not a new-aged $21k machine. Is the frame or swing arm possibly wielded wrong or something is just mounted wrong? Could this cause a problem in the future?


I took a few pics of the gap between the Chrome piece and the fender. Using my finger as the reference to attempt to show the gap, its hard to see... the first pic is of the left side without a gap, the second the right side with the gap.

Do anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance.

 

They are called fender strut covers. Take it in and show it to the dealer and make them correct it.