As I understand it tire cupping is a result mainly of balancing/tire weights and/or shocks. The shock holds the tire on the ground. If the shock is leaking or springs go bad/broken the tire bounces causes cupping as will an unbalanced tire. Should not be affected by misalignment as that will cause uneven but smooth tire wear mostly on either outer edge.

 

If you've got a little time and patience the site below is a good primer to learn the basic geometry of motorcycles. But things can get very complex quick. So just learn enough to get by, especially the part about what really keeps a bike upright.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle...cycle_dynamics

My initial point was to say that Harley builds a good, well engineered motorcycle. There are reasons for odd things like wheel offsets. They're that way to make a great ride. But most dealer shops are not prepared to explain why these things are the way they are. Knowing the geometry might help. I suspect the FP does not really have a problem. I can't say for sure. He says it doesn't "feel" right and says he's built a lot of bikes to know. But my RKC displays all the dimensions his does and feels fine. So I don't know.

 

This is a bit of a rant, but my writing this for my own catharsis doesn't require you to actually read it.


I have had a different problem but a very similar experience dealing with the technical competence (or the lack there-of) with a dealer here in the LA area and also with Harley-Davidson Customer Assistance. (Now there’s an oxymoron!)

I've had no end of problems with the dealer and their technical incompetence regarding a Drive Belt tension and Rear Wheel alignment problem on my bike. Like the OP I got no help at all from Harley-Davidson Customer Assistance; another group of apparently technically clueless folks. They tried to blame a Drive Belt problem on a non-Harley-Davidson Dunlop tire that (according to written correspondence I have from Dunlop) is one thousandths of an inch different than the stock Harley-Davidson branded Dunlop, and hadn't even been installed until 6,000 miles AFTER the Drive Belt problem first appeared! Geez! Based to a large extent on the advice I got on this forum (Thank you everyone who helped me!), I purchased the “Official” Harley-Davidson Special Belt Tension and Rear Wheel Alignment Tools myself (On eBay and through Amazon.com). Then I made the Rear Wheel Alignment and Drive Belt tension adjustments by the Factory Service Manual instructions. This entire process took all of about 20 minutes . . . What a Shock! Problem fixed!

Also here in California you can do what I did; and get the "New Motor Vehicle Board" and the "Bureau of Automotive Repair" (BAR) involved. They will act as mediators, which, while they can’t actually force the dealer or Harley-Davidson to do you bidding, it does help to get the attention of folks up the food chain within Harley-Davidson. These agencies are entities that can't be completely ignored like a single consumer can. The Dealer and Harley-Davidson have to respond to them in writing within very specific periods of time. At some point it probably becomes less expensive for them to actually resolve the problem than to keep having to respond to these government agencies. In my case; Harley-Davidson has committed to reimbursing me for the tools I bought, and to give me a new Drive Belt and the Primary gaskets, etc. so I can replace the now damaged Drive Belt (from 9K miles of operation with the Rear Wheel alignment off and the Belt tension too tight). There is no way I'm going to let this dealer touch it. If they can't adjust a Drive Belt correctly I hate to think what they'd do with something more complicated . . . like wheel weights for instance!

At this stage of the game; between the incompetence of the Dealer and the Stonewalling from Harley-Davidson Customer Assistance I really don't think my warranty is worth S***, and it looks as though the OP having the same experience and getting the same BS from Harley-Davidson that I got.

If anyone does run across a good dealer here in the LA area please let me know!

 

Can you tell us what dealer did this ? I'd like to know so I make a point NOT to go there.

Thanks