I am wanting to put a touring stabilizer on my 02 Road King Classic, not because I am experiencing horrible wobbling, but because I never want to. I have it narrowed down to two: Glide-Pro or Progressive Touring Link. Both are very different systems and seem to address direct aspects, which got me thinking...

The problem with pre-09 touring bikes is horizontal movement in the swing-arm due to the lack of a third stabilizer, which appears to be an oversight by Harley even though Eric Buell designed the rubber mounted system to be used with 3 stabilizers. The Progressive Touring Link adds the 3rd stabilizer but only seems to mask the bigger issue that the rubber bushings in the swing-arm are what is causing the movement... they get worn out and allow excess movement.

So, Glide-Pro developed a system that replaces the swing-arm bushings and shaft with upgraded parts to prevent swing-arm movement. But with the Glide-Pro the bike is still missing the much needed 3rd stabilizer, so it would only make sense that over time the lack of a third stabilizer would wear down the new Glide-Pro bushings and therefore the dreaded wobble would return.

In my thinking (I could be wrong), both systems are incomplete. Each addresses a piece of the problem—lack of a 3rd link or worn-out bushings—but neither completely solves it. Instead of putting on the Glide-Pro's improved bushings and shaft, or the Progressive 3rd link, won't the best thing actually be to put on both? With the Glide-Pro system the bushings would be top quality and would not allow for horizontal movement of the swing-arm, and with the added 3rd link from Progressive the bushings would not be able to wear down and cause bagger wobble. Therefore both are needed. But on another hand, if the bushings are already high quality and have not worn out, then all that would be needed would be the 3rd link which would prevent the bushings from wearing out.

Am I on the right track, or have I completely derailed?

 

subscribed, very inerested in this subject but concerned that if I go with legend air ride like I want to, the stabilizer link would throw a wrench in my compressor instalation.

 

No one has used these products, or has thoughts about their effectiveness at solving bagger wobble?

 

There is a ton of info on this subject among the various forums. I don't use a brace, so I won't comment on them except to say that comments from most folks that have them, like them. It also seems that whatever brand that a rider has seems to be the brand of choice.

I'll bet that if you start searching the net about braces; you'll grow weary of reading all of the info out there.

 

I made my own 3rd link for my 1997 king, cost me about $80, and it wasnt hard.

The 09 I have now wobbles every now and then, you just gotta ride it out. As these bushes age I think I will need to make another 3rd link, which I will do one day.

My advice - if you have never experienced wobble you dont need a brace - you dont ride hard enough, save your money. Wobble is a very distinctive feeling, and it happens to varying degrees in different corners. You get a few little wobbles before you get a tank slapper. My 1997 king wobbled a lot, and I thought I could handle her, and one day in a long sweeper at about 90mph she nearly threw me. I was lucky there was no oncoming traffic and I could run wide. I knew it was going to hurt a lot next time and I knew I needed to do something. As i said, if you have never felt the wobble you dont have a problem so dont bother fixing it.

As for running a 3rd link and a Glide Pro this wouldnt be necessary, the 3rd link stops the lateral movement of the engine and swing arm, solving the problem. The Glide pro doesnt solve the problem, just reduces it to the point where most people wont be able to get it to wobble.

 

for all my miles on rubber mount Harleys, I've never had a problem and only felt concerned when the mounts were degraded and needed replacing.

I've done the swingarms while doing the belt, never needed to, but since I was in there...

as for bagger stability, understand that the batwing fairing unloads the front end at about 85 MPH , lower MPH if in headwinds.
that reduced traction in the front end allows the front to wiggle around

and the fairing being tied to the forks means that the wind action turns into steering input

( this unloading of the front end was the basis of CHP vs Kawsaki in the 80's, although the big factor there was weight on the rear from the police equipment combined with aerodynamics unloading the front end, causing crashes.)

the roadkings have reduced chances of unloading like the batwing bikes do, but it is there. and even adding "deflectors" to the forks can have interesting aero results

so my 2¢ is keep you mounts in good shape and have a pro align the drivetrain to chassis--- and be careful above 80 MPH, learn what that unloading feels like

mike

 

I had the progressive one ,it helped a little but i was going to do the glide pro system includeing front motor mount also. The wife let me get the 2011 instead.

 

In what way did the Progressive not work?

Thanks!

 

When I researched these things a few years ago I was surprised to find about a dozen brands. I didn't keep records, so can't list them, but there are still several out there. I also owned a Buell at the time (still do) and am familiar with the three stabilizers all Buells have.

Erik Buell invented the rubber mount system used by Harley on all its touring range (until 2009), the FXRs, all Buells and current Sportsters. For reasons Harley seems reluctant to reveal they never fitted a rear stabilizer to the FXRs or touring bikes, but do to Buells and rubber-mount Sportsters.

The engine/trans/swingarm on touring bikes are mounted in rubber, along with the rear wheel. For those of us who experience 'rear steer', the origin of it is slight movement sideways in the rear rubber mounts (behind the passenger foot-board mounts).

IMHO the stabilizer kit that gets closest to Erik Buell's original concept is True-Track and I have their kits on my old Glide (also recently sold Dyna). It provides greatly improved stability and feel, whether you ride hard or not. I love mine and it has transformed the ride.

 

I still had a high speed wobble,just not as bad as it was with out. The bushings and motor mount were the origional, so they probibly could have used replaceing anyway.The bike I had them on was 4 years old with 900 miles on it when I bought it ,so they could have been dry rotted also.