Steering dampers stop head shake. Head shake on a tourer is rare, I havent experienced it. Its probably rare because of the steering head angle and the fact that its pretty hard to get the front wheel to go really light.

I had a Suzuki TLR 1000 and she would shake her head often, you could feel the steering damper working.

Bagger wobble (high speed wobble) is something different caused by the rubbers mounts of the swing arm flexing at high speed when leant over.

I was dropping my shoulder into the corner, but I wasnt comfortable enough or experienced enough to get moving on the seat.

 

The tru-track, in my opinion seems like garbage, trying to be sold on the "fear" of wobble. There website is ridiculous- that harley guy crashing in the corner has nothing to do with high speed wobble-he was an idiot who fell off his bike.

Having said that, the other company that replaces the rubber mounts seems like it would cure that problem you are seeing. Personally, I would start there.

There is a off ramp here that is 40mph, and cuts in tighter as it finishes. I was pushing my flht through at just under 70 scraping. I tried shifting my weight-butt-off the seat, now I can make it through at 75 scraping slightly, and exiting at 80. Its amazing the amount of lean you can gain just by shifting off the bike.

 

Oh I can shift my weight easy on the road I do it all the time. I can move on the seat, or move my shoulder into the corner. Both make a huge difference.

On the track is different mate, you have 12 corners in about 2 mins, you are turning in at 35 to 80 mph. Things are happening real fast. The best I can do was to ride the bike and try to learn the track. The most important thing to me was to stay on, have fun and maybe learn something. I have no doubt this bike can go faster than I can ride it.

I had a 1997 King before this, and it wobbled all the time. I made my own true track (cost me about $80) and it made the bike a heap better. The fact that you ride a 1998 and dont think wobble happens has me perplexed.

Stabilisers that stop the lateral movement of the swingarm & engine relative to the frame will always work.

Bagger wobble is real. A stabiliser is a better solution than stiffer bushes in my opinion. Bushes will always flex. A link cant.

 

Gotcha. I have never been on a track. Looks like a blast.

I understand the bushings can still possibly flex, and the link does control side to side motion. But arent the bushings also flexing up and down?

I can come out of that turn at 80, where it is straightening out. And its stock. And yes, it wobbles, and gets all sorts of squirrely when I do it. Thats why I am working on gettin ohlins or penskes. Havent decided what to do for the forks yet.

So to answer your question-nothing-just added someone dumb enough to try.

 

Just re-read your post-

Just to clarify, I do know they wobble. I run my bike hard enough to experience it. I was more trying to figure out the better solution to it.

 

You are right, the bushes move up and down, but that isnt a problem. Its the lateral movement that causes rear steer.

I have #6 ohlins from Howard, probably the best shocks around. They dont stop wobble unfortunately!

 

Ok, thanks for the info. Its rare to find someone actually riding their bike to the breaking point, at the track even! Feedback from people that run them is gold compared to those that *think* problems happen.

 

why?
thats my question..

you can pick up a used track prepped bike for next to nothing..
and is waaaaaaaaaaay more fun than a RK would be on the track.

i mean im super impressed in what you did, and kudos to you for furthering your riding experiences..

but i couldnt imagine having much fun on a touring harley on a track
i had the best time i ever riding on the track.. and it was on a sport bike


again though that is pretty bauce what ya did!

 

That looks like a lot of fun, you and the bike are truly living up to the name, lol, great pics and write up.

 

I thought riding the RK was great fun. To me my RK is just so awesome, there is nothing I would rather ride. The sound, the performance and handling is sublime.

I owned a sport bike and a RK for years, and found it very frustrating. When I was on the sport bike I found that it was just so much faster than I could think that it was frustrating. And it was uncomfortable, I hated the riding position.

Thats why I built this bike. I wanted 11 second performance (which is fast enough for me) without compromising comfort or 2 up touring.

Mission Accomplished.