How come only baggers "wobble", and not softails and dynas?
#21
All motorcycles ever made can weave and or wobble. It is part of the nature of the machine.
I tried to find a old training film that was posted here awhile back on how to control the bike by weight placement. It was from the 70's on mid weight bikes.
The safety instructor did a voice over to explain the cause and the way to correct.
I tour extensively on HD touring bikes and never experienced wobble on any in many tens of thousands of miles.
I can't say that for my XL or FWD they will wobble at speed any time.
I tried to find a old training film that was posted here awhile back on how to control the bike by weight placement. It was from the 70's on mid weight bikes.
The safety instructor did a voice over to explain the cause and the way to correct.
I tour extensively on HD touring bikes and never experienced wobble on any in many tens of thousands of miles.
I can't say that for my XL or FWD they will wobble at speed any time.
#25
LOL....that's just what I was thinking. Dyna's INVENTED the wobble. The Dyna forum SPONSOR is True Track for God sakes. It ain't just baggers, not by a long stretch.
Last edited by bikerlaw; 03-02-2014 at 08:57 PM.
#26
What's funny is a lot of people have experienced the bagger wobble and complained about it. The aftermarket has responded with many fixes that greatly improve the symptom. This issue is years old and has compounded due to the higher performance levels available today. The factory has improved the product incrementally but only recently has it worked on tackling the front side problem with the stiffer forks and clamped triple tree. Granted, the way most people ride, it's not a major problem. I don't view my bike as an RV on two wheels while I leisurely poke my way through the countryside. Motorcycling is a motor sport. I definitely believe the HD platform can be both sport and tour. Not everyone feels that way and I can achieve this with foreign iron. That's not what I want though, I want my American Iron and I can have it my way.
#27
Great post; thank you. I guess I don't know why but my 14 sure feels more stable and handles better than my 07. One thing the article did not address was the 14 front end changes. I think the new neck and forks are the reason 14's feel so stable. I have never experienced any wobble.
The old design front end was in need of update. The main problem was the lower triple tree is a pinch design and the top triple tree was not. Additionally, there is some flex in the old size tubes... This will cause some issues, but not the wobble caused by the rear swing arm mounting.
This video was in 2006, before the redesigned frame which "helped" a lot with the wobble.
With your 2014 front end and a true track stabilizer..... you'll be golden!
For us guys with the older front end, Howard at motorcycle metal is working on a full front-end solution (triple trees & Tubes), and CCE makes better triple trees for retro fit to older front ends.
#29
2009, 32k miles, FLHT with UC touring additions. New tires, Glidepro black bushing front/rear mount kit, Ohlin rear shocks, Alloy Art rear stabilizer, and retensioned steering stem bearings... I still have wobble, it's not Death-like like it was prior to the GlidePro mounts but when going 80mph+ in a turn or on a straight it is noticeable. I might upgrade the triple tree or goto a inverted fork setup later on but if doing the speed limit then the bike handles fine.
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