Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 9  All

Author Topic: The Harley Death Wobble  (Read 51517 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Cvostu

  • 5k CVO Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5128

    • CVO1: 2023 Whiskey Neat road glide custom
    • CVO2: 2019 Mako Shark Fade road glide custom
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #45 on: May 20, 2011, 10:23:03 PM »

I can't see that one at all ???
Logged

jcd520

  • Guest
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #46 on: May 22, 2011, 08:41:26 PM »

I tend to ride a LOT harder than I should at times here in Arizona. High speed wobble with my '07 SEUC DEFINITELY exists ! I can't speak for others but the factors that make the bike wobble erraticlly are NOT present at 30 MPH or anywhere near that speed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry the guy is hurt and sorry the "NEWS" reported it as a "Death Wobble"

You are sadly mistaken my friend. I have a brand new SESG and it does exactly this same thing at 25-35 when decelerating to a stop. There are several posts about this on the FLHXSE topic and others with road glides and other electra glides do it also. It is nothing new or unheard of.
Logged

kraut

  • 1K CVO Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1830
  • Ride & Have Fun

    • CVO1: FLHTCUSE4
    • Harley Café Dresden
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #47 on: May 23, 2011, 04:55:38 AM »

Hmmm,

whereas the high speed wobble is an almost ancient topic with all touring models (with road glides it seemed to be less reported but perhaps just because of their lower numbers) at least until 2009, the slow speed wobble (to my knowledge) was previously reported only from road glides and reports started to become more frequent since last year (only very few were imported to Europe before).

But you are the first I read mentioning a new batwing bike to be affected by a slow speed wobble  :nervous:
Logged
CU on the road, Hans

Ride & Have Fun

StrokedRider

  • If i had to do it all over again i would Ride a little harder, Love a little better and Stay a little longer.
  • Elite CVO Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 550
  • Ride Hard, Live Free!

    • CVO1: 2007 FLHTCUSE2 Candy Red / Black Ice (SOLD to Mjcw01)
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #48 on: May 23, 2011, 10:18:29 AM »

You are sadly mistaken my friend. I have a brand new SESG and it does exactly this same thing at 25-35 when decelerating to a stop. There are several posts about this on the FLHXSE topic and others with road glides and other electra glides do it also. It is nothing new or unheard of.
I think you may be confused about my post..... i was remarking about my '07 SEUC not a SESG.
Logged
"Harley Davidson - The Perfect Machine to Turn Gasoline into Noise Without the Pesky Bi-Product of Horsepower!"

jcd520

  • Guest
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #49 on: May 23, 2011, 10:59:12 AM »

That is an electra glide as is the street glide, standard, ultra, road king, classic , road glide. They all have the exact same frame and steering head rake and trail. The only one with any significant difference is the road glide with frame mounted fairing. The issue seems to be with the steering head bearings or rake/trail  more than the fairing from everything I have read. Some have even claimed out of balance tires, bad wheel bearings and a multitude of other fixes. Nevertheless they do it and in some situations it gets out of control.
Logged

HUBBARD

  • 2.5K CVO Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4082
  • FLHTCUSE7
    • WV

Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #50 on: May 23, 2011, 11:12:37 AM »

Sure is a lotta' fuss about "The High-Speed Wobble."  No doubt, I'm one of the lucky ones.  As I stated here, way back, I experienced the "Wobble", once on Ol' Maudie, at about 100 MPH in a very slight sweeping turn to the left.  Wasn't violent, but definitely got my attention.  I went through all the "if it ain't this, it's gotta' be that" BS 'till I was tired of hearing it.  BTW, I don't run Lower-Leg Fairings.  I decided I would just run that "wobble" out of the Ol' Girl.  Rear Tire 40psi, solo or 2-up, Front Tire, 38psi.  She only registers 120 MPH, and she's been there more times than Dale Jr. has lost a Race.  The fact of the matter is, if I keep my big a$$ed left foot on the hi-way peg on the crash bar, NO WOBBLE from 0 to WFO, for any distance, straight line or draggin' the floorboards.  Take my foot off the hi-way peg, she'll start that chit again.  I know some of you Mental Giants will reference my findings as drivel.  Quite contraire.  Come follow me and see, if you can keep up.  8) Later--HUBBARD        
Logged
2012 FLHTCUSE7  (Electric Orange/Black)  Built Motor (124), D&D "Borzilla" Exhaust, Tilley/K&N Air Induction,
"National President"-"Hillbilly Rocket Riders", MC, Mother Chapter, WV
"National President"-"W.H.O.R.E", TPT, WV Chapter

2018_FLTRXSE

  • 1K CVO Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2227
  • Wait 6 months?... YES it was worth the wait!
    • HI


    • CVO1: 2018_FLTRXSE, Gunship Grey, (Delivered July 28, 2018... after almost 9 )
    • CVO2: 2001_FLTRSEI, Grey/Black/Silver w/Hannigan Hack and a blast to ride.
    • CVO3: 2012_FLTRXSE, Maple/Black (Delivered 1/20/2012 - Traded 10/25/2017)
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #51 on: May 23, 2011, 06:54:55 PM »

Sure is a lotta' fuss about "The High-Speed Wobble."  No doubt, I'm one of the lucky ones.  As I stated here, way back, I experienced the "Wobble", once on Ol' Maudie, at about 100 MPH in a very slight sweeping turn to the left.  Wasn't violent, but definitely got my attention.  I went through all the "if it ain't this, it's gotta' be that" BS 'till I was tired of hearing it.  BTW, I don't run Lower-Leg Fairings.  I decided I would just run that "wobble" out of the Ol' Girl.  Rear Tire 40psi, solo or 2-up, Front Tire, 38psi.  She only registers 120 MPH, and she's been there more times than Dale Jr. has lost a Race.  The fact of the matter is, if I keep my big a$$ed left foot on the hi-way peg on the crash bar, NO WOBBLE from 0 to WFO, for any distance, straight line or draggin' the floorboards.  Take my foot off the hi-way peg, she'll start that chit again.  I know some of you Mental Giants will reference my findings as drivel.  Quite contraire.  Come follow me and see, if you can keep up.  8) Later--HUBBARD        

you know what?... there might be a little truth in this...

I keep air pressure up.. 40/41 on the RG...no highway pegs though...so I cant comment on that....

LEO have been pretty vigilant here lately, so I've been pretty mellow.

There are days when I feel the need I will open up and havent had a wiggle/wobble yet...

Lets see what happens when I put new front and rear's on her this week... I'm sure that'll jack everything up.
Logged

No more Hawaii HOG Rally... ask HOG why...

moscooter

  • 1K CVO Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1270
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #52 on: May 23, 2011, 08:33:01 PM »

 :cherry:
Interesting topic.  While I have experienced a high speed wobble,  it was many yrs ago and on a small bike and not a HD.   However,  I have from time to time,  had the low-speed wobble on my SE Ultra when going 10 mph or less like into a gas station or driveway.

It seems to me that weight (distribution) may pay a critical role in having or (not) having the wobble.   I have heard of riders that have the wobble riding alone,  but do not have it when their wifes are on board behind them. :nixweiss:

The bulk of heavy items should be within the "triangle" and anything outside the triangle should be minimized but with the Touring HD,  it's not clear that this holds true........given the wife on the back or the legs on the highway pegs versus straight down, etc.

For those of you from West Virginia,............the "triangle" mentioned above consists of lines drawn between the axles and the top of the riders head.   Again, most weight should be (within) that triangle.............which means that anything in a tour pak is pretty much totally (outside) of the triangle.  So go figure on the still unknown reason or reasons for the well known ............"wobble". :-\
Logged

kraut

  • 1K CVO Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1830
  • Ride & Have Fun

    • CVO1: FLHTCUSE4
    • Harley Café Dresden
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #53 on: May 24, 2011, 03:18:57 AM »

It seems to me that weight (distribution) may pay a critical role in having or (not) having the wobble.   I have heard of riders that have the wobble riding alone,  but do not have it when their wifes are on board behind them. :nixweiss:

that's my experience too. While solo the "danger zone" started around 100 mph two up was safe even at 120 with my last (05) Road King. But still I never felt really comfortable  :nervous:

Slow speed wobble I never experienced nor even heard of until last year.
Logged
CU on the road, Hans

Ride & Have Fun

bikerboy53

  • Full CVO Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 237
  • FLHRSEI.ORG
    • OR


    • CVO1: Razor Red '07 FLHRSE3
    • CVO2: Red & Slate '10 FLHTCUSE5
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #54 on: May 25, 2011, 03:36:52 PM »

Can anyone explain the difference between a wobble and a weave? I have had two bikes that either wobbled or weaved (not sure which) when pushed aggressively in a corner.

My '05 Road King wobbled (weaved?) in fast corners no matter what the dealership did to try to fix it. And now, for the first time my '10 FLHTCUSE with about 11,000 miles on it has wobbled noticeably in a freeway sweeper at about 80 mph. My wife was on the back at the time too. Did NOT make me (or her) happy!  >:( I checked the three-swing afterwards and found that, depending on how strong a shove I gave it, it would just start a third swing. I think that sounds too loose based on what I've heard here?

I thought the "new" frame was suppposed to fix all this stuff? Of course my bike has been modified -it has the Harley front lowering springs, and lowered Bitubo's on the rear, so I'm sure the dealership and/or factory won't touch it now. I'm not sure what to do other than adjust the steering head bearings and maybe put the stock suspension back on it? (I'm 5'9" but have a little trouble reaching the ground on off-camber stops with this bike at stock height.) I always keep my tires at the maximum recommended (owner's manual) pressure, my rear tire is new, and the front is a D408 (I think) with about 11,000 miles on it.

Or maybe it's time for a new bike? Seems like every other Harley I've had has experienced this problem. My '98 Wide Glide was fine, my '05 Road King wobbled, my '07 SERK is great (but still battling oil leaks...), and my '10 CUSE now wobbles. If I could afford a new one, I would be tempted to go for it. I'm tired of not being able to trust my bike when I want to ride it hard!  :(
Logged
S&S T124
HPI 55mm Throttle Body w/5.3 injectors
VP-016-340 Centrifugal Clutch kit
S&S PowerTune Duals w/Rinehart Touring Mufflers
Garmin Zumo 660
Bushtec Trailer

DDavidson

  • 1K CVO Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2284

    • CVO1: 2009 FLTRSE3 Yellow Pearl/Charcoal Slate
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #55 on: May 25, 2011, 10:45:05 PM »

Had a wobble and it went away after the third shop (Metal Dragon) made sure the neck bearings had the proper amount of grease.

The first shop said everything was okay. The second shop said it needed a bit of grease and my front tire was cupped so put on a new tire. Wobble came back the next day.  At Metal Dragon I watched Joe pump in a good amount of grease until it was pumping out the bottom with every squeeze. Problem finally was fixed in my case.

The first two shops observed grease at the bottom of the neck and must have thought because it was there it was full. I think it must have leaked down leaving an air space. At Metal Dragon we wanted to see it actually pump out, and gave it a few extra pumps just for good measure.

Three HD shops got it wrong. Where I purchased it didn't do the setup correctly, where I took it in the first time, and the place that replaced the cupped tire. (Not sure if it was supposed to be greased during manufacturing? If so make it 4.)

To have this type of problem, you would think the grease must be a major expense or it must be labor intensive to have to wipe it off of the bottom of the neck.

With the wobble, I was beginning to hate the bike, but now I really enjoy the ride! Knock on wood.

I've heard of a different wobble than mine as well.
Logged
Semper Fi
Get your "Motor Running Head", out on the highway!

What we've got here is... failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men

cvobiker

  • 2.5K CVO Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2643
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #56 on: May 26, 2011, 09:18:57 AM »

On my 2008 Ultra, I've noticed a slight whoable at high speeds (70-90mph) in long sweepers and only while riding solo while my wife riding a 2006 CVO Ultra never has. My Fat Bob has been through all types of extremes up to 120+ MPH and never any signs of a whoable. Over the years, I've heard many whoable stories happening with Harley touring models and all of them seem specific to solo riders, or at least the greatest percentage. With that said, it makes me wonder if the whoable syndrome is tied into the front and rear shocks  :nixweiss: I'm just saying, we know the touring models have whoable issues not prone to all bikes, some do it, some don't.....someone has to figure this out. Mother Harley sure wont
Logged

Keats

  • 2.5K CVO Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2642
  • Do not be led astray

    • CVO1: 2008 FLHTCUSE3
    • CVO2: 2003 FXSTDSEI
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #57 on: May 26, 2011, 10:12:23 AM »



FYI,

this was not a Road Glide.......



Costa said his speed was about 25-30 mph when, "The whole bike started shaking. I had no idea why the bike was vibrating like that, and it wasn't a little vibrating. I never felt anything like that in my life."

"I got this thought in my head I'm going over the ravine, and I don't want to go down," Costa said.

Costa did go down and was flown to a Phoenix hospital, where he coded and then slipped into a coma. Five days later, he awoke with a quadruple compound leg fracture, eight broken ribs and a punctured lung.

His massive Harley-Davidson Road King was totaled.


It was a "massive" Road King...


you have got to love the press, makes the whole story subject to the "hairy" eyeball
« Last Edit: May 26, 2011, 10:14:05 AM by Keats »
Logged
Formally FLHTCUSE3
SoA #99.9            "Never say Die"
SEST,   open A/C , dyno tuned, D&D Fatcats 2 into 1 ceramic coated, new SE CNC Ported and coated Heads with 2.120 intake valve, SE camplate,
Jims SE Crank "Darkhorsed", Timkin conversion, Andrews 54H cams, Arnott Air shocks, intimidator front valves, HID headlights, LED turn signals, Moto Lights,  Zumo 550, SE compensator.

HUBBARD

  • 2.5K CVO Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4082
  • FLHTCUSE7
    • WV

Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #58 on: May 26, 2011, 01:04:58 PM »

:cherry:
Interesting topic.  While I have experienced a high speed wobble,  it was many yrs ago and on a small bike and not a HD.   However,  I have from time to time,  had the low-speed wobble on my SE Ultra when going 10 mph or less like into a gas station or driveway.

It seems to me that weight (distribution) may pay a critical role in having or (not) having the wobble.   I have heard of riders that have the wobble riding alone,  but do not have it when their wifes are on board behind them. :nixweiss:

The bulk of heavy items should be within the "triangle" and anything outside the triangle should be minimized but with the Touring HD,  it's not clear that this holds true........given the wife on the back or the legs on the highway pegs versus straight down, etc.

For those of you from West Virginia,............the "triangle" mentioned above consists of lines drawn between the axles and the top of the riders head.   Again, most weight should be (within) that triangle.............which means that anything in a tour pak is pretty much totally (outside) of the triangle.  So go figure on the still unknown reason or reasons for the well known ............"wobble". :-\


I knew one of those "mental giants" I referred to would speak up.  Triangle, fliangle.  My angle is, where my Ol' Led-Sled is concerned, is all about aerodynamics.  Left foot on the Hi-way Peg, NO WOBBLE.  Left foot on the Floorboard, WOBBLES LIKE A BITCH.   That's an irrefutable fact.  There endeth the lesson.  8) Later--HUBBARD    
« Last Edit: May 26, 2011, 01:10:30 PM by HUBBARD »
Logged
2012 FLHTCUSE7  (Electric Orange/Black)  Built Motor (124), D&D "Borzilla" Exhaust, Tilley/K&N Air Induction,
"National President"-"Hillbilly Rocket Riders", MC, Mother Chapter, WV
"National President"-"W.H.O.R.E", TPT, WV Chapter

JCZ

  • Global Moderator
  • 10K CVO Member
  • *****
  • Online Online
  • Posts: 23519
    • AZ


    • CVO1: 04 SEEG...sold
    • CVO2: 10 SESG...sold
    • CVO3: 13 FLHTCSE 8
Re: The Harley Death Wobble
« Reply #59 on: May 26, 2011, 01:39:02 PM »

I think it's the Hookey-Pookie. :huepfenlol2:
Logged
Never trade the thrills of living for the security of existence.  Remember...it's the journey, not the destination!

West Coast GTG   
Reno, NV (04), Reno, NV (05),  Cripple Creek, CO (06)  Hood River, OR (09), Lake Tahoe, CA (11) Carmel, CA (14), Ouray CO (15) Fortuna, Ca. (16)
Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 9  All
 

Page created in 0.214 seconds with 25 queries.