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[Landshark]

We just purchased a 2013 CVO Ultra at the beginning of May.  I traded in my 2012 skunk for this bike so I am familiar with the new frame.  It has spent most of life in the shop chasing a constant twitching in the ride.  When you travel straight down the road it moves like it is running on a seam in the pavement or driving on a slick surface.  It requires constant input into the handlebars since it can't seem to keep it's balance and the bike feels like it is dancing underneath you.  So far the repairs under warranty include the following:  The front and rear tires have been replaced since the tread was defective on both.  The lower chrome cowl piece (under the headlight) that was installed by the factory was from a Tri-Glide causing air to enter the fairing and movement of the front end.  All the torque on the bolts for the shocks, swing arm etc. have been verified to specifications.  Front end has been check for the correct amount of fork oil and proper steering head adjustment.  The shocks are not holding air overnight and will be replaced under warranty.  The bike has been taken to another dealer since the first one has given up.  The factory has been notified and is involved.  The bike is causing my wife to have motion sickness, something she never gets.  Has anyone experienced this type of issue?  Could the style of wheels on the CVO Ultra be an issue?  Could changing out the Dunlaps help?  Does anyone have any other ideas?
  

[phato1]

You didn't mention this in your post so I'll ask. Has the alignment of both wheels in relationship to each other - and the frame/swingarm been checked?? Did the dealer check/replace the wheel bearings? Maybe one of the wheels is defective (out of true or out of round - although if it were out of round I suspect you would feel the oscillation)?

[Landshark]

The wheels were supposed to have been checked when the wheels were removed to replace the tires.  No one at the dealers feels the alignment is an issue with the new frame, unlike the old one, and I have not been able to find much on the internet about it.  Do you have an idea on where else to look?  I will ask the dealer if I can look at their service manual as soon as I can get over there.  Thank you for the input.

[erniezap]

I am pretty sure that I know what is causing it.  It is the chisel wheels since I had similar issues.  Have your dealer or mechanic swap out your front wheel with a stock non-cvo wheel and then take it for a ride.  I can pretty much tell you that the issues will be gone.  I had the dealer and Metal Dragon agree that it was the wheels but the moco basically told me to f-off when I registered the problem with them.  Just about every other SEUC with the chisel wheels that I have rode handle this way.  I switched to 18" agitator wheels front and rear and the bike is stable and handles great!

[Cvostu]

i have heard the same issue before with the Chisel wheels before, as Earnie stated..  Hope thats the culprit,, then you can ask for new wheels like the one he has.

[grc]

The wheels were supposed to have been checked when the wheels were removed to replace the tires.  No one at the dealers feels the alignment is an issue with the new frame, unlike the old one, and I have not been able to find much on the internet about it.  Do you have an idea on where else to look?  I will ask the dealer if I can look at their service manual as soon as I can get over there.  Thank you for the input.

The old frame had special tools and a shop manual procedure to align the engine and swingarm to the frame.  When they changed the frame and the mounts for the engine, they eliminated the adjustability.  However, just because Harley claims alignment is not needed (or possible) doesn't mean they always build every frame to the extremely tight tolerances such a thing requires.  In other words, considering all the other issues they have with wider than normal industry tolerances, I wouldn't just assume, as your dealer obviously did, that because it isn't adjustable it must be good.

If you want to verify alignment, see if you can find a shop that does accident repairs and has frame equipment.  I've seen laser alignment rigs that allow you to measure front to rear tire alignment as well as other things, and I've also seen very simple methods that use a couple long straightedges and a regular ruler (I've done that myself in the old days).  I've even seen a recommendation to use a couple long fluorescent tubes as the straightedges.  Where there is a will, there are usually several ways.

I have also seen several reports like the one posted by Ernie about those wheels.  Before you get carried away checking frames and alignment you may want to just follow his advice and have the dealer swap the wheel from a different model for your's and take a test ride.  Harley hates to ever admit a screwup, and rarely does unless they're pushed to do so, but at least if a different wheel eliminates the problem you will have some evidence you can use in your quest to get the bike fixed or replaced (lemon law anyone?).

Jerry

[Landshark]

Thank you so much for the feedback.  I will be at the dealer on Tuesday and see if I can get the front wheel changed.  I will follow up with a post as soon as I can.

[49445CVO]

Im having the same issue with my 2006 SEUC. I have have posted a similar post and I was told by several people that it could be the stering head bolts...  I just went on my yearly trip with the guys and wound up bringing it to a dealer in Louisville,KY.  They had it for 4 hours and went over the front end and basically said that the tire was not balanced.  I have dyna beads and well I'm looking into that.  But the feeling I have is the same as you describe. I didn't realize how bad it was until I rented a 2011 SG in Vegas last fall.  That bike was straight as an arrow and didn't move at all while on the highway.  I was even riding behind and along side of semi trucks and nothing seemed to bother it.  My bike is like a wild horse and seems as if im riding in turbulance all the time.  BTW my rims are stock, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

I will be watching this thread closly.

Rick

[Landshark]

It has taken a long time to get to the point where I am able to post the results of the wheel change.  This bike has had everything checked and rechecked, faulty tires replaced and wrong parts replaced.  I asked the dealer to install the wheels I borrowed from a Street Glide but they would only install them if I paid for 3 hours of labor.  Instead I changed the wheels myself.  The change instantly corrected the twitchy handling and the unstable feel when riding the bike at operating speeds.  HD Customer Support said they can't do anything as this is a warranty issue.  Now that everything else has been tried and they will not admit there is anything wrong with the wheel design, HD Tech Support said the bike is within tolerance so they will do nothing further.  You will notice in the Parts and Accessory catalog there are no other wheel which are considered acceptable for the2012-2013 CVOs.  I know others have had this problem and I would suggest, if you have this same problem and it is subtle, you should make a complaint to the NHTSA which I have done.  I think it is wrong to have to spend this amount of money for a motorcycle and then have to replace the wheels at my expense to correct a design defect.  I am not yet sure which wheels I will use but I will post when I decide and installation is complete.

[erniezap]

I know others have had this problem and I would suggest, if you have this same problem and it is subtle, you should make a complaint to the NHTSA which I have done.  I think it is wrong to have to spend this amount of money for a motorcycle and then have to replace the wheels at my expense to correct a design defect. 

Totally agree!  I registered a complaint with the NHTSA as well a few months ago.  Everyone else that has this issue with the chisel wheels should do the same!

[05Train]

What's the issue with the wheels, they're unbalanced?  I have a '12 and don't have this problem thankfully.

[Landshark]

My guess is the shape of the spokes is causing turbulence and causing the wheel to move.

[05Train]

My guess is the shape of the spokes is causing turbulence and causing the wheel to move.

That's bizarre.  I've had no issue setting the cruise and taking both hands off of the bars for minutes at a time with no wobble or shake.  It tracks as well as my Limited with Agitators did.

This just reads like a balance issue with the wheel itself. 

Either way, it's screwed-up that Mother Harley isn't stepping up on this.  Have either your service writer or a tech ridden the bike with the new wheels on it?  I have to believe that they'd admit there was something boned-up somewhere.

[hep0950]

o5train, I agree. It has to be a balance, or maybe a wheel bearing thing. I have an 2012 lfhtcuse07 and do not have the problem they seem to be having. I have about 6000 on mine and have not experienced their problem. The Moco, or at least their dealers should be taking a more active part in satisfying their customers. I wonder also, if by chance there was a bad batch of tires causing the problem.

[erniezap]

Wheel bearing were fine, wheel/tire was rebalanced twice, each with no improvement.  I can pretty much guarantee that if we switched bikes and took a short ride on the highway you would understand what we are talking about.