Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[CVOSE]

You should be gripping tank with knees and locking feet against pegs, and you should have a relaxed grip on the bars, period !.   This is the technique taught at california superbike school.   You should also countersteer positively into every corner and gradually apply throttle from apex.   This is how to ride a motor properly.    And yes it applies to all motorcycles.
However when riding cruisers etc. and not 'pressing on' then you can get away with 'lazy riding'.   I have spoken to lots of riders who have not even heard of countersteering which i find unbelieveable.

With a wobble from the front, rolling off the throttle will transfer weight to the very end of the bike with the problem.

I would reccommend that every motorcycle (not just sportbikes) rider reads 'twist of the wrist 2' by keith code.   This book will save your life.

I am not intending to start a debate, if you disagree then, just read the book and then disagree.  It's been proven over many years and Thousands of miles by Thousands of riders.

Andy P

Totally agree, it's the only way to save your life.

[mcflyer]

IMHO the new frames in 09 only masked the handing concerns of ridin into a corner too fast and getting the feeling that there was a hinge in the middle of the frame.  The straight line wobble is more a result of wheel alignment or worn components in the swing arm bushings, steering head bearings or shock and fork issues.
All of my late model tourers prior to 09 have felt like the frame turned to jelly when pushing into a corner too fast. Most but not all RG's I hve ridden in the past 10years have ha some form of handle bar oscillation at 40 mph with yur hands off the bars. I have had riders spend thousands to resolve it with out much success. If you keep your hands on the bars there is nothing wrong.
PS. Its not just Harleys that do this there are many other brands that do it too........Gold wings come immediately to mind even with their million dollar aluminum frames so the frame is most likey not the issue.

[FLTRI]

FWIW, ALL 2 wheels vehicles with front and rear suspension are subject to instability given the right circumstances.
GP bike teams have virtually unlimited resources to develop bikes that don't get unstable.
Yet...GP bikes do wobble and will pitch the rider off the bike.
Everything done to quell wobble is a bandaid because there is no solution when there are 2 gyroscopes independently moving up and down with a hinge (steering head) used to force them to change direction.
Just the physics of it.
What I tell folks is if their <09 bike was stable and over time, became unstable, there is something worn out and can be fixed.
However if the bike wobbled (unstable) from the day it was ridden off the showroom floor it's prolly the frame.
Gyros are operating out of sync with themselves and moving in different directions up and down causing instability.

Bob

[CVO2FIXUP]

 A good friend of mine was touring on his 03 RG and started to get a funny feeling in the handling department partly through his trip. After he came back home ( thousands of mikes later ) started to detail his bike and discovered a CRACK in his swing arm. On the left side, in front of the axle at the very rear. Clean through!! We could not believe it stayed together for so long with a two up, loaded bike. Check it out on yours!!!

[Monolyth]

I have the 2012 CVO Street Glide and I find I hit the death wobble on the straight road above 120+ very often.  Since the speedo caps at 120, a friend riding beside me on his street bike clocked us at 137 when I hit the speed wobbles this last time.  I tend to do 100-105 daily to work commuting and generally don't see the wobble unless I break 115-120+ which is generally only weekends.

Had the bike serviced at two places they could not find anything wrong. I just think it's not designed to do 130+.

Monolyth

[smiley1049]

Seattle Traffic ?

[skratch]

I just think it's not designed to do 130+.

ya think? 

[blacktop]

I just think it's not designed to do 130+.

My guess....you are correct on that one.

[Ironhorse]

A good friend of mine was touring on his 03 RG and started to get a funny feeling in the handling department partly through his trip. After he came back home ( thousands of mikes later ) started to detail his bike and discovered a CRACK in his swing arm. On the left side, in front of the axle at the very rear. Clean through!! We could not believe it stayed together for so long with a two up, loaded bike. Check it out on yours!!!

On an 03 wow! I know that was an issue with the older style swing arms on the pre 02 bikes. I hope he took photos.

[Bald Eagle]

Whats the procedure for checking and greasing your steering bearing?  Do you have to remove the fairing.
I have a 07 CVO