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[Kilaani]

2012 FLHXSE3

I have read some of the past wobble  threads, but they were talking about much lower speeds. Had my 5k maintenance a few days back, and yesterday (after getting my Fullsac setup) it was a boring long empty stretch of road between Kingman and  Las Vegas.

80 - great
90 - great
100 - great (feeling like flying!)
110 - front wheel start huge wobble, kept wobbling as I was (immediately) slowing down til I hit about 65 again.

Normal at really high speeds? Doesn't seem like it should be....

Suggestions to take to my tech?

[GregKhougaz]

 It sounds like your bike is just fine.  110 mph?  Take a look at the front of your bike and consider its aerodynamics, or lack thereof.  The front fender is an air scoop. The bat wing fairing is an aerodynamic brick. Then there are the lowers to consider. It's a wonder it did not waffle at a lower speed.   

[miker]

Ditto..

never had one that didn't shimmy and shake goanfast...slow down, enjoy the ride.   

[Unbalanced]

Haven't had this problem at speed, but I would check tire pressure, tires for cupping, neck bearing, support brackets for the stereo and quite possibly have the motor checked for alignment.

There are more things like motor mounts etc that can be check and swingarm bushings.

[grc]

Sadly the Electra Glide models are not known for high speed stability, and short of a major redesign I doubt they ever will be.  The frame change in 2009 was a huge improvement in terms of greatly reducing rear steer; however, Harley hasn't done a thing to improve the high speed stability of the front end.  You still have the front end geometry that Harley came out with decades ago to improve very low speed maneuverability (think cop bikes and parade duty).  Back in those days an E'glide didn't have sufficient power to reach triple digit speeds, unless you rode it off a tall cliff.

Anyhow, there are some things that will make the problem worse.  Definitely get the steering head bearings properly lubricated and then check the preload of those bearings.  There is no steering damper to control oscillations, so you have to depend on the steering head preload to provide some damping.  Also have the balance and runout of the front wheel/tire/brake assembly measured.  Lateral imbalance and runout can definitely cause a high speed wobble.  And don't forget proper tire inflation.

There isn't much you can do to fix the fork mounted fairing problem, short of trading for a Road Glide.  

Jerry

[110tHunDer]

Ditto..

never had one that didn't shimmy and shake goanfast...slow down, enjoy the ride.   

Slow down?   Enjoy the ride?   Hell, the fun starts at 110!

Some do it and some don't.  My '12 is much better than my '04 was, but still gets to weaving a bit in high speed corners.  It's not just an Electra Glide thing, though.  There have been plenty of reports of Road Glides doing the same thing.  Have the things checked that Jerry mentioned.  If you can't totally eliminate it, you can probably at least make it better.

[miker]

Get 4 tires under you for safety...besides, I only got about 20 mpg at 100+ it is hard to sustain, cigar goes out, beer foams up, hard time hearing the tunes, even with the bitchin hawg wired pcs stereo system (thanks HD Dude) ...

[murphy]

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today....

[08glide]

waitin to hear reply from dealer tech (service tech) when you tell him to check your bike for high speed wobble at 110 mph. take pics of his facial expressions please.
however I have experienced this problem on kawasaki z1 & kz 1000. most of it is wind turbulence. tire pressure, suspension play into also.

[hdctss]

my '09 at 120 was dead stable...my '13 is hard to ride even at normal speeds.  have had it up to 100 but would never take it faster than that, or probably even up to that again.  my'13 imo is a pos...compared to my 2009...the funny thing is that the harley factory tech for georgia rode it and said wow, what a great bike...to which i reply...wow, what an idiot, and what kind of a company is harley hiring a moron like that

[jr1000yarder]

Had my RG over 110 with a 23" and pickard trees and not even a wiggle!

 

You need a RG man!

[Cvostu]

pretty funny or pretty sad..    i want to see that techs facial expression too when you tell him the bike sucks at 110..   at least tell us what he thinks is rong

[CVOBreak]

Slow down kiddo
they don't pay you the pay your widow.

[dlaws01]

It's you guys doing 110 mph that I see the ambulance EMTs scraping up off the highway every once in a while.

[kraut]

09 and later touring models can be expected to be rock stable at and over 120 mph - and usually are, that's no exceptional speed on a German Autobahn. If they are not, it's usually a maintenance, mostly tire, pressure or bearing matter. At least H-D Germany will go at any length if after checking those "usual suspects" a bike still is not, as over here the bike has to be safe and stable up to it's mechanical top speed.

[spydglide]

09 and later touring models can be expected to be rock stable at and over 120 mph - and usually are, that's no exceptional speed on a German Autobahn. If they are not, it's usually a maintenance, mostly tire, pressure or bearing matter. At least H-D Germany will go at any length if after checking those "usual suspects" a bike still is not, as over here the bike has to be safe and stable up to it's mechanical top speed.

Very interesting comments Kraut.  What was the stable mechanical top speed considered to be for the earlier touring models before the '09s?  spyder

[FlaHeatWave]

All 3 of my CVOs are stable as a brick at 110+

As Jerry said, check steering bearings and tires

[gg]

If you want to go 110mph without wobble, you probably have the wrong bike.
I had a Honda ST1100ABS model that did 110 on Interstate 94 going up to Milwaukee, WI and it was exhilerating to say the least and rock steady.
Only did it once and have no interest in doing it again on any bike.
Of course going that fast exponentially increases the chances of bad things happening from which there is absolutely no chance of recovering at that speed.
Good luck with that.

[Kilaani]

Thanks everyone, that had useful replies. Those questioning my sanity, I certainly don't have to explain myself, but I am no idiot. I am a 48 year old woman, not a 20 something sport bike wannabe. The road between Kjngman and Las Vegas was wide open, empty, and straight. I wanted to see what Scarlett could do as Fullsac made some mods to Scarlett's HP and torque. It just did not seem right that the wobble went from nothing to quite pronounced with a difference of 10mph. Now I will get the "usual suspects" checked out.

[LovemyCVOgirl]

Thanks everyone, that had useful replies. Those questioning my sanity, I certainly don't have to explain myself, but I am no idiot. I am a 48 year old woman, not a 20 something sport bike wannabe. The road between Kjngman and Las Vegas was wide open, empty, and straight. I wanted to see what Scarlett could do as Fullsac made some mods to Scarlett's HP and torque. It just did not seem right that the wobble went from nothing to quite pronounced with a difference of 10mph. Now I will get the "usual suspects" checked out.

 

[spydglide]

That batwing fairing will set up some unusual shakes/wobbles/etc. with just a wind angled just right sometimes.....lots of variables in my experience.  That fork angle on the old dresser frame is not good for higher speeds.   spyder

[FLSTFI Dave]

Thanks everyone, that had useful replies. Those questioning my sanity, I certainly don't have to explain myself, but I am no idiot. I am a 48 year old woman, not a 20 something sport bike wannabe. The road between Kjngman and Las Vegas was wide open, empty, and straight. I wanted to see what Scarlett could do as Fullsac made some mods to Scarlett's HP and torque. It just did not seem right that the wobble went from nothing to quite pronounced with a difference of 10mph. Now I will get the "usual suspects" checked out.

Have them check it out.  Neither of my CVO road glide did that, not the 09 or my current 12.  Not sure on the new 13 CVO King as 100 is all I have had it up to, but rock solid.

My wife will not ride that fast.  She let me have it one day when we rode from Nashville back to Knoxville at 90 mph.  She pretty much told me never again, or I would be waiting on here when I got where we were going.  76mph is about as fast as she like to run.  Could be she knows a ticket and she looses her MSF, and Riders Edge instructor certificate.  Or she knows from teaching Motorcycle safety it not wise to run the fast for a long time.

Me, its nice to see what the bike will do.

[redrodo]

I'm having the same experience with my 2013. It's done it sveral times. Seems just about the 106 speed it starts. Had the bike on Kentucky Speedway last week and it went into a wobble. Checked the GPS after we got off the track and it said 109 mph. People watching, my wife included, said it looked pretty hairy. My 2010 didn't have any trouble at any speed. I have a Klock Works windshield on this one, may take it off and put the Clearview on and try it.

[Cat Eye]

Just wonder....do you wear a helmet when you go 110?

If yes.....why?

[spydglide]

Just wonder....do you wear a helmet when you go 110?

If yes.....why?

Cuts down on the 'wind noise', protects against road debris kicked up at ya, and keeps your 'helmet-hair' in place.  har.  spyder

[Unbalanced]

Cuts down on the 'wind noise', protects against road debris kicked up at ya, and keeps your 'helmet-hair' in place.  har.  spyder

Spyde,

Is that porch based simulation you speak of ?              

[spydglide]

Spyde,

Is that porch based simulation you speak of ?              

You'd think, but, no...this is over 50+ yrs. of riding all kinds of ill-handling scooters.  har.  spyder

[Midnight Rider]

Pete, Brian, and I would NEVER think of going 110mph headed to the barn in Maggie Valley last September....nope, not us...   I don't think any of us got over 55 mph that day...we just like to putt around up there.

[110tHunDer]

 
Yeah.  Gotta love the safety police in this thread.  Don't tell me to slow down and I won't tell you you ride like a (*$$#.

[Boatman]

Pete, Brian, and I would NEVER think of going 110mph headed to the barn in Maggie Valley last September....nope, not us...   I don't think any of us got over 55 mph that day...we just like to putt around up there.

You guys ride "like a horse headed for the barn" all the time.      

[BakedInMN]

My 2010 FLHTCU handled much better at high speeds than my 2013 FLHTCUSE8. Very stable at 100+. This one makes me go white knuckled over 85. I know this isn't a solution but I am confirming that for some reason the 2013 get's mighty squirrelly compared to my 2010.

[HogBreath]

If it starts wobbling at 110 twist the throotle a bit more and maybe it'll clear up at 120 or 125

[fastfreddy]

here is a loaded question what is the proper/recomended tire presue?

[BDMastiff]

My CVO Road Glide doesn't wobble until I hit 225 MPH.

[Cat Eye]

Speed wobbles can occur whenever something starts a vibration that matches a resonant frequency of the wheels. A resonant frequency is one at which your motorcycle will vibrate very easily; a particular motorcycle may have multiple resonant frequencies. The starting point may be a bump in the road, a rough patch in the road, or some combination of these factors. Other potential contributing factors include the small torques resulting from wheel rotation and the tiny lateral oscillations that spinning wheels make if they're not aligned with absolute perfection.
Your motorcycle will go through various "zones" of oscillatory stability and instability as it accelerates up to its highest speed. you might even compare this to musical notes or octaves of relative vibrational resonance.

Steering dampners are made to help with this problem as the main dampner ( you ) cannot always handle the correction of the vibrations.
The best advise is to slow down, as this can be a fatal but also unavoidable occurrence and even though the problem may go away with more speed the best way to take the bike out of that particular resonance range is to back off.

The tread of your tires could also be a contributing factor, particularly the front one. different treads have different resonant properties.


In addition to above, get both wheels statically and dynamically balanced. It reduces wobble, increases road holding and reduces tire wear and rider fatigue. Check forks and swing arm for correct operation. A lack of fork oil and too much side play in the swing arm are sources of vibration. Check panier box lids are fitting properly and are locked. Lid 'chatter' in the wind can be one of those resonances mentioned above that sets wobble off.

[Hog95023]

09 and later touring models can be expected to be rock stable at and over 120 mph - and usually are, that's no exceptional speed on a German Autobahn. If they are not, it's usually a maintenance, mostly tire, pressure or bearing matter. At least H-D Germany will go at any length if after checking those "usual suspects" a bike still is not, as over here the bike has to be safe and stable up to it's mechanical top speed.

I would love being able to ride my bike on that rode.

[Rat Patrol]

Speed wobbles can occur whenever something starts a vibration that matches a resonant frequency of the wheels. A resonant frequency is one at which your motorcycle will vibrate very easily; a particular motorcycle may have multiple resonant frequencies. The starting point may be a bump in the road, a rough patch in the road, or some combination of these factors. Other potential contributing factors include the small torques resulting from wheel rotation and the tiny lateral oscillations that spinning wheels make if they're not aligned with absolute perfection.
Your motorcycle will go through various "zones" of oscillatory stability and instability as it accelerates up to its highest speed. you might even compare this to musical notes or octaves of relative vibrational resonance.

Steering dampners are made to help with this problem as the main dampner ( you ) cannot always handle the correction of the vibrations.
The best advise is to slow down, as this can be a fatal but also unavoidable occurrence and even though the problem may go away with more speed the best way to take the bike out of that particular resonance range is to back off.

The tread of your tires could also be a contributing factor, particularly the front one. different treads have different resonant properties.


In addition to above, get both wheels statically and dynamically balanced. It reduces wobble, increases road holding and reduces tire wear and rider fatigue. Check forks and swing arm for correct operation. A lack of fork oil and too much side play in the swing arm are sources of vibration. Check panier box lids are fitting properly and are locked. Lid 'chatter' in the wind can be one of those resonances mentioned above that sets wobble off.

Very good info Cat eyes, thank you.
Just passing a semi and a couple cars on a Ducati will put you in the 115 to 140 range, with phenomenal handling. I would hope the new "Tractor" (CVO RK) will have some passing power, as I'm not much of a follower. I don't believe Harley has engineered a wobble into their bike, most likely sloppy assembly which can be fixed. I have not had the "Tractor" over the century mark, waiting for the rain to quit.
Sportbike wannabe, is that Australian?

[firehog383]

110 Wobble thats funny stuff!!! You go Girl! I have road that same stretch at a buck twenty when I started to feel the wooble on my 07. My 12 CVO SG is sure footed at 110, I havent been east of the mountains yet to open it up on a long enough stretch to do it safely.

[willyB]

Had mine to 115 mph once ripping it with my brother after he put cams and heads on his 103". Probably won't do that again but it was pretty stable even with my wife on the back.

Wanna go fast with good handling? Buy a sport bike that's built for those speeds!

Keep the shiny side up!

[screaminCVO]

Interesting comments..........I find that speed  has something to do with the song that is playing at the time.............just want to twist that throttle more!!! Maybe change your music selections if you want to slow down!

[redrodo]

Thanks for the explanation Cat Eyes. The change in wheel style in the 2013 might be causing some of the problem.

[scttgr8]

mine is great with no wobble at 115...but that is why I got the Road Glide!!

[WestCoastRuss]

 

[Unbalanced]

Is that MPH or KM      

[WestCoastRuss]

Is that MPH or KM      

I guess that will depend on whether you're bike is RED or one of the other slower colors......   

[Unbalanced]

Before I have back track, do non cvo's, but still a FLH Harley count in this Russ?   

[spada84]

Was heading north on i-380 in NY today - open road, nice and curvy for an Interstate.  I usually keep it to 8 or 9 over in unfamiliar areas as I don't know what I can get away with.  I see in my rear view a bike gaining FAST.  As he approaches, I roll on the throttle and fall in behind.  It's a BMW K1600GT and hauling a$$.  For the next 30 miles we cruised mostly between 90 and 100, topping out at 118 (according to Garmin).  The optimistic speedometer was buried at max speed.   I have pushed over 100 before, but not like this time for extended periods, including the curves and hills. 

Not a wobble in sight - solid as a rock, even with the crappy stock suspension, roll-aboard computer bag on the pillion, and premium tour pak rack bag on the rack.  Pirelli Night Dragons on the rims, Klock Werks Flare Windshield on the Bat Wing, and 71K on the clock.

YMMV

[kraut]

Very interesting comments Kraut.  What was the stable mechanical top speed considered to be for the earlier touring models before the '09s?  spyder

about the same as today since they started the TC 88 :-) Harley used to state in the manual though that speed over 80 mph might be unsafe. But that was in the old days before the new EC consumer laws

I never really trusted my 05 FLHRCI (true track equipped!) above 100 mph.

[Indenial]

I'd be interested in knowing if Dyna Beads would help in the front tire at high speed.  I run them in my front tire on my RG and it is really stable, been to 110 and that was fast enough--once.

[Snowyone]

After all the obvious things are checked I would try the Dyna beads mentioned above.  Put them in my Fatboy and it made a wonderful difference.  It had a wobble but was in the 30 to 40mph range and it went away and boy howdy was it ever smooth.  Also Custom Cycle engineering has come out with a steering stabilizer for the Glides and that would be a real plus if everything cks out.  Don't use it as a crutch but as an addition.  And in closing I haven't heard so many chicken chits for Harley riders in one group as this.  Hell ya I'm going to try it out and get away with it as much as possible.  ON that road you better have a bike with bright colors or a GPS locator cause if you go off the road the only way they will find you is the buzzards circling. 

[tweeter13]

For people on the east coast that want to ride fast on a closed coarse this is exciting to do or even just watch until you can visit the salt flats some time.  You might really be surprised how much a Harley speedo is off when it's actually clocked at the end of a measured mile.  Setting a record is a lot harder than people might think.   Go to the east coast timing association http://ecta-lsr.com/ there they have links to Southern California timing association and the salt flats.     

[SmokeyJoe]

I'd be interested in knowing if Dyna Beads would help in the front tire at high speed.  I run them in my front tire on my RG and it is really stable, been to 110 and that was fast enough--once.

I am not sure but I don't think so at least not the beads alone.  I used simular product and even mercury filled disc and at high speeds they decreased in performance

[FLSTFI Dave]

For people on the east coast that want to ride fast on a closed coarse this is exciting to do or even just watch until you can visit the salt flats some time.  You might really be surprised how much a Harley speedo is off when it's actually clocked at the end of a measured mile.  Setting a record is a lot harder than people might think.   Go to the east coast timing association http://ecta-lsr.com/ there they have links to Southern California timing association and the salt flats.     

Nope.  Last three or four Harley's my speedometer is off by quite a bit.  If I set cruise by my GPS showing 77mph, the bike speedometer is dead on 80 mph.

I have also checked no stretches of interstate where they have a marked mile, not the mile markers.  Set the bike dead at 60 mph and it took longer than 60 seconds to cover the distance. 

Seems my last three, the 09, the 12 and the 13 are 77 on GPS is 80 on speedometer, same with a friends 12 an 13.

[Midnight Rider]

GPS speed, if out on the open road, is always going to be accurate.  All three of my most recent HD bikes read 3 mph faster than the GPS.

If you have a TTS tuner, you can correct the speedometer reading.

[spydglide]

GPS speed, if out on the open road, is always going to be accurate.  All three of my most recent HD bikes read 3 mph faster than the GPS.

If you have a TTS tuner, you can correct the speedometer reading.

Is there a second or two delay with the GPS?    spyder

[110tHunDer]

Is there a second or two delay with the GPS?    spyder

Spyder, what Terry is saying is with the cruise set, the speedo will be showing 80, while the GPS indicates your true speed is 77, for example.  That's been my experience, too.  3 mph difference between the two with the speedo reading higher.

[spydglide]

Spyder, what Terry is saying is with the cruise set, the speedo will be showing 80, while the GPS indicates your true speed is 77, for example.  That's been my experience, too.  3 mph difference between the two with the speedo reading higher.

Yeah, got that.  Mine is 3 mph optimistic at about those speeds when measured against my GPS when held at a steady speed.....but seems that there is a 'delay' with the GPS reading of a second or two, so you have to set a speed and hold it  steady to get that measurement.  spyder

[Midnight Rider]

Yeah, got that.  Mine is 3 mph optimistic at about those speeds when measured against my GPS when held at a steady speed.....but seems that there is a 'delay' with the GPS reading of a second or two, so you have to set a speed and hold it  steady to get that measurement.  spyder

Not to make it too complicated, but it depends on several things.  How many satellites the GPS is "seeing" at any given moment in time.  It needs to be at least 4 to get a really accurate reading.  Most GPS devices, like a Garmin, have about 12 channels, so it is possible for them to "see" up to 12 at a time, but you'd have to be out in the desert or something.  There are 27 in earth orbit (that we can use?).

Long story short...there is a slight delay, mostly from processing the signals with our little GPS units.

I've got a Garmin C76 (?)....it's a handheld unit I use if out in the woods, on a lake, etc.  It can give you position and altitude, but it also shows how many satellites it's seeing, and if you don't have at least three, it won't tell you altitude, and the positioning will be off some too, so if you're down in a "holler", it lies a little, but is still close enough for horseshoes.

[Charlie]

Not to make it too complicated, but it depends on several things.  How many satellites the GPS is "seeing" at any given moment in time.  It needs to be at least 4 to get a really accurate reading.  Most GPS devices, like a Garmin, have about 12 channels, so it is possible for them to "see" up to 12 at a time, but you'd have to be out in the desert or something.  There are 27 in earth orbit (that we can use?).

Long story short...there is a slight delay, mostly from processing the signals with our little GPS units.

I've got a Garmin C76 (?)....it's a handheld unit I use if out in the woods, on a lake, etc.  It can give you position and altitude, but it also shows how many satellites it's seeing, and if you don't have at least three, it won't tell you altitude, and the positioning will be off some too, so if you're down in a "holler", it lies a little, but is still close enough for horseshoes.

Very Impressed, great post, understandable!

[spydglide]

Not to make it too complicated, but it depends on several things.  How many satellites the GPS is "seeing" at any given moment in time.  It needs to be at least 4 to get a really accurate reading.  Most GPS devices, like a Garmin, have about 12 channels, so it is possible for them to "see" up to 12 at a time, but you'd have to be out in the desert or something.  There are 27 in earth orbit (that we can use?).

Long story short...there is a slight delay, mostly from processing the signals with our little GPS units.

I've got a Garmin C76 (?)....it's a handheld unit I use if out in the woods, on a lake, etc.  It can give you position and altitude, but it also shows how many satellites it's seeing, and if you don't have at least three, it won't tell you altitude, and the positioning will be off some too, so if you're down in a "holler", it lies a little, but is still close enough for horseshoes.

Ha!  I've got one of those little things also....takes awhile for mine to lock in on the sats, but it was 'free' for test driving a car, so, can't complain about it.  spyder

[Steve_G]

I once raced a gal with a Springer  doing 125 on my first HD bagger ( '88 - not stock) Took up almost two lanes with the wobble.

[Midnight Rider]

Ha!  I've got one of those little things also....takes awhile for mine to lock in on the sats, but it was 'free' for test driving a car, so, can't complain about it.  spyder

Beats the hell out of a compass, map, and triangulation like in the bad ol days...   Just take extra batteries 

[grc]

Beats the hell out of a compass, map, and triangulation like in the bad ol days...   Just take extra batteries 

Yup, but when you're out in the wilderness without a clue and the batteries or the entire device die, it sure would be nice to have that old fashioned compass and map as a backup.  I keep wondering what the younger generation would do if a sudden huge EMP were to kill all the electronic devices in the world and shut down all the satellites.  I have a feeling the result would be both extremely funny initially, and then extremely sad when everything shuts down and people start dying because they have no clue how to do anything the "old fashioned way".  God forbid we have to live in a world without instant and constant connectivity, and an "app" to tell us what to do.

Jerry

[ftmyerscobra]

I ran across Aligator Alley for 25 min wide open, speedo was buried. The bike was as smooth as it is when I'm doing 70.

[tweeter13]

Yup, but when you're out in the wilderness without a clue and the batteries or the entire device die, it sure would be nice to have that old fashioned compass and map as a backup.  I keep wondering what the younger generation would do if a sudden huge EMP were to kill all the electronic devices in the world and shut down all the satellites.  I have a feeling the result would be both extremely funny initially, and then extremely sad when everything shuts down and people start dying because they have no clue how to do anything the "old fashioned way".  God forbid we have to live in a world without instant and constant connectivity, and an "app" to tell us what to do.

Jerry

Jerry that is a very good point.   I had a forth grade teacher that thought us how to use a map and a compass.  Then in Boy Scouts we did it again.  Never really thought about it again until you brought it up.  I am going to show my 15 year old and his friends this weekend now.  Hide a few things in the woods and let them find them using maps and compasses.  Can't believe I still new where this old stuff was at.  Just half to refresh myself with making the maps.  This is a fun cheap thing for us to do rain or shine.   

[Midnight Rider]

Yup, but when you're out in the wilderness without a clue and the batteries or the entire device die, it sure would be nice to have that old fashioned compass and map as a backup.  I keep wondering what the younger generation would do if a sudden huge EMP were to kill all the electronic devices in the world and shut down all the satellites.  I have a feeling the result would be both extremely funny initially, and then extremely sad when everything shuts down and people start dying because they have no clue how to do anything the "old fashioned way".  God forbid we have to live in a world without instant and constant connectivity, and an "app" to tell us what to do.

Jerry

Oh yea...I still keep a compass for the "just in case" situations that are inevitable if you do any wandering around in the woods.  And I still like looking at a good map spread out in front of me instead of a 3" screen...I like to get the "big picture" in my head that only a paper map can provide, even when traveling on the bike.  But then, I'm a map freak of sorts anyway.  I'm getting old, so don't go out for days at a time like I used to, but you can bet your azz I'm going to have a topo map and a compass as a backup, regardless.

In 20 years, people will be as lost as farts in a whirlwind without electronic devices....

Back on topic:  I've had three different HD bikes in recent years...a '06 SEUC, '06 SEVROD, and the '11 SERGU, and admit to having all three of them up to speeds equal to or exceeding 110mph, though not for long periods of time, and they were all as steady as a rock.  But, none of them had stock suspension either...having your front wheel making constant contact with the pavement is a good thing at those speeds, and the stock front end on a HD does NOT keep the front tire on the ground as much as you think it does if there are any irregularities in the road surface.

[spydglide]

Boy, I remember those 'topo' maps, and in the jungle/swamps there wasn't much 'topo' unless you moved to the mountain/highlands ranges.....a GPS sure would have been nice. Har!  spyder

[fastfreddy]

I ran across Aligator Alley for 25 min wide open, speedo was buried. The bike was as smooth as it is when I'm doing 70.

well i have ben checking my bike for a wobble every day this week 100 , 110 , 115 , 120 & 1?? mph no wobble either..

[Midnight Rider]

Boy, I remember those 'topo' maps, and in the jungle/swamps there wasn't much 'topo' unless you moved to the mountain/highlands ranges.....a GPS sure would have been nice. Har!  spyder

Spyd...It was you I had in mind when talking about the GPS as opposed to the "old days".  It's hard to triangulate on flat ground and you can't see 20' in front of yourself.  They don't put trees on Topo maps 

[Rooster]

Heck I still pass my turn sometimes then the backseat GPS kicks in. OUCH

[bear tracks]

Kilaani:  My experience with fork-mounted fairings (yours & mine), and frame-mounted fairings (I owned an older frame-mounted Honda Goldwing) is that your bike will most likely experience some degree of wobble at higher speeds like you describe.  On a new bike like yours it is most likely caused by wind or a combination of wind and the front end simply getting  light.  My Goldwing would go up to its max speed (105 mph) and remain rock solid, but it also had an aftermarket fork brace.  Fork-mounted fairings are more easily affected by the wind than frame-mounted (glide family) because they don't have the weight of the frame and attached elements giving the bike added stability.  If your bike doesn't have head bearing adjustment issues and you still desire to run at higher speeds, then I will pass on some advice that a local long time Harley rider passed on to me.  If you don't want to slow down, try leaning forward onto the tank to get more weight onto the front end.   If that doesn't work, you best slow down.  I love my batwing SEEG and would not trade it for anything else, but I know the engine is capable of taking it way faster than the bike design can handle (except maybe with a good tail wind).   . Good luck.

[Lars]

Don't you guys have the Compass App on your iPhone??

We live so far out West in the boonies, where the Hoot Owls make love to the Chickens, that you have to have a compass of some sort to find your way to the bar.

Lars,

[scttgr8]

checked mine for wobble again this afternoon...90 nothing, 100 nothing, 110 nothing, 120 still nothing and then out of road...traffic sucks!   

[Imbuilt2ride]

I have a 2012 CVO RG and I have had the speedometer buried at 120 in 5th and took off in 6th much faster with no wobble.  I changed to a metzeler rear tire and all of a sudden I would get a bad wobble around 75 mph and then it would go away if I went faster or slower. HD blamed the rear tire and put a new stock tire on and the wobble went away.  They tightened the steering head bearings also.

[Kilaani]

I have a 2012 CVO RG and I have had the speedometer buried at 120 in 5th and took off in 6th much faster with no wobble.  I changed to a metzeler rear tire and all of a sudden I would get a bad wobble around 75 mph and then it would go away if I went faster or slower. HD blamed the rear tire and put a new stock tire on and the wobble went away.  They tightened the steering head bearings also.

Not sure which was the culprit in my case, but when they did my 10k tune up, it solved itself:perhaps it was one of the usual suspects you guys laid out for me. My service tech made the list. My mechanic did the neck bearings at 10m, maybe it was that, don't know

[LovemyCVOgirl]

I have a 2012 CVO RG and I have had the speedometer buried at 120 in 5th and took off in 6th much faster with no wobble.  I changed to a metzeler rear tire and all of a sudden I would get a bad wobble around 75 mph and then it would go away if I went faster or slower. HD blamed the rear tire and put a new stock tire on and the wobble went away.  They tightened the steering head bearings also.

Not sure which was the culprit in my case, but when they did my 10k tune up, it solved itself:perhaps it was one of the usual suspects you guys laid out for me. My service tech made the list. My mechanic did the neck bearings at 10m, maybe it was that, don't know

Happy to hear the problem went away!   

[2018_FLTRXSE]

LOL.... open stretch of road and some fresh power mods.... I'll be honest, I'd do the exact same thing.

We dont add power to putt around like __________ <---(insert derogatory term here)

I've had mine well into the triple digit territory and didnt experience what you describe, but then both of mine were/are Road Glides.

[Jswerve]

LOL.... open stretch of road and some fresh power mods.... I'll be honest, I'd do the exact same thing.

We dont add power to putt around like __________ <---(insert derogatory term here)

I've had mine well into the triple digit territory and didnt experience what you describe, but then both of mine were/are Road Glides.

I hit 110 a few weeks ago with plenty of throttle left when I backed off. I didn't have any wobble but when you get up past 90 on a SG the front wheel starts to feel a bit light. Gotta get the cobwebs out every now and then 

[D-N-D]

Glade to here it's fixed now no need to go 110 for a wile I guess ( Only Messing )

[msemersky]

I have stock suspension and my wobble usually starts around 110 - 115.  I can get the Garmin to show 127 but haven't been able to get it any faster.  Just running Fulsac's software, head pipe, and muflers.

MSS

[spydglide]

I have stock suspension and my wobble usually starts around 110 - 115.  I can get the Garmin to show 127 but haven't been able to get it any faster.  Just running Fulsac's software, head pipe, and muflers.

MSS

What was your speedometer indicating when the Garmin was showing 127?  spyder

[knothead]

No wobble at 120, just red lights and handcuffs ..

[Eagle Eye]

So far, the wobble thing has been fairly consistent for me in regards to 45-60 MPH speed in curves.  I found that with the Dunlops, if my rear tire lost any pressure, the front end wobbled in the curve and under hard deceleration.  As soon as I added air, or put new tires, it ceased.  I had Michelin Commander II tires put on the bike in the last tire change and so far, no wobble - solid. 

I did notice wobbling when riding down HWY 29 south of Hollister a while back, over 115 (Dunlops).  My GPS noted a top speed of 121 that day on my '07 Ultra.  (In the past, I hit 124 on a Suzuki GS750EZ and 127 on a GL1800, per GPS.)  It still felt good, but not quite as stable.  I agree with the above statements about the faring and lack of wheel contact with the ground.  Those are a bad combination if compromised.  But, with the right suspension, that should not be a problem.  Unfortunately, I'm still riding the stock suspension on my 07, but that will be changed out in the next month or so.    

So many things can be said about speed, but being in the right place, with the right equipment and weather really makes it an interesting experiment, if done right. 

 

[2018_FLTRXSE]

I hit 110 a few weeks ago with plenty of throttle left when I backed off. I didn't have any wobble but when you get up past 90 on a SG the front wheel starts to feel a bit light. Gotta get the cobwebs out every now and then 

I concur.... 

[Montanakid]

Had my RG over 110 with a 23" and pickard trees and not even a wiggle!

 

You need a RG man!

Yea if the fairing wasn't so ugly. IMHO.

[Montanakid]

Speed wobbles can occur whenever something starts a vibration that matches a resonant frequency of the wheels. A resonant frequency is one at which your motorcycle will vibrate very easily; a particular motorcycle may have multiple resonant frequencies. The starting point may be a bump in the road, a rough patch in the road, or some combination of these factors. Other potential contributing factors include the small torques resulting from wheel rotation and the tiny lateral oscillations that spinning wheels make if they're not aligned with absolute perfection.
Your motorcycle will go through various "zones" of oscillatory stability and instability as it accelerates up to its highest speed. you might even compare this to musical notes or octaves of relative vibrational resonance.

Steering dampners are made to help with this problem as the main dampner ( you ) cannot always handle the correction of the vibrations.
The best advise is to slow down, as this can be a fatal but also unavoidable occurrence and even though the problem may go away with more speed the best way to take the bike out of that particular resonance range is to back off.

The tread of your tires could also be a contributing factor, particularly the front one. different treads have different resonant properties.


In addition to above, get both wheels statically and dynamically balanced. It reduces wobble, increases road holding and reduces tire wear and rider fatigue. Check forks and swing arm for correct operation. A lack of fork oil and too much side play in the swing arm are sources of vibration. Check panier box lids are fitting properly and are locked. Lid 'chatter' in the wind can be one of those resonances mentioned above that sets wobble off.

Now that was a well thought out articulate rebuttal, now your objection is denied. Hehe. Remember My Cousin Vinny?

[spydglide]

I always felt like my Harley was like a musical instrument....I just don't like it making the 'trills' & 'slurs'.  har.  spyder

[FLHTCUSE7]

Mine is fine at 110, not that I will get many chances to go that speed but some roads here are not heavily patrolled by cops.

On the other hand we have a load of suicidal Deere running around.

[bigskyroadglide]

My 12 CVO RG is very stable at 110.  Fastest i have ever had it was running out of numbers on the speedo.  Speedo is off 3 to 4 MPH so 120 = 116 or 117.  with 17K on the clock, the engine with my fullsac x pipe and full sac recores & PV makes hitting this speed easier.  Bike has always been rock solid, just like my previous 3 RG's.

Had an 04 batwing that experienced the same problem only at lower speed.  Would start to wobble at 95 and you would have to back off.  I added a brace(true trac) to the tranny, changed the fork fluid to heavy changed the front motor mount and installed new tires (front and rear)  still had the problem.  Got pissed off at my inability to fix and stripped the batwing front end off and installed the RG fixed fairing.  No more wobble!!  Weighted the batwing inner and outer fairing.  Almost 20 lbs of additional weight on the front forks.  figured the wind resistance was causing the wobble at speed and the fixed fairing seemed to cure the problem.  Been riding RG's ever since.  Still got the 04 and its still rock solid above 95 and well into triple digits and its still got the RG fairing on it.

Short of having loose steering head bearings, or a bad tire.  Based on my limited experience, I think your batwing is causing most of the issue.  javascript:void(0);

[scttgr8]

 :nixweiss:TWO THUMBS UP LOVE THE ROADGLIDE FOR THAT VERY REASON

[Steve_G]

 :jalapeno:I must have the rarest of the old frame bikes.  Mine doesn't wobble at 110.  -Think I'll keep her. 

[spydglide]

:jalapeno:I must have the rarest of the old frame bikes.  Mine doesn't wobble at 110.  -Think I'll keep her. 

Depends on 'conditions' whether mine does or doesn't... ..keeps things 'interesting' that way.  Har!  spyder