A lot is being said on the internet about a steering wobble with handlebars shaking at various speeds. It appears that the root cause of this problem runs the full gamut from minor to severe. Some bikes only need a simple retorquing to the steering head bearings to resolve the problem, while other bikes the problem is severe and requires a more complex solution. Whether the root cause repair is minor or complex the handlebars shaking is a major safety problem that should never be there in the first place. Let's do not ignore the elephant in the room, for the sake of being redundant I will repeat myself, the handlebars shaking for whatever reason should never be there in the first place. From what I read on the internet this problem is not just happening to a few bikes but many bikes.
Please don't get me wrong, for over 45 years I have been a biker and I totally buy into the motorcycle sport, the life style, and the Harley brand in which I love. But let’s face it; none of us would tolerate this type of a problem in our car. So why are we putting our enjoyment, our comfort, or our lives at risk on 2 wheels in quietly going along with this safety problem? In my opinion too many of us are having this safety problem. Just like cars are recalled for safety problems, these bikes need to be recalled.
When I was having this problem on my bike I reviewed the warranty section of my owner’s manual and read, "If you believe that your motorcycle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Harley Davidson.”
I followed the instructions closely and notified the Harley Davidson Motor Company and I also notified NHTSA and filed a Vehicle Safety Complaint with the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). If enough of us who are having the steering wobble and shaking problem notify NHTSA a recall will be issued and finally this problem will be fixed once and for all.
None of us needlessly should risk injury to our lives, or our loved ones, or our friend’s lives, for a problem that should be fixed. We all love our Harley's. Let’s take the necessary step to make our Harley’s better and safer. The NHTSA phone number is 888-327-4236.