Print

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

[Chief2505]

I have a 13 CVO Ultra Classic. This bike just does not handle very well, from new. When riding down the road I feel like I am all over the road, constantly correcting my direction. I let a good friend use my bike a month ago and he made the same observation, he felt like he was all over the road. In curves it feels like it starts to turn, hesitates and then just flops all the way over. I have had the head bearings checked and were told they were fine. I cannot let go of the handlebars going down the road, it will dive right or left.
I had sort of forgotten about this until this past weekend when I rode my 2008 Ultra Classic and that bike just handles so smooth through the curves, goes straight down the road and is a real joy to drive. But I also forgot that it does not have near the power of the CVO either! Pulled out to pass and its like come on girl lets goooooooooooooooooooo two downshifts later and she finally got up and went!!

I have no clue where to even start looking for a problem. Like I said it has been this way since new, 3 sets of tires and 44,000 miles .

[harleyrules]

Possible bent or untrue rim?

[GregKhougaz]

Not an expert but under the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid), what tire pressure do you run and how often do you check?  From your description low pressure could be your issue.  Assuming that is not the issue, here is a good read on the subject:  Motorcycle Handling Problems and Suspension Set-Up.  That article seems to cover your description. 

[Dan_Lockwood]

Did you have the bike serviced prior to you noticing the wandering?

If you did and they "over" tightened your steering head bearings, this could be the problem.  This is called Fall Away test.

It's easy enough to check out.  Put the bike up on a lift so the front wheel is off the ground.  Pull bars all the way to either side, right or left, and let it go.  I'm not sure about how many moves is makes on your bike and year, but if it only comes back to center and stops, your bearings are too tight.  That would be 1 move.

I think on the RG it's 1.5 moves from release.  On batwing bikes I think it's 1.5 to 2, but I'm sure someone has the chart that shows what it should be.  RG's run tighter than Batwing bikes.

You don't mention anything about vibration, just wandering.  So I would rule out bent rim or something out of round.  But a tire could do this too.

Good luck with your diagnosis and let us know what you find out.

[Chief2505]

This problem has been around since the bike was brand new so I am ruling out tires and rims. Also there is no vibration or excessive bounce. I suppose it could be a bad rim from the factory but I would think after having 3 sets of tires mounted that someone might have noticed something.

I will try the fall away test this weekend. I did have the bike on the jack a couple weeks ago doing some cleaning and if my memory serves me correctly when I turn the handle bars right or left as far as they can go they stay there. They do not return to center. I will double check this tonight.

I check my tire pressure monthly and generally will run close to the max limit since neither the wife or I are exactly lite.

[kiro]

I ride the same bike Chief, purchased new in '13. There was a lot I didn't like about how it handled at first, but can't say I experienced the 'wandering' problem you described. It was a dog at parking lot speeds, had a good deal of bar wobble/vibration. I had it back to the dealer more than once indicating something wasn't correct, which was fruitless and nothing was resolved. I didn't wait long before I sent my forks to Traxxion Dynamics over the winter and had their AK-20 Axxion Cartridge Kit installed. Also purchased a pair of Bitubo rear shocks from them- the bikes handles well now and I've been riding twisty's hard this season. It may not be the case with yours, but I suspect it may be a suspension issue. There's a lot of weight on the front folks and I'm sure that has much to do with the MoCo beefing up the forks in later models. The tire wear issue is a bit disturbing as described. Many on the forum have indicated frequent tire changes are required for their riding style and have significant cupping issues. I ran my original rear tire 13,000 miles and changed the front upon my recent return from Sturgis after riding another 6k - 19,000 miles on the front. Feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss this further.

[Chief2505]

Kiro

I saw the pics of your bike in and on its way to Sturgis. Beautiful bike and it looked like a great trip! I have replaced the rear shocks with the HD premium shocks and that made a huge difference in the ride. So much so my wife even noticed a difference!!

I cannot push this bike in the curves. It just does not handle well. Unlike my 08 that I can scrape the pegs, let go of the handle bars to put gloves on going down the road. Cannot do any of that with this bike and it has been this way since new. I am going to do the fall away test. I complained about this to the dealer at the 1,000 mile checkup, they said they tightened the head bearing. Not sure if they did or not but it did not make any difference. It was shortly after that I got tired of the "they all do that" and quit going to any dealer for service work, warranty or otherwise.

[kiro]

It was shortly after that I got tired of the "they all do that" and quit going to any dealer for service work, warranty or otherwise.

I feel your pain - went through that as well. The dealer shot a boatload of grease into my head bearing and that was about it, stating there was nothing else they could do. They'll make you feel like a hypochondriac when describing what's going on. Not sure the results of the fall away test will help much but it would one more thing for possible elimination.

[grc]

This sounds so familiar but I can't remember exactly what model was involved.  There is a thread or two around here about a very similar sounding issue, and the problem turned out to be the wheel design.  Changing the wheels to a different design solved the problem.  And of course Harley would not confirm the issue and would not pay for the change.

Jerry

[RoadTrip]

Chief, I want to key-in to a comment you made in your OP - noting the bike dives left or right when you take your hands off the handlebars. I'm no wrench (nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn last night), but I've always understood that if your bike has a tracking problem, it is usually due to the rear wheel being out of alignment. It would be unusual that the problem would transcend multiple tire changes, but if they are simply resetting it to the prior position, I suppose that is possible.

I would diagnose any cornering problems separately and agree the tires, balancing, or front suspension are the likely culprits.

[ak]

 ITS he rims. Ernie had same problem back in 03 .Check back threads for low down

[Landshark]

 I also say it is the wheels. I did everything else like shocks, front suspension, steering head, removed tour pak, solo, with passenger, etc. I switched the front wheel to a street glide borrowed from a friend (it was even cupped) and the wandering went away.  I then switched to a set of Performance Machine wheels and it has been good ever since.  There was a whole thread on this several years ago.  Good luck, I feel your pain. 

[Chief2505]

I have read the threads on the wheels and it was my interpretation that those wheels cause a high speed wobble.

Maybe I need to go back and read them again

[Dan_Lockwood]

Chief, as you said, you're going to do the fall away test.  This is the simplest to do and if as you say the bar stays outward or very slowing will self rotate back to almost center, this is your problem.

I remember my last '77 Triumph T-140 and it had the through the head steering friction damper.  I remember tightening it up and I couldn't keep the bike in my lane.  It was horrible.  Too loose and they will wobble on their own.

Check the fall away and then go from there.

[Landshark]

The wheels don't really cause a wobble, it is more like riding on a ridge where the bike always seems to be falling to either left or right and you are are always adjusting to center. It was constant and never ending. I fell the wheel acts as a fan caused by the wide blades of the double, flat spokes. Just putting on the plain street glide wheel proved the wheel caused the instability.  Ernie put Harley wheels on his and I used PM wheels since HD says all other wheels they sell are not interchangeable which is BS. I rode another 2013 CVO Ultra as well as two LTDs and only the other new CVO and mine had the instability. You can PM me if you would like further info.