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[Coolbreeze]

I think Hubbard is very close to right....   However, just for fun...   consider this...   The one thing that ALL of our bikes have in common when this anamoly occurs, is that there is an a$$ in the seat.  Inocuous I know, BUT,  I noticed the other day, trying to make it wobble to study the phenomenon, that by shaking the bars I got nothing, shaking the bike I got nothing, but when I shifted my weight to the back side of my back side and wiggled it, I got the wobble quickly and reliably, every time.  And I was unable to defeat the wobble quickly with my body weight or stability.  It shook the whole bike and everything went loose at the same time.  The harder I wiggled, the worse it was and the longer it took for me to settle the bike down. (One quick piece of advice, don't try to stand up, thereby pressing all of your weight down onto the floorboards, thinking this will move the CG forward...  It turned out badly).  

Anybody else out there playing with this to try and figure out what the common issue is? [smiley=confused5.gif]

[Twolanerider]

I came to the ElectraGlide from Road Kings (most recently) and others before them.  Saw the various threads on wobble with real interest and played with the red bike quite a bit early on trying to figure out when, where, how and if it would show up.  First time I had the bike on the highway at something moderately above the state approved speed limit I thought the bike had a bad case of the shakes.  And it went away.  And it came back.  After five minutes or so of this figured out it was the tubulence up and around the fairing, especially on the inside.  The actual wobble problem I had was (fortunately) easily taken care of with a neck bearing adjustment and good greasing.  But there are simply so many aerodynamic, CG and weight distribution and other variables involved (as those alluded to by Hubbard and elsewhere) that while it's not always incorrect to "blame the bike" there's just a whole lot of things outside the bike involved.  Often we're dealing with the bike's response to something extant rather than something actually caused by the bike.

[ccr]

I have been scared a couple of times by the violent shaking in my handlebars when I was going a little faster than the normal cruising speeds. It was evident at speeds past 82 - just a little shake in my hands, no big deal.  Get to 88 - 97 a little scary, would shake up front and you could feel it from under the butt too.  Anything over 100 was what I would describe as violent shaking and at 110 it was terrifying. I never have been faster than that ------- I said terrifying.  Well this past weekend, I had the pleasure of riding a little more than 700 miles and had the opportunity to really push my bike and try to duplicate the wobble factor. Not a wiggle, not a wobble, not a shake, no shimmy, just tracking as straight as you would want. Steering in the parking lot a dream.  What is different about this weekend you ask?  I had picked my bike up on Thursday from a "Real" mechanic. I have turned my back on the HD service and sought the services of a mechanic that works on bikes I can't even pronounce the names of.  I searched, asked people, checked out the BBB, got a number of verified recomendations.  I went back in early March and introduced myself and explained the problems I was having and he agreed to take on the job of servicing my bike.  I am not an easy customer. I don't understand how to explain what I want and he agreed to work with me.  What did my new mechanic do?  He checked out all the obvious - tire pressure, pressure in shocks, the way I sit on the bike and he made a couple of adjustments, but he said at the speeds in the low to mid 80s he did not find a major problem. I had to go back and reexplain the problem, the second time, he got it. He tightened the neck bearings and now my bike tracks completely straight. Not sure what would work for you on your bike, but for me...... this is what worked on mine.  And I am so happy....  [smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=1syellow1.gif]

[grc]

It seems like most of the "wobble, wiggle, etc" issues are being reported by Electra Glide riders as opposed to Road Glide riders.  I believe that the handlebar mounted fairing is a big contributor.  It seems like any unusual input at the bars, be it human or fairing related, upsets the rear end.  Any Road Glide owners having this problem??

[Lz]

I'll jump in here.....I had a good friend here this weekend for bike week who rides a '03 999R Ducati and we jointly own an '02 999R.  We did a few runs back and forth on the highway switching bikes watching the other. The other being my '05 SEEG   I incorectly posted that the "shimy" is gone, only reduced.   His thoughts and mine......the rear tire is "rolling over" at 40 psi and the shocks are junk!!  Also the front end dosen't want to hold the pavement, too soft, wrong oil and springs, and it's pushing too much air upward, lifting the front end: and moving the CG foward "your butt" actually helped 'till you let off the gas suddenly!
As was posted by someone smarter than most, I'll put my $$$$ on safty first then preformance.   The air shocks are off and in the dumpster, the 440's and new Avon's should be here and on by the weekend, lord willing.  Then I'll deal w/ the front end.  I'll only make 1 change at a time so I can track of what actually improves the ride of the '05

It is what it is..........we can only make it better.........ride safe!

[spydglide]

LZ, what do you mean by : "the rear tire is turning over at 40psi" ?      [smiley=confused5.gif]   spyder  

[Lz]

Spyder.......perhaps tire sidewall deflection is a better description.  We were makeing some low speed [40-60] sharp r & l turns under hard throttle or brake.  The rear tire was acting like it was low on air........but it was trying to ride on the sidewall.  You could see the pavement marks on on the edge of the tire tread and on the outer lip of the tire.  Not sure if the shocks are at falt or the tire..........??  I'll try shocks first..........

[MAVERICK]

Are we talking about a real high speed wobble? [smiley=nixweiss.gif] Lets say around 140+.

[HUBBARD]

Yeah, 'er 'uh, MAVERICK,

[Coolbreeze]

Just my humble opinion here, but my guess is that he saw the forks starting to comress as the objest in question WENT PAST!  

Ouch...! [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]

[JCZ]

Yeah, 'er 'uh, Chit, [smiley=oops.gif] I mean, hd2003,
 

[jimp]

I did a high speed run on I-75 from Ocala back to Tampa yesterday, their was several times that I thought to myself that the SEEG needs a steering damper or some front end work. Serveral times when I got off the gas for slower traffic it would shake bad enough to make me say DAM.

[Twolanerider]

I did a high speed run on I-75 from Ocala back to Tampa yesterday, their was several times that I thought to myself that the SEEG needs a steering damper or some front end work. Serveral times when I got off the gas for slower traffic it would shake bad enough to make me say DAM.

Consider a couple of things to check or do.  Make sure the neck bearing are tight and that the neck is well greased.  Also consider the heavier SE fork oil.  Good luck.

[jimp]

I have one on my ZX12R

[Striker]

Pumped rear shocks to 35psi, tires at 36psi front, 40psi rear, no tour pac, riding 2-up.  Ran up to 125, no wobble, and had very little wobble in long sweepers at 90 mph.  Did grind off a little frame in those sweepers tho. [smiley=confused5.gif]