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[Talon]

hey Nige, how you been? Yea I had a front tire balance issue on one of my old bikes, when I'd get down to 35-40 MPH the front end would wobble, rebalanced the tire and it went away. On the old frame touring bikes I think you need a brace, I have a Bagger Brace on my 05, made a big difference, Ricor's in the frontend.

Craig

[darth davidson]

I thought we were supposed to ride with BOTH hands on the grips. Just to be on the safe side, God have mercy!!!! Enough with the cars that don't see us , to add the hands free riders to the mix!!!!!!!!

[Midnight Rider]

I thought we were supposed to ride with BOTH hands on the grips. Just to be on the safe side, God have mercy!!!! Enough with the cars that don't see us , to add the hands free riders to the mix!!!!!!!!

Only do that on the super slab,when I can sit back and relax, and just keep a finger or two on one grip....even then, when I run up on a group of cages, both hands go back on the grips, with two fingers on the brake.  I take no chances when other vehicles are around me.

[JCZ]

I thought we were supposed to ride with BOTH hands on the grips. Just to be on the safe side, God have mercy!!!! Enough with the cars that don't see us , to add the hands free riders to the mix!!!!!!!!

There's one in every crowd.            

It's one of those "don't try this at home" things.

[Wild Card]

I thought we were supposed to ride with BOTH hands on the grips. Just to be on the safe side, God have mercy!!!! Enough with the cars that don't see us , to add the hands free riders to the mix!!!!!!!!

Thank you.  Common sense is among us.  Just like riding a bicycle with no hands, a wobble and a fall is the risk you take (Note - I'm not denying that there is actually an issue with the "death wobble" with hands gripping the bars).  Can't blame the machine for that lest you sound like the woman who sued McDonalds after she spilled her coffee because her coffee was too hot.   

[Half_Crazy]

Thank you.  Common sense is among us.  Just like riding a bicycle with no hands, a wobble and a fall is the risk you take (Note - I'm not denying that there is actually an issue with the "death wobble" with hands gripping the bars).  Can't blame the machine for that lest you sound like the woman who sued McDonalds after she spilled her coffee because her coffee was too hot.   

There's a big difference between holding onto the grips to be ready for evasive action and because it's the safe thing to do... and... holding onto the grips because you're afraid to let go, fearing that the bike might spit you off.

On long rides I will set the cruise and ride with one hand (alternating hands), or to clean my glasses, or adjust my helmet strap. I have even ridden for miles with my hands at my sides on the open road, turns and all. While I don't advocate this... it's not out of concern that the bike will go into tank-slapping headshake and slam itself into the pavement.

[StrokedRider]

There's a big difference between holding onto the grips to be ready for evasive action and because it's the safe thing to do... and... holding onto the grips because you're afraid to let go, fearing that the bike might spit you off.

On long rides I will set the cruise and ride with one hand (alternating hands), or to clean my glasses, or adjust my helmet strap. I have even ridden for miles with my hands at my sides on the open road, turns and all. While I don't advocate this... it's not out of concern that the bike will go into tank-slapping headshake and slam itself into the pavement.

 

[Wild Card]

I have even ridden for miles with my hands at my sides on the open road, turns and all.

And that's totally your choice to do that.  But just don't let your estate bring a wrongful death suit against Harley for a "death wobble" if you clearly took that chance, is all I'm saying.   

[StrokedRider]

And that's totally your choice to do that.  But just don't let your estate bring a wrongful death suit against Harley for a "death wobble" if you clearly took that chance, is all I'm saying.   

Unfortunately one of the things our modern society would do to ..... bring a "Wrongfull" suit to bear. SIGH!

Just like the Helmet debate .. my choice leave me alone.

LET THE DEBATE RAGE.

[darth davidson]

And that's totally your choice to do that.  But just don't let your estate bring a wrongful death suit against Harley for a "death wobble" if you clearly took that chance, is all I'm saying.   

I agree. I do not criticize anyone regarding their riding style and skills to do so. But if I want to ride hands free I get on my monocycle.
By the way, My 2011 sergu has not acted out on me yet 2k miles on it.

[Dr.D]

I have experienced the wobble and keeping the steering head bearing tight and a good tire cure most of it. This thing is a two wheeler so be careful

Hands or hand off or on? It's your bike mate drive it like you want to and live or die with your chioces.

[JCZ]

Darth.....I hope you know I was just funnin in my reply above.

Half Crazy makes a valid point also.  It's not a matter of wether somebody rides with one or both hands off of the bars....the point that some are missing is that the bike should not go into a wobble or tank slapper just because you're only holding the bars with one hand or no hands......that all bikes should be created equal especially where this issue is concerned.

Why can some ride their baggers totally stable and others have to hang on with both hands?  And, my observation with two riders on this forum is that wobble happened wether they were holding on to the bars or not.  So the hands on, hands free issue is a mute point and distracting from the point of this topic.  Of course we all know........that's nothing new on here.

It seems to get progressively worse as time goes on, so what's the cause?  And why does adjusting the stearing head bearings/fall away seem to correct it?  My guess is that some bikes are coming out of the factory with the bearing races or the bearings not fully seated and as time goes by, they drop down into place thereby creating slop in the stearing head.  As they further seat, the slop gets worse.  If that's the case.....then it's simply a matter of quality control.

JMHO

[darth davidson]

Darth.....I hope you know I was just funnin in my reply above.


JMHO

[DesertHOG]

My 2011 RGU wobbled on me today at 25 MPH. I was zipping up my jacket so locked cruise and let go of the bars. Instantly wobbled. Simply grabbed the bars.

Couple years ago the ultra went into a wobble at 120 MPH. That was the death wobble. Or as they say in aviation...a near miss

Wobbling at 25mph with your hands off the handlebars is not a death wobble. Just about any motorcycle will wobble under those conditions, at least my prior and current bikes would. I would not consider removing my hands from the bars under 50mph and even then it's not SOP and should be considered risky/dangerous.

DH

[JCZ]

Wobbling at 25mph with your hands off the handlebars is not a death wobble. Just about any motorcycle will wobble under those conditions, at least my prior and current bikes would. I would not consider removing my hands from the bars under 50mph and even then it's not SOP and should be considered risky/dangerous.

DH

The point is the bikes that wobble at any speed (some as low as 30 mph) with or without holding on to the handle bars.  It's ugly scary when you observe it.....I can't imagine what it would be like to experience it first hand.

I've experienced slight wobble on a couple of past bikes, usually started in a curve at higher speed (50-60 mph) but there are those that it's happening to a much slower speeds and a lot more severe.

I can't help but wonder if somebody that's posted that it hasn't happened to them...or reading this and thinking it....that at some point in the future will experience it.  Of course I would hope that nobody else ever experience it....but if/when it happens, I hope they do post about it.