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[grtguy657]

I just bought a 2008 CVO Ultra Classic screaming Eagle, 10,000 miles. I have never riddin a Harley before but this big bad ride just feels loose to me ,front end has a little wiggle to it when in a cure and wants to wander around on the road. Help.

[05Train]

Check tire pressure, tire wear (a scalloped tire will cause a wiggle), tire balance, rear shock pressure, steering head adjustment, motor mount wear, and alignment.

 

[Ironhorse]

Which wheels do you have on the bike? Also, check the fork and shock pressures too.

[Gnarl78]

Check tire pressure, tire wear (a scalloped tire will cause a wiggle), tire balance, rear shock pressure, steering head adjustment, motor mount wear, and alignment.

+1. After you've done these things first consider upgrading the stock Harley suspension. A number of us have replaced the front and rear suspensions and installed frame stabilizers to improve handling of the pre-'09 touring frames. There are a number of threads on this subject...Last weekend I did my upgrade (Progressive monotubes up front, Suspension Technology shocks, and a Phoenix Customs Bagger Brace) and my '08 now feels like a new bike!

[FLHTCUSE7]

What motorcycle brand did you ride before?

If you came from a Japanese or German made MC you will initially feel the not so good handling of a HD.

They improved it in 2009 but before that it felt like it was a hinge built in midship.

HD still does not have superior handling compared to anything Japanese or German.

I ride a CVO Limited and love it even with this limitation. It's not the Motorcycle you take on a curvy track

[grtguy657]

my last bike was a Yamaha Stryker 2011, before that a Kawasaki concours 2006. I'm taking it back to dealer in a few days for a few other things ,horn bracket broke , wrong cover. is there anything I need to be sure they check? The tires are brand new dunlops .I run 36psi front 42psi rear per dealer inst.

[grtguy657]

I have the ten spoke chrome rims I think, do not know the name of them.

[Nutdriverss]

Their were many improvements made in 2009 including a sturdier frame.  My 2011 Limited feels planted, even at 90mph.  I have two friends with pre 2009 bikes and they sometimes feel the bike wobble through turns.

[phato1]

Might want to make sure the steering head (frame neck) has been fully greased, and maybe see if they can check the "fall away" for you. Other than that and what other have mentioned about the tires and suspension, the front end will sometimes have that vague feeling to it during moderate speed corners especially if still running the stock air shocks in the rear and stock front end. You can maybe try adjusting the rear shock air pressure up/down to see if that helps - just DON'T use a compressor to pump them up, use a hand pump.

[grtguy657]

Thanks for the help, gonna go back to dealer this weekend and have them do so checks. If they don't get it fixed may have to trade it .

[Pete7539]

I had more of a rear-end loose feeling on mine. I bought rivera primo Stiffey bushings from HD-Dude a while back. Easy install, really tightened up the back end. It did feel like a lot more vibration was transferred through the engine though. I think it has either eased up or I've gotten used to it.

[Twolanerider]

I had more of a rear-end loose feeling on mine. I bought rivera primo Stiffey bushings from HD-Dude a while back. Easy install, really tightened up the back end. It did feel like a lot more vibration was transferred through the engine though. I think it has either eased up or I've gotten used to it.

I've done the Sta-Bo and the Rivera bushings on a few different bikes Pete.  And the Glide Pro kit on one.  On the pair of my own here the SERG has the Sta-Bo bushing kit that allows using the newer swingarm on the old bike while keeping the older halfshaft so don't have to bore out the tranny case.  On all the Sta-Bo and Rivera kits I've personally got to do a before-and-after ride on there's always seemed a bit more vibration transmitted through the stiffer setup.  Never thought it was "bad" or something that worried me.  Just something that was noticeable.  On my own things either wore in just a bit and it stopped or (more likely) I just quickly got used to the slight difference also.  The stiffened up rear end and losing that feeling of a side-to-side hinge right behind the saddle is a trade well worth the slight change though.

[FLHTCUSE7]

Maybe ditch the HD shocks as well

[CVO2FIXUP]

 Coming off a Japanese bike I am not surprised you are experiencing the sloppy feel on the older Harley's. For once I can tell you they all do that. And I had the same reaction when I bought my firs 2003 road king. Did everything to trouble shoot the loose feeling and it was all in speck. The front forks have allot of "twist" to them if you shake/turn the handle bars sharply from side to side. These things can really benefit from a good fork brace, unfortunately a fork brace can't be mounted because of the cow bells over the upper fork tubes. So we are stuck, just have to get used to it which happens over a period of the summer and then you don't notice it that much any more.

  The 2014's are much better in this "twist" department dew to larger diameter front forks.

[Pete7539]

Sta-Bo bushing kit that allows using the newer swingarm on the old bike while keeping the older halfshaft so don't have to bore out the tranny case. 

Don, I wasn't aware that could be done. Have you swapped swingarm to newer style? I would like a fatter tire on the back, but it's only for aesthetics. I would think that it would be a costly mod as well so I haven't really researched it yet.