Jump to content

Don't buy a Harley.. You might wobble and crash!


Dubguy85

Recommended Posts

Gee, it's almost as if you took an aerodynamically awful bike with geometry meant for a parking lot and subjected it to forces that act against it's stability at high speeds!!

IT DID WHAT!?!? It WOBBLED!?!?

Tank-slappers are possible with all bikes, some more prone than others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmtoOmq3ppw

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gee, it's almost as if you took an aerodynamically awful bike with geometry meant for a parking lot and subjected it to forces that act against it's stability at high speeds!!

Next time I see you I'm gonna smack you in the wobbler.

:fruit:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

oh god, that video again...

was listening to O&A a while back and one of the guys on the show made the comment "looks like michael j fox on his way to work."

now i laugh every time i see it. :|

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the video, they try to say that the wobble is directly related to the engine mount system. I'm thinking that would be the vibration isolation (rubberglide). Mostly 1993 through 2008. Oops.

From what I'm reading, the engine is rubber mounted to the frame in the front, but rubber mounted to the swing arm in the rear. This doesn't sound like a winning solution to me. At least not when going hard around corners, or hard acceleration.

There's a nice little kit to fix it:

http://www.parts4powertoys.com/en/products/details/17--12

The old Nortons had a mount system sort of like that. If it started shaking left and right, instead of just front and rear, the vibration could and would get really bad. Re-torquing or shimming, or better yet, buying new rubber shock mounts, would fix it.

Edited by ReconRat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was either listening to the local scanner or on following the local news feed, but the cops were called to an accident behind Lake Erie Harley Davidson -- I'm assuming that was another victim of the 5mph high speed wobble those Harley's are prone to when inexperienced riders let out the clutch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was either listening to the local scanner or on following the local news feed, but the cops were called to an accident behind Lake Erie Harley Davidson -- I'm assuming that was another victim of the 5mph high speed wobble those Harley's are prone to when inexperienced riders let out the clutch.

Well, you know... have to have an accident report. What with the 40,000$ damage when it tipped over...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"It can't be all these people with operator error"

yes, yes it can

:lol:

how do you get that baddly hurt at 25mph. Shit if you jump off youd get less hurt.

Reaffirms my thought that a harley is just a big vibrator.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

seems like harley finally saw this as a problem because didnt they redesign the new touring models for the 2010 and 2011. I know the street glide has some changes to the frame and motor.

I think between 2004 and 2008, that all the engine mount designs changed.

Enough so that vibrations were greatly reduced.

edit: the changes also added some weight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:lol:

how do you get that baddly hurt at 25mph. Shit if you jump off youd get less hurt.

Reaffirms my thought that a harley is just a big vibrator.

I know a guy who lost a leg in an accident at 5mph.

If you r leg is trapped under a heavy sliding bike then you're gonna get hurt regardless of speed. It's just a matter of if your leg is broken or minced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this is true, they do have a wobble..

i have never experienced it yet, but it can be present. and there are several companies that make a brace to fix this issue..

http://bitchinbaggers.com/products/bagger-brace/

http://www.throttleupindustries.com/touring_stabilizer.html

http://true-track.com/tt_products.html

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/tourlink/index.html

ill be purchasing one of them in the near future..

Edited by Hoblick
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't believe everyone is overlooking the first guy's comment at :16 into the video.

"I like it just because it's Harley Davidson." :lol:

Well good; I'm glad you don't like it for the performance, because apparently it wobbles to death at random speeds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...