How many DON"T have "Bagger Wobble" ???

[nedlug]

05 Road Glide, 24k no wobble.

[Upswept]

I might have it.  Well, here goes.  There is one particular area where I exit a parking lot, cross a street and make a hard left turn.  As soon as I get back upright, I have to make a right turn, so the change from straight to left to right is all one continuous motion.  When I finish all the turns, it feels like I have a flat rear tire.  In fact, I've stopped and checked the tire and found it ok.  After I take off again, all is fine.  This is the only place where it happens, but it happens every time.

As far as the tru-track type of stabilizers, I wonder about the three allen bolts at the rear of the oil pan that the brackets bolt to.  Those three small 3/16" bolts were made to clamp the oil pan to the transmission case, and weren't made to with stand the side pulling force that those tru-tracks produce.  I'm afraid that repeated pulling and pushing will eventually weaken the part of the transmission case that the allen bolts screw into.  Those three bolts could rip out one of those times.  I've sen similar types of problems develop over time on other machinery.  It just takes time.

[Justpassingas]

Never had any kind handling problems on my 98RK with 70K

[Ghost Rider]

I don't think the swingarm stabilizers are for high speed wobble but for stabilizing the rear end in fast turns.

If you are experiencing high speed wobble, try lightening up on your grip. Some who hold the bars with a gorilla-grip induce wobble.

[Eglider]

I put over 73,000 miles on a 2003 FLHT, and currently have about 3,000 on a 2008 Ultra. Never felt the slightest hint of a wobble from either bike. I must be doing something wrong.   

[Deye76]

'04 RG. 45K mi. Never had a wobble until a month ago. Left hand sweper, I-94 & I-69 Port Huron, Mi., 95-100mph.
Possible factors:
Pavement
New stock shocks w/lowering kit installed 9 weeks before this.
Brazilian Metzlers-undersized and a spongy feel, aired properly. Never had it with the German ones.
Left saddle bag 2 rain suits, cover, and tools. Right saddle bag-EMPTY
Too fast? Nah.

I'm thinking combination of pavement (grooved I think, didn't have time to look) and tires.
 

[maineultraclassic]

The front end is not what is wobbling when people talk about the bagger wobble, it's the rear end dancing around at high speeds in turns that is the bagger wobble.

I've had it happen a few times when going along at a good speed and taking a corner, and also same situation when hitting cracks in the road. It's an unsettling feeling for sure, nothing that would make me wreck........but it does wake you up for sure.

I just put a Bagger-Brace on the bike...........we'll see how the results are in the spring when I get riding again.

Steve

[HarleyFranco]

I have an 08 Ultra Classic, 40k miles, no wobble at all.  I did have a wobble and found that the rear tire had developed a bubble, after adjusting the steering bearings and still had the wobble I checked further and found the rear tire, replace the tire and wobble was gone.  Otherwise runs just fine.

Frank

[low_rider1979]

Never experienced it myself on 00 Road King, 04 and 07 E Glides.  Hope that I never do.

[shadetree]

i've had a 02 flht, a 05 flhr, and now have a 07 eg classic. no high speed wobble with any of them, but all 3 will have or had the swaying when taking corners and causing the suspension to react. i quess that is normal but i am installing a stabilizer on my 07. i feel it will reduce the swaying and may offer longer wear for any rubber part that is associated with the swaying, including tire wear.

[FLTRI]

MY 3 BIKES - MY 3 STORIES:

Bike #1 94 FLHTCU
This bike was unstable in high speed turns from day 1. It was exacerbated with undulations, ruts, rain grooves, etc.
After 60k miles I completely rebuilt the chassis with all new pieces.......absolutely no change. High shock air pressure helps but hurts comfort. As it turned out the frame was not within specs between the steering head and the swingarm pivot. Had the frame straightened (steering neck)and presto.....no instability.

Bike #2 98 FLTR-I
This bike has been incredibly stable from driving it off the showroom floor. I can kick the handlebars at speed (Harley's old test for stability) and the bike barely moves and returns to absolute stability immediately. It has over 70K miles without ever giving me an unstable feeling. All these mile on the original mounts, links, and swingarm doughnuts.

Bike #3 03 FLTR-I
This bike also wobbled from day 1.......until the frame was replaced due to a cage trying to kill me. The new frame evidently a good one 'cause this bike is now as stable as the 98RG and the 94ULTRA (straightened frame).

Conclusion:
The frame QC in the past has not been very good, consequently up till recently the purchaser of a new bike gets the luck of the draw. The MOCO has a problem replacing a frame or bike due to high speed (>80mph) instability complaints. Some of the reason is there are inexperienced riders who grip the handlebars for dear life when the bike starts to weave/wobble from pavement irregularities. This as mentioned, is absolutely the wrong tactic and will always lead to more instability.
Hopefully the new frame will have no QC control problems that have plagued the older frames.

As always, JMHO, Bob

[sandrooney]

Sounds like a lot so far don,t have wobble.

Thanks,
SR

[skunk]

Sandrooney,
     02 ultra, bought as a salvage title. Had left the road and into a ditch( End over end) forks bent, sliders broken, tour pack crushed down and rear of frame bent down, Straightened with porta power, level. angle gauge and some string in the garage(dumb luck, must of got it close). redid the front end. Have run 3 digit speeds  and 90+ one hand on the bar with no wobble. Been riding it 19k, Guess I am also one of the lucky ones.

[HIPPO]

68 FLH
99 FLHR
02 FLTRI

Many miles, no wobble (other then the ocasional issue traced back to and corrected with tires)

[Lew]

No bagger wobble...............but I do have bag wobble..........

[RKDenny]

2004 FLHRI, No wobble, no decel popping, no shifter shaft seal leak, 18,000 mile wear out of rear Dunlop, 20,000 trouble free miles on Andrews gear cam upgrade (53,000 total miles), no primary chain or compensator nut problems, no brake rotor squeal, no speedometer drive issues, no need to touch rear drive belt, no stator or voltage regulator problems, seat feels good and handlebars are great right where they are at,  DID ALIENS BUILD THIS BIKE!!!!! !
Denny

[Eglider05]

I've owned an 00 Eglide, 03 Rk and currently ride an 05 Eglide, never had a wobble or any handling issues with any of them I would call out of the ordinary for a Harley bagger, but since I've added a Bagger Brace it tracks like it's on rails through the curves and is much more stable on the freeway at higher speeds. For me it's just like an aftermarket seat, shocks and fork springs, things that aren't needed for many people but things I wouldn't be without.

Rick

[Hawg Holler]

Two times on my 05 Road King:
1. Blew out three spokes on the rear wheel. Got wobble coming out of turns.
2. Two up, loaded with luggage, going too fast up Merced Canyon to Yosemtie and in a long sweeper hit some pavement that had a dip in it. Bike sunk down into the dip and came up acting kinda squirrelly. Let off the throttle and all was well.

Key causes of wobble: underinflated tires, screwed up spoke wheels, overloaded rear with luggage and/or fat-azzed woman, poor cornering technique, entering the curve too fast.

I rode up Skyline Boulevard in the Santa Cruz Mountains yesterday at a good clip and never had a hint of wobble. 60,000 miles and original shocks.

[2001FLSTC]

I ride a Softail and I know that's what I'm used to.  However, I've ridden my buddy's 99 FLHP and his 06 FLHP a lot.....what a difference.  Loosy Goosey cornering......I don't know if it's less rake or bagger wobble or riding on top of the bike instead of in the bike or just the up and down bouncing of the engine.....but it doesn't feel good to me.  I know it's not what I'm used to though.

I find Softails feel "tight"; sort of more mechanical.  I can drag my boards on the ashphalt on any corner and feel secure (okay, the dragging part scares me when it happens).  Touring bikes feel like I'm going to dump them when cornering.

Once the "B" engine was introduced I wonder why H-D didn't rigid mount all the engines.

Just my opinion. 

[Hawg Holler]

<Once the "B" engine was introduced I wonder why H-D didn't rigid mount all the engines.>

Because the B engine, while it idles smoothly, vibrates a lot at 75 mph compared to the touring bikes. I rented a Heritage Classic and it isn't nearly as comfortable for long periods of touring like the Road King is. Also, the footboards on the Softail scrape  even in  mild turns. The touring bikes, except for the lowered ones and Street Glides, have more lean angle. I got tired of the footboard dragging on the Heritage. I left sparks all up and down the Dragon's Tail. My Road King rarely scrapes the footboards, even two-up. The Softails look great and are OK for around town, but when the going gets long, the touring models with their rubber mounted engines and isolated suspensions are just better at the job.

[dirtbike_pgr]

     Weebles wobble ....but not my  06 SG with 27 K...

  but id like to throw a leg over one that has  a "gizmo",  installed

to see if im missing something.

The "rides like it on rails" thing

has me wondering if im missing the

complete Harley experience... fun en a lil     but half serious too.

[DenverBagger]

No wobble on '00 FLTRI and '05 FLHRI.

Hmmm ... maybe I can't use this as one of the justifications for an '09...

[FLTRI]

Holler,
"60,000 miles and original shocks."
You will not believe the difference new shocks make. The degradation is slow so it is hard to know when the shocks are worn out, but when you install a new set you will.
Bob

[sandrooney]

2001FLSTC,
I got an 07 Heritage Softail as a loaner, and my 80/80 shovelhead was smoother. I guessed with pipes,ac,sert, and a good tune it might smooth out some. I didn't notice it handling any better, but it was hard to get past the vibration.

FLTRI is right, I changed my shocks after 30,000 and it was a world of difference.
SR

[08blackstreetglide]

I have an 08 street glide. The only wobble I have ever noticed was passing semi's on the interstate. Then the front end seems pretty shaky. I just figured that was the way they all were. Anybody else experiencing this?