All touring riders know about the wobbling, weaving and rear steering felt on rubber mount Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles. To cure these handling problems, the motor/swingarm assembly needs to remain aligned with chassis.
An easy and quite inexpensive fix is to install a Progressive Suspension Touring Link to stabilize the swingarm. The simple connection between chassis & motor allows them to stay in alignment without introducing unnecessary vibrations to the rider.
Immediately you will feel improvement in the way your touring bike handles. No lost ground clearance. Forged Steel Construction and precision Rod End bearings. The Progressive Suspension Touring Link is designed to work with the original equipment frame. 1993-2008 Touring models MSRP $199.95. 2009 and newer touring models MSRP $229.95. At Progressive Suspension. (Indianapolis Dealer Expo, booth 16271)
I love HD, I think as an American company and success story they truly get it right a lot. for the record I do not own a HD, I just admire how they do business. With that said: I find it hard to imagine that to fix a safety issue that is widely documented and easily repaired they have not addressed it. Maybe as riders we have not been the squeaky wheel enough?
Bill, I agree 100%. The issue of HD bagger “walking” under you is a well known issue. Why HD never fixed it? Good for after-market vendors like Progressive Suspension, but shame on HD.
Thanks Cyril! The real news on this one is the launch of the Touring Link for 2009 and newer bagger chassis. Similar design as prior version, but fitted to the new gen frame. A low dollar and simple solution.
The 2009+ tour frame is vastly improved over the previous generation frame which benefited immensely from a stabilizing link. Wobble seems minimal now, but maybe that will increase as the bushings wear. I’m curious what the improvements are in using this link on a new tour frame.
Progressive,
Thank you thank you thank you…
Never quite understood why my road king had this weird loose feel while riding through Jerome, AZ .
Just made me very uncomfortable. Now I know. This is on the get list!
Laurence
i got a cure victory crossroad……..the stabilizar on the roadking i owned made it vibrate, but stop it weaving……….
This is what happens when lawyers rule the world and folks sue at the drop of a hat. If a company fixes anything it’s considered an admission of guilt. It’s cheaper to deny there’s a problem of ANY magnitude unless you can find an unrelated excuse for change. it’s OK for the aftermarket to make something “better” but it can never look like anything is “bad”. How long have brackets been breaking inside of FLH fairings?
Norton riders nicknamed the late forties plunger suspension jobs “the garden gate” frame, which should give you an idea of how it flexed. This is how my 2007 Softail springer felt and was why I got rid of it. Norton dumped the garden gate and with the help of privateer McAndless came out with the superb “featherbed” frame . Wouldn’t it be great if Harley started with a clean slate and made a superb bike or at least a frame worthy of their legacy.
HARLEY DAVIDSON OWNERS ARE EITHER THE MOST LOYAL RIDERS IN THE WORLD OR THE MOST STUPID. GERMAN AND JAPENESE ENGINEERS AND EVEN THE ITALIAN’S ARE PISSING IN THEIR PANTS. AMERICANS WILL ACCEPT A MOTORCYCLE THAT WOBBLES AND WON’T GO STRAIGHT AND A $200 PART PROBABLY $15 COST WILL MAKE A $20 TO $35,000 MOTORCYCLE RIDE SAFE AND STRAIGHT. THE HD BAGGERS RIDERS ARE MORON’S TO ACCEPT HIS BULLSHIT. NO WONDER WHY CHINESE AND HINDU FACTORY’S WANT THE AMERICAN MARKET??? THEY CAN PEDDLE THEIR SHIT TO THE AMERICAN RIDERS AND WE THANK THEM, FOR SELLING THEIR CHEAP SHIT TO AMERICAN’S!!
my Norton commando did it to, but it was tighter, than the road kill, which, is a hand full…. so had to go be for it killed me…………dooooooooo.
Barry Brown and others. The 2009 and up frames are a new slate and have fixed the bagger wobble and weave that earlier units were known for. They are chalk and cheese when compared. I ran a stabilizer on my 2009 Street Glide but the difference between riding with it and not was minimal. However, just as fast riders hunt down every extra pony, any improvement to handling, however minimal is welcomed. If I were still riding a pre-2009 H-D bagger I would absolutely and positively run a stabilizer. But I would invest in Progressive Suspension rear shockers and their front end Monotube before putting a stabilizer on a 2009 or later bagger.
Gotta agree with Alan on this. The Touring Link I installed on my RoadGlide helped out with the loose feeling, but makes the bike vibrate, inspite of Progressives claims to the contrary.
I sold my 2005 Road Glide, but never rode it enough on the Highway as much as my Road King. The rear wobble was terrible and sometimes a little scary after 86 mph. I am sure that all Harley Davidson Motorcycles are not made or Built or Designed to cruise over 85 MPH period, except the Buell and V-Rod. Yeah I know the speed limit. I am looking to buy a real Touring Bike now and I am really Wrestling with a Sport Touring Bike. Maybe by the time I get to Bike Week HD will have a Sport Touring Bike!
I think its the front fork design and the back end weight bias
causes the dresser rear wobble under certain situations,
I’m interested in some material on this for my 2008 FLTR, Road Glide.
Thanks,
Thomas.
bigalyts
Keep your Harley for the weekends and the boys.
Find yourself a used “ST 1100 Honda” with less than 50 thou on the odometer [ pref a 95 to erarly 2000 ] these bikes are good for 200 thou . They are as remarkable as a Goldwing. It would last you may years and low maint. You can pick one up for less than 6 thou. One of the most interesting engines ever made. Dependable as they come. My guess would be that you would ride it more than any bike that you have ever put a leg over. Do a little reserch.
I’m in the process of doing Doc Robinson’s above suspension recommendations. Earlier this year I installed the Progressive Touring Link Stabilizer and a set of Suspension Technologies shocks. My last upgrade is going in next week before I take off on a 600 mile overnighter. Its going to be the Progressive Monotubes. I noticed an immediate difference in handling after installing the touring link, a positive upgrade. The shocks provided a firmer ride and better roadway feedback. I still get some wallowing in higher speed sweepers, but the condition is greatly improved. I hope by adding the third element of the suspension upgrades will nail it. My only concern is whether the ride with the monotubes in will be too much on the firm/jarring side. I’ve heard this from others, but its a matter of making a compromise between a cushy ride or being too firm. Somewhere in the middle will be fine. I can live with a firmer ride knowing that is what you’ll get if you want better handling and turn in. I think when I’m done the ride characteristics should be exactly what I set out to achieve earlier this year.
Hello…I’m 63 and am saving to purchase my last bike. I was planning to buy a road king next year (2013) but with all the reading I’ve done on the wobble thing…it scares the shit out of me. I wanted a Road King Classic but all the reading I’ve done has turned me off on laced wheels…oh…and u really wanted laces. There why God created beer!!! So you can sit on a pickel barrel and clean them. Brother in law has a 1700 Yamaha Road Star. Nice ride and he’s pushing one on me. Don’t know what to do. I do long three day rides…Fla to Mass. And u don’t want to be afraid my bike going to throw me off. Well…anyway …any info will be appreciated. Bill
I just put this on my 99 Electra Glide. I never had any wobble problem at all until I upgraded to 18 wheels. With this kit I get an extra 10 MPH before the wobble starts, although its not as bad as without the kit. It does vibrate more when revving about 2500 RPM.
I am wondering if tightening the linkage would help.
Has anyone tried this?
Thanks
Frank