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Purchasing a Glide & The Wobble

9K views 41 replies 31 participants last post by  OrgTRX 
#1 ·
OK I am trying to make the move from RK to RG and I'm starting to question myself. I have test ridden six glides at three stealers, four new 2012's and two used 2011's. Every one of them had the 40mph wobble....Every one!! The least violent and least repeatable was a 2011 RGU with 5k miles. I'm still open to negotiation on that one (but of course the stealer isn't). At this point I'm starting to get soured on the whole Road Glide idea. :mad: Does anyone want to chime in with their thoughts or advice on this?
 
#2 ·
I've never experienced it with the 3 glides I have owned.

For you to notice it on every bike you've ridden seems..... Well what kind of odds is that?

Theres lots of threads out there discussing this very subject. Most the time the steering head needs adjusted and or bad front tires or both.
 
#3 ·
Does seem a bit odd that they would all have it. I am on my 2nd Glide, I have also had a Street Glide and a Fatboy and never experienced it on any of them.

I did feel it on my Honda VTX but like said above I replaced my head bearing and problem was fixed and rode like a champ.

I have never ridden in CA so I don't know what the roads are like.
The few times I have felt an anomaly on my Glide it was always either the road.

Tire inflation and wear patterns do make a difference. It's hard to believe that all 6 had a head bearing issue.

I do plan on replacing mine soon just as a PM item as it is over 50,000 miles now.
 
#4 ·
I bought a 2012 CVO custom last August and didn't experience the wobble. Then, I brought it back to the dealer I purchased it from for the 1K service. On the way home, I noticed the wobble. It was terrible with no hands on the bars and non-existent with even the slightest touch on the bars.

I researched it extensively on the internet including HD forums, this forum, etc. Almost all of them spoke of tightening the neck bearings to do away with it.

I called my dealer and spoke with the service manager. He said at the 1K service, they go through the bike and make adjustments to a lot of things to bring them back to factory "spec." The neck bearing was one of them. Their scientific method of testing how loose or tight this is involves swinging the handlebars in one direction and watching how far back it goes in the other direction. That seemed a little odd to me. Anyway, they told me to bring it in. I waited in the showroom for less than 30 minutes and was told to pick up the bike. Drove it home and ......same issue.

The following week I called another dealer close by. Explained everything I had been through, where I bought it, etc. That service tech said "everybody knows the baggers need to be tightened down harder than HD calls for" and was told to bring it in. After an hour wait, the bike was done and I took it for a spin. Voila...no wobble whatsoever. I told the service manager all future service business was coming their way.

I have put over 3,500 miles on the bike since then including 1,100 miles the other weekend which included both highway riding at 75 and country roads at the dreaded 40mph wobble range. Still no issues whatsoever. My advice is to find a dealer willing to adjust it accordingly and buy the bike from them. If they won't adjust it, buy one on the private market and find a motorcycle tech that's not working out of a Harley dealer.

After 10 years of riding a Wide Glide, I can't believe how much I love my Road Glide now. Absolutley no complaints at all.

Good luck
 
#5 ·
Same advice from me. I had the wobble, thanks to some great research of folks on this forum I took in the TRB that shows 1-1&1/2 is IN SPEC for Road Glides. After fighting with my dealership on two other incidents they relented and made the changes I asked for an it's been perfect ever since (course they charged me a 1/2 hour of time to do what they should have already done). Honestly it's a Harley, while not perfect they are pretty good machines. Unfortuntely like everything it's the service after that makes the product...some dealerships are great, some are not.
 
#6 ·
The 40 mph wobble is 15 minute fix that any dealer should do under warranty.
It is not a big deal...
I didn't realize I had it until after about 5000 miles I tried to ride "no handed" at 40. Took to my dealer the next Saturday and by the time I drank a cup of coffee it was fixed...

It;s that simple...
 
#7 · (Edited)
Two of the three stealers did an escorted test ride. I pointed out the wobble to the escorts when it happened. We got back to the stealer and they were in full "holy shit man" mode. They told the salesman about it which tends to carry a little more weight. On the third bike at the non escorted stealer I wore a GoPro and showed him the video. That RGU he says will go to service to have the head tightened and he will call me so I can ride it again when it's right.
I am heartened to hear from you guys and read elsewhere that it is an easy fix. I am however very reluctant to hand over $25 grand to buy a machine with what I consider to be a major defect, and then jump through hoops to get it fixed or have to fix it myself.
 
#9 ·
Had the same wobble on my 09, same thing , only when you went handsfree, touch the bar and it was gone.
Also had the front tire wear out in a scaloped sort of way very quickly.
Dealer replaced the front tire on a recall, wobble went away and has never returned.
On a set of Avons now...40K (Km...Canadian) on the clock and still no wobble.
 
#10 ·
I don't know if I would go as far as calling it a major defect. The issue is an easy fix and doesn't present it's self on every bike that rolls out the door. I would think of it as more of a calibration issue than anything else.
 
#12 ·
Hell I don't need to ride Mulholland, I want a Road Glide! If it doesn't wobble on the test ride at the stealer I'll buy it. I've been dealing with LA Harley of Anaheim three bikes, one of which they sold after I told them about the wobble. One they still have, and one they were supposed to tighten for me but haven't. OC Harley, one used 2011 FLTRU that they're asking 2012 msrp for! Pretty sure they don't give a rat about no damn wobble. And Westminster Harley who seemed concerned about the 2011 FLTRU wobble but then said maybe its just "normal" for Road Glides when their 2012 showroom ultra wobbled. Harley Davidson....It's a love/hate thing. Right now I'm just hatin' it more than lovin' it.
 
#15 ·
I've been dealing with LA Harley of Anaheim three bikes, one of which they sold after I told them about the wobble. One they still have, and one they were supposed to tighten for me but haven't. OC Harley, one used 2011 FLTRU that they're asking 2012 msrp for! Pretty sure they don't give a rat about no damn wobble. And Westminster Harley who seemed concerned about the 2011 FLTRU wobble but then said maybe its just "normal" for Road Glides when their 2012 showroom ultra wobbled. Harley Davidson....It's a love/hate thing. Right now I'm just hatin' it more than lovin' it.
I hear ya, and I kinda suspected you might be dealing with those OC dealerships. Since LA Harley took over the Fullerton dealership, everything, especially sales and service has spiraled into the tank. They've alienated just about every one of their formerly loyal customer base and they don't seem to care. OC's attitude doesn't surprise me much either. They've got the Obama's targeted tax base as most of their clientele and rarely feel the need to deal. I might have seen you in there on Sunday - staring up the black one? Westminster has never been known to be warm and cuddly either. I think you're really dealing with more of a dealer issue than a defect. It's a very fixable thing, and you have the misfortune of dealing with guys who can but won't.
 
#14 ·
This issue has been extensively covered on this Forum and others I imagine. The dumb stealers lose our business and the smart ones get ours that Know/Believe the issue exists...why moco does nothing about it?...well that's another extensively covered issue on this Forum. Best of luck on your search and decision. Maybe you should come and meet the 109 or so RG's at SWII to see how many of them would trade theirs for another bike:rolleyes:
 
#16 ·
Well as long as you know "it ain't normal" your not likely to buy into that hype. The service departments have a bulletin on it, and if they haven't read it by now, I don' t know that I would be giving them my money for any model of HD.
The RG's are great bikes, and like ALL bikes have their inherint issues, but having the knowledge you do, chances are ya won't get burnt. Good luck whatever you decide.

Rowdy
 
#17 ·
The wobble is a non issue, a factory - fixable mistake, most vehicles I've owned have had one or two, Toyota Tundra had an issue with the gas peddle, it was fixed and it is still one of best trucks I've ever owned. I'm heading towards 10K on my 2011 RG, one of the best bikes I've owned!! Wish we did not have issues, unfortunately we do, when they are easily repaired / corrected we fix them and move on. It's always nicer when they are minor corrections with no crash issues.......... So far the wobbles I've read about have all been repaired without a repeat performance... For the money we spend we should not have to, but it is what it is, hopefully you will get to ride one that has been set up properly........
 
#18 ·
Anyone who tells you it is "normal" is incompetent. Find a dealer with a real mechanic. I had a serious wobble, a real tank thumper, at about 3500 miles and a half hour one time in the shop has fixed it so far. I now have 7500 miles with no repeat. We shall see how it goes in the future but it is not normal to have a bad wobble in the steering.
 
#19 ·
I have just recently gone from my softail to a new 12 Roadie and have not experienced any kind of wobble that everyone keeps talking about. I have just put 1000 miles on it the first week gone from a slow pace to a 75 80 mph in twisties and no dice...I love the ride and handing of my 12.
 
#20 ·
My '11 FTRUSE had no "wobble" issues at all through over 8K miles---then it developed a low-speed wobble at start-up. At highway speeds, it's just fine.
I had a similar "wobble" with my old '05 FLST and I had a HD dealership take a look at it. The service manager came back to me---literally "wide-eyed" telling me I was a "lucky man" as he showed me where the head-bolt had sheared off, but miraculously---had stayed in place. Bike was out of warranty by then, so it was my bill to pay. But worth it. Just glad I didn't shrug it off and think it wasn't a big deal.
 
#23 ·
Hey chromedome, I just traded in my 07 RK for a 12 RGC in June and I haven't looked back. Learned on the RK last summer, rode it for a year (eh, learn big or stay home, right?) and traded it in for the bike I really wanted all along. I went to Palm Springs HD (great people just not in a dealing mood) than went to Quaid HD in Loma Linda. They gave me what I felt was a fair price on the trade in and a few grand off the new bike as well. No problems with them at all. If you dont mind heading out about 50-60 miles east on the I-10, go ahead and check them out. The salesman's name I dealt with is Mike DeLacey.
 
#26 ·
Bought the RGU last month, at about 300 miles I had a 40mph tank slap situation. Dealer replaced the front tire but still had the issue. Just got it back from my 1k mile service, the tank slap situation is now a very minor vibration situation (little or no 'wobble'). The service writer said the steering was waaay too loose. Followed up with "Keep your tire pressure in check and bring it back if you have the 40mph problem again." That was Z&M Harley in Greensburg, PA. Great dealership!
 
#29 ·
Over tighten the neck bearing. I told them no swings and mine still wobbles just not as bad. It seems to be the road grooves neck bearings and some say tires that cause it. I let go at 90 on cruise but if I turn loose decelerating wen it gets around 40 mph she shakes at you.
 
#30 ·
You can read a lot on this topic, but the service manager told me the 2 main culprits he's seen have been tire issues and improper steering adjustment. I've read so much on this my eyes are gonna bleed, but most have been able to sure it entirely or calm it down to barely noticeable.
 
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