Death Wobble

I'll be ordering The Bagger-Brace™ tomorrow. It sounds like exactly the thing I need to get my warm & fuzzy feeling again. I'll give a review when I've got it installed and tested.

I just measured the trail on my bike and it's around 4", maybe a little more, so it's good right there. When I said I lowered it, I didn't mention that when I bought the roller, it had 2" over stock tubes on it making the front end sit higher than the rear. I dropped it about 2" to try and get it so the frame set close to level again. The frame is a Paughco rigid with a 30 degree rake.
This may have nothing to do with motorcycles, but I had a Tour Easy bike once (frame like a motorcycle - it's a recumbent bike) and used to tour the west coast with it during the '90s when we lived in California. I noticed that when I put a lot of camping stuff over the rear wheel, I experienced wobble with the front end because of the extra weight over the rear wheel. I wonder if all the extra weight over a motorcycle rear wheel, especially on a bagger where much of the weight is actually behind the axle, might contribute to the death wobbles. It certainly affected the handling on my recumbent bike - the more weight I had, the worse the bike wobbled. Here are some pics of the bike circa 1991.

You're good to go with 4"...the wobble is usually from neck bearing too loose, loose spokes, swingarm bearing/bushings worn or wheels out of line.

Cool bike!!

My neighbor with the Heritage says he experiences wobbles, but that's usually after he's had a few too many.

The only wobble I ever had was when a German shepherd was chasing me, and had to run over him. He got back up, shook his head and went back home.

Just had the 15K service done on my bike before leaving for Rolling Thunder. I hadn't noticed any wobble but the tech that I have to do my service noticed it when he road tested so he brought it back in the shop and tightened the head bearings. Went over through the mountains today helping with a new owners ride and the bike did great.

Danny, I thought the Rolling Thunder rally was on Memorial Day weekend. You are blessed with a good mechanic.

You're right, it was Memorial Day weeekend - reported over 1/2 million bikes - more than last year. Wasn't quiet as hot though. Last year I think it was 96 degrees and this year it only got to 93. Went down to RFK Stadium on Saturday to check out the vendors and displays and among other thnigs the Virginia State HIghway Patrol was doing motorcycle riding demonstratons. Man those guys can handle a bike - riding tight figure 8's, cone zig zags, stopped bike balancing for up to 15 seconds. A sight to behold.

But you're right, the tech that I usually request, Anthony, takes a lot of pride and pains in his work.
Danny

Wow, that's f-ud! I can't believe that H-D make a mistake that bad~!

I've now got the package and I'm putting the brace on tomorrow or Wednesday. Everything else has been checked, including the spokes (which, while stylish, are largely hidden by the brake discs, so they are not so wonderful to have - next time a bunch of money falls on me I'll buy some new forged wheels).

For $300 I'm gonna take the gamble and put the Bagger Brace on - it really is much more than just a stiffening crossmember, what with the swingarm and all. Having lived through one violent Death Wobble, I'll risk the cash for even a 10% chance of eliminating it. I'll post my review shortly thereafter...assuming I live through the test run!:devil:

:cheers:

I think you'll like it, it's hard to describe the difference. I've never been afraid to throw a bike around and didn't really give a lot of thought to the big FL flopping around I got used to it.....it just doesn't flop around now so I guess that's a good thing.

Re: Death Wobble - GOT IT ON!

OK, quickly as this is cutting into my sittin' around drinkin' and watching baseball time.......

I got the Bagger Brace on with considerable help. Took three of us almost two hours (had some minor complications, but even so it ain't as easy as the mfr says).

Took the bike out for some Great Wide Open testing on some obscure Nevada highways. Took some floorboard scrapping turns in the high 40mphs and did a long sweeper run at over 105 (headwind made my eyes too blurred after 105mph). The wobble is gone, and the bike handles like it is about 200lbs lighter than before, I love it (the Bagger Brace) and heartily recommend it to anyone that feels that their bagger is not riding the way it should - especially if they're worried about the Death Wobble.

Time to celebrate!:cheers:

Re: Death Wobble - GOT IT ON!

That sound great dude.
I'm happy for you.
You did good.

Very good, Red Rider. I wish I could have been there and seen the test ride. From what I've read so far, it seems that this problem could be corrected at the Harley factory. What do you think they would need to do to fix this problem?

Tightening the neck bearings would prolly have fixed the problem.

Not this time. Tried that before. Duh.

This isn't a matter of belief or disbelief in the Bagger Brace, it is a matter of fact that the device has markedly and qualitatively improved the bike's cornering and high speed (100+ mph) handling.

It has taken some of the "staring down Death's maw" excitement from riding that I had, but I am getting older!:roflmao:

Could H-D fix this? Yep, but first they'd have to admit it occurs, which would kill them in many past & present lawsuits. At least that is my take. And I also bet they have addressed it to some degree, but quietly. I also think the Bagger Brace is probably overkill - but in the best way possible. I did note that the existing crossmember (which one part of the BB reinforces) is pretty darn flimsy, and mine was a little more than slightly warped (probably from DW) - and it is NOT supposed to have any warpage. If you have a bagger, ya might want to inspect yours, too.