dyna vibration

Hi Guy's. I need some help trying to find a solutionto a vibration problem on a friends bike. He runs a '97 Dyna Wide Glide. About a week ago he started getting a vibration that he says rattles his eyes. The vibration is there at idle or higher rpm. While the vibration is more pronounced at lower speeds and rpm's, you can see it in the bike even when he is sitting still. He has changed the motor mounts ( all of them) and it is not any better. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks,
(Big Evil )

Re:bad Vibrations

I would try to listen near the lower left side of the motor ;possible loose
compensating nut/dampner combination.You will have to remove the primary
cover to check the tightness&/or looseness of this nut.Hows the clutch condition???.Hope all works out.

Thanks for the info. That will be the next thing we check. We di find play in the swingarm bearings. We removed the rear tire and found side to side play in the swingarm. It is not much play but i imagine that any play would be too much. Do you think this could contribute to the vibration problem?
Thanks.
(Big Evil)

Re:swingarm Contributor To Vibs

Well;possible but,remember you still have the rear mount supporting the motor
and trans at idle(just recently replaced???).The vibration you speak of to me
sounds more like an engine harmonic imbalance. i.e.-engine vibration damper,
primary chain components.

Ques.

HEY hdryder1,
Is this "EVO" stock,mildly stock(cam/exh. system)???
One other thing I thought of...Look carefully at the inner primary where it mates
to the engine.Some HIPERF. motors(EVO's) have been known to crack the inner
primary at the mounting/eng. area.I'm not trying to freak you out...just some
ideas of what to look for.

Check your front primary sproket nut I have heard of these loosening up and causing problems.

Thanks for all of the responses. The motor is a TC, stock with stage one. I also thought that he may have a problem in the primary area. This will be the next step. Thanks!!

On FLT / FXR maybe but not Dyna's. That big motor mount absorbs a bunch of vibes. It would help if you could give more details of maintenance history, gradual or quick change, RPM sensitive...If the primary chain is loose it can be pretty noisy and vibrate. Oh yeah, is it a buzzing vibe in the bars or all of the bike?

While I have not ridden the bike, He tells me the vibration started suddenly. He has taken very good care of the bike. All maintenance ever needed to be done has been done. After the swingarm bearings and bushings were changed he started the bike and rode. He reported that while the bike was cool he had no vibrations, but as the bike warmed up the vibrations came back.. He said they start at the top end of the rpm range , just before shift change and at the bottom just before downshift. The vibration is not just in the bars ,but all over the bike.

dyna vibe

check the steering head,could be the bearing.