Front wheel wobble

[tonh]

Hello All,
This is my first post on the forum, hopefully won't be my last.
Took the plunge last year and bought a big, heavy tourer (HD electra glide) and have done incrementally longer trips building up the a long trip we have planned in the Summer over to the Continent.
Last week-end, partner and I went down from the North to the HD event at Minehead - her on her Sporty and me carrying all her shoes !! (and more) in the big bike. This was the most loaded the bike had ever been and I found it very unnerving when slowing down, or at very low speed, that the front would wobble quite alarmingly. I had 20psi in the rear suspension and pumped the tyres to 40psi but it really quite worried me.
What is getting me now is that I will probably have even more gear (and her on the back too) going abroad in the summer and I am really worried about handling the bike in awkward situations like - for example - getting on and off the ferry.
Anyone had any experience of this and know how to deal with it?
Many Thanks
Tony

[I hate Fiat puntos]

Its sounds to me like your overloaded firstly i would try and reduce the weight of items carried how many shoes does she need it might be a electra glide but its certainly not a car i only travel with the bear essentials and im very carefull when loading my panniers making sure both are of equal weight

[druidsam]

sounds like too much weight at the back to me,but i know nothing about it and am only guessing



................................Sam

[Spree]

I did the same thing on the Blackbird once going to the TT. Panniers, topbox, tankbag and pillion. Couldn't pull away or out of a bend without wheelying the bloody thing and when it was going down the road it felt like the front wheel was just kissing the tarmac. Scary - just way too much weight.

I find now that you just don't need to carry so much.

[edexup]

Originally Posted by tonh

Hello All,
This is my first post on the forum, hopefully won't be my last.
Took the plunge last year and bought a big, heavy tourer (HD electra glide) and have done incrementally longer trips building up the a long trip we have planned in the Summer over to the Continent.
Last week-end, partner and I went down from the North to the HD event at Minehead - her on her Sporty and me carrying all her shoes !! (and more) in the big bike. This was the most loaded the bike had ever been and I found it very unnerving when slowing down, or at very low speed, that the front would wobble quite alarmingly. I had 20psi in the rear suspension and pumped the tyres to 40psi but it really quite worried me.
What is getting me now is that I will probably have even more gear (and her on the back too) going abroad in the summer and I am really worried about handling the bike in awkward situations like - for example - getting on and off the ferry.
Anyone had any experience of this and know how to deal with it?
Many Thanks
Tony

Hiya Tony, I don't have any Harley experience, but have toured the continent many times. From here ( and I'm a long way away ) it sounds like you need more rear preload........ and from what I've read above, that means more psi in your suspension as its an air system. A well placed query on a Harley forum will doubtless get you plenty of answers .

As for wheelying Blackbirds................ the pic below shows some of the gear carted back from Euro trip in 2006 ( she even bought a new helmet when away )...... but could still run at 130 all day on the autoroutes, and was having boot scraping fun in the twisties.........
Did get a round of applause away from a toll booth near Lyon though.... got into 3rd on the back wheel. Chuckle.

Hope you get sorted out and have a fantastic trip...

[jonnywombat]

Hey ed..

could you not get any more on the back?? I am sure there was room under the top box

[Spree]

Haha Ed, that looks just like mine did and I had stuff strapped to the top of the panniers too

[indie]

had a similar problem on a zx6r whilst touring, was a slightly bent front wheel and the added weight was just magnifing the problem,
i clamped a dti onto the fork legs one at a time and thats was then i found the bent wheel, never noticed it without the extra weight, i borrowed a mates front wheel and it disappeared, new wheel bought

[tonh]

Thanks for this, I will pump it up to the max of 25psi and see how we get on. If it still wobbles a bit then she will have to get on the ferry on foot I just can't imagine getting on the boat on a slippery metal deck with a wobble like that.

[edexup]

Originally Posted by tonh

Thanks for this, I will pump it up to the max of 25psi and see how we get on. If it still wobbles a bit then she will have to get on the ferry on foot I just can't imagine getting on the boat on a slippery metal deck with a wobble like that.

I don't know how old your bike is, mileage, etc etc ..... but if the extra psi doesnt help have a quick check of all the usual suspects - head stock bearings, wheel bearings, etc etc.

Hope you find your problem, and I'm sure you'll enjoy biking on the continent.

Do a write up when you get back and make those of us who can't do it this year very very jealous. Have a great holiday.