[tonygret]

I have a 2005 LT about 20K on it. I am experiencing a wobble or shimmy in the front between 20 and 40 MPH around sweeping turns. I think I may feel it at freeway speeds but can't be 100% sure. The front Metzler tire has about 3000 miles on it. I checked the steering dampener as other have instructed in various posts and that appears to be fine. I also check for side to side and top to bottom wheel movement as well as tire and wheel runout. The only thing I can visibly see is very slight tire cupping. The last tire was cupped badly when I replaced it and I never felt this shimmy. Any suggestions?

 

[katnapinn]

I would start by looking at the 80 or so post below in the Similar Threads as this problem has come up over and over.

 

[MountianMama]

I will add my two cents worth.

I and a few others have found that when the wear or cupping on one side of the front tire is greater than on the other side, the bike will want to fall off of the Center tread at low speeds.
It feels like the road has undulations. At higher speeds it disappears. It is a disconcerting feeling.

Once the damage has been done to the tire, it will only get worse.
Damage probably comes from incorrect pressures.

I called it the shimmy shimmy cocobonk,
Replaced tire, problem gone.

 

[cws]

Suffered it several times, it's tyres... not always fixed by a new one but it should be, perhaps because the tyre fitter wasn't as careful as he should be (always at the dealers).
Posted a video of the effect a few years back, its very frustrating when you have it, but so nice when the the tyre is fitted properly and the problem goes away. I also had the dampener replaced, to no effect.
Its tyres....

 

[Kra961]

Tony simple fact of the matter is its an undocumented feature, think you'll find if you take it up to 50 mph then then let it down to 42-44 the shimmy starts it will go away at around 40.

To be on the safe side check your tire check the pressure this issue seems to be mostly universal with the LT and doesn't seem to caused by any one brand of tire.

 

[bjedruszczak]

I have a 2005 LT about 20K on it. I am experiencing a wobble or shimmy in the front between 20 and 40 MPH around sweeping turns. I think I may feel it at freeway speeds but can't be 100% sure. The front Metzler tire has about 3000 miles on it. I checked the steering dampener as other have instructed in various posts and that appears to be fine. I also check for side to side and top to bottom wheel movement as well as tire and wheel runout. The only thing I can visibly see is very slight tire cupping. The last tire was cupped badly when I replaced it and I never felt this shimmy. Any suggestions?

It happened to me several times when tires were at several thousand miles of use, especially on Metzlers.
I tried Bridgestones once and they didn't seem to do this, however they didn't last as long as metzlers.
This happens only in a narrow speed range, around 45mpg and does not bother me that much.

 

[tonygret]

Thanks guys. I should have stated I check the tire pressure before every ride. 38 front, 45 rear. The front tire has too much rubber still on it and is too expensive to change just for this reason. My main concern was something was loose and I was going to lose a wheel or something at 75 MPH.

I guess what still gets me is the front tire I replaced was a cupped like a washboard and didn't cause this issue. I guess we just add this to the rear rotor that rings and rattles, the oil filter located inside the oil pan, the 500.00 dealer brake bleed, the final drive failures and the air filter under the gas tank.

As A side note, I picked up my Harley from its 5K (and last) service at the dealer this weekend. I had them do the 1K as well as my warranty expires in 30 days. My one complaint was oil consumption. 1.2 quarts in 4000 miles. They handed me a HD bulletin stating dealers should “educate customers” that 1 quart per 1500 miles is considered in the “acceptable range”. So in other words, I wasn’t consuming enough oil!

 

[Kra961]

Holy cow 1.5 quarts?? even when the LT turns into a fog machine it still couldn't loose that much.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I just traded my 07 ultra for the 06 LT and my Ultra used zero oil .... changed every 5k but used none

 

[deanwoolsey]

All motorcycles will exhibit some front end wobble under the right conditions. If you have never felt it on your (insert brand here) it's because you haven't been at the right speed making the right type of turn on the right type of grade, etc. Unfortunately the LT does it pretty consistently at about 42 MPH. The most commonly accepted causes of the problem are a bad front tire, a bad rear tire, loose bearings in the steering assembly, loose pivot bearings, or as I found out personally a stretched bead on the front. Find someone who knows how to properly mount a tire and your wobble may go away. I now have 5,000 miles on my front tire since I changed it out and not even a hint of wobble since.

 

[tonygret]

I just traded my 07 ultra for the 06 LT and my Ultra used zero oil .... changed every 5k but used none

FuzzyWuzHe

You had the 96 CI engine on the Ultra. I had the 88 on my 2006 and it was gutless. Why did you switch from the Ultra to the LT?

 

[budzee]

I have suffered the same problem for about 5k from what I believe is a bad front tire. Spent lots of money with no results. Even had the wheel "trued". I installed a product called TPS. Their web site is www.ride-on.com. This did not fix the problem but it was a great improvement and in my opinion well worth the price. I can't buy a new tire ever time I get one that is not just right and trying to get the manufacturer to help is too much work for even me.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Actually I did the upgrade to a 103 with hotter cams ... the LT still has way more power (the Ultra had 102 max hp and 106 ftlbs of torque) ... the big reason for the switch was comfort and safety ... the brakes mostly ... the LT was made for the US Highway system .... I can do 700-1000 miles per day on the lt no problem ... 500-600 was a FULL day on the Ultra .... vibration, wind and noise accounted for the lower comfort range.

 

[katnapinn]

Thanks guys. I should have stated I check the tire pressure before every ride. 38 front, 45 rear. !

Tony you need to pump the front up to at least 42. I ran 45 in my front & NEVER had any cupping. I would get 17 or 18K from a front tire.

 

[GlennM86]

On July 11 I was riding along the prairies of South Dakota when I had a nice straight stretch of road.

I felt the need...the need for speed (Top Gun reference).

I opened Dolly up and kissed 120 and instantly let go of the throttle to let her start to slow down.

(I know. Your comments will be something along the lines of "what a dumba$$", but remember that these bikes were made for the Autobahn and should be able to handle a kiss of high speed. I have had Dolly faster for longer in the past.) I felt very comfortable on her. We were 2475 miles into a 5500 mile mancation.)

Between 110 and 108 mph, I had a very violent, and rapid, head shake. It was so violent that I could not hold on to the bars. It was such a rapid (harmonic) increase that I could not hit brakes fast enough.

Yes, I went off the side of the road. I think ATGATT and my bike saved me. I road Dolly for three somersaults before being ejected and flying 200 more feet, eventually ending up in a prairie field. Dolly took the initial impacts for me.

I left Dolly behind in SD.
I suffered a fractured left foot, broken right knee bone (patela), two ribs on the left side, and 10 vertebra...nothing structural.

I was helicoptered to Rapid City Regional and spent a week there where the fantastic staff watched me heal naturally, no surguries.

My tires were inflated to 42F/48R. I was light loaded because all of my gear was at the Horsethief Campground. No cupping, No Metzler roar. HyperPro shocks. Riding solo.

I replaced Dolly with Phoenix Helena a couple of weeks after the accident and have since ridden approx 380 miles spread out over 2 weekends. I am much more wary of head shake now. I don't think I need to go triple digits, but I am still comfortable riding Phoenix in the 80's and 90's.

This is my lesson learned. I hope it helps others recognize that head shake happens at speeds greater than 30-45 mph and the effects are much greater and faster.

Ride safe and keep the shiny sides up.

 

[jzeiler]

Geez Glenn, You are starting to show a disturbing trend in your signature line. You have caught up with Steve Rowe on the number of totaled LTs. Glad you survived it.

Now I know why I shy away from the triple digits. But 84+ is my new favorite cruising speed after this last CCR trip, she just felt so good at that speed.

 

[GlennM86]

John,

Just think of how good I should be getting with installation of farkles.

 

[Kra961]

Glenn you didn't say if you had a chance to look at the front end or tire to see what caused the sudden high speed shimmy.

I understand were not experts in something like that but I would sure like to know if it was the Tire that ballooned or something failed on the front end.