did H-D fix the rubber-mounted swingarm on the FLs?

[1KPerDay]

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davidson/2009-harleydavidson-touring-models-review-86648.html

I can't find mention of it here... if they didn't fix it that's stupid, IMO. That' was the main problem with that chassis for 'spirited' riding.

[chornbe]

It's scary diving in to a sweeper at high speeds. Every kit I've see replaces the inner rubber bushing, but retains the outer harley stock rubber bushing. Stupid, stupid, stupid. There are other products, like the RideStr8 and other linkage kits, but c'mon... it's an ass design.

[1KPerDay]

I know... I hope they fixed it but from what I can see they didn't. Or can you see somewhere that they did?

[chornbe]

I haven't looked quite that close at the '09 information, but I would suspect they have not.

[1KPerDay]

*sigh*

why wouldn't they fix an admitted issue?

I guess because it really isn't an issue at 55mph on the freeway.

[chornbe]

Exactly. The bike feels great at 55-65, above that it gets increasingly noticeable. At 80 and above, it's just nutty.

[sfarson]

Cover article of this month's American Iron goes into detail with the chassis improvements.  Haven't had a chance to scan the article yet.  Personally, I've never had any major issues with the FL frame.  I wring the CVO RK hard as I do the track bikes, and have never felt it was a limiting factor when immaturely giving chase at serious speeds to those on higher octane things.

[1KPerDay]

I have... but truthfully the lack of ground clearance is a greater limitation. You have an HP2 now? You suck. And I mean that in the most envious possible way.

[chornbe]

With a reasonable amount of air in the shocks on the 'Glide and using the right amount of body position, I haven't scraped much of anything in quite a while. At stock 0-10lbs of air, yeah, the floorboards not a nice aerodynamic reshaping.  

[sfarson]

I have... but truthfully the lack of ground clearance is a greater limitation. You have an HP2 now? You suck. And I mean that in the most envious possible way.

Yes... the clearance is what is in the back of the mind most when riding in a spirited manner on the H-D , and yes, a long wait for the HP2 Sport.  Arrived in May, just before the ride to Tooele.  An amazing bike, visually and functionally.

[Snowbird]

I think they fixed it:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/04august08_2009hd_vrod&touring.htm

[chornbe]

That pivot block looks similar to what's on my '08. the "magic" is behind it where there's an inner and outer rubber bushing system (inner rubber bushing slides into the outer rubber bushing) that sits behind that pivot block. I'd love to see an exploded view of the '09. The '08 I have is downright *scary* to ride once the tire gets squared off. The bike gets really squirrelly in turns unless the tires are kept pretty fresh.

In these pictures below, you see the outer rubber bushing remains, and the inner rubber bushing has been replaced with an aluminum or delrin piece (Delrin in this case, from "StaBo"). This is a common fix (and other fixes include an overly-complicated, Rube Goldberg like linking device to limit side travel, but it still works on an arc so I don't see how it's feasible...). I think it should go a step further and have the inner aluminum/delrin bushing slide into a poly outer bushing and remove even more of the flex.





And the problem is where the outer bushing mounts to the frame...



The StaBo bushings are supposed to stiffen the outer bushing by reducing overall flex and filling any gaps. I may end up ordering these because I just can't see myself ever putting on the Goldberg style link kits to the tune of $400+ bucks.

[1KPerDay]

Yep... looks to me like they ignored the issue for 09. Maybe the other improvements ameliorate it a it.

[chornbe]

Please note, the pictures i posted with the red frame are not mine. They are of a pre-'08 Road king getting a powder-coating job to the frame and the StaBo kit installed, as posted on the Harley CVO forum.

No, I'm not a member there and I shamelessly ripped off those pictures while researching this problem for myself a few months back. My intention was to have the whole inner-outer bushing set made from stiffer materials, but the StaBo is supposed to be the cat's ass.

[1KPerDay]

I figgered it wasn't your bike; wrong color.

[atadaskew]

The reviews that I have read in motorcycle-usa.com, motorcycle.com and motorcycledaily.com all claim that the handling has been transformed.

[1KPerDay]

they all mention front end improvements... everyone's mum about the back from what I've seen. Which may be a good thing.

[Snowbird]

The reviews that I have read in motorcycle-usa.com, motorcycle.com and motorcycledaily.com all claim that the handling has been transformed.

From the motorcycledaily article:

The new bikes feel very planted mid-corner, and also seem to change direction easier.

   So the question remains....

[chornbe]

   So the question remains....

What's not to understand? Planted while leaned over and quicker turn in.

[Snowbird]

What's not to understand?

How it was accomplished.

[1KPerDay]

Stiffer frame, different trees, larger front wheel, but no mention of the flubbermounted swingarm, so I'll wager you a nickel they left that alone.

[atadaskew]

They also have an all new much bigger/stiffer swingarm.  Pictures of it in the articles, as well as it being talked about...
Also new engine mounts.  Really seems that Harley has done well with this.  I'm gonna rent one of the new ones once they become available to see for myself.

[chornbe]

I'm planning on a test ride and teasing my dealer with the notion of trading the 'Glide in on a Road King (I f'ing HATE the batwing fairing   ). We'll have to see how the $$$ works out, tho'.

[1KPerDay]

Try a road glide if you haven't...

[atadaskew]

(I f'ing HATE the batwing fairing  

Y u hate the batwing fairing?  U didn't know this until after you put miles on the bike?  For me, the batwing fairing with the stock short shield on the Street Glide has suffered upon me the worst turbulence that I have ever felt on a motorsickle.  The standard shield on the E-Glide worked fine apart from the fact the distortion gave me a headache.  Kinda like borrowing someone's glasses..
Methinks the Road Glide may be the next one to try , as 1K points out.

[chornbe]

I'm 12k miles into this street glide and hate the fairing. If an '09 Road King isn't in my future, I'm pulling the front end pieces off the 'Glide and getting the (relatively few) pieces necessary to convert it into a Road King.

I don't want a road glide. I don't mind being in the wind.

[Snowbird]

Is this the fairing you like, or the one you hate? Is this the "batwing?"



I think it may be a street glide my friend has with a very low (say 3-4") windshield above the fairing. Why can't H-D make that windshield raise and lower inside the fairing like so many other manufacturers now do?    

[chornbe]

Yes, that is the batwing fairing that I hate, present on all the 'Glide models (except the Road Glide). The road king is mechanically identical to the 'Glides; it's major difference being above and forward of the steering neck (windshield and chrome bits rather than the fairing).

They *could* do that with making the windshield adjustable. There is a metric cubic shit ton of open space inside that thing, even with the stereo.

The biggest problem isn't the fairing directly, per se; it's the air coming around and up from the gas tank colliding with the air coming up and over the fairing that's *actually* the problem. On their bikes without the fairing, the buffeting is way less, and is non-existent on the Road King when you remove the windshield. I would just ditch the windshield and the resulting clean stream of air would be fine.

'Glide:


Road King:



Note... FWIW... This is about the only fairing that I like.  

[1KPerDay]

Dang... the more I look at that new FJR the more I want one. Lovely lines.

[atadaskew]

Chornbe, have you tried out the Road Glide?  That's the only touring Harley that I have not ridden.  Just curious as to how it's fairing handles da breeze.  Plus it's handling should be different as it does not mount to the forks.

[1KPerDay]

You really only notice the difference in the fairings in high wind/crosswind, IMO. The Road Glide feels more planted, and wind on the fairing has no effect on the steering. It's a small difference but noticeable. Plus the Road Glide looks better.

Both windscreens cause turbulence for me. The screen on the road glide is so far forward of the rider that it would have to be HUGE to be effective. I'd prefer no screen.

[chornbe]

Chornbe, have you tried out the Road Glide?  That's the only touring Harley that I have not ridden.  Just curious as to how it's fairing handles da breeze.  Plus it's handling should be different as it does not mount to the forks.

It *feels* marginally heavier in the low-speed stuff, but then it isn't affected by mid-turn wind or anything either. It carves OK thru' the wind, but I never got it over 50 (dealer test ride in residential area and non-highway riding). It was fine, but again... I didn't crank on it any. A buddy had one and the only thing he'd say was "Whoever said they tested this thing in a wind tunnel lied."

Eh... I don't really like the looks of it, combination of the mother ship and a shark face.

[atadaskew]

 A buddy had one and the only thing he'd say was "Whoever said they tested this thing in a wind tunnel lied."

Just cuz they tested it in a wind tunnel doesn't mean they bothered to get it right!  Apparently..

[1KPerDay]

Yep. Tested and failed.



"clinically tested to lengthen your schlong!"  

[Bikenut]

The biggest problem isn't the fairing directly, per se; it's the air coming around and up from the gas tank colliding with the air coming up and over the fairing that's *actually* the problem. On their bikes without the fairing, the buffeting is way less, and is non-existent on the Road King when you remove the windshield. I would just ditch the windshield and the resulting clean stream of air would be fine.

Have you tried the fork mounted wind deflectors like the ones on my RK? My bud has a set on an Electraglide Std (no lowers) and swears by them. My RK came with 'em so I wouldn't know the difference. Talked to a guy the other day with a detachable(Hoppe) fairing on his RK and said he'd never take it off.

As for the rubber mounted swingarm

[chornbe]

Gorgeous bike!

Admittedly I haven't tried them. I'd like to, but that's yet another hundred bucks. (sigh)

I hate to be a "typical harley guy" and just start throwing money at the bike without doing any research. I can't ask any real questions on HDForums because that bunch of blinder-wearing apologists couldn't give an objective answer to save their own lives. And the only thing they can agree on is that the Sportster is a girl's bike.  

Except the Sportster owners, who all swear theirs can take a Gixxer in the quarter.  

[Bikenut]

I did see where someone took a pair of slipstreamer 1" bar mount wind deflectors and put them on his lower highway bar. He claimed they worked but looked kinda fugly. Another thing to try is the adjustable wind deflectors for the batwing.

HDforums.....duh,I hate to say it but whatta buncha knobs.

For every "Has anyone had this happen?"  
It'll get 20 of  "Nope, I've had X for X and ridden X and it never happened to me."

Follow the herd hand over the cash take it in the @$$ .  

HD = Hunnerd Dolla,.... everything is a hunnerd dolla

A good HD friend of mine said check these forums out for some intelligence.

http://groups.msn.com/Harleytechtalk

http://v2-forum.com/forums/index.php



And Thanks again on the compliment
http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,28045.0.html


I sold my TL1000S this week.

[chornbe]

Thanks for the info. I'll look in to those options.

Some subtle "wings" under the tank to direct the air down and out rather than up and out would do it. I keep threatening to get a sheet of plexi and my heat gun and do a prototype.