SIX DAYS TO GO!

SIX DAYS TO GO!

Last minute family-related issues have knocked out my riding partner, so I'm now riding solo to Sturgis, and come to think of it, that's how it was originally planned. Things have come full circle. And this gives me a half-day earlier start, so instead of rolling out early Saturday, I'm leaving Friday afternoon at 1PM from my office in downtown DC, six days from now. It might even be 5-1/2, not that I'm counting.

Yep, DC's the start point, and what a transition it will be. From a granite and glass office building, just blocks from the White House, to the wide-open party going on in Sturgis, South Dakota! I will figuratively and literally be traveling into another world.

I figure the 250 or so miles I cover in that extra half day takes some of the sting outa the three long riding days I have planned, and giving me a little cushion-time in case I have to wait out a thunderstorm or two. Or, as many friends joke about, the occasional tornado.

Great. I have a fucking tornado to think about!

As I write this, my friends Linda and Charlie are en route, spending their first night in Ohio, and Bev and John are loading up the trailer on Monday, I think, and hitting the road. I'm the straggler, and the only one of the crew riding the entire way, so I hope Big Blue takes good care of me. There ain't no one bringing up the rear!

I've spent the last few days gathering up odds and ends....things I might need on a lonely mountain road. I picked up a StopNGo tire repair kit that includes a compressor, a string tire repair kit for gashes instead of punctures, spark plugs, light bulbs, fuses, bailing wire, duct tape, electrical wire and a couple connectors, snap rings, nuts and bolts, JB Weld, tools, work gloves, flashlight, and spare brake and clutch levers. A first aid kit too. I also got one of those 1-gallon gas containers that fit into the rear of a Harley touring saddlebag. Now my left saddlebag is full to the brim with motorcycle repair stuff plus the first aid kit. I hope I never need to open the damn thing up.

I'm packing a bike cover on top of my tour-pack, not just to protect if from the elements, but also to hide the bike at night from prying eyes. No sparkly-shiny refections to catch the eyes of peeps passing by. I learned about this trick on the Southern Comfort 2010 ride. If I left my Softail Custom uncovered, there were always some people milling around it in the hotel parking lots, so I had to drag everything inside. But if I covered it up, no one paid any mind to it, and I was able to leave the bags on the bike. No, my cover for Big Blue doesn't have that Harley eagle on it. I don't want to advertise what's under there.

Up front there's a TomTom Rider 2 GPS and a waterproof iPhone mount, plus I mounted a cigarette lighter receptacle on the handlebar that I can use to keep the phone charged. If I want, I can pump some tunes from the phone to the Bell Shorty helmet via Bluetooth.

Mark at Patriot sold me a nifty new headlight bulb that he guaranteed would scare the shit out of any buffalo on the road.

So I have the tour-pack compartment and the right saddlebag left for an extra helmet, jackets, gloves, chaps, rain gear, clothes, and extra boots. Though it's overkill, I'll probably take an empty Saddlemen travel bag to carry all my t-shirts and treasures back!

There was also a critical fact omitted from this post when originally published. Charlie and Linda volunteered to take along a "Cowboy's Sturgis Supplies Tub" in their trailer, which contains an extra pair of jeans, a pound of decent coffee, plus ample supplies of non-alcoholic beverages and strawberry Twizzlers, none of which are likely to be available at the Buffalo Chip! I'll be set when I get there! Linda probably thinks there's medical supplies (Viagra?) in there along with hi-potency vitamins, clean socks and underwear, etc, but I left that stuff out so there was plenty room for Twizzlers.

Reluctantly, my S&W .357 will stay back in Virginia. Carrying was "iffy" since I don't have my carry-permit yet.

Now it's just a matter of laying everything out, running through the checklist, and packing the bag liners. Then on Thursday evening, I can begin loading everything. I actually want to load it now, but I'd just unpack it a couple times to make sure nothing's missing, so no sense in going through all that!

SIX MORE DAYS!

Cowboy

PS - Very best thoughts go out to Sol's Mom....Sol too. Hope everything gets sorted out, and Mom is on the mend. I'll leave Sol with the reminder that Sturgis will still be there in 2013.

T-10

I'm getting to the point where I almost can't stand it. I definitely have exactly the same feeling as a kid before Christmas when the kid just knows he's getting something he/she really wanted.

I've packed and repacked the saddlebag full of tools, duct tape, bailing wire, and a few parts.

I'm writing notes to myself to remember to fill that spare gas container.

I can't begin to tell you how many times I've remapped the route, and especially the last day through the Badlands Park.

I've worn out the hotel sites revising reservations for the trip out. First I was leaving Saturday, then Friday, then Saturday, and now ?????

And this weekend, I'm going to start laying out all the clothes I'm going to pack. Once that's done, I'm screwed...there won't be a damn thing left to do but watch the fucking calendar!

I have been passing some idle time rebuilding old blog posts that lost all the photos, so at least that seems constructive. (I may even be halfway done!)

I'm even sportin' a new, pre-Sturgis tattoo that I've been wanting. Becky & Fred convinced me to get it here, rather than in Sturgis. They said if I got it out there, my arm would fall off. And that F'n Fred said getting the tat on the inside of my arm wouldn't hurt. Fred lies.

Sean Bajek, Saints & Sinners, Fells Point, Baltimore, MD

And one of these days, maybe Donna will come over and hang out! Where the hell is Donna, anyway?!?!?! I'm dating a beach bunny who sends me photos from seaside saying "Wish you were here!"

OK, nuff whining. In 10 days from right this minute, I'll be about 500 miles from DC and loving every mile of the Interstate. Even if it's raining and miserable-hot. I think.

:-)

Cowboy

Kayakin' Ain't Ridin', but it's Fun!!!!

The heat wave that's overwhelmed the mid-Atlantic states got the best of us, and even Linda and Charlie took a break from house-building. Linda came up with the idea of hitting the Shenandoah River for a little kayaking, which sounded like a damn good idea to me!

Linda and Charlie invited me up to their mountain in Rileyville, VA, where they have cabins for rent*, which are just awesome. One cabin is just steps from the river, while others offer a view of the Shenandoah Valley that just can't be beat. I drove up Saturday morning, hauling one of my recreational kayaks, which is perfect for a river when it's "boney". (that means low water in kayaker lingo)

I met Ashley, Caroline, Dave, Linda, and Charlie at their new home and off we went to the river. The water was even lower than expected, but the scorching temperatures drove us in to find whatever relief was available from the 104+ temps.

Now this was actually only the first or second time out in a kayak for our paddling beauties, Caroline and Linda, but they both took off like pros, not waiting for the grubby, sweaty guys. But soon we were all out on the river and having a great time. If you haven't tried kayaking, you're missing something!

We had plenty of time for fun on the way downriver, even spotting a bald eagle having lunch on the bank of e river. What an awesome sight, and this made the entire trip worthwhile.

And then we had more fun, finding an island in the middle of the river that offered a great spot to take another break.

It's also worth mentioning that, on a whim, I turned on my cell phone and was amazed that 1) there was any service available, and 2) that I was actually able to "check in" on Facebook from the middle of a river in the middle of fucking nowhere. Charlie was ragging on me as I waded out into the middle, cell phone held high, trying to get a little better connection. I can be such an idiot........

BUT! I was outdone, and if you don't count the eagle-sighting, the day's highlight was unquestionably Ashley stalking a young deer at the river's edge. Ash-man began crawling across the river and finally...well he sorta just rolled and wallowed closer and closer, not unlike a walrus! And the "walrus" observation was made by Charlie, his dad!! (I ain't taking credit for calling Ashley a walrus.) Finally, when he was almost eyeball to asshole (the deer's) the little guy took off.

All this was dutifully recorded on Ashley's iPhone by Dave, who we're sure burned up every byte of free memory the phone had, recording long after the deer disappeared into the woods. Stay tuned for the YouTube follow-up! LOL

And finally we had to call it a day. What a great time, and a great bunch of people to spend the day with. Next stop for some of us: Sturgis, South Dakota! We can't wait. Life is good.

PS - It's now T-19 and counting. 19 days until I roll out of Alexandria, heading for Sturgis.

If you look way, way out in the distance in this photo you'll see another kayak. That's Linda leaving us all behind....

Cowboy

* If you're interested in cabin rental in the Luray, Virginia area, email Cowboy and he can put you in touch with Linda.

Posted with Blogsy

T-25 and Counting: Sturgis 2012!

So it's all over, almost. All the preparation, planning, and most of the work on the bike. Hell, I even BOUGHT a bike for my first-ever ride to Sturgis, South Dakota, for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

It's safe to say I've spent literally days staring at maps, reading online accounts of others' Sturgis experiences, talking to my friend Milt about tips on things to see and places to go, talking some more about it with Angel and Jim, and a little over three weeks from now I'm rolling to see it for myself.

And if you're reading this, I suspect I don't have to explain WHY I'm going to Sturgis, except to say I've never been, and I don't want to be put into the box without saying "I went to Sturgis", and I want to follow that with, "...and I rode."

When this ride was first suggested, my Softail Custom was my ride of choice, but as comfortable as that bike is, it also isn't really designed for the long haul. I've got all the detachable accessories, but I don't much care for the looks with all the crap on there, and it's downright scary to ride near a semi with that fucking windshield. It does some serious shimmying until you get around 'em. I struggled with that shake, rattle, and roll all the way to and from New Orleans in 2010, and wasn't all that eager to roll the dice again.

But I went ahead and bought a nice new Saddlemen touring bag, and some other new odds and ends to clean up the look and maybe take the shakes out of it a little. It was either ride the Softail or I could ride the Joker! (Yeah, right! The trip from Alexandria to Morgantown, WV, on the Joker damn near crippled me!)

My 2008 105th Anniversary Softail Custom - Set up for a long ride back in 2010

And then, when I least expected it, the right deal came along on a '99 Road King. Comfy, lots of storage, and with the True-Track frame brace I installed, it's very well behaved around trucks, and anywhere else for that matter. And yes, with the fairing and soft seat, plus a few tunes piped wirelessly to my headset, it'll make the ride a LOT more comfortable, even in the rain. Big Blue is just perfect for the ride.

1999 Road King aka Big Blue

All the map-staring and calendar tweaking have, so far, resulted in the route on this map, below. Every road and stop is subject to change due to weather, roadside attractions, and anything else that might come up. I'm sorta making a bee-line for Sturgis, but with one lazy day of riding set aside for a tour of the Badlands just before getting into Sturgis the afternoon of August 4th. I want to get at least one scenic ride in as a "reward" for pushing it along some of those straight-line, boring roads between Alexandria, Virginia and Sturgis. The Badlands run seems like a kick-ass way to start.

4,068 miles, including taking the "long way home"

So there's still a few last minute details to take care of:

1) I want to get the oil changed in the Road King, and have it checked out one last time in case I missed something. I'll get the boys at Patriot Harley Davidson, Fairfax, to look it over for me. 

2) And I need to get a few provisions that friends will haul up there for me. I don't want to carry any more than I have to, and since John, Bev, Linda, and Charlie are going up with a trailer, they've kindly agreed to haul one more package.

3) And I need to see if another Bro, Sol, is going to be riding with me or if he's riding on a different schedule and/or route. We'll do whatever's comfortable and fun, either together or separately.

I think that's about it. 

I'm ready right-f'n-now and can't wait. I'm leaving for work July 27th with a loaded bike, and rolling out at 1PM sharp, heading west. By sundown that night, I want a couple hundred miles between me and Washington, DC, and from that point on, life will be good.

Gonna do a little blogging to and from, of course, and maybe even while in Sturgis. Stay tuned for updates. I'll need to do something to relax my eyeballs 'cause I hear they are going to be scorched! Yippppeeee!

Cowboy

PS - No John, I didn't forget the Corn Starch. Got the economy size....LOL

Motorcycles and Family

Just sitting around yesterday after the Burn Ride, and I got to thinking. Yep, I had some of those "deep thoughts" that sneak in during quiet moments. See, a bunch of were sitting around a table at Cancun Cantina, and later a slightly different crew I know were together at Daniel's Restaurant, and I had the unmistakable feeling at both times that I was with my family.

In one very special case, there's my Bro, John. John and I have been together since very early childhood, growing up next door to each other, and we've been riding together since either of us got our first bike. He's like a brother to me. And John's wife, Bev, is as much a sister to me as she could possibly be. And though we've known each other fewer years, Charlie and Linda fall into the same category of "family" for me.

And there's a few other people who have, over time, moved into my inner circle of very, very close friends. I won't even try to name anyone else for fear I'll forget someone, but I think they know who they are. Some of these people seemed to get in on Day One, and others gradually, but one day I stopped looking at them as friends and began looking at them as my family.

I don't think I'm unique in this viewpoint. It's been my experience that motorcycle people, and more specifically the Harley Davidson community, develop personal relationships far stronger than simple friendships. I also think these bonds are on an entirely different level than with friends made in other "special interest" groups. We may occasionally battle it out among ourselves, but we're fiercely protective of each other, and don't take kindly when others take shots at one of us. I know, without a doubt, that one or two phone calls will connect me with people who will take care of me when I need it. I hope I never do need to make the call, but I do know the people will be there. I also know that complete strangers will help out a fellow biker who needs it, and no strings attached.

On a broader scale, I've seen the biker community rally together as a group when a biker family is in need of financial assistance. Or bikers who organize to help out a good cause. (Yes, you read that right! Sometimes bikers can actually plan stuff!) Maybe it happens elsewhere, but damn if I see it, at least not on a large scale. Birdwatchers for Burned Kids? Nope, I ain't seen that one. Bowlers for Tots? Nope, not that one either.

I'll also say that the true bikers I know....not those who fall into the "motorcycle owner" group....are those most likely to form these kinds of bonds. Seems there's a huge difference in how we view each other, and even our motorcycles! Having trouble seeing the difference in the two groups? Just stick around.

Now, don't misunderstand me. I have other very close friends, but I'll probably never run into them at a biker event. Chris T comes to mind (Grrroowwwwlllll!), along with a few others. But generally speaking, those I feel closest to are most often found on a bike.

So it's a family thing for me. Many of the folks I ride with are just like my brothers, sisters, or even my kids. When I was kicked back, relaxing at Daniels yesterday with John and Bev, It was just like being home. Nice.

Cowboy

Guardian Bell or an Accident Waiting to Happen?

So here's the deal. My Bro John gave me my first guardian bell to ward off those road gremlins, and I've never forgotten the gesture. And somewhere along the line, someone gave me another bell for the Joker. The deal is that if someone gives you the bell, it's more powerful! And if you buy your own, it's less powerful, or in my case, downright fucking lethal. At least as far as my bike is concerned....

See, I got this great deal on a new bell....two of them, actually.....and they arrived in the mail the other day. So on Sunday, while waiting on Jeff to show up for a ride, I decided to put one of the bells on Big Blue. Yeah, I thought about waiting for someone to give me one, but WTF, I'll just put the one on I bought. Outside I went.

I snooped around looking for a low spot to attach it, but nothing seemed to look just right. No convenient hole in the frame or a mount. But right under the lower triple tree, where the brake lines mount, there was this enticing little spot that looked just perfect. And there was a mile of room between the bell and the fender. On it went. Not low, but low enough.

Jeff shows up, and I give him the other bell, telling him the story about gremlins, etc. Away we go. It's fun so far, right? All smiles.

I go exactly 1/4 mile and then turn into a gas station to fill up. BANG! There's a terrific noise as I hit the driveway transition into the station parking lot!!! I stopped at the gas pump, got off, and walked around looking for whatever made that damn noise.

Whoa! I couldn't believe it! That bell had frickin' near punched a hole clear through my Road King's front fender. And if that wasn't bad enough, the damn bell wasn't even broken. Just a little ding in the side.

Not only did my front fork compress all that distance, but instead of being pushed sideways or just break, the bell, fully free to move around, stayed exactly perpendicular to the surface of the fender, putting a huge dent and a perfectly circular punch mark dead center of the dent. Fuck me.

So what's that mean? Well it damn sure means you shouldn't put a bell in that particular spot. It also means that you might want to wait for someone else to give you a bell! And whatever you do, don't buy your own damn bell! Wow, who'da believed all that hocus-pocus bell crap!?

It also means I need to quickly acquire some body and fender skills. Then I can knock out the dent and paint a small area which hopefully won't be too noticeable. Painting the whole fender means I'd lose the custom pin-striping that's just a few weeks old. Groan.

Or I can use that body shop that Fred recommends. Yeah, the one that charges more if you first try to fix something yourself. F'n Fred.......

And for those who haven't heard the tale about the Good Luck bell, here it is, shamelessly stolen from this page where you can order one. For me. LOL

The Legend of the Guardian Bell

Many years ago, on a cold December night, a crusty old biker was returning from a trip to Mexico with his saddlebags filled with toys and other assorted trinkets for the kids at a group home near where he worked.

As he rode along that night thinking how lucky he had been in life, having a loving riding partner that understood his need to roam the highways and to his trusty old pan that hadn’t let him down once in the many years they had shared the road together.

Well about 40 miles north of the border, in the high desert, lurked a small group of notorious little critters known as road gremlins. You know, the ones who always leave little obstacles like, one shoe, boards, and pieces of old tires on the road, and also dig those dreaded potholes for bikers to run over and crash, thus giving the road gremlins a chance to rejoice over their acts of evil.

Well, as the lone wolf of a biker rounded a curve that moonlit night, the gremlins ambushed him, causing him to crash to the asphalt and skid before coming to a stop next to one of his saddlebags that had broken free. As he lay there, unable to move, the road gremlins made their way towards him. Well, this biker, not being one to give up, started throwing things at the gremlins as they approached him. Finally, with nothing else to throw but a bell, he started ringing it in hopes to scare off the dirty little gremlins.

About a half a mile away, camped in the desert, were two bikers sitting around the campfire talking about their day’s ride, and the freedom of the wind blowing in their faces as they rode across this vast country. In the stillness of the night air they heard what sounded to them like church bells ringing, and upon investigating, found the old biker lying along the roadside with the gremlins about to get him. Needless to say, being part of the biker brotherhood, they preceded to ward off the gremlins until the last ran off into the night.

Being grateful to the two bikers, the old road dog offered to pay them for their help, but as all true bikers do, they refused to accept any type of payment from him. Not being one to let a good deed go unnoticed, the old biker cut two pieces of leather from his saddlebags tassels and tied a bell to each one. He then placed them on each of the biker’s motorcycles, as near to the ground as possible. The tired, old road warrior then told the two travelers that with those bells placed on their bikes, they would be protected from the road gremlins and that if ever in trouble, just ring the bell and a fellow biker will come to their aid.

So, whenever you see a biker with a bell, you know that he has been blessed with the most important thing in life—friendship from a fellow biker.

The Purpose of the Guardian Bell

Many of us have heard the story about Evil Road Spirits. They are little gremlins that live on your bike. They love to ride, and they’re also responsible for most of your bike’s problems. Sometimes your turn signals refuse to work; your battery goes dead, the clutch needs adjustment, or any of several hundred things that can go wrong. These problems are caused by Evil Road Spirits.

Evil Road Spirits can’t live in the presence of the bell, because they get trapped in the hollow of the bell. Among other things, their hearing is supersensitive, so the constant ringing of the bell and the confined space drives them insane. They lose their grip and eventually fall to the roadway. Have you ever wondered how potholes are formed? The bell has served its purpose.

If you pick up a Guardian® Bell of your own, the magic will work, but if your bell is given to you, the power is doubled, and you know that somewhere you have a special friend helping to look after you.

So, if you have a friend who doesn’t have a bell, why not give them one? It’s a nice feeling for the recipient to know you care. The bell, plus a good preventive maintenance program by the bikes owner, will help eliminate Evil Road Spirits.

Wobble, Wobble, Bagger Wobble! Pt 2 - Frame Brace ...

In the previous installment, Wobble, Wobble, Bagger Wobble! Pt 1 - Frame Brace, I went through the story of discovering that Bagger Wobble really exists, at least on my 1999 Road King. I also found that others had the same experience, and that solutions existed. In fact, there's a cottage industry out there with companies selling various, albeit similar, frame/engine stabilizing systems to take out the horizontal movement of the rear wheel/swingarm assembly on pre-2009* Harley touring bikes.

This assembly is all rubber mounted, allowing the swingarm and rear wheel to flex, effectively allowing the rear wheel to "steer" independently of your desired path of travel. And I don't care who you are, having your back wheel wobbling while you're in a fast turn ain't no fucking fun.

And no amount of muscle on the handlebars gets it under control....All you can do is ride it out while slowing down. The problem is under your ass, and not in the front of the bike.

Now, let me restate the condition: I am NOT talking about handlebar or front fork shimmy as a result of air turbulence on the fairing or windshield. I am NOT talking about loose spokes or unbalanced tires. I am NOT talking about getting blown all over the road by a semi. I AM talking about an oscillation while leaning into a fast turn in which the rear wheel seems to move somewhat slowly, left to right, as if on a pivot, while you're holding the front forks steady. In fact, they are on a pivot...a rubber one. It sorta feels like a tire is low and the bike wants to slide out from under you.

So my search for a fix wasn't a search for a magic bullet that will take away front-end shimmy resulting from air turbulence, or a bike that was immune to ruts in the road. That ain't happening. I was, however, looking for a solution to keep my back-fucking-wheel in line with the frame.

I'll add that my son's 2007 Street Glide has the same problem, and he describes the condition in exactly the same terms. And Kenny has been riding and racing bikes since he was 5, first racing Motocross and then running superbikes on a road course. He knows what he's talking about.

So that's the issue, and my path finally led to getting a True Track 20-00 stabilizer from the folks (Ron) at True Track. $380 bucks, or something close, shipped priority mail to my door. Made in the USA and the device even has a frickin' serial number.

Machining is second to none, and they even build their own Heim joint hardware out of stainless steel. Except tools and Loctite, everything you need is in the box. The cage is actually machined out of one solid block of aluminum which itself tells a story. It's far easier (and cheaper) to make something like this out of components, all bolted or welded together, but an assembly like that would be subject to distortion and would loosen and/or break over time. True Track didn't take the cheaper short cut, doing the work the hard, proper way.

Ron said he could install one of these braces in 15 minutes, and that being mechanically inclined, I'd be done in half an hour. I was. If I hadn't already straightened out the crossmember, it would have taken about half an hour more. See the previous Pt 1 post for info about fixing a bent crossmember or click here for a link to a tool to do the job.

It's possible to do the True Track installation while the bike's on the side stand, but I put the Road King up on a lift for easier access. First remove the five 1/4-20 socket head cap screws from the oil pan using a 3/16" extra long Allen wrench or extended socket.

No, the oil pan doesn't leak...not a drop. Clean off the mounting surface at the bolt holes with a wire brush or something...Scotchbrite would work too.... and start the long stainless steel replacement screws (supplied) using a couple drops of blue Loctite on the first couple threads.

Then slip the two pucks on top of the cross member, spigot side down, letting them plop down into the large crossmember holes. The slot in the outer diameter of the puck on the right (actually they both have slots, but the right one has nothing to catch on.) will catch onto a steel dowel that's welded on top of the crossmember. If there's a plastic wire tie mounted to that dowel, pop it off and toss it. I had one, though no wires were attached. A screwdriver popped it right off. The pucks need to sit flush on top of the cross member or you'll cross-thread the bolts.

Flip up the dog bone that mounts to the crossmember, looking up through the mounting holes into the threaded puck holes. If the holes aren't aligned, turn the adjustment screw on the Heim joint until the holes are in line. Then put some blue Loctite on the first couple threads and snug up those bolts by hand, with a light touch on the Allen wrench. I think they should thread in easily, and if not, something's not lined up. Check it again if necessary, but don't force the bolts.

Now torque down the cage and dog bone mounts per the supplied instructions. This is no time for a 3 foot piece of pipe on a wrench. Careful! You sure don't want to strip these threads!

OK, back to that adjustment screw on the Heim joint/link. It should be in a neutral position. To me, that means not pushing in one direction or pulling in the other. Use an open ended wrench if necessary to turn it to a position where there's a tiny amount of play in either direction. Just a small fraction of a turn. That screw has left and right hand threads. Turn it one way and it pushes the mounting points away; turning in the other direction pulls it together. Like an old drum brake adjustment screw.

When you find the sweet spot, dab a little blue Loctite ( I LOVE blue Loctite. I don't chase parts down the road any more!) on the tip of a matchstick or sliver of wood and rub in on the threads where the lock nuts will seat. Then lock up both sides. In case you're wondering, I used the matchstick approach for applying Loctite to the threads since getting the squeeze bottle to function, upside down in tight quarters, didn't work out.

Ok, that's it. Now the tail end of the engine/swingarm assembly is solidly linked to the frame, horizontally. The fit was flawless, and there were no surprises or "Oh Shit" moments. It looks good too, though I was a little worried that the right side stuck down too far and might drag in right hand corners. I dropped the lift and took off for the Interstate.

Early results:

• Generally, the bike feels more solid and in control.
• No noticeable new vibration as a result of adding that link. The tail of the engine can still move vertically. It's only restricted horizontally.
• The fairing/windwhield wiggle when around trucks is still evident; I had some unrealistic fantasy that it would go away. That said, the bike feels more stable and easier to hold now while wallowing around in the turbulence.
• The bike is far more stable encountering grooves in the road parallel to the path of travel. Doesn't feel as squirrelly. Again, any bike will follow a rut, but my Road King had more of an issue with ruts or road grooves than my Softail or my Nightster.
• There was no dragging of the mount on the right side, even when I seriously laid it over in a turn. 
• Fast turns carrying a lot of weight has yet to be tested, but I have been around a few corners with a passenger, and there wasn't the slightest wobble. I'm optimistic that this condition of Bagger Wobble is under control.
• I should add that I didn't try to convince my passenger that they were going to participate in a high-speed cornering test to see if a life-threatening wobble was still present. Or put another way, Donna would have killed me, even if the wobble didn't! LOL
• And of course, I found out that going first to the high-end True Track vendor would have saved me a lot of time and grief, which would more than cover the extra $100.00 their unit costs. But that's your checkbook and your decision. If you do decide on a True Track, and I highly recommend it, you won't be sorry.

I'll report back in after the next run when the bags are loaded and I run into a corner hard and fast. And it'll either wobble or it won't (and I'll still be able to write or I won't! LOL), but given how solid it feels around town and on the interstate, I think that's one problem I no longer have.

* THIS JUST IN! A Must-Read for 2009-up touring bike owners; From Ron at True Track:

"One should note the swingarm set up on the new frame 2009 - present hasn't changed though Harley has done a great job in marketing the public to believe they have. The swingarm is still rubber mounted and still has horizontal movement. Our part number 20-00-09, supplied for all 2009 -present framed Touring model Harleys, sells just as often as the earlier frame model True-Tracks. Just a heads up.

Thanks for the great write up - it's always appreciated and keeps us going!

Ron

True-Track, Inc |  Rear Suspension Stabilization Experts

Direct: 818-623-0697 | Fax: 818-623-8705

sales@true-track.com | http://www.true-track.com/

"

So it's not just the pre-2009 Touring Harleys that have this issue. If you have questions or are uncertain about your bike or have special issues, I highly recommend picking up the phone and calling Ron at True Track. He's knows this stuff and is eager to help out. Great guy and great service.

Cowboy

PS Here's a link to the final post, Bagger Wobble, PT 3

Wobble, Wobble, Bagger Wobble! Pt 1 - Frame Brace Upgrade for Big Blue

On a recent ride from Alexandria, Virginia, to the Outer Banks, North Carolina, making friends with my newest bike, a 1999 Road King, I got a thrill ride I wasn't expecting. Not expecting it at all.

I was running fully loaded, rolling southeast on 295, bypassing Richmond, and running pretty fast. When exiting I295 onto 64 eastbound, I leaned hard into a fast sweeping left turn. What should have been easy and fun turned into something entirely different when the bike started a strange wobble. It wasn't like a front end shimmy, but instead felt like the front and rear wheel were twisting in opposite directions. Weird. I let up quickly on the throttle, gently squeezed a little brake, and settled it down just in time to lean it to the right where the ramp blends into 64. Damn if it didn't start again. To be honest, it scared me a little. I thought I had a flat or something had broken.

I slowed up a lot, waving the traffic around that was piling up behind me, finally getting over on the shoulder. A girl driving the car immediately behind me pulled over too. I began checking tires and anything else to see if something was obviously wrong. The girl that had stopped came up and asked if I was OK, and said she thought I was going to go down. Even she could tell I was having a tough time holding onto it.

I couldn't find a damn thing wrong. Tires looked good, the front forks seemed to still be attached to the frame (LOL), and the swingarm wasn't visibly broken, which was something that crossed my mind. I thanked the young lady for stopping, fired up the bike and went on down the road, but I made it a point not to run the bike hard into any more sweepers. (.....and of course, I spent the next 100 miles wondering if I should have asked where SHE was going!)

Though I didn't pay a lot of mind to it at the time, I also noticed that on 64 east, a concrete road, the bike seemed to like following the grooves and irregularities in the road...more than normal. All bikes do this of course, but I usually notice it with the front wheel, and this felt a little different. Like the tires were going in slightly different directions, or angles, to the direction of travel. Or maybe I was still freaked out and over-sensitive due to my "wobble experience".

The rest of the trip was thankfully wobble-less, but the experience bothered me, and more than a little. I run bikes hard into corners, and running quick around long sweepers is something I enjoy, costing me more than a few sets of footpegs, etc. over time. It's money well spent, and cheap thrills in my book!

So I came home, and did what I always do. Hit the internet and google around to see if what I experienced had been noticed by others. BAM! First GOOGLE search on "Bagger Wobble" turned up hit after hit, describing exactly what I felt including the tendency to follow grooves in the road. I even found a horror film on YouTube that captures an even worse event, although not by a hell of a lot. My "adventure" was a lot like this one. Click here: YouTube video of an extreme case...

After reading lots of accounts, including some that say this wobble thing is a myth, I found that the supporting evidence seems to far outweigh those who haven't had bad experiences. And I damn sure didn't imagine my own, so I looked into why it happens, and set out to find a solution.

Interestingly, Harley Davidson seems to deny there is a problem, much less offering a "cure". Still, I wasn't imagining things, and the cop in that YouTube video wasn't faking it, so maybe there's a little something to the claims, right? And if not, some folks have sure built a thriving cottage industry creating elaborate solutions to a problem that, according to Harley, doesn't exist.

The first thing I learned is that this issue is limited to Touring Harleys, and not Softails, etc. And some say Ultra's seem to be more prone to having issues than other models. I don't know about that part, except to say that my Road King has it, and the cop in the video was probably on a Road King too.

I then learned that the frickin' swingarm isn't directly connected to the frame, but instead is linked to the rear of the transmission/engine which is completely rubber mounted, free to move independently! Really HD? Therefore any slack, wearing of parts, misalignment of wheels, etc can exaggerate a design issue (flaw?)(fuckup?). My bike has 56,000 on the frame so a little looseness is entirely possible.

In addition to looseness of other parts with a little age to them, the condition can also be amplified by carrying weight, higher speeds, and having an aftermarket fairing or windshield. In short, the condition might not be a big deal or not even noticeable if you're running light at easier speeds, if your bike is in factory stock configuration with low mileage.

Of note, this is possibly a much less serious or non-existing issue on newer bikes. Harley completely redesigned the touring chassis in 2009, so this problem reportedly either goes away on 2009-up bikes or is certainly less of a concern.

There are several aftermarket solutions for the wobble, with prices ranging from $180 to around $500. Just about every solution seems to do the same thing: Provide a third link that ties the tail of the transmission/oil pan to the frame crossmember or to the passenger footpeg mount. Same difference, really, with one being (the foot peg version) a far less desirable option, at least to me.

They all attempt to control lateral movement, while allowing vertical movement which reportedly minimizes transferring engine vibrations to the frame and rider. And of course, since the swingarm is mounted to the rear transmission area, the back wheel is no longer free to roam independently.

Solutions:

One real cheap solution is to slow down. After ruling that out, I looked at mechanical fixes.

True-Track, on the high end of the cost spectrum, makes a very nice looking system, and there's another one on the lower end, Progressive, that just doesn't look as effective or clean since it's hanging outboard, mounted behind the passenger foot peg.

The Bagger Brace from Bitchin' Baggers caught my eye. Nice looking machine work, solid engineering, and the design distributed the load across a wider mounting area, much like the True-Track system. It seemed like a great compromise in cost and function. I'm a machinist and engineer, with a ton of years in the rocket business so I think my opinion counts. If it was junk or poor design, I'd spot it in a heartbeat.

For the record, True Track, from everything I've gathered, is the creator of the first Bagger Wobble fix system (it's patented), and everything made by others is a knock-off of the original design.

Here's a sampling of what's out there with approximate prices as found on 5/10/2012. Prices you find may vary...check websites or eBay.

True Track @ $380

Bagger Brace @ $290

Gray Area @ $175

Progressive @ $200

Ron from Bitchin' Baggers, aka Phoenix Customs, the maker of the Bagger Brace, gave me a lot of tips and insight after a information-gathering call. Based on the conversation, I placed an order with him for a Bagger Brace, and I was pleased to see a very nice looking chunk of machining and engineering arrive in the mail just days later.

So off to the garage.....

The very first thing I found out was that installation requires the crossmember to be flat, and mine was bowed up in the center due to the bike being improperly jacked up sometime during its life. From what I read in HD Forums, this is a very common issue, so when jacking up that heavy-ass bike, DON'T jack it up in the center of that cross member.

This crossmember should be straight, with the top edge even with the frame rails. See the comment below about straightening.

So I had to straighten the crossmember out. Using a pry bar between the crossmember and the cast aluminum oil pan looked awful tempting. Just a couple grunts might have done the job. But it also might have cracked the fucking pan, resulting in a VERY expensive repair job that was avoidable if I remained patient. I needed to take my time and find a better solution. Patience isn't my strong suit, but this time I turned out the lights in the garage and hit the internet....HD Forums....again.

Almost immediately, I found mention of a tool made by the True Track people....see above....and called them up. My 20-00ET crossmember straightening tool was in the mail that day. It's a damn simple solution and worth the 40 bucks, even if you use it only once. I'm sure oil pans cost far more. Hell, the 20W-50 synthetic oil cost more than 40, right?

So back to the garage.

20 short minutes later, my crossmember was pulled straight and the tool was back in the box and stored on the shelf. The tool worked great, and no oil pans were harmed during this phase of the operation.

About straightening: You should be able to lay a straightedge across the frame rails, and the crossmember should be, within reason, perfectly flat and level with the frame rails. None of these kits that link to the crossmember will fit properly if it's bent. And a bonus is that when you use one of the kits that mount to it, the dog-bone portion of the brace will strengthen the crossmember. Then it won't be so prone to bending, though I still wouldn't jack the bike up on it. Jack on the frame rails instead.....do it right!

I eagerly grabbed the Bagger Brace, and was very disappointed to find out it didn't fit. Boo. And after all this screwing around.

This wasn't a total surprise. While waiting on the tool to arrive, I spoke to the always-helpful Ron at Phoenix Customs who looked at a couple pix of my bent crossmember. Ron observed that I had a non-standard crossmember that he had only seen a few of on 1999-era Harleys. He told me his Bagger Brace wasn't going to fit after all. It seems Harley used a couple older style frame elements (95 maybe?) on newer bikes in '99, or that's the way it looked. He said he'd seen a few others like mine. I held onto the thought that I could make it work, but I was wrong. Ron was 100% correct, offered to give me a refund, so I shipped it back.

To Ron's credit, he also directed me to a competitor, recommending a unit that would do the job. Not everyone would do that, so three cheers for Ron at Phoenix Customs.

An hour later, I spoke to (another) Ron at True Track out in Burbank, CA. He's the guy that sold me the x-member tool, and Ron II helped me get a P/N 20-00 frame brace on order.

I'm waiting on that delivery as this is written, and I'll update the blog when it shows up. Suffice it to say that this fast and easy upgrade hasn't been either. Stay tuned for Wobble, Wobble - Part 2.

True Track, P/N 20-00

Cowboy

Update:
Here's a LINK TO PART II of Wobble Wobble.....

And here's a link to Part III of III...Bagger Wobble