Pulsing front brakes 2011 Street Glide

[FDHOG]

Warped rotors take about a minute to figure out.
Put it on a lift spin the front wheel. If it grabs and let's go during a rotation, it's warped.

[OGC]

Update...I got my bike back today...tech rode it...service manger rode it..quote from the service ticket "Brakes do not pulsate under normal conditions-ABS activating has pulsation feel". My response was a not so polite "bullchit". Their response "sorry you feel that way but we cannot find anything wrong"

Back to square one.

Prior to departing the dealership, I discussed my problem with my sales guy...he rode my bike and commented he felt "slight pulsation". Maybe I'm losing it... My options as suggested through the forum: Lift the bike and check for warped rotors; take my bike to another dealer (still under warranty) and clean rotors with a brake cleaner.

I have a group ride scheduled at the end of the month...spending a few days riding 3 Sisters in the Texas Hill Country, my front brakes should get a workout, lots of twisty turns. Before I go I'll clean the rotors and see if that helps and try to find a lift to gauge the rotors. Based on outcome of gauging and cleaning, there are other dealers in town. Again the problem is a nusiance not a safety issue...the brakes do work.

Thanks again to all for your advice.

[BFBarney26]

Up date here. Floating rotors put on bike. No more pulsating on the front brakes. Plus the tech person found 2 cracks on the front tire. New tire on bike. Rode bike to Texas and back with no troubles. Put about 2400 miles on bike. It feels good when you hit the front bakes with out the front brakes not pulsating.
I would go to a different dealer and have them check them out. If rotors need to be replace, pay the difference for floating rotors. That is what I did.
Good luck

[OGC]

Thanks Barney..hope you had a good ride in Texas, I rode 3 Sisters a week ago, over 900 miles in 3 days, brake continue to pulse, go figure. I have had a good relationship with my dealer (my current bike is the second one I've bought from them) not keen on going to another...having said that, my bike is under warranty. The rub is that they say there's nothing wrong... I'll look at floating rotors...what did yours set you back?

[BFBarney26]

The rotors cost me $50.00 more. They took the price for stock rotors and put that up with what the cost of floating ones, then I paid the difference. It was a good deal.
And yes it was a nice ride down and back. plus rode to Waco TX one day for a t-shirt.

[THE ROAD]

Probably a defective ABS system !

[OGC]

Thanks again Barney...I'll keep the floating rotor option but for now, I'm going to keep riding and monitoring.

Road, I agree something is not quite right.. but unless the bike throws a code or gets worse, what can I do? Damn..may have to go to another dealer, or contact MoCo

[2010hdultra]

Originally Posted by OGC

Appreciate the feedback...gents..

Pulses during routine stopping, I never washed them when hot nor have I had a need to engage the ABS (knock on wood). I do not have a stand to elevate the bike and spin the wheel and or gauge any warping....back to the dealer...

I actually warped my rotors myself oonce by not taking them off to change the tires. rookie mistake, but i know if you lift the bike you can spin the front tire and if you hear a pulsing scraping sound you def have a warped rotor, or if the first brake you hit after a few miles your lever goes farther then it normaly does then it is warped rotors. just some ideas

[OGC]

Well I think we can close this post. Got my bike back (again) yesterday, repaired a slight oil leak on oil cooler assembly, changed both rear running light sockets (kept blowing bulbs) and had the front brakes looked at again.


Service manager drove the bike, working the brakes to warm up the rotors, engaged ABS and all to be in working order with no abnormal noise, fork movement or pulsation.

Rotors:

L/H has .001 run out
R/H has .002 run out

I am told these values fall within Harley specs.

I drove the bike and the front brakes felt different, with no pulsation as previously experienced. I asked David if they had cleaned or done anything to the brakes, he replied no, only that he had worked them hard.

I am a loss, while i'm pleased the brakes no longer pulse, I still want to know why they were doing it before. Uneven pad wear? Glazing of the pads? Dirt debris? Beats me..I keep the bike clean, maybe I'm not whomping down on them hard enough.

Thanks for everyone's feedback and suggestions around my problem.

Before I left the dealership I ordered the Harley service and parts books for my bike. Information is a good thing. Should have done this when I bought the bike.