S
SuzukiGS
Guest
First time out today on the Freeway and at about 60 MPH my bike starts to wobble and seems very unstable.. Anyone know what might be a reason for this?
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8
80GS1000
Guest
Loose steering stem bearing?
Tire pressure?
When's the last time the swingarm bearings have been serviced and/or replaced?
Tire pressure?
When's the last time the swingarm bearings have been serviced and/or replaced?
how fast is "higher speeds" ?
S
SuzukiGS
Guest
Where can I check the steering stem barrings? And the Swing arm barrings haven't been touched.. I've only had the bike since November so I don't know anything about it before then.. I have no windshield on it nor a fairing.. How can I check if the Frame/fork/wheels are all good?
And Higher Speeds is about 50 on up..
And Higher Speeds is about 50 on up..
put the bike up on the center stand and just push and pull the wheel / swimgarm in every concievable direction and listen for any noises. feel for looseness etc etc.. if the center stand has been removed or missing just get the backwheel off the ground without the swingarm sitting on anything..usually a milk crate or such under the engine and tranny will do the prop up job. do the same for the front end.. Jack it up under the motor while it is on the center stand enough to get the front wheel slightly off the ground. get on the bike and grab the bars and shake and twist them around and see if theres any noticeable looseness in the stem bearings In either case dont get so violent as to knock the bike off the stands..I have come close to that a few times.dontknow if it was too strenuous testing or just being real frustrated?? after thought.. while you have each wheel off the ground spin them kinda fast and note if there is any wobble in the rims.... not in the tire itself ..just concentrate on the rim to see if its bent. Next spin it again and look at the tire from behind or head on so to spaek. See if the center tread weaves from side to side.. the rims may be fine but the tire itself may have broken cords and be crap. do this with each rim / tire. And also note any dents, dimples or anything else that may indicated the bike hit a curb or something kinda hard and bent them Thats about all i would check if i was experiencing that wobble.. 50 isnt crap to cause any HIGH SPEED wobble.. in my opinion anyways.
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to enhance what bwringer added the DOT code is found in an oval embossed on the side wall,of the tire it should have 4 numbers in it. These numbers tell what week and year the tire was manufactured. For example:: if the number in the OVAL is 0178 that would mean the tire was manufactured during the FIRST week of 1978 so that would mean roughly January 1-7 of 1978..get it?
T
Theo
Guest
Actually, if a tire had 4 digits after the DOT, it would have been produced with in the last decade. All tires before 1999 or 2000 used 3 digit tire codes. So a tire produced the first week of 1978 would be written as 018. But the 8 could mean any decade ending in 8. That's probably why they changed the standard in 2000.
As far as bent/alignment issues go, Use a string and duct tape
Put bike on center stand
Tape string to one side at front of front wheel low enough too clear frame/exhaust/etc
Run string to rear wheel at same height, pull tight, tape to both sides of tire
Run string up the other side of the bike as above and pull tight, Attach to front tire
Set front tire so string is equidistant at rear of tire (measure it)
Now, measure the distance at the front of the rear tire to compare. This should also be equidistant. If not, rear tire needs to be reset with chain adjusters and measure again
If bent, no amount of tweaking will keep both front and rear equidistant
Put bike on center stand
Tape string to one side at front of front wheel low enough too clear frame/exhaust/etc
Run string to rear wheel at same height, pull tight, tape to both sides of tire
Run string up the other side of the bike as above and pull tight, Attach to front tire
Set front tire so string is equidistant at rear of tire (measure it)
Now, measure the distance at the front of the rear tire to compare. This should also be equidistant. If not, rear tire needs to be reset with chain adjusters and measure again
If bent, no amount of tweaking will keep both front and rear equidistant
A couple other things to check.
Equal fork oil amounts and/or pressure.
Improperly aligned wheels.
Equal fork oil amounts and/or pressure.
Improperly aligned wheels.
Theo... this is why i love this forum. The 4 didgit was expained to me some time ago but noone had mentioned the three digits or that there was any other system.. thanks for expanding my knowledge and i suspect others as well..thanks, chuck.
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Theo
Guest
Just posting a site that has good visuals of what Big T is talking about.
http://www.motorcyclemetal.com/downloads/Harley Davidson Wheel Alignment Made Simple.pdf
Ignore the fact it's for a harley. It's all the same.
This shows some HDs might have wheel offset from 8-13mm. Do our GSs have any offset ? Last time I checked mine with 2 straight edges I think I had a little offset.
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Theo
Guest
Truth be told I have no idea. I was just posting it for the pictures of how to set up the string.
There is really no way around checking all the basics (as has bee n mentioned); you need to make sure it is in order. If I would guess on order of things to check:
A list
Everything else is performance mods.
A list
- axle bolt tightness
- straight wheels (visual wable less than 0.080")
- wheel alignment (string method to 5 mm ft off center)
- tires (new if any doubt)
- steering tube bearings (regrease and check for notching)
- swing arm bearings (regrease and check for notching)
- fork oil (clean replace and measure the level)
- Check static height and use zip tie to see if bottoming
- rear shocks (progressive or mita??)
- front springs (progressive)
Everything else is performance mods.
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Steve
GS Whisperer
All of the above information is good, but it's not all. 
I'll have to ask, what are you considering a "wobble"? :-k
Do the handlebars start to shake violently or does the bike merely wander back and forth in the lane?
If it wanders a bit, your steering head bearings might be too tight.
They could be so tight, they can't easily return to center, where they need to be.
.
I'll have to ask, what are you considering a "wobble"? :-k
Do the handlebars start to shake violently or does the bike merely wander back and forth in the lane?
If it wanders a bit, your steering head bearings might be too tight.
They could be so tight, they can't easily return to center, where they need to be.
.
Done, done and friggin DONE !! with a fresh set of RoadRiders. Still wobbles. Im not talkin 85 tho.... This is definitely 3 digits. I have about 20 miles on the Avons. Took it out on the course. A two mile stretch of I35. Down the ramp and into third onto the highway and the 85 speedo is long past pegged
. Into 4th, 7K, into 5th and thats when it starts. Not fun. I have to get off the gas and hold on. I am nowhere near brave enough to loosen my grip as has been suggested. Scary !!I know back in the day I was able to roll the throttle on this thing for more than 2 miles and it was rock solid. Not now.........:-k
Yes Steve. My head bearings may be too tight. Thats what Ill try next.
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The guy who put the RoadRiders on said the wheel bearings looked/felt great.
I backed it off about 5 minutes (picture a clock). That helped a lot going slow. I took it out on the freeway and was approaching 6K in 5th when I saw our local Life Link helicopter fly over. I took that as a sign and backed off. It felt better but I think the instability was still there.
