bad weave...I'm stumped.

ripinanroarin · Jul 22, 2010

I put my new front metzler 880 on today. I previously had a weave problem. Well the weave is still there. Its happens even at regular highway speed "60mph"when chaging lanes. There is somthing seriously wrong. Ive tried different fork air pressure.Seting the neck.Setting the air in both tires. The rear tire is new, but a cheapo. The tire is wearing proper. The front suspension is all tight, fork brace included,.as is the rear. Could a back tire through the bike off at such a low speed ?The swing arm is tight,the rear shocks are good. What is going on here ? My harley would weave when the rear tire was bald, but this one is new. I'm gonna pull off the rear and take it into the shop and get it checked for run out. I might even find a used tire and throw it on, just to see what changes. Its almost like riding with a tire going flat. Baffled:bang head:

naughtyG · Jul 23, 2010

When you say 'setting the neck', how do you mean? Did you do the bounce test? How did it go?

Also, if your head bearings are shot, you won't be able to feel that unless you remove the weight (wheel, forks, bars) and then move the triple-trees back and forth, or actually take a good look at them.

It's also very possible your rear tire's the culprit, what kind of 'cheapo' is it?

Lastly, make sure to check for play in both wheels, sometimes the wheel bearings can be shot too (my front ones were because some arsehole PO forgot to refit the load-bearing spacer between the 2 bearings..

ripinanroarin · Jul 23, 2010

naughtyG said:
When you say 'setting the neck', how do you mean? Did you do the bounce test? How did it go?

Also, if your head bearings are shot, you won't be able to feel that unless you remove the weight (wheel, forks, bars) and then move the triple-trees back and forth, or actually take a good look at them.

It's also very possible your rear tire's the culprit, what kind of 'cheapo' is it?

Lastly, make sure to check for play in both wheels, sometimes the wheel bearings can be shot too (my front ones were because some arsehole PO forgot to refit the load-bearing spacer between the 2 bearings..

Had the front end off the bike about a month ago. Bearings looked good, as did the races. Put new grease in, did the bounce test but ended up to tight. So I slowly kept loosening it off till it felt right. Ive tried setting the pre-load in different places, but to no avail,..the weave doesnt leave. Had both wheels off and checked the bearings..nothing worn ,loose or binding.Also checked the front calipers to make sure they were releasing. The back tire is a SPITFIRE. Itwas just put on before I got the bike. I lifted the bike, started the bike and watched it for wobble...nothing. I am going to take off the rear, get it checked,..try a used one,..or somthing, I'm running out of places to look. I've twisted, tugged and pulled every part of this bike looking for something loose. I did a test with it this morning....at 45mph I agressivly went in and out of the yellow line on the highway "like a slolum race" and the bike was great. I increased the speed up to 65mph and did a normal lane change and it Weaved ! SO, ..slow under extream manuvering, it works fine,...add speed and everthing goes to ****.

tugla · Jul 23, 2010

how much tire pressure are you running? does it also get worse faster then 60mph?

dannymax · Jul 23, 2010

ripinanroarin said:
I put my new front metzler 880 on today. I previously had a weave problem. Well the weave is still there. Its happens even at regular highway speed "60mph"when chaging lanes. There is somthing seriously wrong. Ive tried different fork air pressure.Seting the neck.Setting the air in both tires. The rear tire is new, but a cheapo. The tire is wearing proper. The front suspension is all tight, fork brace included,.as is the rear. Could a back tire through the bike off at such a low speed ?The swing arm is tight,the rear shocks are good. What is going on here ? My harley would weave when the rear tire was bald, but this one is new. I'm gonna pull off the rear and take it into the shop and get it checked for run out. I might even find a used tire and throw it on, just to see what changes. Its almost like riding with a tire going flat. Baffled:bang head:

R n R, When you say 'weave' are you referring to a wobble, or is it difficult to hold the bike in a straight line.....like, does it seem to weave back & forth a little on it's own?

mabdcmb@yahoo.com · Jul 23, 2010

Bad weave, eh? I see all 'dem hoes out on the corner have bad weaves too. I was thinking a pair of hair clippers would do the trick to cure the bad weave blues.

Rand-5107 · Jul 23, 2010

How are your swing arm bearings ? Have you checked it lately? While it's weaving does touching the rear brake straighten it up?

ripinanroarin · Jul 23, 2010

tugla said:
how much tire pressure are you running? does it also get worse faster then 60mph?

went from 28 to 35,..no change.Gets worse after 60.

ripinanroarin · Jul 23, 2010

dannymax said:
R n R, When you say 'weave' are you referring to a wobble, or is it difficult to hold the bike in a straight line.....like, does it seem to weave back & forth a little on it's own?

If you are riding in a straight line, it doesnt happen till 90mph. But you dont dare lane change!! If you are riding 60mph and do a lane change,..it weaves. SOOO, if you dont lane change or hit a corner, you are good till 90. It is easy to hold a straight line,...0 problems. Goes straight perfectly.
50mph- no weave changing lanes.runs straight.
60mph-runs straight , weaves if you lane change.
90mph -weave is bad, Do NOT attempt lane change.
CORNERS- going into shallow corner @ 60mph-good
Going into shallow corner @ 75mph it starts to weave.

dannymax · Jul 23, 2010

Just for elimination purposes....do you have access to another front wheel & tire? Got a buddy nearby you could borrow from or something?

Then the back one if the front isn't the culprit?

ripinanroarin · Jul 23, 2010

dannymax said:
Just for elimination purposes....do you have access to another front wheel & tire? Got a buddy nearby you could borrow from or something?

Then the back one if the front isn't the culprit?

Sounds like a plan.This is rediculous!!In all my years of biking, I have never encountered such nonsense.My patience are really starting to wear thin. The front rim and tire are running true. "new metzler"It didnt even need any weghts. It was right on the money. I'm pretty much sure that if a back tire and rim change doesnt solve this problem............

naughtyG · Jul 24, 2010

And ALL your wheel bearings are DEFINITELY good, are they?

ripinanroarin · Jul 24, 2010

naughtyG said:
And ALL your wheel bearings are DEFINITELY good, are they?

Well I droped the bike off at a good friends place. He repairs and rebiulds sport bikes in his own shop and is a certified air craft mechanic...darn good guy to have.He is expensive but very meticulous. I handed him the bike . This is beyond me. I'm certain he wont miss a thing, but I'm expecting a hefty bill. He builds his own frames, stretching, lowering,engine re-boaring, powder coating.sand blasting, tig and mig welding, wheel relacing, lathe work,wiring and on and on. Dont expect an up date to soon, as he is very busy and it might be a week or two till he fits my bike in to his work load.

SpecOps13 · Jul 24, 2010

ripinanroarin, Good Luck. It sounds like a Royal PITA Problem. Hope your mechanic gets you fixed.

ripinanroarin · Jul 24, 2010

SpecOps13 said:
ripinanroarin, Good Luck. It sounds like a Royal PITA Problem. Hope your mechanic gets you fixed.

Its going to be most interesting to see what he finds. He told me, about 15 years ago he was working on a 750 Suzuki water buffalo that did the "wiggle woow" He got it fixed but said he"d never trust it, " some times its the nature of the beast to want to do this kind of thing"he said, Poor desighn is the culpert.Others he had in for similar problems were a 650 and 750 Maxim, a honda v65, suzuki Madura and a few more I dont remember.He did a 1987 Vmax last year.He said it was not one major thing that makes them wiggle, its usually a combination of things. He didnt "down talk" the Max, but wasnt fond of the handling of the 1st gen Max either. Mabey it was the heat, or he was just cranky, but as I was leaving, he told me to get a sport bike instead of trying to ride the Max like one. I didnt say a thing, I just got in my truck, went to Dairy Queen and got a big chocolate milk shake and pondered all he said.

twistedmax · Jul 24, 2010

if your still running the 85 front end,play with the air preasure in the FORKS.I belive the manual says 5 to 13 lbs.thinkin I run bout 6lbs.just a thought .

ripinanroarin · Jul 27, 2010

Update.... Well he called me over to the shop this evening to take a quick peek. He finally got around to working on it today.The bike is on the lift with the rear tire off the ground,...In high gear at 4000 rpm the bike starts to swim like a fish! The front starts weaving back and forth, and the rear does the same thing ! Up to 5500, and the thrust pushing the bike side ways is crazy. Soooo, defenitly something to do with the back tire and rim I figure. Thats all he had time to get into today, Buts its nice to see where this weave was comming from.:biglaugh:

dannymax · Jul 27, 2010

R & R, ask him to check the plumbness of the rear wheel to the frame. It can be adjusted by loosening the 4 bolts holding the final drive to the drive shaft tube and twisting as needed.

Not sure this could cause your issue but it's worth checking. :confused2:

98Redlne · Jul 27, 2010

If you have the rear axle installed then to set the pumpkin square to the swing arm should only require that you loosen the 4 bolts that hold it on. If there is any tension, it should be relieved and the pumpkin should naturally find its proper position.

ripinanroarin · Jul 28, 2010

98Redlne said:
If you have the rear axle installed then to set the pumpkin square to the swing arm should only require that you loosen the 4 bolts that hold it on. If there is any tension, it should be relieved and the pumpkin should naturally find its proper position.

THANK YOU:biglaugh:

bad weave...I'm stumped.

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