Bike STILL wobbles at speed

[satariel666]

unk: Hey RaWarrior, If you have a Computrak near you they can fix the problem. I use them every time to straighten the frames on these Vmax bikes and it stops all problems. These bikes are not aligned when built and can be off quite a bit. Price is about $600.00 and well worth it. They give you a complete lazer print out of what was wrong with your bikes alignment like front and back wheels tipping from top to bottom, not going straight with the bike, and many other things. You will actually be able to turn it when they are done with it. Good Luck, Spurs

Maybe not Computrac here just something diffrent brand but, they can even fix your frame without paint loss!

Im going to make a movie of my frame and I will try to upload that movie.

 

[satariel666]

Yep, sissy bar is like a sail. When I put one on the '99 it created a wobble above 100 mph. I'm going to put the virago bar back on and get a tank bag.

Not fair cuz ya were running with carb chains LOL

 

[Ridin Dirty]

I'm seriously looking at other bikes because I absolutely cannot figure out my Max's extraordinarily annoying tendency to wiggle all over the place as soon as the speedo nudges into triple digit speeds. I bought this bike to go fast and the damn thing refuses to just go straight. Seriously, this is going to make me sell this bike.

I brought the bike to PCW for this issue, and dropped a bit over $500 for new head bearings, internally lowering the forks, and a few other things. Essentially, to fix the wobble. Unfortunately, none if it seemed to make a damn bit of difference. The day I got it back I took it to 130 and was solid as a rock, but every time since it's been just as flighty as always. I've called PCW back, and while John was as helpful as could be, he essentially said they really didn't have any further ideas, and were really backed up with work and couldn't even look at it again for weeks.


Here's everything that's been done
-New OEM steering bearings. Torqued to seat, then backed off via "bounce check"
-Progressive springs
-Forks slid up tree 3/4". Sharpened up the handling, but didn't affect the wobble
- Metz 880 tires. Tires are not cupped and balanced perfectly. Rear is about 50%, front is still probably 3/4.
-Replaced ebay special rear shocks(shorter) with OEMs.
-Billet fork brace
-Frame braces
-Swingarm checked for play/torque....a-ok

I've tried adjusting the torque on the new bearings both ways, to no effect. It's perfectly stable on braking and at moderate speeds, but past 100 or so and it's totally unpredictable. Being someone who enjoys going 100+mph, this is a major problem for me.

What else could possibly cause this? I'm absolutely out of ideas to throw at it, and apparently so is PCW.

The only thing I can possibly think of is the rear tire is plugged...picked up a nail dead center of the tread. However it wobbled before it on brand new tires, and wobbled just the same after.

It's odd that it handled fine when you brought it home from the shop, but since then no good. The question to ask is, what changed in such a short period of time?

I always found that my bike handled better when the tire air pressure was in the high 30's.

A "death grip" on the handlebars can also induce some instability.

I would also re-tighten the front end. Take off the wheel, loosen the fork brace and upper and lower triple trees. Tighten the fork tubes in the triple trees first, then the fork brace, then install the wheel, in that order.

I would get rid of the stock rear shocks. The springs are too soft, the weight shifts to the rear and the front end gets light.

 

[spursmech]

unk: RaWarrior, these bikes are so far off from the factory it's not funny. First time I took one to Computrak they said they could tell the bike had not been down but had not seen a bike that far off period. Back tire was leaning at the top and turning left in the frame. Front tire was leaning at the top. These bikes have a 10MM offset between the front and back tires centerline and that makes them wobble at all speeds. The back tire is trying to follow the front and it wobbles. You will not have to do anything to your bike but have it aligned to eliminate the wobble. All these other fixes are just wasted money, but look nice. Good Luck, Spurs

 

[Ridin Dirty]

unk: RaWarrior, these bikes are so far off from the factory it's not funny. First time I took one to Computrak they said they could tell the bike had not been down but had not seen a bike that far off period. Back tire was leaning at the top and turning left in the frame. Front tire was leaning at the top. These bikes have a 10MM offset between the front and back tires centerline and that makes them wobble at all speeds. The back tire is trying to follow the front and it wobbles. You will not have to do anything to your bike but have it aligned to eliminate the wobble. All these other fixes are just wasted money, but look nice. Good Luck, Spurs

Hey, Spurs. Just curious, how do they make the adjustments, to get everything into alignment?

 

[RaWarrior]

Seriously, the bike almost killed me last night. Scooted myself as far forward on the seat as possible, tucked in, at at about 120 it got "this close" to going into full-on tank slapper. I mean it was wobbling BAD, like shit-your-pants bad, and kept wobbling until it slowed down until like 40mph. Due to that position, I had a "death grip" on the bars just to fight the wind. I tried again, abliet a bit more gingerly, but with my feet up on the highway pegs and my butt against the fuel door, with a very relaxed grip on the bars...not pulling on them at all. 125 and steady, so it definitely doesn't like tension on the handlebars.

I weigh about 180. Maybe 190 in gear.
I went back to OEM shocks after PCW said the ebay cheapos were too short and making the bike squat in the back. I wasn't about to shell out hundreds more for progressives, they sold me some essentially new OEMs for $40.
Frame braces are bolted to the stock engine guards, and welded-on tabs in the back.
Dunno about fork brake. No identifying marks or logos.
Tire pressure is original spec. I had played around with this in the past and noticed no difference.
Python handlebars. A bit wider than stock.
Stock seat


I have the rear shocks at the max preload setting, and compared to the ebay cheapos on there, this thing is like a pogo stick now. Doesn't really absorb bumps so much as bounce off them.

I have no reason to believe the bike has ever been downed.

Yes, I have a OEM luggage rack/sissy bar. I use the luggage rack every-so-often but if losing it would help the wobble, I'd ditch it in an instant. Maybe I'll give that a try. I also have an OEM flyscreen, if that makes any difference, but if anything that should help by generating a bit of downforce.

Interesting to note the wider front tire cured it for you...keep that in mind also. I have a 170 on the back (better hook up), but didn't really see the need for a wider front. I think a 120 would throw off the speedo slightly also.

The nearest Computrak (of the total of five in the entire country) is in Northern PA, so actually not terribly far away. Still, throwing another $600 at this problem doesn't have me jazzed up. How do they actually "fix" the alignment....just apply a shitload of torque to the frame and tweak it straight?

 

[85vmax]

unk: RaWarrior, these bikes are so far off from the factory it's not funny. First time I took one to Computrak they said they could tell the bike had not been down but had not seen a bike that far off period. Back tire was leaning at the top and turning left in the frame. Front tire was leaning at the top. These bikes have a 10MM offset between the front and back tires centerline and that makes them wobble at all speeds. The back tire is trying to follow the front and it wobbles. You will not have to do anything to your bike but have it aligned to eliminate the wobble. All these other fixes are just wasted money, but look nice. Good Luck, Spurs

Mine doesn't wobble..........:biglaugh:

But my ? is with a driveshaft how do you align when there are no adjustments......I can see it being done with belt drive or chain, but with shaft.
Its not like a car where you can toe in/toe out...do you shim/add weight.
Most of their sites talk about upgrading suspension if not aligned, or fixing frame if bent.....sounds like my chiropractor.:clapping:

 

[m-cman]

Computrak usually heats the frame to align it. They use lasers to mark various points on the frame. You have to repaint the frame at the adjustment points when they finish. Many of the road racers use them to make the bikes handle better. If I had the money and they were closer, I would use them.

There are a bunch of us that have Gen 1 Maxes and all are a little different when it comes to the high speed weave. Obviously the frames are not all perfect. I have had two (1995 and 1997) and they were different at high speed on straights and corners.

 

[KJShover]

Mine doesn't wobble..........:biglaugh:

But my ? is with a driveshaft how do you align when there are no adjustments......I can see it being done with belt drive or chain, but with shaft.
Its not like a car where you can toe in/toe out...do you shim/add weight.
Most of their sites talk about upgrading suspension if not aligned, or fixing frame if bent.....sounds like my chiropractor.:clapping:

If you put adjustables on both side of the swingarm instead of just the one that comes stock, you can move the back wheel over a bit and help bring it into alignment.

Mine doesn't wobble either. It did at one point but that was from me having a couple of hard landings while coming out of a wheelie, it seated the bearings more. A tightening of the head solved that issue.

 

[RaWarrior]

I removed the sissybar/luggage rack, see if that helps. I'll have to dig around in the boxes of vmax crap the p/o gave me and see if the original grab bar is in there.

And now for a D'OH moment....I checked the tire pressures again. Front was still perfect at 33psi....what I set it at a while ago, actually right before it went to PCW. The rear hadbeen set at 36psi...and now it was at......10 psi. So that might explain a few things. I had inflated it, gone for a day's ride, then re-checked it, and it was still fine, so I concluded the patch wasn't leaking at all and forgot about it.

The bike was at PCW for like 4 days, and it was at the right pressure when it got there. Chances are it was still fine when I picked it up and had "no issues". Then it sat at home for like 3 weeks while I was at school, when I got back and took it out again, it was flighty. The tire leaks, just slowly.

Hopefully that was it, and I should get the homer d'oh award for not regularly checking the tire pressure. I know it should be that "pre ride checklist" type of thing, but as usual it's the little things that fuck it all up.

 

[gamorg02]

i could def see the rear tire doing that.

there is a computrack about 10m from me, so if the tire pressure that doesn't work, maybe we could set something up this summer for you to come by and drop the bike off...

 

[Rollie]

Glad you found the problem , low tire pressure could cause a wobble ++ X 2 , on any bike .

 

[SpecOps13]

I check my tire pressure atleast every 2 weeks. I usually kick the tires with my boot from the front of the bike and from the rear before a ride. It atleast gives me a idea of the actual pressure and is a quick way to "Feel" low pressure....

 

[Ridin Dirty]

I asked the question about what changed in the short period of time, since bringing it home from PCW, it looks like the answer was tire pressure. It's scary to think you were doing those speeds with such crazy low tire pressure.

 

[spursmech]

Hey, Spurs. Just curious, how do they make the adjustments, to get everything into alignment?

The bike is secured in a Frame Jig and them pressure applied to bend everything into alignment. No heat was applied to any of the bikes I've had straightened and the frames came back with out marks. You have to remove the pipes, air box cover, side scoops and front fender to align it correctly. One way to tell how far these bikes are off from the factory is some guys put a 170 rear tire on without the washer swap and some have to use the washer. If the rear wheel is cocked in the swingarm to the left you will need a washer swap if it's cocked to the right you won't.

 

[gamorg02]

I check my tire pressure atleast every 2 weeks. I usually kick the tires with my boot from the front of the bike and from the rear before a ride. It atleast gives me a idea of the actual pressure and is a quick way to "Feel" low pressure....

+1. i've never had a bike tire loose pressure either that wasn't environmental (ie higher pressure during hotter times), and didn't have a hole in it.

 

[Ridin Dirty]

The bike is secured in a Frame Jig and them pressure applied to bend everything into alignment. No heat was applied to any of the bikes I've had straightened and the frames came back with out marks. You have to remove the pipes, air box cover, side scoops and front fender to align it correctly. One way to tell how far these bikes are off from the factory is some guys put a 170 rear tire on without the washer swap and some have to use the washer. If the rear wheel is cocked in the swingarm to the left you will need a washer swap if it's cocked to the right you won't.

I have to look into getting this done. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a computrack shop near me.

 

[gamorg02]

I have to look into getting this done. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a computrack shop near me.

theres one a few miles from me if it helps at all..

 

[Ridin Dirty]

theres one a few miles from me if it helps at all..

Thanks, it looks like Mass or PA are the closest to me. I'll have to figure something out, for getting the bike to one of them.

Have you used them? If so, were the results noticeable?

 

[gamorg02]

i have not used them but have heard good things. i met the guy when i was troubleshooting a creaking coming from my rear diff.