High speed wobble

[Lotsokids]

Any advantage to adding a "Superbrace" to the forks?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vmax-Superbrace-fork-brace-/151849436331?hash=item235aee84ab:g:wNoAAOSwhcJWHyVP&vxp=mtr

 

[Fire-medic]

Sure, anything you can do for the front end helps, I lost track, have you done Progressive Suspension, Ohlins or Race Tech replacement springs yet? And RICOR, YSS or Race Tech wave washer stacks to replace the function of the fork damper rods? Those 3 mods should make you very satisfied w/your ride for the front end.

 

[Lotsokids]

Sure, anything you can do for the front end helps, I lost track, have you done Progressive Suspension, Ohlins or Race Tech replacement springs yet? And RICOR, YSS or Race Tech wave washer stacks to replace the function of the fork damper rods? Those 3 mods should make you very satisfied w/your ride for the front end.

I've ordered Progressive springs. and will install when I return to Hungary after a business trip to the U.S.

The other comments are foreign to me. Never read about any of that. :confused2:

 

[Fire-medic]

Your reading assignments:

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=17189&highlight=ricor

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=14715&highlight=ricor

http://www.yssusa.com/products_yss_pdforkvalve.html

http://www.yssusa.com/products_PDValveList.html#YAMAHA

 

[Lotsokids]

I ordered a thick stainless steel fork brace. I'm amazed how the stock brace is just a relatively thin "hollow" piece.

Here's the one I bought:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360486919023?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[Traumahawk]

I have the same one. I was having a wobble when I would make a hard turn to the right. Like pulling away from a stop sign and turning to the right. This brace fixed it. Other members said that the forks were under a bit of a bind....and when I changed the brace and tightened it up correctly. ...it took the bind off of the forks. Either way...it did help on my bike.

Sent from my SCH-R890 using Tapatalk

 

[Lotsokids]

Cool. Thanks.
For the record, I rode it today after adding 12 psi into the forks. The wobble is still there.

Man, my arms and shoulders hurt after riding with the wobble. It's all I can do to keep this beast under control.

I'm pretty confident a good rebuild of the forks, installing the Progressive springs, and adding the steel fork brace, it should get better.

 

[Lotsokids]

I was on a business trip to the US recently, and returned to Hungary a few days ago. I've ridden the V-Max for 4 days now. 2 days were stable and fine. But 2 days, I experienced a SERIOUS wobble. Just today I was pushing it hard, and in a slight turn developed a wobble after hitting a bump, and I couldn't control it. It just kept resonating. It took me into the other lane. Thankfully no other cars were coming. That was pretty scary. It's been bad... very bad. It's not a fast shake, just a violent, resonating wobble. A few things are consistent:

The wobble shows it's ugly head when:

- Accelerating hard, and over 60 MPH
- Riding fast on uneven or bad roads
- After hitting a bump in the road (almost like the front and rear wheels are not tracking).

Maintenance to date:

- Replaced rear tire
- Replaced original fork springs with Progressive springs. New oil, and zero air pressure
- Replaced fork brace with HUGE thick steel brace.
- Front tire air pressure is leaking very slowly. Wobble exists at 20 PSI and 40 PSI.

 

[Traumahawk]

Have you tightened, or checked the steering head bearings?

 

[blaxmax]

try this-----
http://v4musclebike.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24397

 

[Miles Long]

I did the Furbur Fix procedure years ago, following low-speed wobble issues. No problems since.
In your case - high speed issues, can you narrow down the advent of the wobble to the sequence of the modifications you performed?
If not, I would correct the only obvious variable, to begin with - the air pressure(s) in the front tire. Have the leak fixed, and inflate to standard pressure.
If that doesn't work, I'd next look at the new brace. Perhaps the added stiffness has changed the natural frequency of your front end enough, so that certain rotational speeds of the tire are causing a resonant condition. Try using the original brace, at the same speeds and on the same roads that caused you grief.
It's all about the process of elimination.
JFeagins will no doubt chime in soon, re that new back tire. Apparently any wobbling issues that he has had have originated with rear tire alignment issues.
Cheers!

 

[jfeagins]

Pay no attention to Miles Long. I've no idea what he's talking about. Tires don't cause wobble.....do they? I doubt they can if they wanted to.

Miles thinks someone named Jon Furber fixed his wobble, but all along, we've known his was being caused by the loose nut attached to each side of his handlebars. :biglaugh:

 

[Traumahawk]

I did the Furbur Fix procedure years ago, following low-speed wobble issues. No problems since.

Miles
I'm hoping that you can help me out, because I'm kind of skeptical of the Furbur fix, and let me say why. Not everyone when they work on a bike will apply some sort of scientific methodology to the bike during the fix.

So, your basically replacing the rubber washer inbetween the 2 castellated nuts on the steering head, with a flat metal washer, and then you tighten everything up, and take off and problem solved. I wonder how many how many people had loose steering head bearings (causing the actual wobble), put in the flat washer, tightened everything up (so tightened up the steering head bearings) and then called it fixed....when it wasnt the washer that fixed it.....it was doing the proper thing and tightening up the steering head bearings that worked.

You do a great job on your bike, and I was hoping that you had some insight to this?

Thanks

 

[Lotsokids]

I forgot to mention I adjusted the steering head bearings with the "bounce" method that Sean described in his Youtube video. For my bike, there is a very, VERY fine line between having a low-speed weave (too tight) and a high-speed wobble (too loose).

I will try the Furbur method sometime soon and see what happens.
I wish there was a way to check the tracking of my wheels. When the bike gets light, like hitting a bump, the wobble shows.

The wobble this afternoon was the most violent I've ever experienced. It would have thrown a novice rider off.

It was literally like riding a bucking bronco.

 

[Traumahawk]

Have you checked the bearings? They could be dry, need to be replaced....etc.

 

[Lotsokids]

Have you checked the bearings? They could be dry, need to be replaced....etc.

No, didn't put eyes on them.

It's hard living in Hungary to get parts. I have a way, but it takes about 3 weeks minimum.

 

[Traumahawk]

No, didn't put eyes on them.

It's hard living in Hungary to get parts. I have a way, but it takes about 3 weeks minimum.

That I understand. I dont know what the recommended service is, but quite a few people on here will grease the steering head bearings every year as routine maintenance.

 

[Miles Long]

You see what you started, Blax???
If there's one thing that gets feathers ruffled up on this website, more than the subject of gun control - it's the mere mention of the infamous Furbur Fix :damn angry::eusa_dance::confused2::bang head:

Stand by, Hawk - YOU TOO, JIM - while I dig up my past posts about the F.F.
.....but first I gotta get those two loose handlebar nuts to calm down a tad.
Cheers!:biglaugh:

 

[Traumahawk]

You see what you started, Blax???
If there's one thing that gets feathers ruffled up on this website, more than the subject of gun control - it's the mere mention of the infamous Furbur Fix :damn angry::eusa_dance::confused2::bang head:

Stand by, Hawk - YOU TOO, JIM - while I dig up my past posts about the F.F.
.....but first I gotta get those two loose handlebar nuts to calm down a tad.
Cheers!:biglaugh:

LOL....ok:whistlin:

 

[Dorney]

Miles
I'm hoping that you can help me out, because I'm kind of skeptical of the Furbur fix, and let me say why. Not everyone when they work on a bike will apply some sort of scientific methodology to the bike during the fix.

So, your basically replacing the rubber washer inbetween the 2 castellated nuts on the steering head, with a flat metal washer, and then you tighten everything up, and take off and problem solved. I wonder how many how many people had loose steering head bearings (causing the actual wobble), put in the flat washer, tightened everything up (so tightened up the steering head bearings) and then called it fixed....when it wasnt the washer that fixed it.....it was doing the proper thing and tightening up the steering head bearings that worked.

You do a great job on your bike, and I was hoping that you had some insight to this?

Thanks

Eric the main reason you get rid of the rubber washer is because the bearings are suppose to get tighten to 10 inch pounds. :ummm: At that point you got the bearings so over tightened there acting like a steering damper. I agree 100% with what you said do everything the right way & there shouldn't be any problems.

Dave