My Vmax almost killed me!!!

[06Vmaxfan]

I have been riding sport bikes and cruisers going on 30 years now and never had something this scary happen to me till a few days ago. So I am going down the road enjoying my ride like always when I decide I need to zip my jacket up a little further but can't with one hand so I let go of the handlebars to use both hands as I have done before on my other bikes, sport bikes and cruisers.

As soon as I let go my handlebars start to shake and within just a few seconds it has become violent. I had to quickly regain control of the bike. Now I'm not talking a slight wobble I'm talking a tank slapping situation here.

I figure maybe I let go at a bad spot in the road so I let go again but keep my hands close and again an immediate slight wobble that starts to become violent quickly. I try this at different speeds and get the same reaction.

I have owned many bikes over the years and never had one react like this. I did have lose steering head bearings a while back and I tightened them up so I believe I have an issue that I don't know how to diagnose.

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

I have been riding sport bikes and cruisers going on 30 years now and never had something this scary happen to me till a few days ago. So I am going down the road enjoying my ride like always when I decide I need to zip my jacket up a little further but can't with one hand so I let go of the handlebars to use both hands as I have done before on my other bikes, sport bikes and cruisers.

As soon as I let go my handlebars start to shake and within just a few seconds it has become violent. I had to quickly regain control of the bike. Now I'm not talking a slight wobble I'm talking a tank slapping situation here.

I figure maybe I let go at a bad spot in the road so I let go again but keep my hands close and again an immediate slight wobble that starts to become violent quickly. I try this at different speeds and get the same reaction.

I have owned many bikes over the years and never had one react like this. I did have lose steering head bearings a while back and I tightened them up so I believe I have an issue that I don't know how to diagnose.

Sounds like something mechanical out of alignment. Has the bike been in an accident?

 

[benjamin]

Check your tire and fork pressure my tire was low and started a wobble that would get violent

 

[davidon]

I have been riding sport bikes and cruisers going on 30 years now and never had something this scary happen to me till a few days ago. So I am going down the road enjoying my ride like always when I decide I need to zip my jacket up a little further but can't with one hand so I let go of the handlebars to use both hands as I have done before on my other bikes, sport bikes and cruisers.

As soon as I let go my handlebars start to shake and within just a few seconds it has become violent. I had to quickly regain control of the bike. Now I'm not talking a slight wobble I'm talking a tank slapping situation here.

I figure maybe I let go at a bad spot in the road so I let go again but keep my hands close and again an immediate slight wobble that starts to become violent quickly. I try this at different speeds and get the same reaction.

I have owned many bikes over the years and never had one react like this. I did have lose steering head bearings a while back and I tightened them up so I believe I have an issue that I don't know how to diagnose.

Was it tightened to proper torque?

 

[06Vmaxfan]

The bike has never been recked.

I check tire preasure regularly but haven't in about 3 weeks. I set the fork pressure according to the owners manual about 2 months ago.

I did the bump test with the handlebars when I was getting a high pitch vibration in the handlebars when making turns as recommended by others on this sight. The steering head bearings were loose and I tightened them up according to the thread that had instructions on his to test and correct loose bearings.

I will check tire and fork pressure and do the bump test again this evening.

 

[alorio1]

You might want to do this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-CmACI5xQ&list=PLEBEB2AFEBCD94A5C&index=1

 

[Traumahawk]

If the steering head bearings are worn, you can tighten them up....and in a little bit...they will loosen up again.

 

[95spfldmax]

If the steering head bearings are worn, you can tighten them up....and in a little bit...they will loosen up again.

I'm putting the odds at 80/20 your steering head bearings are loose and out of adjustment. It's a common problem with a lot of bikes and especially Max. Start with that and report back after CAREFUL testing.

 

[dmax1]

How good is the font tire? Is there any cupping or uneven wear you can notice. :confused2:

 

[Tex85]

This happened to me twice on ratty old dunlop tires, once they were replaced with new ones the issue went away. Both times it happened between 35-40 miles an hour. Now I just always keep one hand on the handlebars and pull over if I need to make an adjustment requiring both hands, in the end its just safer that way.

 

[Fire-medic]

Remember the roads are 'crowned,' so the left side of the front tire wears more than the right. A worn tire on a VMax is a dangerous combination with loose steering head bearings, especially if you try the "look, Ma, no hands!" drill.

Since I went to radials, I have pretty-much eliminated my issues with any front-end steering or vibration, or handling concerns. When I was switching, I was on a new set of dynamically-balanced bias Bridgestones and new steering head bearings, and the difference of switching to radials was the single biggest difference in handling I have made to the bike in twenty years of ownership.unk:

 

[dwarf717]

Remember the roads are 'crowned,' so the left side of the front tire wears more than the right. .unk:

Sorry, but that is totally incorrect. If that were indeed the case, the rear tire would be worn in that fashion as well. The reason front tires wear more on the left is because whenever you turn left, you are in the turn longer than a right turn. A left turn from a stop wears at the tire even more, beause you are accelerating, and pushing the tire for a longer distance than a right. I bet in Europe their tyres wear more on the right

 

[donnelly317]

If the steering head bearings are worn, you can tighten them up....and in a little bit...they will loosen up again.

I think this is ur best bet. If you already tightened and bounce test check ur bearings and or tire if its stock

Sent from my GT-P5113 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Sorry, but that is totally incorrect. If that were indeed the case, the rear tire would be worn in that fashion as well. The reason front tires wear more on the left is because whenever you turn left, you are in the turn longer than a right turn. A left turn from a stop wears at the tire even more, beause you are accelerating, and pushing the tire for a longer distance than a right. I bet in Europe their tyres wear more on the right

I think I may agree with this ?? but of course as usual I'm going to go off on a tangent since you're post made me think if something I've often thought but never verbalized.

I'm MUCH more comfortable digging deep into left hand corners than right hand corners. There's no rational, mechanical or physical reason for this that I can think of. Doesn't matter if its a skateboard, a bicycle, motorcycle or a jet ski. Its just how my body perceives a turn.

Is anyone else like this?

And might it be a reason for the left side wear?

 

[fltinstructor]

I think I may agree with this ?? but of course as usual I'm going to go off on a tangent since you're post made me think if something I've often thought but never verbalized.

I'm MUCH more comfortable digging deep into left hand corners than right hand corners. There's no rational, mechanical or physical reason for this that I can think of. Doesn't matter if its a skateboard, a bicycle, motorcycle or a jet ski. Its just how my body perceives a turn.

Is anyone else like this?

And might it be a reason for the left side wear?

And that is why circle race tracks make left turns.

 

[RaWarrior]

While the Vmax isn't the most stable bike ever made it shouldn't do that. As long as the road was smooth I could coast down "no hands" without issue, though hitting a frost heave or something would have me grabbing the bars again real fast.

Head bearings are a likely culprit for wobbles of all sorts, though at least on mine I found loose bearings to cause a high speed (say >90mph) wiggle, and tight bearings caused a low speed (<45mph) weave. Somewhere in the middle was a happy medium, even after having the bearings replaced.

Cupped tires would be my next guess. Throw a set of Metz 880's on there.

You might also check your front wheel bearings. Elevate the front wheel, have a helper hold the bars, and wiggle the front wheel every which way feeling for any play whatsoever. Or remove the wheel from the axle and feel the inner race by hand.

 

[Fire-medic]

Sorry, but that is totally incorrect. If that were indeed the case, the rear tire would be worn in that fashion as well. The reason front tires wear more on the left is because whenever you turn left, you are in the turn longer than a right turn. A left turn from a stop wears at the tire even more, beause you are accelerating, and pushing the tire for a longer distance than a right. I bet in Europe their tyres wear more on the right

Looks like I am not the only one who has the same "crowned-road" opinion: http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_1108_uneven_tire_wear_and_mass_centralization/

Most riders on a big, heavy, powerful bike do their heavy accelerating in a straight line, where the rear tire is transmitting forward motion from the drivetrain. Thus, the rear tire wears more in the middle because it's forcing the bike down the road as-well as cornering, while the front tire is responsible for cornering loads but is not powered.

However, there are always plenty of girls to dance-with, so swing the one which makes your bearings spin-faster. The difference of opinion isn't going to make anyone run off the road, and I can tolerate an opinion which doesn't agree with mine.

 

[Rollie]

I agree with the crowned road theory , however , it has never affected any of my tires that I can remember , as I tend to ride in the fast lane ( far left lane ) on multi-laned highway roads , which would drain to the left , making up for the times riding on two lane roads in the right lane , which drains to the right. :clapping:

 

[naughtyG]

I reckon the head bearings are shot - not just loose, unless the front tire is very worn/cupped.

The only way to find out is to remove the front wheel, forks and handlebars, then undo the tripletrees and do a visual inspection. If you see any marks on the bearing races then they need replacing.

Here's what mine looked like in my '86 in FL and I was getting life-threatening high speed wobbles (110mph+ SCARY!!!)

 

[2stangs69-91]

My 2006 did the exact same thing since it was new every time the front tire got cupped. I did the furber fix and it was better but still did it. With a new tire it was straight as could be. First time I felt it I thought WTF same as you this bike is going to kill me..lol