Low speed wallowing

[ambeck67]

Hi. i have a 96 vmax with 7,000 miles, new Dunlop tires. The bike handles great except from time to time at speeds under 25mph the bike will wiggle from side to side like you just cant hold it in a straight line. anyone have any suggestions? otherwise its a great bike.

 

[sdt354]

Is it a weave? Like a slow side to side action? Or a shake? Have the head bearings been adjusted recently? If so they could be too tight.
Steve-o

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

Yep, check those head bearings....they are either too loose or too tight. Mine were loose and giving me a low speed wobble, tightening them took care of it. Dingy makes a kick ass wrench that fits perfectly, has them available here in the for sale section of the forum.

 

[ambeck67]

Yeah its not a head shake , it's like you steer to correct then steer back to correct that. Its strange. But i'll try adjusting the tightening of the head bearing and seeing if that helps. the thing that puzzles me is that it doesn't do it all the time , just every now and then. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[alorio1]

Try the Morley's bounce test.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-CmACI5xQ&list=PLEBEB2AFEBCD94A5C&feature=view_all

 

[Redbone]

I'm guessing that the locking nut on the steering head is loose causing a intermittant over tight condition and causing the weaving.:confused2:

 

[naughtyG]

I reckon your head bearing are shot. To check them there are two ways: one is to take everything off to inspect them visually (any marks whatsoever = trash);
the other is to jack up your bike, take off the front wheel, handlebars, maybe even the fork tubes, and then see how it feels (without any weight) going from side to side. If you feel any roughness at all replace 'em head bearings!

 

[jfeagins]

Low speed weave = head bearings too tight. If they haven't been too tight for too long, they may be OK after properly adjusting them. Most likely, you also have some side - to -side run out on a tire, usually the back, to make the bike want to weave like that to start with. Fix the head bearings and you most likely will never know the tire is out a bit.

Least ways, that's been my experience.

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

Very true. I slightly overtightened the head bearings on my sons tw200, and got one hell of a low speed weave. Maybe weave=too tight, and wobble=too loose?

 

[jfeagins]

IMHO, loose head bearings won't ever 'cause' a wobble. But they sure don't make keeping a wobble under control a pleasant task. GOOD TIRES and/or wheel balance is the key to start with. All the little tricks you do, including head bearing adjustment, will help you control/minimize a wobble. Overtightening the head bearings is only helping you hang on to the handlebars, and the flip side of that would be ruining the bearings, and of course, causing the slow speed weave (if both the tires aren't perfect)

 

[ambeck67]

I just want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I tried the Morley's bounce test and found out it was to tight, i backed it off and now it works GREAT! Its like a new bike . Once again thanks.

 

[swrsmik]

I had low speed wooble(scary at times)when riding one handed and hitting a bump or cornering.I tightened mine and wooble is gone.I might have went a bit too far as I have a very slight weave now.I will back it off a touch and should be perfect.morleys boucnce test is something I will try.

 

[sdt354]

I had low speed wooble(scary at times)when riding one handed and hitting a bump or cornering.I tightened mine and wooble is gone.I might have went a bit too far as I have a very slight weave now.I will back it off a touch and should be perfect.morleys boucnce test is something I will try.

You are close. Just back it off a smigeon and test ride. The bouch test gets you very close. I'll be greasing the bearings yearly. It's to critical to not have just right.
Steve-o