Speed Wobble

[a113ycat]

I was coming home tonight from my girls house and this is new but at 105 ( I know...too fast) anyway at 105 there was a start of a wobble in the front end. I pulled over and checked my tires and they were good. I rode the rest of the way home at a sane speed and no more issues. I took it up to 80 and nothing. Is this something I should worry about? I have had the bike to as fast as I could stand more than once and not experienced this but this is a relatively new bike to me and not having ridden the V-Max before it honestly worries me.
I have owned several bike that top 100+ miles an hour over the years with not ever seeing this high speed wobble before. I asked in another thread about it but now I'm concerned enough to ask about it directly. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
A113YCAT

 

[alorio1]

Here is a post about your head shake problem, I would do the bounce test, look at post #16. Hope this helps.

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=1010&highlight=bounce+test&page=2

 

[sdt354]

Here is a post about your head shake problem, I would do the bounce test, look at post #16. Hope this helps.

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=1010&highlight=bounce+test&page=2

+1 Joe. Allso check your wheel bearings and tree hargware tightness, It's fine to ride at 105 mph and expect a smooth ride.. Check that tire over again too.

 

[a113ycat]

So you think by doing the steps in the other thread I should see results? I was thinking of going with a dampener or following some other advice on upgrading the front end suspension.

 

[deekjx]

I don't think it would hurt to try the simple stuff in that thread. Lots of those guys have years if not decades dealing with these bikes. A recurring theme I keep hearing is proper maintenance is the main key to better handling on these things. If I were you, I'd check everything listed there from the senior members. Especially the free stuff.

 

[ninjaneer]

+1 with bounce check. it seems like every other week, the "speed wobble" problem crops up in the forum. it's usually the head bearings. dingy sells a tool if you want precision torque. but a hammer and a punch work just as well on the castle nuts.

as far as a dampener...from what i've read over the past year, the dampener isn't as much of a worthwhile investment.

also a worn front tire seems to be a common denominator in the wobble problems that have been reported

 

[a113ycat]

I am going to have my guys take over the shop tomorrow while I go over this thing with a fine tooth comb. Hell I would never ride that fast with my girlfriend or kid on it but I DO ride with them and the last thing I want is a catastrophic failure. I think I will start with the simple balance "bounce test" then go from there...I am a big fan of fast but a bigger fan of keeping 2 wheels on the ground. I read the post about pushing through it and I can see some logic in that, however tonight it was dark and kinda curvy even the coasting to slow down was kinda spooky!

 

[a113ycat]

+1 with bounce check. it seems like every other week, the "speed wobble" problem crops up. it's usually the head bearings. dingy sells a tool if you want precision torque. but a hammer and a punch work just as well on the castle nuts.

as far as a dampener...from what i've read over the past year, the dampener isn't as much of a worthwhile investment.

I bought a dealership inventory from a Yamaha dealer that was going under and happened to pick up a lot of specialty tools in that deal and I thing that I may have the spanner wrench to torque the nut with.

 

[alorio1]

Don't be surprised if you have to readjust head brgs again in a couple of weeks, if they have been run on the loose side for a while it takes a couple of adjustments to get them seated in again.

 

[a113ycat]

Don't be surprised if you have to readjust head brgs again in a couple of weeks, if they have been run on the loose side for a while it takes a couple of adjustments to get them seated in again.

Thanks for that heads up... I have a rally to hit in a week and I want my bike to be on tits. I will set them tomorrow and hopefully it will be something simple. Then before we ride out this weekend coming I will go over it again. I ride about 75-100 miles a day so with any luck that will be enough to know.

 

[ninjaneer]

now what i'm about to say is unsubstantiated and if the greybeards call shinanigans, well so be it. there's a washer in the nut stack. now you have an '85, so who knows how old it is. if it's rubber, look at it closely and make sure it isn't deteriorated. if it looks like it's been squished past it's lifetime (you should be able to make a discretionary decision, of what that means---plz don't make me elaborate hehehe), consider replacing it. i think my loose bearing problems were due to a beat up one. now here comes the controversial comment: consider replacing that washer with something called a Furbur Washer. I had my doubts at first and actually took it out after I tried one, but when I thought my beat up rubber one had seen its last days, the Furbur Washer was all that I had in such short notice--I was desperate to get out on a ride to somewhere I forget. Now I'm not sure if it's b/c of the Furbur Washer, or if it was b/c I replaced a beat up part, but whatever I did seemed to cure me of my problem of having to re-torque the head bearing like every 100 miles. I've been rock solid now for over 2500 now. Lots of guys on here call it a bogus part, and lots of guys here swear by it....just saying. I'm readying myself for the mud slinging...here we go....

 

[a113ycat]

I did the "bounce test" went for a ride yesterday evening and problem solved!! I will check it again in a few days to re-adjust but it seems fixed now.
Thanks!!!

 

[SpecOps13]

If you should get it a bit tight, the bike will let you know. It will wander at a moderate speed (30-40).. It'll feel that you're constantly making course corrections... Good Luck....

 

[dannymax]

There are as many 'wobble fix's' as there are wobbles....unfortunately, this is a fact.

Generally speaking....speed wobbles are caused by something in the rear....tire, swing-arm bearings, rear wheel bearings.....on & on.

Generally speaking....de-cel wobbles are caused by something in the front....I won't bother listing those possibilities.

Sometimes the wobble cause will migrate from the rear to the front, and vice versa.....sort of 'contaminating' a portion of the bike it has no business messing with!

And once in awhile a wobble will completely defy diagnosis!

Get where I'm going with this? Wobble causes & cures is not an exact science....nobody completely understands it! Sometimes John's washer will fix it, sometimes Sean's head bearing tweak or wheel bearing replacement....one guy fixed his by tightening a rear footpeg mount. :confused2:

But the one universal fix that I have never heard go wrong is installing radials, 17", 18", or a mix of both seems to eliminate any sort of wobble.

Why, you ask?......I don't know! :ummm:

Has anyone installed radials and still had a wobble?

 

[[email protected]]

Has anyone installed radials and still had a wobble?

Never heard of anyone with radials having a wobble. Wonder if its because of the tires/wheels or the fact that most guys willing to spend that much money on their vmax is one anal SOB that takes meticulous care of the bike and maitains parts as they should be so there would never be any wobble in the first place? Just an oddball theory :biglaugh:

 

[ninjaneer]

...Wonder if its because of the tires/wheels or the fact that most guys willing to spend that much money on their vmax is one anal SOB that takes meticulous care of the bike and maitains parts as they should be so there would never be any wobble in the first place? Just an oddball theory :biglaugh:

nahhhh. :rofl_200:

 

[deekjx]

I did the "bounce test" went for a ride yesterday evening and problem solved!! I will check it again in a few days to re-adjust but it seems fixed now.
Thanks!!!

Glad to hear it my friend. Glad to hear it.

 

[Rollie]

There are as many 'wobble fix's' as there are wobbles....unfortunately, this is a fact.

Generally speaking....speed wobbles are caused by something in the rear....tire, swing-arm bearings, rear wheel bearings.....on & on.

Generally speaking....de-cel wobbles are caused by something in the front....I won't bother listing those possibilities.

Sometimes the wobble cause will migrate from the rear to the front, and vice versa.....sort of 'contaminating' a portion of the bike it has no business messing with!

And once in awhile a wobble will completely defy diagnosis!

Get where I'm going with this? Wobble causes & cures is not an exact science....nobody completely understands it! Sometimes John's washer will fix it, sometimes Sean's head bearing tweak or wheel bearing replacement....one guy fixed his by tightening a rear footpeg mount. :confused2:

But the one universal fix that I have never heard go wrong is installing radials, 17", 18", or a mix of both seems to eliminate any sort of wobble.

Why, you ask?......I don't know! :ummm:

Has anyone installed radials and still had a wobble? { Quote }



Negative .

 

[a113ycat]

Wouldnt I have to replace my wheels to be able to install radials on my 85?

 

[[email protected]]

You can put a radial on the front rim.
for the back you'll need a new one. Unless you want to run a scooter tire....