| Author | Message | ||
     911_racer |
ever since i got my Uly i have had a problem with head shake. it seems to happen at most any speed but the slower i go the worse it gets. it only happens when i take my hands off the bars. today i was comming home from work with a heavy load in the bags and a 40lb bag of dog food on the back i took my hands off the bars to adjust my helmet and i experienced the worst head shake ever. it wasnt to the point where i thought i was going to loose control but never the less it was not fun. I have played with the rear pre load and it does help but doesnt fix the problem. Has anyone else had this problem? any known fix? | ||
| Dragon_slayer |
Here we go again! 911, do a search on this forum for head shake. It's been awhile ago. | ||
| 911_racer |
hey thanks Dragon_slayer. I did a search and found that alot of people have this problem but no real solution. the head shake does seem to change depending on the load. with a passenger there is almost no shake at all. has anyone tried a steering dampner? does that help? | ||
| Paochow |
Is it a weight distribution issue? Do you only have the problem when the bike is loaded down? | ||
| Lovehamr |
I had this problem but don't any more. #1 I increased rear preload and damping. #2 Pilot Roads No more head shake at any speed. Steve  | ||
| Tel |
If steering head bearings are adjusted correctly then it comes down to the suspension adjustment or lack thereof having an effect on the trail and rake. | ||
| Aeholton |
911_racer - Are you running the stock Dunlop 616 tires? If so, look no further. Change the front tire and it will go away. I just learned to live with the little bit of deceleration head shake and continued to ride on the stock tire for ~12,000 miles. When I finally changed out the front tire, it was like a brand new bike again! | ||
| Dave |
911-RAcer - a new Pirelli for the front of mine cured the slight wobble. Some reported head bearing adjustment helped marginally as well. DAve | ||
| Treadmarks |
It is the freaking dunlop 616s. And it is wobble, not headshake. Get on a xr650 or KLR motard at 80-100 mph-now thats headshake. I have 3500 miles on my 616s and the wobble is not as bad as it was. | ||
| Red_chili |
Some clarification might be in order- do you mean headshake, or a disconcerting wobble? If the latter, it is most likely tires as mentioned and is quite common (and might be exacerbated by loose steering head bearings, it was in my case, plus rain grooves). If it is a true HEADSHAKE, that is NOT common, NOT normal and something is wrong (like really loose steering head bearings, wheel bearings, plus suspension settings AND the 616s, plus rain grooves) and should be addressed. | ||
| Stevem123 |
Hey 911 racer, I had that same problem but after trying Avons I still had no cure until I went to the Metzeler sportech M6s. The progressive contour of the front tire cured the problem completly. Basically it gives a narrow patch on the front while upright and the patch widens as you lean over giving more grip for high speed cornering. I like these tires and they're treadlife is pretty much like all the rest I've tried. I'm pretty hard on tires so I typically get about 4K on the rear and about double that on the front. YMMV. BC Steve | ||
| Etennuly |
I haven't heard from anyone with the D616 on the front that doesn't have that shake/wobble. Mine got real bad at about 8500 miles. Re-torque the steering head if it hasn't been done, that helped mine about 60% and I know for sure the rest will be cured when I put a Scorpion Sync on the front. It's just that Im' not going to replace it until it is worn out.  | ||
| Thunderbox |
The solution is make sure you have a steering damper on the bike. Ah Ha the best steering damper is your own hands so don't take them off the bars. Solution supplied. I get a charge out of people with this complaint. They never noticed anything at all, until they try to ride the bike with no hands. Why is all I ask? | ||
| Lowflyer |
Sounds to me like the bike was slightly overloaded. | ||
| Jlnance |
I did a search and found that alot of people have this problem but no real solution. They do this if the front tire gets cupped, which it will long before the tread wears out. My 616s did it, and the Contis did it as well after they wore out. Put a new tire on the front and I bet things will be much better. | ||
| Jlnance |
Just to be clear that we are talking about the same thing, I could take my hands off the bars and at the right speed (about 45) the bars would shake back and forth with an amplitude of about 3 inches and a frequency of about 5 times/sec. Interestingly, it rides fine line this. It's not wandering around the road like you might expect it to. (Message edited by jlnance on November 16, 2006) | ||
| Stevem123 |
sometimes riding with no hands is the only way to truly feel what the bike is trying to tell you. I also will take my hands off sometimes just to be able to lean back a little to flex the back muscles. It's kind of like stretching when you stand up after sitting for a long time. I don't do this in traffic of course but I have done it on every bike I've ever had with no problems. Why not?  BC Steve | ||
| Daves |
Did you adjust the suspension to the extra load? | ||
| Dr_greg |
When I installed the HVMP bar-end weights the rather mild "head shake" I had (which had never bothered me) completely went away. | ||
| Teeps |
Nasty head shake is a relative term; unless it spit you off the bike. | ||
| Crusty |
I never had any headshake, wobble or any other untoward handling problem with the D616s on my Uly. I found them to work well at all speeds from rolling along in a parking lot to well over 100 on the Interstate. The only reason I switched to Avon Azaros was for better tire life. If the Dunlops had lasted 50% longer, I would have replaced them with more of the same. 911 racer; did you set up your suspension according to the chart in the owners manual? It really helped out the way my bike felt. | ||
| Jim_sb |
I had a very nasty head shake with my Ulysses in Death Valley, West Side Road, sand 4" (or more) deep, speed approximately 35mph. Yes, it darn near spit me off the bike. My riding buddy thought I was going down for certain. Once the bars started oscillating hard they would not stop - in fact they seemed to be increasing with strength - until I firmly grasped the bars and forced them straight. This happened a 2nd time another 5 miles or so up the road in similar road conditions. Yes, I had my hands on the bars, light pressure on the grips, etc. Don't try to teach me how to ride off road, I've got a dirt bike and I use it often. I'm getting ready for 3 days of desert riding next week in fact with my DRZ. And yes, I will be going places that the big bikes fear to tread. At the time my Uly had all 3 bags but was lightly loaded, front and rear pre-load were both set in the next lower scale per the book based on weight (I was seeking a plush ride at the time). I was standing on the pegs at the time which seemed to make things worse based on subsequent encounters where I intentionally remained seated to see if that helped. A steering damper would, I believe, solve the problem. I will try Pirelli Scorpion Syncs in the sand prior to spending big bucks for a damper. Just because your bike has not exhibited this behavior does not mean it hasn't happened to others. It also does not mean that we don't know how to ride. I'm no racer but I know how to ride a street bike and a dirt bike. The Ulysses is the only bike I have ever owned to exhibit this type of behavior, dirt or street. It's not me, it's the bike. PS. The bike is currently set up precisely as recommended by the factory for my riding weight and gear. I'm very happy with the bike, but I will address this issue first with tires, failing that with a damper. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Lowflyer |
Jim, My bike has never had any head shake at all. All else being equal, I'll have to conclude that this is because I am smarter and better looking than you. Love, Lowflyer   | ||
| Jim_sb |
Lowflyer, Anything of course is possible. Regards, Jim | ||
| Lowflyer |
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| 911_racer |
Jim, and everyone else thanks for the tips. I have been running the stock D616's and have 7,000 miles. its worn about 70% on the sides and about 30% down the center. I commute highway 9 CA every day. Jim, I also ride a dirt bike all the time and consider myself an advanced rider. I have also been up and down some very tough trails on my buell, two up with full camping gear, and i have to say im very impressed. the bike holds a rock steady line over washboard roads at 80+mph and 5mph ruts. how ever I have not ridden in sand much and not at any speed. I think Im going to order a new Pirelli tire in the morning and start shopping around for a steering dampner. thanks for the imput guys. less than 24hrs and 25 replies.. | ||
| Az_m2 |
Wait on the steering damper! I think you will be very happy after mounting Pirellis. | ||
| Paochow |
ORANGE Uly's don't seem to be affected by headshake   Thanks to all you D616 bashers, I was able to pick up a new front 616 for $47 shipped from Fleabay.}} | ||
| Paochow |
Jim, were you on or off the gas, when you had the tankslapper in the sand? I've had similar issues on my DRZ, when backing off the throttle. I've since learned to stay on the gas anytime I'm in loose sand. | ||
| Thunderbox |
There is no need for a steering damper on a Uly as far as I can see. If this was happening when riding with the hands on the bars I could see it. But if putting one hand back on the bars lightly gets rid of it there is no need for a damper. A steering damper would do nothing for the slight swimming effect some have felt in their bikes. I believe this has nothing to do with the front suspension and has to do with the rear somehow. | ||
| Lowflyer |
The fact that some have it and some don't leads me to believe that it is a combination of rider (physical dimensions), tires, and suspension settings. I am 5'11, 200 lbs and use the factory suspension settings. My not having the swim or head shake may be because I fit in right at the peak of the bell curve for the bike's ergos and suspension settings. Or, perhaps the guy that set all of that up is exactly my size. Then again, my head size is in the 95th percentile so it could be that folks with the headshake just have tiny heads.  | ||
| Lovehamr |
Look at the size of the head on that boy! I'm not kidding; it looks like an orange on a tooth pick! Really! His head's like Sputnik; spherical, but quite pointy in parts! I mean, look at it! It's a virtual planetoid, has it's own weather system! Oh; now that was off sides wasn't it? I bet he'll be cryin' himself to sleep tonight on his huge pillow! Long live us pinheads! Baaaahaaaa! | ||
| Jim_sb |
I was on the gas both times, hands on the bars, 3rd gear, standing up. I have no issues with the Uly's handling other than in sand or gravel say 4" deep or more. The 616's have done great as well. I've had the Uly at 80mph + on dirt and gravel roads several times. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara |
