| Author | Message | ||
     Txbuell |
Can't figure it out? I have a 98 S-1 White Lightning with 5900 miles. All recalls have been done except for the white power shock. I had the local Harley dealership replace it with a Dunlop D-208-ZR Size : 120/70ZR17. The rear is a Dunlop D-207. The front tire pressure is at 36 PSI and the rear at 42 PSI. Anyhow I noticed that upon my departure from the dealership the bike felt a little odd. The front tire felt extremely loose/sloppy or light as if the tire had been over inflated. I was thinking that maybe it was because the OLD tire was so badly bald that this (loose-sloppy light) response with the NEW tire was maybe something normal when a front tire is replaced. However something is not right. At speeds of about 40 MPH and greater if you self induce a wobble (moving the handlebars back and forth) the bike seems to shake/wobble almost uncontrollably. At about 80 MPH the wobble/shake seems to begin itself. This worries me in the event that I hit a pothole at any speed. Harley says to bring it back however that they really could not say what it is without taking the whole front end apart. Was wondering if anybody has any idea as to what could be wrong? (Message edited by txbuell on May 22, 2005) | ||
| Loki |
... sounds like a bad balance job. | ||
| Firemanjim |
Tire may have a bubble in the tread or a belt separation--take it back. | ||
| Smoke |
ask for a different tire! | ||
| Txbuell |
As for the balancing, does anyone know the required weight amounts to achieve proper balancing. I noticed that 7g weights were used. There were 6 total X (7g) = 42g total. Seems a little excessive. These weights are distributed with 3 on right and 3 on left side of rim. Makes me wonder if the correct amount of weights were used? | ||
| Bandm |
From the Buell Service Manual: The maximum weight permissable to accomplish balance is 1 oz.(28g) (total weight applied to the rim). The wheels should balance to within 1/4 oz. (7g) at 60 mph (97km/h). Sounds like the tire might not be mounted right. Is there a paint dot on the sidewall close to the valve stem? Take it back. | ||
| Drfuyutsuki |
The weight does seem quite a bit excessive. I have to wonder if they jacked up putting the wheel back on and left something loose??? | ||
| Loki |
get it rebalanced! It is entirely possible that the mounting is off. my latest Sportec mounted up and balanced with no weight required. | ||
| Buelliedan |
something is very wrong. Motorcycle tires require very little qeight to be added to achieve balance. Either you have a bad tire, a bent rim, or a mechanic who is an idiot and has no idea how to use a balancer. Probably the last one as tire chnages are usually given to the newest, least experienced person at the shop. | ||
| Oldog |
The pressures sound way high  the later bikes on d207s ran no more than 38psi, x1 is 32/38 I think something kinda dumb here, radial tires are "directional" is it mounted with the arrow pointed in the direction of rotation? I contacted Dunloup about wear life. Some of the other stuff is that the "Hi-per" tires that we run "should not be mixed"  I have to agree, with Buelliedan the tech may have been having a bad day or just not known better I agree with the others above take it back ! good luck (Message edited by ol-dog on May 22, 2005) | ||
| Bobpaul |
Sounds to me like maybe the tire bead is not fully seated. When they air up the tire the beads pop" into their place on the rim. Sometimes it takes a few tried to get them fully seated. Lift up the front wheel and spin it slowly.... check the little "ribs" in the sidewall right at the edge of the aluminum rim, they should be evenly spaced all the way around, and on both sides of the rim. After that spin the wheel a little faster and check to see if the center of the tread is running true side to side, that is: not weaving right and left. If this checks out OK and all the axle and pinch bolts are tight then my bet is a bad tire. | ||
| Mbsween |
OldDog, those pressures are what Dunlop specifies for the 208s so TX is good there. TX something is really wrong with that much weight on the tire. I change my own and a bunch of other peoples. We use a static balancer, I'm pretty sure we've never used more than 12g of weight on any tire and we have all sorts of tires, spoked dirt bikes, radials, bias street bike tires w/tubes etc Take it back and have them fix it. | ||
| Oldog |
Thanks Matt good to know | ||
| Henrik |
Aren't those tire pressures what is indicated on the tire wall as the Maximum recommended pressure? If so, that's all it indicates. It doesn't necessarily mean that those pressures are what you *should" run? Henrik | ||
| Mbsween |
Henrik, the info is on the fitment guide, I can't post a link as its a form you fill out, which is here http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/fitmentguide.asp The data (its the same for the X1 and S1) is below. I don't know what the "loaded" in PSI/loaded means. But if you scroll through the Buell models listed, you'll see they recommend 36/38 for the XBs and 36/42 for the tubers. Must be the extra heft requires some extra psi Make: Buell | Model: X1 (99-02) - Lightning Front Rim Size: 3.50x17 | Rear Rim Size: 5.00x17 Recommended Front Tire: Tire : D208 ZR | Size : 120/70ZR17 | PSI/Loaded : 36 Click for Info Recommended Rear Tire: Tire : D208 ZR | Size : 170/60ZR17 | PSI Rear/Loaded : 42 Click for Info Alternative Front Tire: Tire : D220 | Size : 120/70ZR17 | PSI/Loaded : 36 Click for Info Alternative Rear Tire: Tire : D220 | Size : 170/60ZR17 | PSI Rear/Loaded : 42 | ||
| Txbuell |
Thanks for the replies. I ended up taking the bike back to an alternate HD dealer and found a tech that owns an X-1 and XB and requested that he work on my S-1. According to the Buell tech (at alternate dealership), turns out the weight and tire were balanced properly and in the correct direction, however the front-end axle was torqued wrong. AND this was done at the original shop that installed the front tire  ! When the original dealership told me my bike was ready I immediately picked it up. After their second try at trying to fix the wobble – no joy. I was not satisfied with the report given by the original dealership as to why bike was wobbling. As the problem persisted bike still felt unsafe. So upon bike pickup I immediately drove to the alternate HD dealer to have them take a look at it. When I got my bike back from the alternate dealer the Buell tech who worked on my bike told me that the front end was loose, the front tire pressure was low, and the front axle was torqued wrong. Needless to say I was torqued having just spent $65 at the original HD dealer for installation and another $70 for trying to fix their first mistake (sorry for my venting!  ) Anyhow Buell tech at alternate dealer stated that he believes the other tech tightened the pinched screws before tightening the axle nut, leading to incorrect torque amounts. This seems to have fixed the problem as the S-1 runs fine now with no wobble. Thanks for all your insights and inputs.  | ||
| Smoke |
thanx for posting the results, i wouldn't have thought of that as being the case. how would anyone learn that procedure that wrong? i would ask the service manager for a refund of the second visit money and then never return! ride safe, tim | ||
| Oldog |
Tx Glad to hear good call Dr.F Looks like that DrFuyutsuki may want to change his username to "Kaarnack the see-er" LOL I hope that you get your second visit money back. Thanks for sharing .. | ||
| Used_96_s1 |
Thanks for sharing | ||
| Henrik |
HI Matt; Thanks for digging out the tire pressure info. I've never run Dunlop tires, but a 6 PSI difference front to back seems like a lot. Of course, I'm not sure what the weight distribution is on the tubers - always thought they only had a slight bias towards the rear?? On both my S2 and my S3 I ran MeZ4 and a 2 PSI higher pressure in the rear got me the hot tire pressure increase I was looking for. Thanks Henrik | ||
| Mbsween |
Henrik, Yeah I guess the tubers have fat arses  I checked around they have the same recommendation for the Kawasaki ZX6,ZX10R but 36/40 for the Aprilla Mille They also show the same pressure for the S2 and the S2T hmmmmm seems like 208s use 36/42 for most bikes. |
