| Author | Message | ||
     Redponcho |
I am getting my bike back on the road after a minor loswide. I notice at highway speeds the bike feel loose. Like I could get a severe headshake. I dont know if I may have damaged a fork? Before the lowside I had new tires installed and I never got it up to highway speeds so I dont know if it may be a balance issue. Has anyone else experienced this??? | ||
| Nutsnbolt |
uh... Did you go over your bike? Are you saying that your bike is shaking severely at highway speeds? I mean, I know that's not literally what you said, but is that what you are saying more or less? If so. Stop riding it. Period. Check Forks, Steering Head bolt, maybe. Here's what I would do, but I'm a little OCD. I would put it up on stands and start taking the tire off, forks off and pretty much every thing else. Inspect it all. Then reassemble and retorque. This way you know that if it's still shaking it's either your nerves or you have other issues more serious than you can handle. I mean, it could be a balance issue. But, man, you would have to be pretty unbalanced to have a great deal of shaking from just the tires. But, static balance them also, while you've got the bike apart. I mean you're gonna have to take the tire off regardless, so you might as well just go the extra mile and make yourself more sure and confident that you checked everything over. Just me Good luck with that. Mark | ||
| Redponcho |
I had to stop quickly and hit some sand. I was doing about 25 mph. The bike slid out and slid into a cars back tire. The front wheel did contact the cars tire. I dont know how hard because I was a little busy. The bike doesnt shake but it just feels like it is not as solid at highway speeds. Maybe I am just paranoid. | ||
| Nutsnbolt |
Hey.. Best to make sure first though. 25 mph and hitting a mostly immoveable object can do some damage that you may not be able to see at first glance. Could it be your nerves? Maybe. Not as solid... Let's work this out. Does it feel shakey? Can you hear rattling parts? You know, there are a lot of people that can attest to having chaned their rebound and comp settings and gone from normal to flicky, and vice versa. New tires come with a new honing of the tire and no flat spot, that could account for your feeling, maybe? But, overall, I think that no matter how slow or fast a lowside, it's best to do a once over on the bike and make sure. Grab parts, wiggle them. Whatever. I mean, when you hit something at 25 in your car or truck, the first thing you do is look to make sure everything is okay. I mean sometimes you really go all out and look at stuff that may not be affected. But it's a natural instinct. Like I said. It may be just me. Mark | ||
| Midknyte |
Double check your suspension settings too - I got my bike back once and found out after some weirdness that one fork tube was set up different than the other. No head shake or anything like that. It was subtle - as in, it would mess with my sense of balance and make me feel a little dizzy when going over tar snakes and such. Drove me nuts till I caught it. | ||
| Interex2050 |
As Nutsnbolts said, loosen everything and torque it down. But while the upper triple and axle is loose pump the suspension several times without applying the brakes. This will get rid of any misalignment and get set the forks into their most natural state. good luck | ||
| Etennuly |
While you're looking check the steering head bearings, they will make the front end feel loose mostly on braking. If they are loose from an impact replace them don't just re-torque. Check front wheel bearings too, and check run-out on the wheels. | ||
| Cruisin |
As a side note, make sure you're not gripping the handlebars too tight. Especially after going down people tend to get a little nervous and if you're locking your arms on the freeway the wind buffeting could give you that shakey feeling. Relax, loosen your grip a little, and make sure your elbows are bent. If it still feels odd, then I agree with Nuts, need to check it out. I went down a couple years ago and luckily just barely slid under the cars bumper corner. Never really went under the car but it did bust the fairing mount for the mirror. Had help picking it up and rode it home (that was painful - broken collarbone). I replaced the broken parts and thoroughly checked it out - didn't find any problems and it rides great. So it's a tough call, but definitely get a good look at it and retorque everything, especially the steering head bearings. Those have been known to give a slight wobble if they are over torqued (don't ask how I know). | ||
| Jerseyguy |
Check the steering head bearings for sure. I had a slow speed lowside on my 9 a few years back and subsequently I could hear a clicking noise coming from the steering head. I tightened the bearings as per the service manual and the noise went away. | ||
| Redponcho |
I just looked a little closer at the front end. The alignment marks on the forks were off almost a whole line. I jacked it up made both forks the same amount. The steering head bearings feel smooth with no noise. Took it for a quick ride and it seems to feel better. | ||
| Toona |
Make sure you check the rear motor mount/isolator. I low sided, the front hit a guard rail, nothing hit the back of the bike, but the isolator was still broken. I didn't see it until I was replacing the damaged header (rotating engine). | ||
| Perry |
When I lowsided the bolts holding the forks needed to be retorqued because they had somehow become loose - even though you couldn't tell visually. I agree with the above suggestions to check all your torques. | ||
| Redponcho |
I have rechecked everything and all is tight. The only problem I have found is the fork alignment. I also found my front tire pressure at about 42. It seemed better. I wonder how much is mental on my part. This was my first street bike crash. All I can say is I am glad I had all my gear on. | ||
| Nutsnbolt |
Consider this lesson learned. No matter how fast or slow the incident... Go over your gear. Period. | ||
| Teddagreek |
What kind of tires are you running?? | ||
| Redponcho |
Brand new Scorpion Syncs. I had the bike under control until I hit some sand. | ||
| Midknyte |
I wonder how much is mental on my part. That'll stick with you for probably one riding season. You need to [subconsciously] go thru a season w/o crashing to feel like you won't / don't have to. It's natural. You'll shake it. In the meantime, you'll be rationalizing and over thinking a bunch of stuff. Relax and let your comfort level be your guide. been there, crashed that... | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
That'll stick with you for probably one riding season. You need to [subconsciously] go thru a season w/o crashing to feel like you won't / don't have to. It's natural. You'll shake it. In the meantime, you'll be rationalizing and over thinking a bunch of stuff. Relax and let your comfort level be your guide. +1 I still haven't completely shaken my concern with loose crap on asphalt. Gravel spooks me to this day. I know that it isn't going to hurt me, but I just don't push as hard when there is a chance that I'll come across some. I'm just now getting back to trusting the bike. | ||
| Bdabuell |
...loosen everything and torque it down. definitely! I had a low speed lowside a few years ago...cracked the top triple tree clean through...but the crack did not become apparent/visible until everything was loosened | ||
| Midknyte |
You wanna trust yer bike again? - Show up for an ERC on a rainy day | ||
| Redponcho |
I wish we had courses like that around here. |
