Newbie with lame questions

[Guest indyrick]

Hi, I'm a new Venture owner. I've been reading some of the articles and have had the VR long enough to have the sidestand switch screw me in rush hour traffic. Guys on the tech / tip list gave me a great tip that worked like a champ.

 

I've got a couple of questions about the bike's operation. Having now put about 1500 miles on it I've found there are a couple of quirky things about it's handling. First let me say, for as big as it is, I'm quite amazed it handles in the curves as well as it does. I'm pleasantly surprised. I discovered recently though that it doesn't handle worth a damn in even light gravel. Suddenly the positive control goes right out the window and the bike just hunts and hops all over the place. It's terrible. I've experimented a bit and find nothing I've thought of seems to help. Slow down and waddle it through. It's so bad someone dropped some gravel on an otherwise beautiful stretch of pavement. I was crusing along and saw the gravel but it was nothing so I didn't worry about it. Immediate hunt for disaster. It's hard for me to understand how a bike that handles as well as this does in so many situations including rain-flooded streets could turn to crap over fine gravel...

 

The other handling issue I've run across is what I'll call the rubber-band handling effect. At very low speeds (good pavement - no gravel ) moving the handlebars feels like the front wheel isn't responding to the movement of the bars. Get the bike moving 10 mph or more, or put some throttle on and the steering feels solid.

 

The bike has what appears to be a good solid fork brace, the forks seem to be in good condition and the fluid has been changed and filled to specs. The anti-dive technology is new to me but it seems to be working and I've tried some hard stops and was pleased with the machine's tracking and stopping distances.

 

So, anyone ever experienced either of these phenomena before? Any advice or best guesses would be appreciated. BTW, I've got a '91 VR with about 140k on it. It's pretty clean considering the mileage and like I said, runs and handles under most circumstances wonderfully! Oh, and the tires (Metzler 880) are in very good shape, not new but only minimal wear from all appearances. I'm not certain they're the standard sized tires (particularly the front).

 

I uploaded some pictures so you can see what shape it's in, details I might not realize are important, etc

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/vbpicgallery.php?do=view&g=1136

 

thanks!

indy

[Cutty]

I think front tire size has a lot to do with shaky feeling on dirt, ck tire pressure for the rubber feeling.

[muffinman]

Tire size and type is just as influential as the inflation pressures. I get the best handleing out of Dunlop K491 (recomended tire). But with the weight of the machine gravel can be dangerous to us. I learned to be carefull when on a gravel road or parking lot.

Jeff

[buddy]

When it comes to gravel roads and tour bikes - do not mix very well.I have not seen any large bike's handle gravel roads good.I myself live on a gravel road and I live at the bottom of the hill.So its fun everyday riding up & down the hill,I take it real easy and very slow.As for your front end check and see what size tire you have,May be wrong size tire?.I have 120/90-18 on the front,handles great,Also check psi and see where it is.Just guessing on this part since we donot know the exact problem or feel your having.

And as for the handling of the bike I love mine very much,I go riding with my coworkers on weekends when we get the chance, and they hate it when it comes to corners or curves I lean the beast over untill I feel the pegs touching and give it the gas coming out and leave them behind - Nice.And the power is out of this world for these tour bikes.The mileage on your bike is low so have fun and put on another 200,000 miles.

 

Buddy

[Guest longtrain59]

Hi Indy,

 

The front tire doesn't look right. The stock tire is a 120/90. That tire in the pics you posted look bigger and that could just be the Metzler. They seem wider than Dunlops.

 

I never liked to ride in gravel with my 87; but it didn't scare me or give me handling problems. The 1st generations likes 38-40 psi in front with a little air in the forks for rebound. You might try experimenting with the class system. More air in the rear seems to quicken handling and less air in the back will slow it. Experiment until you find the feel that suites you.

 

Good luck with the bike. I still miss mine after eight years. They are sweet little hot rods.

[oldandcrotchety]

i live 2 miles down a gravel road and my bike handles as well on it as it does on the pavement. only reason i go slower than the highway is that the curves can be treacherous (leaning on gravel) and i have to watch for potholes. but i regularly go about 35 mph and sometimes catch myself going 45 mph. this was not always the case, though. when i first got this bike i could barely go faster that about 15mph and i was having to herd it from ditch to ditch and could barely keep it upright. it just wanted to wander everywhere and it was only with extreme effort that i could keep it from sliding out from under me. i was told that maybe the steering head bearings were loose, so i checked them and found out that they were in fact too tight! i loosened them slightly and the difference was amazing. may not be answer for you, but it sure cured my problems.

[Yammer Dan]

Maybe need steering head adjustment. And they just don't like gravel!!

[Condor]

I hate gravel.......or dirt...or sand..... or 10-30 motor oil.......!!!

[GeorgeS]

I have owned bikes that were no problem on gravel, my old 79 BMW, R-100 was case in point. Absolutly no problem rideing it on gravel, and dirt roads.

 

With the 89 Venture, I simple avoid gravel roads, Its bad on gravel.

Frankly, very scarey, in my opinion.

 

However, I suppose one could learn to ride the thing on gravel, given lots of practice. ??

[Condor]

I have owned bikes that were no problem on gravel, my old 79 BMW, R-100 was case in point. Absolutly no problem rideing it on gravel, and dirt roads.

 

With the 89 Venture, I simple avoid gravel roads, Its bad on gravel.

Frankly, very scarey, in my opinion.

 

However, I suppose one could learn to ride the thing on gravel, given lots of practice. ??

 

Just keep the rear tire spinning very...very fast.....

[fixit3546]

keep it in a high gear and the speed 25-30.

 

don't try to manhandle it.

 

Stay off the gravel if you can.

 

IMHO.............