Road cracks causes bike to feel like on ice

[mthomp71]

Just got a 1st gen venture 1988 with good dunlops 491s and hard air in shocks and tracks good in cornners and straight yet hit a small road crack and for a second feel like skating on ice.....where should I look? I have a 1989 also and on same roads rock steady.

[Yammer Dan]

Tires and tire Pressure.

[buddy]

491 are bad about cracks in the road mine was real bad untill I went with Avon tire for the front . Also check your swing arm too, may be some slack there as well making the icy road affect too.

 

Buddy

[6m459]

I used to be plagued with similar behaviour.

 

This year, I changed my front wheel bearings and put on new Metzler ME880 tires front and back. The difference is night and day better stability on the straights. Tar ribbons and long pavement cracks that I used to worry about are no longer an issue.

 

I also had a mild wobble if I took my hands off the bars. Not any more, she runs straight and true now!

 

I don't know which had the bigger effect, tires or wheel bearings but my suspicion is that although the old tires were worn down tread wise, the bearings really needed changing.

 

I used SKF bearings and I posted a thread on here a few weeks ago detailing just what part I bought.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Brian H.

[GaryZ]

My rear tire was worn very flat in the center and caused somewhat violent behavior during lane changes over cracks in the road . . .

[Roadhand]

Run Avons with the correct air pressure and you will solve this issue.

[dynodon]

I think that despite tire, pressure and other adjustments, some tar snakes and cracks will just cause a slight wobble.

 

One city in our area uses what seems to be a rubberized crack sealer that other cities and county don't. Hit those tar snakes and your bike will wobble...EVERYONE I know complains about it, brand new, cruiser, touring, used, all sorts of tires. Other snakes I hardly ever notice, though they look the same.

 

the type of tire tread can help, but I doubt a slight incorrect tire pressure will make a difference, of course if the pressure is way low or way high, that will effect most riding.

 

Check out everything mentioned, but if in the end you still get a little wobble, just avoid those snakes!

[dr_bar]

Some of the tar snakes around here aren't even filled all the way and they're wide, so they grab your tire and pretty much send it what ever way it wants...