wobble

[footsie]

I am going to post this because Craig is not interrested in joining our site.

 

 

I went to ride the river road friday, stopped at Arrow head to get gas and a drink. There was a blue Venture there so naturally I walked over to talk with the owner. Name was Craig ( has visited our site but not a internet person, his statment) anyway Craig had the Kumho and the Cobra on his bike, per reading post here in the darkside. He stated he loved the ride but the bike wobbled through curves. My first thought was, here is one with the problem for me to try. I had told him I did not have a problem, and asked if he would let me ride his and him ride mine, he said "ok lets see if we can fix mine".

We got on the bikes(me on his) and rode over to scenic drive, our version of the dragon. As soon as I went through the first curve I realized there was no problem with the bike, his handled just like mine. I went on through a few more curves and looked back Craig was way behind.

I stopped and waited for him, he pulled up and asked " how did you do that, how did you ride my bike through the curves with no wobble and I'm wobbling on yours". He then made the statement, that he was wobbling on both, and I rode both with no problems, so it must be his ridding style. I asked how long had he been ridding, he said years but he was use to a cbr honda.

We talked for a bit and switched bikes back, I told him to let me follow him thru a few, so we took off again, what I noticed was he seemed to have a white knuckle grip on the bars, sitting straight up, knees clamped to the tank, feet close in on the boards.

He was wobbling through curves, after few I passed him and stayed at a speed he was running, when we stopped I told him my observations, he told me I looked like I was in a recliner, layed back against the backrest, feet out on the pegs, and he said I rode with one hand on the bars looking back at him in the mirrior. Did not realize I did that but.

I told him that to me the RSV is a machine you don't man handle, you ride it. My valkyrie always went through curves in the exact line I wanted, you could hold it ridgid in line, even with the car tire no problems. The RSV I can't do it that way, have to pick a line and let the bike glide through it, like it has a mind of its own sometimes( don't know if that makes sense). He said he understood where I was coming from.

He asked what tire pressures I was running, 36 frount, 32 in rear. He had 40 and 42, he said my bike road softer so we adjusted his like mine. I did notice his engine ran smoother than mine.

We were at the end so we turned around and started back, Craig had stated he was going to change is position and relax. He first relaxed his arms and lighted his grip on the bars, each curve seemed to get better, by the time we reach the end of the road he was leaving me behind on a road I knew far better than him.

I am sure this is not everyone's problem, but it is something to think about. Craig had made the statement to me that 2 bikes set up just alike, under the same conditions should handle the same, on the same road. I agreed with him but reconsidered that statement and it is not necessaraly true, if so the Nascar crews could make every car run the same, and they can not seem to do that.

I hesitated to post this, ran it by Gunboat in PM first, did not want anyone to think I am impling they are poor riders, this is just what happened in this case. He felt it should be posted. Might help some.

 

I thought may that some have tried the CT, have been told its not safe, maybe they can not ge that out of their mind, and are tensing up in the curves, or when ever a road characteristic moves the bike in an unual manner.

 

Just a thought.

Gregg

Edited November 11, 2009 by footsie

[StarRider07]

I thought may that some have tried the CT, have been told its not safe, maybe they can not ge that out of their mind, and are tensing up in the curves, or when ever a road characteristic moves the bike in an unual manner.

 

Just a thought.

Gregg

 

Hi Gregg. Maybe this went flying over my head, but what do you mean by CT and may not be safe? Can you elaborate?

 

Thanks,

Greg

[StarRider07]

I thought may that some have tried the CT, have been told its not safe, maybe they can not ge that out of their mind, and are tensing up in the curves, or when ever a road characteristic moves the bike in an unual manner.

 

Just a thought.

Gregg

 

Hi Gregg. Maybe this went flying over my head, but what do you mean by CT and may not be safe? Can you elaborate?

 

Thanks,

Greg

[footsie]

No I ride a car tire, with the extra stopping power it gives the Venture I am convenced if you can ride the darkside you are safer on one, but if you a so uncomfortable with the idea of the CT it makes you nervous in curves, then it would not be a safe situation.

 

I mean that maybe because of all the adverse opinions, that some that have tried the Car Tire, can not let go of the feeling that what they are doing might not be safe. and it affects their ridding, they are so uncomfortable with the car tire, that they so tense ridding it affects the bikes handling. Maybe this could a explaination for the wobble some are experiencing. Some of the post I have read, you could tell the rider was never comfortable with the idea, and they went back to the MC tire. In their case I would say they would not be safe on the darkside, and did the right thing going back to the MC tire.

 

Like me in the mountains, I have an unreasonable fear of heights, don't like the drop offs on the side of the mountains. I become over cautious, a truly ride at half the speed I would in the same curves on flat land. The bike, no matter which I am riding feels awkward. In the case I know what the problem is, ME. I am so uncomfortable on my bike up there, that's makes it unsafe for me. I will ride the mountains because the rest of my riding group like too, except Dawn (david's wife) we creep through, they ride and leave us then stop and wait till we catch up. The cops would give me a ticket on the dragon for going to slow.

 

In Craig's case he had ridden that crotch rocket so long, he was trying to ride the venture the same way, which was not working. he just adjusted his style a little and solved his wobble problem.

 

All this is just my speculation, everyone must make their own decision of what is comfortable and safe for them.

Gregg

Edited November 11, 2009 by footsie

[V7Goose]

Hi Gregg. Maybe this went flying over my head, but what do you mean by CT and may not be safe? Can you elaborate?

 

Thanks,

Greg

There are many of us who believe that you should never mount a car tire on a 2-wheeled motorcycle. Some claim it is unsafe, and some (like me) simply believe that they provide very nasty handling due to the flat profile and sharp edges, just like a worn out rear motorcycle tire (which I guess you could assume is unsafe).

 

I'm a firm believer that if you want this bike to handle properly, like a good motorcycle should, you should put good motorcycle tires on it. If you are of the opinion that you prefer a car tire, then you just need to tell yourself that you like, or are at least willing to accept, the way the bike handles with the wrong tire. It is all a matter of personal choice, but opinions do run kinda hot on both sides of the argument.

Goose

[eagleeye]

Greg,

What a great post. Thanks:clap2:

How cool is it to have the opportunity to trade bikes and compare. This will give us all something to think about.

I run a nexen on the rear and a HD rear on the front, and ride it like a cruiser. No wobble.

 

Steve

[dynodon]

Gregg, I won't get into the Car Tire (CT) or Motorcycle tire debate, but I will congratulate you for taking the time to talk with and help a fellow biker. Good job!

[footsie]

Gregg, I won't get into the Car Tire (CT) or Motorcycle tire debate, but I will congratulate you for taking the time to talk with and help a fellow biker. Good job!

 

I will try to help anyone I can especially a fellow rider, but really he fixed his own problem, just seeing that his bike would handle prefectly through sharp curves he saw the adjustments he needed to make. wish Craig would join us and tell his side, would make things clearer.

 

Gregg

[footsie]

Hi Gregg. Maybe this went flying over my head, but what do you mean by CT and may not be safe? Can you elaborate?

 

Thanks,

Greg

 

Hey Greg

Prefect name,

If you could not be comfortable riding your bike with a car tire on the rear, then in my opinion it would not be a safe mod for you to do. Any rider needs to be confident in has machine. I know guys who have put ape hanger handle bars on their bikes, because going along with the group, they are uncomfortable ridding with them and you can tell it ridding behind them, they wobble around. Therefore that is an unsafe mod for that person.

This post was not to convence anyone to try the darkside, just info for those who are already here, or considering it.

 

I am much more comfortable with the radials I have on my bike, kumho on back, cobra on frount, I will not ever put bias ply tires back on it.