E3 Front Tire Problem?

[Rickster]

I have an E3 on the front of my 2nd Gen with around 12,000 miles on it the other day the front end seemed vary unstable on uneven roads but but fine on smoother. The tire looks OK but it seems to be worn more on the left more than right my question is can this cause the bike to feel unstable? I alway keep the air pressure up in the tires and this happened out of the blue you can tell the difference more riding 2 up or pulling a trailer. Even hitting the road snakes it will act funny almost like it hops or wobbles over them. I know you can feel the trailer if that hits some uneven road or pot holes but this was almost to the point of dumping it. I'm just thinking front tire is the issue but not sure, the front forks have been checked steering head and fork oil changed at 22,000 in May I have 24,000 on it now. Just wondering what your thoughts may be or if anyone has had the same problem, Thanks

[Semi-retired]

I have an E3 on the front of my 2nd Gen with around 12,000 miles on it ....... I alway keep the air pressure up in the tires ........

 

And how many pounds is that, btw?

[XV1100SE]

Just a suggestion (may or may not account for the wear on one side of the tire more so than the other)... have you checked or tightened your steering head lately?

 

Put it on a lift and turn the bars one way then the other and release part way. If the steering "falls" to one side or the other then you need to tighten your steering head . Can do the "bounce" test too. See tech article http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=511

[Semi-retired]

The tire looks OK but it seems to be worn more on the left more than right my question is can this cause the bike to feel unstable?

 

Another major reason for tires wearing out faster on the left than on the right is simply the "profile" of the type of roads you most often drive on.

 

If the roads on which you put the most mileage are "high crowned" roads (which many secondary/two-lane highways are, for drainage purposes) then your bike is virtually riding on the left "sidewall" of your tire. (Not REALLY the sidewall.....but you catch my drift, don't you?)

 

I don't have a drawing program to add an illustration, but picture your bike, riding along upright.......perpendicular to the HORIZON, not the road surface. Now, imagine that road surface being slanted...down to the right, which it would be, so the water runs off the road.....it's then the LEFT SIDE of your tire which is making MORE contact with the road than the right side is! (They adjust the CAMBER of a car's front wheels for just this same reason.....depending on the "roads most travelled".)

 

This doesn't SOLVE your situation.....but it may EXPLAIN it.

 

Mike

P.S. As a (kidding) solution........start riding more on the center lane of four-lane divided highways; these are typically slated toward the LEFT (for drainage toward the median). This will even up your wear!

[GeorgeS]

Maby, Reset the position of the upper forks, in the Steering, head. Bye that I mean, loosen the Pinch Bolts. holding the Upper forks in place, and Tap Tap with rubber mallet to Relieve any Stress's. present. Loosen and Re-Install the front wheel Axel. Re Check the Torque Setting of the MAIN STEERING head nuts. Closely Inspect the Forks, make sure both are Set to the same Height, in the upper yoke.

 

Be sure, both forks have the exact same amount of Oil Installed.

 

Any signs of Fork Seal Leakage ?

 

And, its possible that the tire itself, is defective, ??? ---- This being a Very Critical Saftey Item, Personnally I would Order a New Tire, Irregardless of what else I find as a possible cause You can't dissasemble the tire to inspect it. If you can see abnormal wear on that tire, trash it !!

[Rickster]

38 pounds, dealer did a steering head and fork oil change at 22,000 in April haven't had an issue until this and I've put 2000 miles on it and towed my trailer 2up to DC. It feels as though the front wheel feels every imperfection on the road very strange.

[Rickster]

No signs of fork oil leaks

[V7Goose]

I have an E3 on the front of my 2nd Gen with around 12,000 miles on it the other day the front end seemed vary unstable on uneven roads but but fine on smoother. The tire looks OK but it seems to be worn more on the left more than right my question is can this cause the bike to feel unstable? I alway keep the air pressure up in the tires and this happened out of the blue you can tell the difference more riding 2 up or pulling a trailer. Even hitting the road snakes it will act funny almost like it hops or wobbles over them. I know you can feel the trailer if that hits some uneven road or pot holes but this was almost to the point of dumping it. I'm just thinking front tire is the issue but not sure, the front forks have been checked steering head and fork oil changed at 22,000 in May I have 24,000 on it now. Just wondering what your thoughts may be or if anyone has had the same problem, Thanks

First, let me say that there is no way for me to know if you actually have a mechanical problem with your bike - the handling symptoms you describe CAN be caused by steering bearings, fork issues (including uneven spring rates or damping), swingarm bearings, wheel bearings, and frame alignment.

 

But, mostly it is normal, especially the front tire wear. ALL bikes in countries where we ride on the right side of the road wear the front tire more on the left than the right; the reasons have been discussed in depth in other threads. And that will not cause your handling problems.

 

What you describe with uneven road surfaces is almost always caused more by a rear tire with a square profile (either a bike tire worn flat in the center or running a tire not designed for a bike). It feels like it is a front tire because you feel a jerk in the bars, but it is actually caused by the sharp edge of the tire instantly climbing over any imperfection in the road surface. A rounded motorcycle tire moves much more smoothly over a ridge.

 

Tar snakes are just a mess in themselves, for many reasons. They are usually raised slightly above the road surface, so they cause the same issues mentioned above, the smooth tar surface is different than the normal asphalt surface, to it will always feel somewhat different, and in the summer when the roads are particularly hot, the tar gets soft and squirmy. Even worse, if there is any moisture at all, the surface will be super slick.

 

I have also noticed that tar snakes on roads at high altitude almost always seem to be much worse than those on normal roads. I do not know the reason why, but I wonder if they use a softer type of tar to compensate for the generally lower temperatures in the mountains? I can also say that my very subjective observations over the years have shown me that Utah tar snakes always seem to be much more treacherous than those I have encountered in any other mountain state. Since I just got home last night from a 6,000 mile trip through the New Mexico, Arizona and Utah mountains last week, these observations are very fresh in my mind.

 

I have ridden many hundreds of thousands of miles on bikes in the last 40 years (over 100,000 on the Venture alone), and until last week I have NEVER been spooked by tar snakes - noticed the handling issues with them and respected them, yes, but never "spooked". But I cannot say that any more. Coming over 9,700 ft Boulder Mountain on UT12 (a FABULOUS road!), I started getting a lot of twitching and nervous jerks on the snakes, and in one curve particularly, where the snake ran a long way in the center of the road in the same direction of travel, the front of the bike actually slid about 5 inches. I absolutely pinched off a doughnut or two on that one! And just for reference, my front Avon Venom still looks brand new, but the rear E3 was nearing the wear bars. And the tar snake issues went back to normal once I dropped back down to the high desert.

 

Finally, if you were actually pulling a trailer at the time, that drag on the frame geometry of a two wheeled machine will always have some effect on handling. Usually not too noticeable if all is set up correctly, but if anything effects the tracking or traction of either tire, it will be greatly magnified.

 

The last comment I will make is about the E3 front tire on an RSV - I do not like them. On my bike they wore out MUCH faster than a Venom front tire, and they cupped badly (never happens with a Venom). So maybe that specific tire contributed to you issue?

 

Goose

[DarkLeftArm]

I rode a 533 mile loop yesterday up through the White Mountains in Arizona. I've never had tar snake trouble until then. I started wondering if I was getting a flat tire or something! Actually stopped to check. And change underwear! Glad to read this today. I was a little afraid I was going nuts or something.

[Rickster]

Did the steering head bearing test seems ok, going to do a tire not sure if I will go with the E3 or back to the 404 seeing how I got the exact mileage out of them both. I did have the steering head bearing adjusted and had a higher grade fork oil put in than stock. I may look at the Avon Venoms to for the front. Anywho I'm stumped and figure the tire my be the answer. The left is is for sure worn more than the right but that could have been that way for awhile an now it's really starting to act up.

[spke]

Another major reason for tires wearing out faster on the left than on the right is simply the "profile" of the type of roads you most often drive on.

 

If the roads on which you put the most mileage are "high crowned" roads (which many secondary/two-lane highways are, for drainage purposes) then your bike is virtually riding on the left "sidewall" of your tire. (Not REALLY the sidewall.....but you catch my drift, don't you?)

 

I don't have a drawing program to add an illustration, but picture your bike, riding along upright.......perpendicular to the HORIZON, not the road surface. Now, imagine that road surface being slanted...down to the right, which it would be, so the water runs off the road.....it's then the LEFT SIDE of your tire which is making MORE contact with the road than the right side is! (They adjust the CAMBER of a car's front wheels for just this same reason.....depending on the "roads most travelled".)

 

This doesn't SOLVE your situation.....but it may EXPLAIN it.

 

Mike

P.S. As a (kidding) solution........start riding more on the center lane of four-lane divided highways; these are typically slated toward the LEFT (for drainage toward the median). This will even up your wear!

 

Heard somewhere a long time ago that the folks in the UK wear their front tires on the right side. Also heard it had something to do with the fact that, for us right sided drivers, Left hand turns are longer than right hand turns. ???

[bongobobny]

As Semi mentioned, it has a lot to do with the crown of the road and which side of the lane you tend to ride in...

[djh3]

I was told 40lb front and 41 rear on the E'3. Something like 5lb on the front shocks (I went with about 2.5) and danged if I remember the rear shock I think around 35lb. I havent checked it in the last few days. I guess I should check it before my trip next week eh? I was looking at the profile of my rear E3 and if you get a certian way I can start to see what looks like maybe every 3rd say tread line is slightly raised. I have noticed in the past couple months the noise from the tires has gotten a bit louder in longer sweepers. I'm figuring its soon time to change the tires out.

[RSTDdog]

Did you read Gooses post? You have not mentioned the miles or condition of the rear tire on your bike? if the rear tire is no longer round (the profile), you get all kinds of goofyness when you transition from the flat spot in the center. Rear tire pressure??

 

Also check your rear shock. Mine just started leaking at 22,000 miles on my 2006 RSTD. There will be oil staining on the rubber boot if its leaking.

 

RSTDdog