newby ? on RSV front end

[baylensman]

Okay so this is number three(royal star) have had bikes since i was 8. for me first was an 87 Venture Royale second a 96 Royal star and now an '07 RSV all three had a small wobble at low speed around 27-32 mph not much you don't even notice except when one hand is off the bar, its more of an osscalation in the handle bar end. If i hold both grips or tighten up on the one i'm holding it goes away. solved it on the 87 with a super brace. the other two won't take this style brace. as the 96 was slightly warmed over (carb kit, super traps, valve springs and a dyna box it only breifly saw 27 mph so not an issue. Now i'm older and the new big RSV so i drive a bit slower around town. Multiple post here and other sites mention this, its seems to be dismissed as either a tire issue or bad front bearings. my bike has 7K miles and just went through its final dealer warranty service with new tires and brakes (thank you previous owner). So has anyone come up with a solution or do I just live with it. the problem is minor and i think is more of a harmonic issue than any weakness in the front end.

[2WHEELSFORME]

Very common problem, had it myself and fixed myself with a sterring head bolt adjustment. Look here: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=511

[Kirby]

One thing I've learned over the years is just because a dealer says he went over a bike with s fine toothed comb, doesn't mean he did the work right. Maybe he let the new guy in the shop do the job. You may want to check wheel runout, balance and head bearings. I know its new but the bearings will need adjusting quite often on a new bike.

[Ron Melby]

Thanks for the thread. Mine also does this wobble , but just thought it was in the tire and was not too concerned as it just was only at the speed discribed above. I wonder if this adjustment would also help low speed turning an "maunuvering"? My 2007 midnight is a pig in the parking lot, although I am learning to get use to it. Thanks

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Low speed instabilities are usually something not right at the front end, and high speed instabilities are normally due to something amiss at the back.

 

Of course there are exceptions to every rule of thumb.

 

 

That little bit of wobble at moderate speeds (and at only 7000 miles) is most likely the steering head bearings...maybe they just need a bit of tightening. The races get slightly out of alignment after a bit of 'settling in' and it can feel a bit weird at slow speeds. Once you reach freeway speeds, the stability of the heavy rotating front wheel overcomes this, and it mostly goes away. The steering might feel a bit wallowy in high speed sweepers, or it might feel fine.

 

Conversely, problems at the rear, such as worn swingarm bearings might feel fine at low speeds, but become quite noticable on a flat stretch of highway as the bike seems to wiggle a bit, and could cause some chassis 'flex' on high speed curves.

 

If you have both issues, the bike will handle like a pig at almost any speed...you wont like it at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jilldwr]

I Too had this problem in the spring, I tightenned the steering head bearings as per the instructions in the tech section and it went away. I just noticed last weekend that its starting to come back so I'll need to redo the tightening or replace the bearings over the winter.

[sendaro_99]

my midnight has had that issue right up till last Monday when I did the steering had adjustment and two new tires I mounted and balanced ( don't think most shops balance your tires). no more issues with wobble and much better at parking lot speed. these guys are great source of tech knowledge.

[alwrmcusn]

Let me jump in and ask a couple of questions here. I have a 2009 RSV with a Hannigan Easy Steer kit.

1. That single top nut between the handle bar mounts is finger loose. I can rotate it with my bare fingers. Is that normal?

2. Giving those two nuts a "light tap", just how light and/or how far should the movement or rotation be? 1/4 inch?, 3/4 inch?, or just till you feel a pronounced resistance?

I am not mechanically inclined, I would not dare attempt something that might endanger my wife and I as we ride.

My Venture does have a front wheel wobble/oscillation at very low speeds but it ceases as speed increases. This happens when moving away from a stop and at around 20mph is gone. Is that normal?

[bongobobny]

No, not normal! Check with Hannigan for the proper torque. Member Dingy sells an adapter for tightening those nuts but make sure you mount the adapter at a 90 degree angle with the torque wrench or you will be applying more torque than what the wrench says.

 

Yes, unfortunately oscillations are kind of normal with all trikes, and there is many different causes for it such as tire, road surface, shocks etc...

[RedRider]

No, not normal! Check with Hannigan for the proper torque. Member Dingy sells an adapter for tightening those nuts but make sure you mount the adapter at a 90 degree angle with the torque wrench or you will be applying more torque than what the wrench says.

 

Believe FlyinFool makes this wrench also. However, using this wrench requires taking the front end apart - at least the outer and inner fairing. The 'tap lightly until tight' temporary fix is done with everything in place.

 

And bongobobny is right. The center steering stem nut on the triple tree should not be loose. On the standard RSV, the tightening torque is fairly high at 130Nm (94 ftlb) per the Yamaha Service Manual.

[alwrmcusn]

I phoned my Hannigan installer about the head bolt. The nut that sits on top of the triple tree beneath the handlebars is not super critical but should be tightened. It is pretty much a cover to the parts. It should be torqued to about 30 (if I remember correctly). He said it could be done either by removing the fairing and handlebars to enable easy access or by using a "crows foot" wrench which he said should allow the owner to get to the nut without removing the fairing. I have no idea what a crows foot wrench is or what one looks like so I have no idea what to buy. He said an auto parts store would likely have or be able to order one for me.

[SilvrT]

I wonder if this adjustment would also help low speed turning an "maunuvering"? My 2007 midnight is a pig in the parking lot, although I am learning to get use to it. Thanks

 

Not likely ... you need to install "levelling links". Do a search on these. They will greatly improve the low speed handling.

[Seaking]

I phoned my Hannigan installer about the head bolt. The nut that sits on top of the triple tree beneath the handlebars is not super critical but should be tightened. It is pretty much a cover to the parts. It should be torqued to about 30 (if I remember correctly). He said it could be done either by removing the fairing and handlebars to enable easy access or by using a "crows foot" wrench which he said should allow the owner to get to the nut without removing the fairing. I have no idea what a crows foot wrench is or what one looks like so I have no idea what to buy. He said an auto parts store would likely have or be able to order one for me.

 

 

Attached is an image of a crow's foot wrench (socket end), tyically used to get a better grip of a nut with a tube running through, like in hydraulic systems. You attach an extension bar to the crow's foot, and at the end of it, your torque wrench at a 90' angle to get the proper torque value placement.

 

A trick to tapping the two lock nuts (poor man's method where you don't need to remove the whole fairing assembly) is to tap the lower locknut until everything is tight enough so you don't have any movement in your forks with the bike off the ground and proper bounce in the bars (there are tech articles on how to do this in the forum), then you tap the top lock nut tight to lock everything in.. Though both nuts are attached by the locking tab between them, if you don't tap tight the top nut, it's not seated against the lower nut thereby allowing the lower nut to loosen maybe just enough to re-introduce the looseness..

[alwrmcusn]

Thanks seaking, I have printed the photo and will see if I can find one and add it to my rather eclectic tool kit

[baylensman]

sell crows feet at sears

[Freebird]

You don't need the fancy wrench if you just want to try tightening it up a bit. Take a look at this thread in the tech library.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=511

[dingy]

Wrench that Yamaha Service manual calls for is available below. This is identical in size and shape to factory tool at less than half the price. Made out of 1/4" 304 stainless steel that has been laser cut.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=4701&title=steering-head-wrench-2c-fits-all-ventures26amp-3b-stars&cat=33

 

$25.00 includes US shipping.

 

It's not that 'fancy' either, just correct tool for the job. Some people don't want to use a hammer & screwdriver to adjust this rather important component.

 

Gary

[The Tooch]

Wrench that Yamaha Service manual calls for is available below. This is identical in size and shape to factory tool at less than half the price. Made out of 1/4" 304 stainless steel that has been laser cut.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=4701&title=steering-head-wrench-2c-fits-all-ventures26amp-3b-stars&cat=33

 

$25.00 includes US shipping.

 

It's not that 'fancy' either, just correct tool for the job. Some people don't want to use a hammer & screwdriver to adjust this rather important component.

 

Gary

 

Gary with your wrench can you use it without taking anything off the bike to get at the locking nuts?

 

Thanks.

[dingy]

Gary with your wrench can you use it without taking anything off the bike to get at the locking nuts?

 

Thanks.

 

No, it is harder with the wrench I will admit.

 

Gary

[alwrmcusn]

Looking at my Hannigan Easy Steer setup, you cannot see those locking nuts under the top. The Easy Steer design covers them up almost completely, I am not able to get a screwdriver in there.

The only "problem" I have is that the top nut is loose. I just need to tighten it up.