oscillation in a lean?

[muaymendez1]

I have felt this before with other bikes. My last bike, a kawasaki concours, would lean as far as you had the nerve to, at any speed. This baby , much like an 84 goldwing I had would lean well but if hit with any bump in the road the bike would be unsteady. It felt almost like leaning and straightening back and forth.

I did notice a small amount of play in the bars. Nothing loose just a littleplay . Like bar flex.

I wonder if it is my riding our the bike that oscilates this way

[cowpuc]

Muay,, might wanna check into a set of progressive springs and a redo on your fork oil.. I use a syringe with a metal suction rod (something I used to set up my Motocross bikes) to get my fork oil equal in each fork.. While, that I know of, the valving in your forks arent adjustable shim stacks (again, that I know of) there is a variety of fork oil weights that can greatly influence stability in corners.. I personally like 12.5 weight in my 1st gens, its a little stiffer but brother it handles pretty good in the twisties..

I know the 1st gens have a dampener adjustment on the rear shock, if yours has a dampener you might wanna try running it at a little stiffer setting.. Go thru the twisties, adjust it, go back thru the same twisties and see if it gets better..

I dont think the 2nd gens have anti dives on em so I wont go there..

Keep in mind that the Concours is much closer to a sport bike than these big ol boys are.. Though set up properly the Ventures are amazing in the corners they have no where near the frame rigidity of a sport bike,, they flex,,, alot... If I were carrying all the xtra weight these things carry I would flex too!!

 

Puc

[BratmanXj]

I'm not the only one who went from a Concours to Venture! I miss the handleing but the wife likes to seat and storage.

 

Agreed with Puc on this one. Bike wobbled and weaved when I bought it last year with 50k on the clock. 1st order of business was a new Hagon rear shock as the Yami part was on its way out (as typical with these bikes). From there I pulled the whole back end and greased/torqued the swing arm bearings.

 

I'm a big guy, I ride aggressive, and like a firm ride so I put 15w in the front forks. Pretty simple job. Pull the tire/axle and use a LONG 6mm allen to remove the bolt from the bottom of the fork. Drain oil, replace bolt and refill by pull the schrader valve at the top of the forks.

[Snarley Bill]

I have felt this before with other bikes. My last bike, a kawasaki concours, would lean as far as you had the nerve to, at any speed. This baby , much like an 84 goldwing I had would lean well but if hit with any bump in the road the bike would be unsteady. It felt almost like leaning and straightening back and forth.

I did notice a small amount of play in the bars. Nothing loose just a littleplay . Like bar flex.

I wonder if it is my riding our the bike that oscilates this way

its caused by frame flex. a heavy bike with a skimpy frame. it will be alot worse with a passenger on board. i used to push my rstd to the limit all the time in the twisties. it is quite unnerving. really gets bad over 60mph. best cure is to buy an 1800 wing. you can shower sparks with dead solid confidence. handles like a crotch rocket.

[ACE50]

its caused by frame flex. a heavy bike with a skimpy frame. it will be alot worse with a passenger on board. i used to push my rstd to the limit all the time in the twisties. it is quite unnerving. really gets bad over 60mph. best cure is to buy an 1800 wing. you can shower sparks with dead solid confidence. handles like a crotch rocket.

 

Got to agree with all that!

[muaymendez1]

 

Got to agree with all that!

 

Sounds Like a simple fix. But an 1800 and it should cure my rsv flex.

[dingy]

Front tire cupping will cause wobble in a sweeping curve.

Gary

[cowpuc]

Front tire cupping will cause wobble in a sweeping curve.

 

Gary

 

Right on!!! Gary is right on the money,,, CHECK THIS FIRST - and tire pressures!!

[SilvrT]

best cure is to buy an 1800 wing. you can shower sparks with dead solid confidence. handles like a crotch rocket.

 

Or a Victory XCT or Vision .... these things handle the twisties better than any Wing (unless the Wing has Traxxion suspension).

 

I've hit a few bad bumps while in a hard lean and the bike is remarkably stable. Difference between a Wing and a Vic is you'll scrape the pegs much sooner on the Wing.

Edited May 1, 2014 by SilvrT

[cowpuc]

Or a Victory XCT or Vision .... these things handle the twisties better than any Wing (unless the Wing has Traxxion suspension).

 

I've hit a few bad bumps while in a hard lean and the bike is remarkably stable.

 

Gotta say Silvr,, I test rode a Vision 8 ball one time and couldnt get off the thing,, its rideability was off the chart!! I told the rep - AFTER MY 3RD TIME OUT WITH IT - this is the most amazing motorcycle I have EVER ridden - I nicked named it the "Weeble" - as in weebles will wobble but the wont fall down...

Have never rode one of the aluminum framed wings but someday..........

Its fun just going from demo ride to demo ride just a playing with da bikes

[SilvrT]

Have never rode one of the aluminum framed wings but someday..........

 

My '03 Wing had the Traxxion suspension upgrade and it was amazing in the twisties but I was always scraping the pegs.

 

Its fun just going from demo ride to demo ride just a playing with da bikes

 

I do that too ... was Harley demo days last Sunday ... got rained out. Again at another dealer this coming sunday ... and rain in forecast all weekend