Swimmy at slowish speeds.

[Air Ready Auto]

I've noticed that Lucy handles really well on the highway between 50mph and 70mph but when in the city she feels a little swimmy between 30 and 45. A lot of the roads in my area are 35 and she just seams to want to wander the lane a bit. Ideas?

[bongobobny]

Check for proper torque on your neck bearings. There are actually several sources for low speed wobble, tire condition, neck bearing condition, front fork wear, etc. I would start with the neck bearings, there is a special wrench tool to set the proper torque but you can try loosening the jam nuts and then tighten the bearing nut until it just bottoms and then snug it down just a little then retighten your jam nuts, etc.

 

What kind of air pressure are you running in the front shocks?? You may want to try a couple of different pressures and see if the symptoms change.

 

With the bike in the air, spin the front tire and look for any wobble at all in both the tire, and the brake rotors.

 

I'm sure others will chime in, as what you describe is a somewhat common issue with many possible reasons why. There even is a heavy duty fork brace available, a Super Brace brand that stiffens up the front assembly a tad and does also help with front end shimmy..

[cowpuc]

Check for proper torque on your neck bearings. There are actually several sources for low speed wobble, tire condition, neck bearing condition, front fork wear, etc. I would start with the neck bearings, there is a special wrench tool to set the proper torque but you can try loosening the jam nuts and then tighten the bearing nut until it just bottoms and then snug it down just a little then retighten your jam nuts, etc.

 

What kind of air pressure are you running in the front shocks?? You may want to try a couple of different pressures and see if the symptoms change.

 

With the bike in the air, spin the front tire and look for any wobble at all in both the tire, and the brake rotors.

 

I'm sure others will chime in, as what you describe is a somewhat common issue with many possible reasons why. There even is a heavy duty fork brace available, a Super Brace brand that stiffens up the front assembly a tad and does also help with front end shimmy..

 

Tamale stealer

 

Bongo probably nailed it with the neck bearing idea Ready but, as always, his other suggestions are spot on too IMHO - he's a sharp one that Sir Robert:bowdown:..

 

If your tires are in good shape and properly inflated it would be a good idea to check the neck bearings for proper adjustment and wear..

[Air Ready Auto]

From other reading I've done here, it seams that the shimmy should get worse at higher speeds but it is only at that 30-45 range that it does it. Also, I dont know if it makes a difference, but I took my father out on it today and it seamed to run a lot smoother down the road. Would the extra weight make a difference in the handeling? Does that help with diagnosing the problem?

[Air Ready Auto]

Tamale stealer

 

Bongo probably nailed it with the neck bearing idea Ready but, as always, his other suggestions are spot on too IMHO - he's a sharp one that Sir Robert:bowdown:..

 

If your tires are in good shape and properly inflated it would be a good idea to check the neck bearings for proper adjustment and wear..

 

Would it ne unfair to everybody else if I just PM you my next question?

[cowpuc]

Absolutely not:backinmyday:,,,, most of em dont like genuine homemade FOR REAL Tamale's anyway :stirthepot::stirthepot::stirthepot:

[cowpuc]

From other reading I've done here, it seams that the shimmy should get worse at higher speeds but it is only at that 30-45 range that it does it. Also, I dont know if it makes a difference, but I took my father out on it today and it seamed to run a lot smoother down the road. Would the extra weight make a difference in the handeling? Does that help with diagnosing the problem?

 

Indeed - it could make a significant difference and help with diagnoses.. Might not be a bad idea to take a peek at the swing arm bushings and rear shock linkages - maybe the extra weight is helping secure them if there is movement down there.. Also shake down the rear wheel - make sure the bearings are in good shape... Never had this happen (knock on my wooden head) and have no idea if it's applicable but I have also heard of frame breakage on some of the 83's, I believe the area they crack and separate is relative to the rear shock somehow - maybe do a little digging and find the posts like @VenturousRandy has made about repairing that puppy - might not be a bad idea to take a peek at that too..

I suppose it would be possible that the added weight also changes the dymanics of the neck bearings - maybe loading the rear more or something - could still be related to the neck bearings,, possibly..

Another thought,,, play with the amount of air you have in your rear shock - may have to much air in it for one up!!

 

I just noticed something,,,,, are we talking about a "shimmy" or is it "swimmy" like it wants to wonder on the surface of the road? LOTS of us MK1 1st Genners have fought the infamous 40mph "shimmy" - where if you lightly hold the bars at 40 mph and the front end starts to shimmy/shake/wobble - I LOVE to stand up and ride no handed but NEVER trust one of these bikes at that speed (higher or lower is fine) with out my hands on the bars.. If that is what we are talking about - I have found rebuilding the front forks (new bushings) REALLY helped with this in my case but I still never really learned to be totally reliant on em - kind of a nature of the beast on my 1st Gens. New front tire helps too,, fork brace may help too (got one on my "new" one),, perfect balancing of the tire,, Progressive springs if your fork springs are OEM (these are a MUST anyway) and fresh fork oil..

[Air Ready Auto]

Indeed - it could make a significant difference and help with diagnoses.. Might not be a bad idea to take a peek at the swing arm bushings and rear shock linkages - maybe the extra weight is helping secure them if there is movement down there.. Also shake down the rear wheel - make sure the bearings are in good shape... Never had this happen (knock on my wooden head) and have no idea if it's applicable but I have also heard of frame breakage on some of the 83's, I believe the area they crack and separate is relative to the rear shock somehow - maybe do a little digging and find the posts like @VenturousRandy has made about repairing that puppy - might not be a bad idea to take a peek at that too..

I suppose it would be possible that the added weight also changes the dymanics of the neck bearings - maybe loading the rear more or something - could still be related to the neck bearings,, possibly..

Another thought,,, play with the amount of air you have in your rear shock - may have to much air in it for one up!!

 

I just noticed something,,,,, are we talking about a "shimmy" or is it "swimmy" like it wants to wonder on the surface of the road? LOTS of us MK1 1st Genners have fought the infamous 40mph "shimmy" - where if you lightly hold the bars at 40 mph and the front end starts to shimmy/shake/wobble - I LOVE to stand up and ride no handed but NEVER trust one of these bikes at that speed (higher or lower is fine) with out my hands on the bars.. If that is what we are talking about - I have found rebuilding the front forks (new bushings) REALLY helped with this in my case but I still never really learned to be totally reliant on em - kind of a nature of the beast on my 1st Gens. New front tire helps too,, fork brace may help too (got one on my "new" one),, perfect balancing of the tire,, Progressive springs if your fork springs are OEM (these are a MUST anyway) and fresh fork oil..

 

 

Definitely talking about SWIMMY not shimmy. Sorry for any confusion. I will be checking the bike per stated suggestions. Thanks guys:thumbsup:

[garyS-NJ]

My bike is swimmy over 75mph. Neck feels good. Gonna do the progressive springs and fork oil..

 

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

[bongobobny]

OK sWimmy!! Question, does the bike tend to sway one direction when accelerating and sway back the other direction when decelerating?? Your issue then may be related to the rear tire, swing arm bearings, axle bearings, etc, etc, etc...

[Air Ready Auto]

OK sWimmy!! Question, does the bike tend to sway one direction when accelerating and sway back the other direction when decelerating?? Your issue then may be related to the rear tire, swing arm bearings, axle bearings, etc, etc, etc...

 

 

It does not. I took it out for a ride and it seams to just want to wander the lane between 30 and 45. Once I get up to highway speeds, it is straight as an arrow.