front forks "flex"

[BratmanXj]

I've owned my '99 RSV for 3 years now and the front end has always seemed very "loose" in terms of fork flex. I recently put the stock 150-R16 wheel and tire back on the front after having a Stratoliner 130-R18 wheel on and it it seems to have made the front end even worse. The easiest way to explain what I'm feeling is if you give the handlebars a quick shake left-right-left you can feel the oscillations continue for 2-3 more times after you hold the bars still, like playing with jello. Is there something I should be looking at that could be wrong with the front end? I put new head bearings in over the winter and torqued everything to spec. Is there a fork brace for the 2nd gen?

[bongobobny]

No fork brace that I know of. Well, if you put on a different rim, I guess you can rule out wheel bearings unless you did not put in new bearings on the Strat rim.

 

Here's a thought, I would check the air pressure in both front shocks and make sure they are equal. If there is a difference in psi between the two, that may or may not cause oscillations, but pressure difference tends to make the bike feel squishy or wobbly going over bumps and causes the front end to slightly pull to one side over bumps...

[grubsie]

I had a 2002 Midnight Venture that had the stock wheel with the same symptoms you are describing. Turned out that the triple tree was loose in the frame neck. I jacked the bike and I rocked the front end back and forth and it was loose. Snugged it up and no more flex.

[BratmanXj]

No fork brace that I know of. Well, if you put on a different rim, I guess you can rule out wheel bearings unless you did not put in new bearings on the Strat rim.

 

Here's a thought, I would check the air pressure in both front shocks and make sure they are equal. If there is a difference in psi between the two, that may or may not cause oscillations, but pressure difference tends to make the bike feel squishy or wobbly going over bumps and causes the front end to slightly pull to one side over bumps...

 

New bearings in the stock wheel 3 yrs ago when I bought it and did the 1st tire change, for ease of swap I put new bearings in the Strat when I purchased that rim & tire.

 

I did not think of air pressure when I put up the post, thank you.

 

I had a 2002 Midnight Venture that had the stock wheel with the same symptoms you are describing. Turned out that the triple tree was loose in the frame neck. I jacked the bike and I rocked the front end back and forth and it was loose. Snugged it up and no more flex.

 

I did do head bearings over the winter and probably should double check them for torque now that I have a few miles on the bike. This is something I always noticed with the bike but forgot just how much worse it is with that big tire out front.

[Du-Rron]

Fork Bushings worn?

[BratmanXj]

Fork Bushings worn?

 

I've never had the front forks apart on this bike, and only opened up 1 set in my past (dirt bike). So can you please elaborate further?

 

 

 

P.S. This sensation is when sitting on the bike at-rest. Push hard one way on the bars and stop abruptly and you'll feel the oscillation.

[videoarizona]

Really sounds like something loose. Wouldn't hurt to go through the front end and check torque on the whole assembly. Time consuming, true, but you're safety is paramount. I would start at bottom and check front axle, fenders, triple tree, etc.. check head bearings, wheel bearings too.

 

Even if you don't fix the problem, you will know the front end is good. But my thought is you will find the problem if you methodically go through the front end.

 

I hope you will continue to keep us appraised.

[Du-Rron]

Really sounds like something loose. Wouldn't hurt to go through the front end and check torque on the whole assembly. Time consuming, true, but you're safety is paramount. I would start at bottom and check front axle, fenders, triple tree, etc.. check head bearings, wheel bearings too.

 

Even if you don't fix the problem, you will know the front end is good. But my thought is you will find the problem if you methodically go through the front end.

 

I hope you will continue to keep us appraised.

 

[BratmanXj]

Really sounds like something loose. Wouldn't hurt to go through the front end and check torque on the whole assembly. Time consuming, true, but you're safety is paramount. I would start at bottom and check front axle, fenders, triple tree, etc.. check head bearings, wheel bearings too.

 

Even if you don't fix the problem, you will know the front end is good. But my thought is you will find the problem if you methodically go through the front end.

 

I hope you will continue to keep us appraised.

 

When the head bearings were replaced the whole front end went back together with torque wrench in hand... This problem existed before the work and after the work, just feels worse with the extra weight of the 150 front tire vs the Strat 130 front tire. I do need to double check everything thing again now that I've got a few miles on her.

[gggGary]

Never rule out problems at the rear of the bike when tracking down front end issues!

Worn swing arm bushings are known wobble inducer on RSVs.

On a recent cross country ride I got a hard to damp out oscillation in the "forks", turned out the rear tire was going flat from a nail in the tread.

[Condor]

I don't know if you have one, but if you don't it might be a good idea to pick one up. It's a ride on chock from Harbor Freight. It will hold your bike up right and the front wheel steady and allow you to torque the bars left and right. That should give you the location of what's not solid and causing the oscillations... My 2¢

[videoarizona]

When the head bearings were replaced the whole front end went back together with torque wrench in hand... This problem existed before the work and after the work, just feels worse with the extra weight of the 150 front tire vs the Strat 130 front tire. I do need to double check everything thing again now that I've got a few miles on her.

 

 

Sorry, didn't know that. Then that leaves the rear end. A loose seeing arm would react that way as well sitting still. However, I would think you would have driveability issues at speed... like a wobble.

 

So...... Back to the front. I'm going to make a guess..... the bottom bolts on the tripple tree that hold the shocks are loose.

[BratmanXj]

Never rule out problems at the rear of the bike when tracking down front end issues!

Worn swing arm bushings are known wobble inducer on RSVs.

On a recent cross country ride I got a hard to damp out oscillation in the "forks", turned out the rear tire was going flat from a nail in the tread.

 

Sorry, didn't know that. Then that leaves the rear end. A loose seeing arm would react that way as well sitting still. However, I would think you would have driveability issues at speed... like a wobble.

 

So...... Back to the front. I'm going to make a guess..... the bottom bolts on the tripple tree that hold the shocks are loose.

 

Swing arm was cleaned and greases 2 1/2 yrs ago, re-torqued over the winter while doing the front end. I don't have any oscillations at-speed, the bike rides straight and true. My issue is the front end feels "loose" like the forks are rubber and allow side play at a stand still when you jostle the bars; it makes tip-in for turns feel very vague. I guess it's time to take down the front faring and double check the whole front end again.

[gggGary]

My experience was that the 99 acted that way on stock rubber, Dropping down to a 130 front on the stock rim and removing the rotor shields and weights really reduced the "rubber coupling" slow to respond feel. If I keep riding it I may put the front fender, fairing and trim on a diet also. By all means look for loose parts, some sort of front tire "vice" so you can apply torque and observe movement should help find issues.

[BratmanXj]

My experience was that the 99 acted that way on stock rubber, Dropping down to a 130 front on the stock rim and removing the rotor shields and weights really reduced the "rubber coupling" slow to respond feel. If I keep riding it I may put the front fender, fairing and trim on a diet also. By all means look for loose parts, some sort of front tire "vice" so you can apply torque and observe movement should help find issues.

 

Thank you. This is the only RSV (or TD) I've ever been on and don't know anyone else locally with one who I could "check their bike" against mine. As I stated it was better with my Stratoliner 130-r18 front wheel but didn't go away. I threw the stock 150-r16 back on the bike and I forgot just how sluggish and rubbery the steering feel is. I've gone through everything logical on the bike both front & rear and nothing seems out of sorts. I don't have issues with the bike at speed but just vague at around-town speeds.

[Flyinfool]

Do double check the head bearings after you now have some miles on it. I had the same issue and tightening the head bearings to a bit more than the book called for made it feel like it was back to tracking perfect.

[gggGary]

I tried the kludge bearing snug on the 99 then in a thousand miles she was ugly, notchy loose. turns out my 99 had tapered bearings in it and "too tight" destroyed them. replaced with allballz made sure they were fully seated and it's all good now.

[BratmanXj]

I tried the kludge bearing snug on the 99 then in a thousand miles she was ugly, notchy loose. turns out my 99 had tapered bearings in it and "too tight" destroyed them. replaced with allballz made sure they were fully seated and it's all good now.

 

When I bought the bike you could ROCK the clamps in the bearings they were that loose. I accidentally over-tightened them when doing my 1st round of maintenance after purchase but slightly notchy was better than ridiculously loose. I finally did the bearing this spring after 3-yrs of having the all-ballz in the tool box. Its all better now but I still need to do the 1,000 mile "check" on the stem torque.

 

Do double check the head bearings after you now have some miles on it. I had the same issue and tightening the head bearings to a bit more than the book called for made it feel like it was back to tracking perfect.

 

Book calls for 37 ft-lb initial seating torque, back off, then 2.2 or 2.4 ft-lb final torque. By reference is "a bit more than book" 4 ft-lb, 8 ft-lb, 12 ft-lb?

[Flyinfool]

I never measured it. I just kept snugging till all the play and wobble was gone. I am guessing it is around 4-5 lb/ft. I only turned the ratchet by palming the head.