Severe front wheel wobble

[TheAudiDoc]

i do feel a bit of shake in the bars(hands on) at 35-45....very slight......no letting go anymore

[Voyager]

Original factory Stone did not wobble at factory recommended pressure of 28 psi. We carry near maximum GVW when we travel 2 up, so increased front tire pressure to 32 psi. Wobble immediately followed. The E3 will wobble at all pressures. Tire has been checked for out of round, sidewall run out, tire seating, etc. All is as it should be. I'm stymied.

Are you saying that even with the OEM tire you got wobble when you increased the air pressure to 32PSI?

Yes. And I'm also thinking, after reading all the replies recieved on this post, that this may be another instance where we all need to start advising the NHTSA of the difficulties we are experiencing with the front end wobble. This does not appear to be tire specific. Even though Dunlop supposedly states that their tires are not designed for the Voyager, I can't recall EVER hearing a tire manufacturer state that the stability issues being experienced by 2009+ Voyager owners is due to a tire design issue. It certainly has never happened with an auto. So, for my part, I'm going to contact the NHTSA and advise them of the issue. At one time in my life I had a 1970 Triumph 650 Bonnie that was highly customized, with a 12 over, 45 degree rake, SOLID 4130 chrome moly front forks, that I once drove from San Jose to Stockton, CA, hands off (hands in pocket) the entire trip (90 miles) at 2 AM in the morning, due to the extremely cold temps, and never once had a stability issue. Now, I'm not saying that was the most intelligent thing to do, but at the time, I was young, in the service, and not as concerned about liability or injury as I am now. Certainly a newly designed motorcycle, in this day and age, can be relied upon to run straight and true, with just about any tire, without shaking itself to death. Anyway, that's what I'm going to do.

Does your VV wobble when your hands are on the bars?

When I approach the 40 MPH mark, yes, the bars start to shake, but it only lasts until I get through 40, and then it's only noticable when I take my hands off the bars. Kinda like breaking the sound barrier.

If the wobble is noticeable with hands on the bars, then I would definitely log it at the NHTSA web site. However, if it only occurs with your hands off the bars, then they aren't going to be interested as most owner's manuals for motorcycles specifically warn against riding with your hands off the bars. You can still log it, but I suspect you will be wasting your time if the issue only occurs when you are operating contrary to the manufacturer's recommendations.

[Voyager_1700]

Sorry to chime in late.. but do to a mistake on my part (running low on air pressure.. and chopping the front tire...)

I noticed the wobble when I let off the handle bars..
However.. After I put air in the tire.. the chopping of the tire wore down. . I still get some wobble, but no where near as bad..

I hate to ask a dumb question, but everyone that's experiencing the wobble..
Are you letting go of the bars and decelarating or are you doing this with the cruise control on..
I have noticed the wobble is worse especially in a higher gear going to slow....
Try down shifting and setting the cruise control and see if you get the same results..

[Turbo4x4]

Sorry to chime in late.. but do to a mistake on my part (running low on air pressure.. and chopping the front tire...)

I noticed the wobble when I let off the handle bars..
However.. After I put air in the tire.. the chopping of the tire wore down. . I still get some wobble, but no where near as bad..

I hate to ask a dumb question, but everyone that's experiencing the wobble..
Are you letting go of the bars and decelarating or are you doing this with the cruise control on..
I have noticed the wobble is worse especially in a higher gear going to slow....
Try down shifting and setting the cruise control and see if you get the same results..

Welcome, Voyager 1700.

In my case, it happens with or without cruise on. I can feel it while accelerating or decelerating, and at all tire pressures.

[Voyager_1700]

Welcome, Voyager 1700.

In my case, it happens with or without cruise on. I can feel it while accelerating or decelerating, and at all tire pressures.

Oh.. that definately would suck... Mine was only with LOW air-pressure, chopped tire, and wrong gear..

Gee all human error...
And I have NEVER heard of a tire NOT made for a specific bike (or car)..

[EDDIE]

Turbo4x4

Did you get that Avon installed on the front and if so how was the performance? I have ordered the same for the front on mine But I also ordered an Avon Venom 160/80/B16 for the rear. I ran these tires on the 1500 Classic and love the performance.

[Turbo4x4]

Turbo4x4

Did you get that Avon installed on the front and if so how was the performance? I have ordered the same for the front on mine But I also ordered an Avon Venom 160/80/B16 for the rear. I ran these tires on the 1500 Classic and love the performance.

Eddie,

I recieved the tire late this afternoon, so didn't get it on today, and since tomorrow is my anniversary, I'm bettin' I won't be given time to put it on then either.

Probably looking at Wednesday, so will let you know.

Bob

[EDDIE]

Bob,

That's actually kinda funny my 30th is this weekend and I'll be trying to find time to get mine on without getting divorced.

Brian

[David (N. Alabama)]

I recieved the tire late this afternoon, so didn't get it on today, and since tomorrow is my anniversary, I'm bettin' I won't be given time to put it on then either.

Probably looking at Wednesday, so will let you know.

Bob

That's actually kinda funny my 30th is this weekend and I'll be trying to find time to get mine on without getting divorced.

Since it is y'all's anniversary I sure hope you get it on.

[Turbo4x4]

I recieved the tire late this afternoon, so didn't get it on today, and since tomorrow is my anniversary, I'm bettin' I won't be given time to put it on then either.

Probably looking at Wednesday, so will let you know.

Bob

That's actually kinda funny my 30th is this weekend and I'll be trying to find time to get mine on without getting divorced.

Since it is y'all's anniversary I sure hope you get it on.

Sorry, David, but Eddie's not my type !!!

[Turbo4x4]

Well, I installed the new Avon this morning, installed the required amount of Dyna Beads, and took her out for a test drive. While the wobble has been reduced, it is still very noticeable. So, I spent the rest of the day aligning the front forks, and ensuring the front & rear tires were aligned, so that I could eliminate that possibility from the equation. Took another test drive. No improvement. Tomorrow I'll try reducing tire pressure to the 28 PSI factory setting and see what happens. Won't bring it to the dealer 'cause we all know what the answer will be. I'll let you all know the outcome of the pressure reduction. I'm going to bed.

[EDDIE]

Finally got the tires installed and yes I do have a wobble between 25-35 mph but only if I remove my hands but only if I let go of the bars. Otherwise it handles great at any speed. I did notice that the tires are alot heavier than the stock Bridgestones and was wondering if this could have some effect on the wobble. They were balance by a very reputable shop so I really don't think that the tire is the problem itself but maybe a combination of the rim, rake, tire and the front to rear balance of the bike affects the gyro at that speed band. I tried all speeds from 20 - 65 mph and it is only noticable in that one speed band and only if I let go of the bars? I am going to run with it for now and see if things change.

[EDDIE]

No they are rock steady from 0 - 140km/hr. The only thing I feel thru the bars is the normal vibration once your in the OD. I had tried all speed above and below this testing about every 5 km/hr and it was only in the range mentioned. Not that I make a habit of lettin go of the bars

[TheAudiDoc]

I installed my excedra max on the front saturday.... all the f/e wobble and shake GONE!!!!!

[David (N. Alabama)]

I installed my excedra max on the front saturday.... all the f/e wobble and shake GONE!!!!!

what pressure you running?

I went back to the excedra when my E3 on the front wore out. I hope it makes it a year.

[TheAudiDoc]

David, 28-30psi... I keep seeing Duane post he runs 40psi why so high?

[x-storm]

well I've put about 200-miles on the 09-Voyager-1700 I picked up, the stock tires wear shot so I put the Metz-888 on because could'nt get the 880's any more which i loved on my Voyager-12 and my vtx-1800F an it it just as heavy as this bike an I've got to say I've NEVER had such a DEATH WOBBLE like I've got on the 1700-voyager ,you can feel it in the bars at just about any speed (70-10mph)on decell and lord help ya if you happen to let go of the bars to wipe both your hands off at the same time, I've play'd with the frt. PSI from 24-35psi an had no change, and I've noticed that with one hand on the bars it dosnt take much pressure to keep them from shaking, some body needs to come up with a answer for this before some one gets badly hurt or killed
Now that said how many of us that have had the voyager-1200 have riden them with out the bar end cap weights on....the wobble is there but no were close to that of the 1700 makes me wounder why Kawi really put them on the 12's , has any one tried adding weight to the grip ends like that of the 12's an see if there's any change ?? or came up with any thing else to get rid of the wobble ??

[Mapper]

This is very interesting. I have a '11 Voyager w/ 21K on it which I bought from a Kaw dealer last fall w/ stock Stones on it. Before it had to hibernate I managed about 1800K. This year I increased the front pressure to 32 and the tread depth is 3 mm.

I could run hands off at 100KPH on cruise with no wobble last year but yesterday when I was at speed I got a wobble when I was adjusting my gloves.
Had I not caught it quickly I would have as a bad day. I tried it again a few times again on smoother surfaces with the same result. It would appear that increasing the pressure causes the wobble.

However I have always noticed I groan (for lack of a better description) whenever the bike goes in a lean. Even avoiding a pot hole causes this noise. The more sever the lean, the more groan it causes but still not exceeding loud.
I thought bearings but it does not sound metallic just pressure induced.

Anyone else have or had this problem and what was the solution?

Gary

[1st one]

I had same issue's So I went back to Original Tire And 29 lbs pressure "Problem Solved"

[dndcoop]

Cx your steering head bearings , these are known to cause the death wobble ,replace with All Balls bearings....apparently the steering head bearings are nothing more than the same style used in bicyles....