slow speed sloppyness

[mickier]

I'm writing to ask if anyone else is experiencing a general feeling of frame flex while turning into a parking space or pulling around to the pumps in a gas station... Super slow negotiation but still riding (not crab-walking with my feet).

It's especially noticeable when riding 2 up with my sweetie. We're together about 450lbs, and that is a load...

As I turn in from a road, the slower I drive the more I can feel it - especially when I turn one way and then the other - like the frame is loose or bending..

As soon as I get going on the road though, feels fine - and slow or high speed curves feel great - in fact 30 or 70 mph sweeps feel solid and safe. The only time I notice it is nearly stopped, turning.

I've been all over the bike - no cracks I can find, and I've tightened the frame joints including the one under the faring by the top on the right side. Actually they were all tight already.

My ride is a 2000 xii with just 15k miles. The feeling didn't change with new tires - went from Dunlops to darkside nexen/michelin commander 2.

With the bike on the stand, I can't detect any looseness in the rear end nor in the front tire/forks. I've adjusted the stem bearings taking out all the play. I'm very pleased to say that with the new rubber, I don't have any of the violent shimmy I used to have around 45mph if I took my hands off the handle bars... that was terrible before - (first had that happen when I let go for a second to zip up my jacket -WOW that was a thrilling moment!!) Thankfully with new tires, I can let go with both hands at any speed (not smart anyway) but it's great that it's now stable!

I think this bike's been "down" before I got it - the frame below the left hand luggage was bent, and the rear speakers are missing.

I have jacked it up and gone over everything very carefully. Checked both wheel bearings when I changed the tires, and they're smooth and tight.

Maybe its the nature of the beast..?

[Van Voyager]

Low tire pressure will feel like that.

[SgtSlag]

I suggest a 2nd opinion, by a pro (no offence intended). My wife and I are in the 500# range, riding 2-up, 98% of the time, on a '93. Add in our luggage, and we are over the bike's specified limits. No adverse handling experiences noted by either one of us, in the past 11 years, ~30,000 miles -- we switch positions every two hours, on long rides.

We're running on Commander II's, upgrading to III's on the 14th: rear tread is showing Lincoln's full head of hair, while the front is hiding some of it! Rode in rain, last weekend, without any traction issues, whatsoever. Seems like the II's are really good wet traction tires -- hoping/believing the III's are even better.


The bike can handle the weight. Best to get a 2nd opinion, for piece of mind, and all that jazz. Cheers!

PS:

A Tire Pressure Monitoring System can be had off e-Bay for around $50: includes two sensors for the stems (use watch batteries), and a USB rechargeable Receiver with a handlebar mount. Saves a lot of time/hassle with pressure checks. Also much safer as you will likely be riding with proper pressure, all the time... I've ridden with one for two years, I believe. Best money I ever spent on the bike -- well, one of the very best, anyway.

[mickier]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm running 36psi rear and 38 front. I think that's probably enough to not cause this issue...

I'm am thankful that riding handling is great.

I've started wondering if possibly the head bearings especially the lower one might be a bit dry - that might make the steering able to track well at higher speed and remain steady in a corner but possibly "catch" a bit under load when turning the wheel sharply while parking - even though it's very smooth when I check with the front tire in the air and not under load. maybe

I just know my Heritage Classic was steady at low speed in a parking lot/gas station with both of us on, but this voyager just feels like almost like it wiggles when I turn the handlebars sharply one way or the other at 2mph.

K1000P didn't give me this feeling either but that was one-up.

[buzzcut]

I would try more pressure. I ran under 40 and felt the tires flex. now 40-42 front and rear and no issues. rolls nicer. Easy to try

[cushman eagle]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm running 36psi rear and 38 front. I think that's probably enough to not cause this issue...

I'm am thankful that riding handling is great.

I've started wondering if possibly the head bearings especially the lower one might be a bit dry - that might make the steering able to track well at higher speed and remain steady in a corner but possibly "catch" a bit under load when turning the wheel sharply while parking - even though it's very smooth when I check with the front tire in the air and not under load. maybe

I just know my Heritage Classic was steady at low speed in a parking lot/gas station with both of us on, but this voyager just feels like almost like it wiggles when I turn the handlebars sharply one way or the other at 2mph.

K1000P didn't give me this feeling either but that was one-up.

If you are talking those pressures in the tires,I would agree with buzzcut,those pressures are low,at least in the rear!

[Nails]

I think all-y'all are over-inflating. The manual (pg 9-3) says 32 psi front and rear. For a load of 265 - 448 lbs, it calls for going up to 40 psi in the rear.

I run 35 front and 38-40 rear, cold. This is a max, right after I air them up (which I do before a trip). No complaints. I doubt I ever go over that 265 load limit, touring solo.

According to my TPMS, these pressures often go to 40/50 in hot weather (the rear gets a lot hotter). They occasionally get down to 28/32 before I pump them up right -- a minor PITA to take the TPMS sending units off. So honestly, I generally run 28-35 front and 32-45 rear, cold. That works out to about 35-40 front and 40-50 rear when some kind of "hot".

I personally don't see much reason to get too fussy with tire pressures. They change all the time underway, anyway. (TPMS brings peace of mind in a couple different ways.)

[GrandpaDenny]

Check the bushings in the front fender / fender brace. They tend to get squashed. Make sure the fork brace bolts are tight. If the bushings are squished, when you tighten the fork brace you can crack the fender. Gene Kapuzinsky makes replacement bushings.