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Intermittent Bike Wobble

5681 Views 36 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  Dorsalfin
Hey all! A couple, maybe three times I've noticed my bike wobbles. I'm not sure, but I thought it may be due to wind buffeting, because that's what it felt like. The buffeting that I have felt before seemed more of an upper influence on the bike and handlebars, with sound foundation, rather than as if I'm on sand or pebbles and the bike is in a sea moving around. Now this morning I noticed it rather strong but I was behind a large box truck but it seemed to lessen when I backed off but came back again. I thought maybe one of my tires was going flat but they are fine.

Edit: This morning was the worst I have ever felt it. I realize last night I put my rear shocks from second lowest setting to the hardest setting.

The thing that concerns me here is I'm really not sure if I have ever felt this before putting the PR2 on the rear with the original Dunlop up front. I really want to say that I have only noticed this since the mixed pair have been on the bike. I do have the new PR2 Front and I am now wondering if I should install it. Any thoughts?
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I doubt your tires will be causing it, check your rear wheel bearings for any play and check everything is tight around the shocks and wheel spindles (axles), one or two on here have had rear wheel bearings go out on them.
I doubt your tires will be causing it, check your rear wheel bearings for any play and check everything is tight around the shocks and wheel spindles (axles), one or two on here have had rear wheel bearings go out on them.
I checked them a month or so ago and they were fine.
Hmmmmmm......have you checked that nut holding the handlebars?



Lololololol.....:clap: :clap: :clap:


Seriously, it could be your henway.
Check your swing arm bolts! Mine was acting like this a while ago and I thought I was just imagining it until my buddy riding behind me saw my back tire moving side to side. Damn thing had backed almost all the way out!
Hmmmmmm......have you checked that nut holding the handlebars?



Lololololol.....:clap: :clap: :clap:

Seriously, it could be your henway.
Holding nut? There are 4 that hold the handle bars and they appear tight. The head nut for the tree hasn't moved. The henway was a little light and I may have to increase that a bit ;)
Check your swing arm bolts! Mine was acting like this a while ago and I thought I was just imagining it until my buddy riding behind me saw my back tire moving side to side. Damn thing had backed almost all the way out!
Did not think of these since I was in that area earlier and everything seemed fine. Will do.
Holding nut? There are 4 that hold the handle bars and they appear tight. The head nut for the tree hasn't moved. The henway was a little light and I may have to increase that a bit ;)

Lol......gotta get up pretty early in the morning to get one over on you Virginia boyz :)

I had this prob but mine turned out to be rear wheel bearings.....the wobble was accompanied by an occasional "crunch" that you could feel more than hear.....

Maybe your A-frame is bent.
Lol......gotta get up pretty early in the morning to get one over on you Virginia boyz :)

I had this prob but mine turned out to be rear wheel bearings.....the wobble was accompanied by an occasional "crunch" that you could feel more than hear.....

Maybe your A-frame is bent.
Since it concerned me greatly I just wanted to clarify rather than correct.. I cant see anything being bent or loose for that matter.

The other thing I thought about just now is the rusting of the upper exhaust plate. I put oil on the rear plates especially the upper one that is rusting just below the muffler outlet. I dont think I put much oil on the muffler but maybe some of this oil flew off and got on my tire. I also heated the muffler up before using a fire hose (just kidding; I used a q-tip) to apply the oil.
Lol, what else did I do to the bike that I haven't I thought about? lol.
If all else proves OK I would suggest you back off the rear pre-load and swap out that tire.

I had the same thing and it proved to be the front tyre ( tire) that had started to cup.

Good policy not to mix different tyres on the same bike.

Alex
If all else proves OK I would suggest you back off the rear pre-load and swap out that tire.

I had the same thing and it proved to be the front tyre ( tire) that had started to cup.

Good policy not to mix different tyres on the same bike.

Alex
Thanks - I have been driving since I was 15 (here we go) and my parents always specified a 4 tire purchase, or matched set if you needed to replace a tire. I have always followed their advice and recently on my Honda VTX as well; replace 1 - you replace both. I changed up this time because that the front tire is in such good shape. Maybe I'll change the Dunlop out so I know I'm on the same corporate design parameters as the rear.
Hey all! A couple, maybe three times I've noticed my bike wobbles. I'm not sure, but I thought it may be due to wind buffeting, because that's what it felt like. The buffeting that I have felt before seemed more of an upper influence on the bike and handlebars, with sound foundation, rather than as if I'm on sand or pebbles and the bike is in a sea moving around. Now this morning I noticed it rather strong but I was behind a large box truck but it seemed to lessen when I backed off but came back again. I thought maybe one of my tires was going flat but they are fine.

Edit: This morning was the worst I have ever felt it. I realize last night I put my rear shocks from second lowest setting to the hardest setting.

The thing that concerns me here is I'm really not sure if I have ever felt this before putting the PR2 on the rear with the original Dunlop up front. I really want to say that I have only noticed this since the mixed pair have been on the bike. I do have the new PR2 Front and I am now wondering if I should install it. Any thoughts?
First place I would look would be the rear shocks. You should do suspension changes in small increments. Back down to the second lowest setting (where you started) and go for a test ride. Then bump them up ONE notch. And go for another test ride. If you still need it stiffer, ONE more notch, test ride, etc. If you notice the wobbling getting progressively worse with each stiffer adjustment, the problem is starting in your rear suspension. If it doesn't get worse with suspension adjustment, I would change the front tire. I doubt the problem stems from a mismatch, but there may be some wear on the front that you can't really see.
I checked them a month or so ago and they were fine.
But you said it was worse in the last two days - I'd check again

Hmmmmmm......have you checked that nut holding the handlebarad
Ha HA, we say that with cars all the time - the Loose Nut holding the Steering Wheel!

Seriously, it could be your henway.
Or his Dickfor

Maybe your A-frame is bent.
A Frame? What would a mountain cabin have to do with this?

First place I would look would be the rear shocks. You should do suspension changes in small increments. Back down to the second lowest setting (where you started) and go for a test ride. Then bump them up ONE notch. And go for another test ride. If you still need it stiffer, ONE more notch, test ride, etc. If you notice the wobbling getting progressively worse with each stiffer adjustment, the problem is starting in your rear suspension. If it doesn't get worse with suspension adjustment, I would change the front tire. I doubt the problem stems from a mismatch, but there may be some wear on the front that you can't really see.
I can't imagine on an XR, with how stiff the suspension is to start with, that this could be the issue.

I would also check the steering head bearing - the fall a way as Harley Calls it. Known to cause wobbles in Harley's.
I can't imagine on an XR, with how stiff the suspension is to start with, that this could be the issue.
I don't think it is either. It just bugged me that he went up 3 notches on the rear shocks in one shot. It's like the racer coming in after his crew changed the stagger, revalved the front shocks, added some j-bar, removed a little wedge, changed the tire compound on the right rear, pulled a spring rubber, and changed the offset, and driver says something feels a little different, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
My bike will get a warble at high speeds(above 95MPH) in a strong wind.......but no issues if it is a less than blustery day......oh yeah....high speed bumps in turns like to cause the frame to rumble too....that's exciting!......I would however do as someone else said....back track on your suspension mods and ride it to see what changed it for the worst.
The only reason I changed shock setting was because I have my bike in a show at work and one or two of the ladies asked if Id give them a ride on it; I thinned I better up the pressures on them shocks :whistling: :whistling:
The only reason I changed shock setting was because I have my bike in a show at work and one or two of the ladies asked if Id give them a ride on it; I thinned I better up the pressures on them shocks :whistling: :whistling:

Pictures?????
high speed bumps in turns like to cause the frame to rumble too....that's exciting!......
Yup. Will make you see God. When it happens, you better get all Zen and just let it do it's thing and it'll come back good but.....dang.

Mine doesn't wobble much without "bump input" when running stock shocks or X shocks without the V+H risers , but the again, it won't let you get over much without scraping. Put them on and I get a wobble when crossing the crown and sometimes just "because". Worse with a full shield, better with my cut down shield, better still with no shield but then there's that price to pay.

Put me in the "you changed the rear too much on one sitting" camp. Back it off and see what you get. Also, check the alignment on your rear wheel. That helped mine a lot.
But you said it was worse in the last two days - I'd check again

Ha HA, we say that with cars all the time - the Loose Nut holding the Steering Wheel!


Or his Dickfor


A Frame? What would a mountain cabin have to do with this?


I can't imagine on an XR, with how stiff the suspension is to start with, that this could be the issue.

I would also check the steering head bearing - the fall a way as Harley Calls it. Known to cause wobbles in Harley's.

I noticed it today in a major way.

Ha ha; I think that one was funnier in your head, lol....just kidding - when I got it I laughed.

I still don't know what in the world's a dickfor. Maybe you would like you to splain it to me.

Maybe the Dickfor cabin use?

I cant see anything structural being the problem. It has to be shock or air related. I kept my tires at the frames recommended pressures.
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