Frustrated Rider

[flash2002]

I did check everything 2 and 3 times to make sure I didn't miss something. The only thing left is the risers, that's next. If this doesn't work, then I'm stump.

[Ricky-D]

20 weight oil in the front shocks is way over the normal.

***

[Muppit]

Honda recommend SS8 10w oil in the forks. Could be your problem if it's too heavy? It's gonna make them forks bounce hard! 

[flash2002]

When I rebuilt the forks in the spring, I use transmission oil as most people use, it was bouncing then. That's why I went to a heavier oil to see if it would stop the bouncing, no difference, just a bit stiffer.

[BradValk48237]

Rear Shock Bushngs???

Common handling issue.....

[heavyd]

I saw earlier where you measured the fluid height when you rebuilt the shocks, what did you have in the forks when you measured? Springs, etc?

[pancho]

Put a pry bar between the swing arm and frame and see if you have any movement, try it on both sides. If that does not turn up a problem, lighten the rear shock settings by two and see if there is any change.

[flash2002]

I saw earlier where you measured the fluid height when you rebuilt the shocks, what did you have in the forks when you measured? Springs, etc?

No springs, compress and 5 inch from top.

[flash2002]

Put a pry bar between the swing arm and frame and see if you have any movement, try it on both sides. If that does not turn up a problem, lighten the rear shock settings by two and see if there is any change.

When I worked on the bike last winter, I did take the swing arm off to check the bearings. Put it all back together new grease and torque, no movement there, all good. Shocks OEM have new bushings. I do have a set of 416 shocks that where rebuilt add them on, same problem so it's not the shocks. At first I thought the head bearing maybe to tight so, I slack them off a little, same.

[flash2002]

I was going to install the stock risers today to see if it makes any change, to dam hot to work on the bike will wait for a cooler day to do this.

[pancho]

Put a pry bar between the swing arm and frame and see if you have any movement, try it on both sides. If that does not turn up a problem, lighten the rear shock settings by two and see if there is any change.

When I worked on the bike last winter, I did take the swing arm off to check the bearings. Put it all back together new grease and torque, no movement there, all good. Shocks OEM have new bushings. I do have a set of 416 shocks that where rebuilt add them on, same problem so it's not the shocks. At first I thought the head bearing maybe to tight so, I slack them off a little, same.

That's why I suggest the pry bar between the frame and swingarm Flash, you know, double check your work, none of us is above making a mistake.        Something is VERY wrong to be causing so severe a problem,, you will slap your head when you find it.     

[flash2002]

Put a pry bar between the swing arm and frame and see if you have any movement, try it on both sides. If that does not turn up a problem, lighten the rear shock settings by two and see if there is any change.

When I worked on the bike last winter, I did take the swing arm off to check the bearings. Put it all back together new grease and torque, no movement there, all good. Shocks OEM have new bushings. I do have a set of 416 shocks that where rebuilt add them on, same problem so it's not the shocks. At first I thought the head bearing maybe to tight so, I slack them off a little, same.

That's why I suggest the pry bar between the frame and swingarm Flash, you know, double check your work, none of us is above making a mistake.        Something is VERY wrong to be causing so severe a problem,, you will slap your head when you find it.     

I will give it a try, at this point I will try anything.

[heavyd]

My bike is a 97 Standard that has had the Honda Tourer pack added, so it has the bags with all the chrome rails that are a nightmare to work with. I was on a trip a couple weeks ago with a passenger and a load of luggage so I bumped the shocks up a notch. This weekend I was gone again but I didn't take the time to dial the shocks back down and I noticed that at aggressive highway speeds the slightest little bump was making it wander pretty bad and if I was riding with one hand I could feel the bars trying to shake. On the way home I had 100lbs of luggage sitting on the back seat and the problem was gone, travelling the same speed on the same road.

Which made me wonder, you don't have your rear shocks dialed up super stiff do you?

[flash2002]

My bike is a 97 Standard that has had the Honda Tourer pack added, so it has the bags with all the chrome rails that are a nightmare to work with. I was on a trip a couple weeks ago with a passenger and a load of luggage so I bumped the shocks up a notch. This weekend I was gone again but I didn't take the time to dial the shocks back down and I noticed that at aggressive highway speeds the slightest little bump was making it wander pretty bad and if I was riding with one hand I could feel the bars trying to shake. On the way home I had 100lbs of luggage sitting on the back seat and the problem was gone, travelling the same speed on the same road.

Which made me wonder, you don't have your rear shocks dialed up super stiff do you?

Right now I do have them at the top. At first I had my 416 shocks on it bounce I switch to stock shocks on 3 still bounce went to 5 still so now I'm going to try at 2 maybe 1 see what happens. I have other things I will try later if it don't work.

[Ricky-D]

I think that all you did to the stem bearings, in the process, has indexed the bearings which is now causing your problem.

***

[Oldnick]

Hah. I am but an egg for Valks, but I throw in my 0.02 worth.

If the problem is a rapid shake that makes you hang on, and not a wallow, then definitely look at extracting oil from the forks, 25ml at a time. Just been through that. If I hit a bump I was getting shake and wrist shock. I was also getting wheel skip in corners.

If you have a wallow and not a shimmy then I can't help.....many causes. But if you are fighting a shimmy then try less shock oil

BTW, did you say 20w in the forks? I thought the standard was 10w and many guys use 5w.

Nick

Well, I didn't do what I said I was going to do ( torque the head bearing ) to nice of a day to work on the bike. I went for a good ride 200+ miles today and the bike ran well, it seems the problem is almost gone so I think when I retorque the head it might solve some of the problems . I thinks  I will remove a bit of the fork oil, it will smooth out the harsh front end. I will let you guys know how it goes in a few days, there calling for rain the next few days. Thanks guys for some of the advice, always a great site. 

[flash2002]

Hah. I am but an egg for Valks, but I throw in my 0.02 worth.

If the problem is a rapid shake that makes you hang on, and not a wallow, then definitely look at extracting oil from the forks, 25ml at a time. Just been through that. If I hit a bump I was getting shake and wrist shock. I was also getting wheel skip in corners.

If you have a wallow and not a shimmy then I can't help.....many causes. But if you are fighting a shimmy then try less shock oil

BTW, did you say 20w in the forks? I thought the standard was 10w and many guys use 5w.

Nick
I did take some oil out today and lower the shocks but didn't try it yet, maybe tomorrow. The 20w is not that bad, the forks do move smooth.

Well, I didn't do what I said I was going to do ( torque the head bearing ) to nice of a day to work on the bike. I went for a good ride 200+ miles today and the bike ran well, it seems the problem is almost gone so I think when I retorque the head it might solve some of the problems . I thinks  I will remove a bit of the fork oil, it will smooth out the harsh front end. I will let you guys know how it goes in a few days, there calling for rain the next few days. Thanks guys for some of the advice, always a great site. 

[flash2002]

Well, I took a look at the risers this winter, the only thing I didn't do. I took the risers off and installed the stock risers and went for a good ride. Wow, the bike is tracking strait now, go figure. I check the extended risers that I bought, and notice the bottom of the risers were not even. If I stood them on a flat surface, they were both leaning to one side in other words, the bottom was at a slant not flat, I never notice that. I never thought that something so small could cause so much problems. So now, I will reinstall my 416 and cross my fingers.

[big poppa pump]

Well, I took a look at the risers this winter, the only thing I didn't do. I took the risers off and installed the stock risers and went for a good ride. Wow, the bike is tracking strait now, go figure. I check the extended risers that I bought, and notice the bottom of the risers were not even. If I stood them on a flat surface, they were both leaning to one side in other words, the bottom was at a slant not flat, I never notice that. I never thought that something so small could cause so much problems. So now, I will reinstall my 416 and cross my fingers.

    

[Tfrank59]

Might sound irrelevant, but are your handlebar risers torqued to spec?

I thought about that but said to my self, can't be. They are tight, I would be surprised if that would cause the problem.  I will install the OEm risers back on the bike and see what it does, it's the only thing I didn't do.

I think you're on the right track putting the OEM risers on there. And if that doesn't change/fix things then then methodologically go back to OEM with everything else one piece at a time.

[Oldnick]

Hi guys. PMFJI. Why would risers cause instability and head shake? I was thinking of installing some, with the idea the setback would add a bit of leverage to the steering.

Thanks for any help.

Nick

[Bighead]

Might sound irrelevant, but are your handlebar risers torqued to spec?

I thought about that but said to my self, can't be. They are tight, I would be surprised if that would cause the problem.  I will install the OEm risers back on the bike and see what it does, it's the only thing I didn't do.

I think you're on the right track putting the OEM risers on there. And if that doesn't change/fix things then then methodologically go back to OEM with everything else one piece at a time.

He said it did fix the problem!

[flash2002]

Oldnick, don't ask me why installing the OEM riser made a difference but it did. I know, it doesn't make sense but it works. I will get new risers that fit in the slots not on top.

[Oldnick]

OK. Wow. You reckon maybe if they were not in the slots they were flexing?

ummm what's the etiquette about naming names? I'd like to avoid your troubles if I do get some.

[flash2002]

These are the one's that gave me problems.


                                 

[Tfrank59]

Might sound irrelevant, but are your handlebar risers torqued to spec?

I thought about that but said to my self, can't be. They are tight, I would be surprised if that would cause the problem.  I will install the OEm risers back on the bike and see what it does, it's the only thing I didn't do.

I think you're on the right track putting the OEM risers on there. And if that doesn't change/fix things then then methodologically go back to OEM with everything else one piece at a time.

He said it did fix the problem!

My bad

[Oldnick]

These are the one's that gave me problems.


                                 

Hah. Neat..  know injury no foul yeah saw those.. OK so they rely on friction not positive placement.

When the entire front end is resting there a mm or two could cause a lot of wobble.

Thanks

[Hook#3287]

These are the one's that gave me problems.


                                

I installed similar risers on one of my bikes and I remember they didn't sit right.

The proverbial "Square peg in a round hole"

The triple tree has round slots machined in it to except the OEM risers and the square bottoms of the 4" ones do not fit in them.

I even called the riser manufacturer to complain and was told they were made for the Valkyrie.

Yeah, okay.

I found some chrome washers at Ace that fit in the holes and the square bottoms were no longer an issue, been no issue for 5, 6 years now.

Flash, glad you got it straighten out.

[Bighead]

Might sound irrelevant, but are your handlebar risers torqued to spec?

I thought about that but said to my self, can't be. They are tight, I would be surprised if that would cause the problem.  I will install the OEm risers back on the bike and see what it does, it's the only thing I didn't do.

I think you're on the right track putting the OEM risers on there. And if that doesn't change/fix things then then methodologically go back to OEM with everything else one piece at a time.

He said it did fix the problem!

My bad

Just sayin