Wobble and pulls to the right after new tire installation

[profneilwalker]

I ride a 2000 Interstate, 86,000 km, and just had two new tires put on by a local shop.  (Avon Cobras, size per the owner’s manual.). I’ve only had the bike for a year and this is my first new set of tires.

Before the tire change, the bike was rock solid and handled flawlessly.  No sign of a steering wobble at any speed.  But riding home with the new tires, I noticed a steering wobble at different speeds. Also if I let go of the handle bars, I must lean significantly to the left to keep steering straight!  Nothing else has changed, so I doubt it’s the steering head bearings, etc.

I took it back to the shop and told them my concerns.  They had two of their mechanics ride it, including the guy who did the work.  They both claimed there’s no problem.  Bikes wobble, especially old bikes they said.  Now I’m not satisfied with that, but I doubt I can force these guys to sort things out if their not willing.  I suspect they screwed something up.  They didn’t drop the exhaust to get the back wheel off, they disconnected the rear shock lowers and pivoted the swing arm down.  Could they have bent the swing arm or axle?  I’m taking it to another shop this week. Any advice on what the problem might be?

[h13man]

I use Dyna Beads in the front Cobra on my bike. Now that being said I had a local shop use stick on weights without cleaning the rim before hand. Fortunately it fell off while I was reinstalling the wheel thus from now on balancing beads from here on out for both ends. A bad front wheel bearing could cause the pull but you definitely have a balance issue.

[Ricky-D]

There is no way the swing arm could be bent from what you describe, but there sure is a possibility the universal joint could have been damaged.

The wobble is from the tires and how you describe it I'd think it's most probably the front tire that is the culprit. You can lift the bike and spin the front tire with detecting pointer to see if there is much runout with the tire.

Finally, as to what you call "pulling", there is no such apparition when dealing with running on two wheels, it is simply out of balance to the "running line" as determined by the geometry of the bike. Naturally that is dependent upon the condition of the bearings in the stem not being indexed.

***

[Steel cowboy]

Was the new tire and rim installed, per the manual instructions, onto the forks the steps include centering it . And the rear tire with rim after the replacement has a set of procedures as well to keep the drive shaft aligned too.

[Pete]

Check around the rim that the tire is properly seated and that the bead is equally located all around the wheel.

[Savage]

This mighr sound dumb, but just making sure basics are covered, have you checked to make sure the tire pressures are not too low?

[JimC]

I had the same symptoms a few years back,

I'm agree with RickyD,
I think you have a tire that is out of round, or has a bad belt giving it a high spot. Do as he said and raise the bike, hold a straight edge along the sides and bottom of the tire while spinning it. When you hold the straight edge steady you will see if the tire has a high spot or is out of round.

Jim

[Chrisj CMA]

First old Valkyries are not supposed to wobble

Next, if this is your first Cobra, they are more responsive than say an E3.  That being said if there was and still is something going on with your bike it may not have been noticeable until you got the new tires. This could include uneven adjusted shocks, worn shock bushings, uneven weight distribution, or sometimes even a certain road will cause control issues

I have a ‘97 with 165K miles and it does not wobble and no hands it tracks perfectly straight on a flat road. However, the first cobra tire I put on made me have to concentrate a tad more to stay on my track. Like I said, it is a more responsive tire.

[greggh]

Well let's consider what he said.
Other than needing a new tire, the was nothing wrong with how it rode.
Fish tell the dealer they are wrong and you want it fixed properly
Second learn to maintain it yourself if you have the ability, you can get all the knowledge right here that you need. Buy a repair manual, cheap and worth every penny.
Sound to me that the did not do the front tire repair and replace properly.

[Tfrank59]

Was the new tire and rim installed, per the manual instructions, onto the forks the steps include centering it . And the rear tire with rim after the replacement has a set of procedures as well to keep the drive shaft aligned too.

This!  Cuz the techs now probably don't know these procedures or tried to short cut it

[gordonv]

Check your front wheel/axle alignment.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,93097.msg925665.html#msg925665

Pictures near the bottom of the post.

[rug_burn]

On my bike I always have them use "clip-on" weights and not the stick-on type.   Every time the tire has been  balanced with the stick-ons the front wheel will wobble at around 45mph, and sometimes pretty badly.  The stick-ons, as you know, are usually applied to one side of the rim or the other, and that's enough of a dynamic imbalance to make it wobble.   The front wheel bearings definitely could be more hefty.  I think they put in bigger bearings in later models (mine's a 97)  I've replaced mine once.

[..]

On my bike I always have them use "clip-on" weights and not the stick-on type.   Every time the tire has been  balanced with the stick-ons the front wheel will wobble at around 45mph, and sometimes pretty badly.  The stick-ons, as you know, are usually applied to one side of the rim or the other, and that's enough of a dynamic imbalance to make it wobble.   The front wheel bearings definitely could be more hefty.  I think they put in bigger bearings in later models (mine's a 97)  I've replaced mine once.

If your bike wobbles at 45 mph you need to insert your boot up someones ass at the tire place.

2oz of BB's in a front tire.

3oz of BB's for a rear car tire.

[Bighead]

On my bike I always have them use "clip-on" weights and not the stick-on type.   Every time the tire has been  balanced with the stick-ons the front wheel will wobble at around 45mph, and sometimes pretty badly.  The stick-ons, as you know, are usually applied to one side of the rim or the other, and that's enough of a dynamic imbalance to make it wobble.   The front wheel bearings definitely could be more hefty.  I think they put in bigger bearings in later models (mine's a 97)  I've replaced mine once.

If your bike wobbles at 45 mph you need to insert your boot up someones ass at the tire place.

2oz of BB's in a front tire.

3oz of BB's for a rear car tire.

AMEN! Boot up the ass.


To the OP if the bike was tracking straight and rock solod as you said before the ne tire install. The screwed the pooch somewhere.

[rug_burn]

    I'm talkin' about wobbling when you take your hands off the wheel, like when you're decelerating from say, 50 mph down to 40 mph  (and pulling up your gloves or something).   Your bikes never have any oscillation in the front end at that speed, not even a little?
It doesn't wobble if I have my hands on the bars,   but when the shop uses stick-on weights, all applied to one side of the rim it oscillates hands-free, which then goes away at speeds below 40.  I figured that was relatively normal, like maybe my front end was too lightly damped.  
When they use center line weights (clip-ons) mine has only a barely noticeable bit of wobble (hands off) only at the resonant speed right at 45.  
 
You know, I think the balancing machines most shops use use don't do dynamic balancing-  you gotta spin a tire pretty fast to do that .   But I could be wrong about that.

But seriously- stick my boot up their ass?  I don't think so.    For one thing I'd have to find a new place to get my tires...   and besides that, I'd have shite on my boot...  

[rug_burn]

But how about those BBs in the tires?   That help a lot?    I've heard of something like that to balance props on planes.

[..]

   I'm talkin' about wobbling when you take your hands off the wheel, like when you're decelerating from say, 50 mph down to 40 mph  (and pulling up your gloves or something).   Your bikes never have any oscillation in the front end at that speed, not even a little?
It doesn't wobble if I have my hands on the bars,   but when the shop uses stick-on weights, all applied to one side of the rim it oscillates hands-free, which then goes away at speeds below 40.  I figured that was relatively normal, like maybe my front end was too lightly damped.  
When they use center line weights (clip-ons) mine has only a barely noticeable bit of wobble (hands off) only at the resonant speed right at 45.  
 
You know, I think the balancing machines most shops use use don't do dynamic balancing-  you gotta spin a tire pretty fast to do that .   But I could be wrong about that.

But seriously- stick my boot up their ass?  I don't think so.    For one thing I'd have to find a new place to get my tires...   and besides that, I'd have shite on my boot...  

No no no. No oscillation. Not the slightest twitch.

[..]

But how about those BBs in the tires?   That help a lot?    I've heard of something like that to balance props on planes.

BBs work very well. Cheaper than Dyna beads.

[Valker]

Check your rear shock bushings on this issue. I know, it’s the front wobbling, but check the rear bushings.

[gordonv]

Check your rear shock bushings on this issue. I know, it’s the front wobbling, but check the rear bushings.

+1
Forgot about that. You look at the top mounting bolt, it should be centered. Believe it or not, but this can cause the problem in the front.

[Chrisj CMA]

Check your rear shock bushings on this issue. I know, it’s the front wobbling, but check the rear bushings.

+1
Forgot about that. You look at the top mounting bolt, it should be centered. Believe it or not, but this can cause the problem in the front.

Yes, and maybe the tires worn in WITH those made the issue un noticable until new more responsive tires came in to play.

[profneilwalker]

Seems to be the steering head bearings.  Tightened them up and it felt much better.  New bearings going in next week.  Thanks for all the expert input.

[Chrisj CMA]

Seems to be the steering head bearings.  Tightened them up and it felt much better.  New bearings going in next week.  Thanks for all the expert input.

If they were loose that’s one thing. If they are too tight to solve another issue we’ll that is something else.  If you have access to a lift. Jack up the front and give the handlebars a gentle sideways push. The front forks should smoothly go from stop to stop. If it goes a few inches then  stops it’s too tight

[da prez]

   Back to basics. DO not short cut the inspection. It did not wobble with the old tires , so first check their work. If you can do head bearings , you should be able to find the issue. There is a member near you .  Get help and find the problem.  I have had more issues with dealer work than you could imagine.
  I worked on most all and the issue is the same , older bikes , newer techs.
  Now I try to just work on the Valks.  D O  N O T  short cut and assume it is right. 

                                  da prez 

[Ricky-D]

Tightening up the steering stem bearings to overcome a front end wobble is fraught with peril.

That is an absolutely rookie fix for a problem, that the source of, has remained undiscovered.

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[Paladin528]

Troubleshooting step 1... What was the last ting I messed with before it stopped working.
Step2... Fix whatever you did wrong
Step 3... go ride