SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> high speed wobble
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1180436373

Message started by Biker_13 on 05/28/07 at 19:25:20

Title: high speed wobble
Post by Biker_13 on 05/28/07 at 19:25:20

ok so i took my 05 S40 out last night on the freeway i got up to 60 ok but once i got to 65 and a little faster the front started to shack alittle on me. So im trying to find out if just something is out of aliment or if there is a design problam with the bike to couse this

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Reelthing on 05/28/07 at 20:54:25

here was one I remember

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=RubberSideDown;action=display;num=1147227549;start=13#13

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Greg_650 on 05/28/07 at 21:29:00

Wobble can be real freaky. What is different about your Savage40 from stock?

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by verslagen1 on 05/28/07 at 21:48:34

How many miles?
Stock tires?
Missing wheel weights?
Check the tire pressure, loose fasteners, etc.

What kind of shaking are we talking about? up and down or left and right?

How long have you been riding?

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Greg_650 on 05/28/07 at 21:49:48

verslagen1 wrote:

I really hope that you have experienced high speed wheel wobble. Nothing like being forced to slow down, while feeling like you have absolutely no control over your bike or bowels.

It's that good!
:) ;) :D ;D >:( :( :o 8) ??? ::) :P :-[ :-X :-/ :-* :'(

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by verslagen1 on 05/28/07 at 22:45:46

A few times, but those were induced by road conditions, not the condition of my bike. ;D

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Biker_13 on 05/29/07 at 00:32:43

no the wabble is a side to side motion like the wheel is being turned as far as i know my bike is stock its also my first bike it has 1400 miles on it i dont know if it has or needs wheel weigths.....is this something i need to take to the dillership to get fixed....and i want to make sure this problam is not in the design of the bike cause i want to go on some bike runs with this thing

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by barry68v10 on 05/29/07 at 04:16:43

This is NOT an inherent problem with the design. Although, something may be wrong with your particular bike...It sounds initially to me like a tire balance problem, although a broken wheel spoke, or really out of adjustment spokes can act the same way... A bad wheel bearing could also have similar prolems, but not likely only above 65, that should happen at all speeds and get progressively worse the faster you go.

A wheel weight will likely look like a giant fishing sinker, it will be a dull color compared to the rest of the wheel. Look on the spokes for lead...(pronounced "led")

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Greg_650 on 05/29/07 at 06:18:21

The "classic wheel wobble" which is even discussed in the MSF training program, is a side to side shaking of the front wheel and handlebars.

It usually occurs only at a certain speed, and you can not steady the bars with your hands. It is like some invisible gremlin is fighting you with the bars.

It starts slowly and picks up frequency if you continue accelerating. Your only recourse is to slow down. It is very unnerving.

My Yamaha 850 was prone to do this at about 70 and it was due to the dealer installed Windjammer fairing that was on it. If I got caught in a particular kind of cross wind it could start. But there are a few different reasons for woblle

It really is more related to the steering and alignment than the wheel. It is not inherent to the Savage40 design, which is why I asked about changes to the bike.

Here is an interesting discussion about it. Might give some ideas for where to look.

http://www.msgroup.org/forums/mtt/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3063

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by azjay on 05/29/07 at 06:54:31

our spitfire windshield adds a little wind wobble at ~80mph, so 60mph into a 20mph headwind will wiggle a little. rain grooves on interstates will influence some wobble into the steering on light bikes (which the savage is), but high speed wobbles are not inherent to the savage, thanks to the long rake angle of the forks.

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Greg_650 on 05/29/07 at 07:04:31

azjay wrote:

I haven't experienced wobble with or without my windshield on the Savage at 80 (which I know would be unnerving). But that's not the point.

The wobble we are talking about is not induced by road conditions but the feel and effect is very similar to rain grooves. The only difference is that rain grooves are obvious.

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by justin_o_guy on 05/29/07 at 09:46:59

Is the tire in good shape? Does it feel like riding a drunk cow in corners? When my tires started needing replaced I felt the handling really go downhill fast. The speed a corner could be handled at started falling, but I don't remember the front end getting overpowering in a straight line. In a corner, when the front end starts wobbling, no amount of upper body seems to be able to stabilize it. The low speed wobbles I DID feel at higher speeds came in above 60 & were very low power & low frequency & could be attenuated somewhat by stiffening the arms up. Tires solved it completely.

Be careful, Wobbles take people down.

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by firsts40 on 05/29/07 at 18:15:55

??? The only high speed wooble I have felt on my 06 S40, was when I would come up on an 18 wheeler, or when one would pass me. But this was at around 65-70, and a Superbrace solved that. It may seem as stated earlier, maybe a wheel weight or loose spokes. For a very light weight bike, the Savage/S40 is a pretty stable bike.

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by firsts40 on 05/29/07 at 18:18:31

I would also check all the bolts in the front end and make sure they are tight to specs. Although I think this would cause a wobble at all speeds. Am I correct guys?

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Greg_650 on 05/30/07 at 22:00:51

firsts40 wrote:

That's called plain old buffeting. It ain't the same thing. At least when passing a truck, acceleration gets you through it.

Wobble is another animal...and luckily not very common with the Savage either...or we'd be discussing it all the time :P

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Greg_650 on 05/30/07 at 22:11:13

firsts40 wrote:

I would also check all the bolts in the front end and make sure they are tight to specs. Although I think this would cause a wobble at all speeds. Am I correct guys?

That of course would be a good place to start. Wobble has to do with alignment and weight distribution, mixed with some aerodynamic stuff (like with my Windjammer fairing). Having some loose bolts could be an issue with any of that.

Funny you bring that up too...when I test drove a GS500 after fixing it's carb problems, I noticed that one fork tube was sticking up higher than the other in the top triple tree. (this can't happen on a Savage, btw)..

On further checking I found that all 4 of the triple tree clamps were loose. Loose....beyond the help of a fork brace :P

So, yes, check for loose bolts first.

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by Biker_13 on 06/01/07 at 07:32:11

well i got my bike checked and everything is ok so i took it out on the road again in a different area and i had no wabble so i think it was just the road surface ( that are was concreat and had rain grooves) no all i got is alot of vibration in the whole bike

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by verslagen1 on 06/01/07 at 08:58:06

I wonder what made them decide to make them wobble the grooves? Too many cars couldn't change lanes with straight ones? Or do the grinder drivers have pallsey?

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by klx650sm2002 on 06/02/07 at 01:52:04

KLX had a wobble at 60mph and up with this front mudguard.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o147/klx650sm2002/brickwall.jpg
But without she goes up to 95mph with no probs.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o147/klx650sm2002/uptodate.jpg
Clive W :D

Title: Re: high speed wabble
Post by mickthelimey on 06/03/07 at 21:42:13

I think if you changed your Name from Biker 13 to biker 7
you would solve your problem /s

Title: Re: high speed wobble
Post by borne2fly on 06/04/07 at 19:29:28

I've noticed that the tire tread pattern can make a big difference when riding on rain grooves. I had an old BMW R75 that would follow every wiggle and weave in a rain grooved road, and at first I thought I had a flat. I learned to live with it until the tires wore out, then changed to tires with a more diagonally oriented tread pattern. That totally solved the problem.

Title: Re: high speed wobble
Post by Savage_Rob on 06/05/07 at 06:13:26

borne2fly wrote:

I've noticed that the tire tread pattern can make a big difference when riding on rain grooves.

A fork brace made the biggest impact on surfaces like rain grooves, etc. It's been one of my favorite add-ons/upgrades.