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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Bike just got squirelly.
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Message started by keith on 07/02/13 at 23:07:59

Title: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by keith on 07/02/13 at 23:07:59

I have a 97 Savage with 12k and coming home today the bike just did not want to track right. The entire time it felt like the rear wheel was going to come out from under me. Tire pressure was checked 3 days ago and is set at the spec on the frame. I do not see anything obvious. Any one have any ideas on what to check it would be appreciated.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by Serowbot on 07/02/13 at 23:24:20

Wow!.. that's a weird one...

I'd be checking for loose bolts at both axles, and bars,... and raise the front wheel, and check for a frozen steering bearing...
Triple tree tight?...
Then,.. start looking for medical reasons... stroke?.. ear infection?...

Freaked me out just thinking about it... :o...
Buhhhuah!..... :-?...

PS... check that air pressure again... flats do happen.....

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by keith on 07/02/13 at 23:29:14

Wasn't fun that is for sure. It was weird, the bike had been riding great earlier in the day, parked it and when I started riding, just felt off. Will definitely be doing a ton of safety checks tomorrow. Appreciate the help. Hopefully it was just my newness to riding and nothing serious.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by WD on 07/03/13 at 00:12:19

Driven pulley cushions can/do fail, sometimes with a whimper, sometimes catastrophically. That's the little rubber dealies behind the pulley, inside the rear hub. If a couple have come apart (not uncommon), the bike can feel like the wheel is going to fall out.

Check your oil level before anything else, if it sprung a leak in the bottom end somewhere, you're experiencing the "joy" of a slippery rear tire.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by keith on 07/03/13 at 00:20:20

Thanks for the advise, will check it out tomorrow and let you guys know if I find anything.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by engineer on 07/03/13 at 05:20:21

If you can't find anything obvious, put it on a stand and check the swing arm for play. Swing arm bearings can wear out.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by Steve H on 07/03/13 at 07:26:55

I've had swingarm bushings go bad before. But, they usually creep up on you. You are used to the little movements until you ride something else and then realize that something's not quite right.

Only time I had one suddenly go squirrely was a sudden loss of air pressure in the rear tire in a tight turn.

as has already been said, check axle, air pressure, swingarm bushings, wheel bearings.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by PhantomII on 07/03/13 at 08:55:02

How was the road did it have any groves cut in it? My ride to work has one road where th grooves make the bike feel like the front tire wants to go one way and the back tire want to go the other when it happens it really does feel weird.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by oldNslow on 07/03/13 at 08:57:33

I'm leaning towards your rear tire. Sometimes they don't look flat even with hardly any air in them. Try a different pressure gauge.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by Dave on 07/03/13 at 08:58:53

As others have said....check for loose stuff and the tire pressure. Then take another ride and see if the feeling is still there. I was behind a truck a few weeks ago and the wind was such that even far back from the truck....it was buffeting me around. The truck was so far up the road it didn't seem possible and at first I wondered what was up with my bike. When I got closer it became obvious that it s a buffeting air issue, and when I passed the truck it went away.

Title: Re: Bike just got squirelly.
Post by keith on 07/03/13 at 17:36:48

I really appreciate everyone's advise. I checked tire pressure, and axle bolts. Inspected bushings, all look good. I took it for a ride after work and I have decided it must have been the road I was on. Driving the roads I usually drive it seems like it's doing fine today. Thanks again for everyone's help.