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speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 7:16 am
by evenstevenklr87650
Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if some things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles. It is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot! Steve-_

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 7:36 am
by HAULNA4814@AOL.COM
The A-1 & the A-17 both do this, I have found that the way the bike is loaded can make a big difference, on the A-17 I have large driving lights that at over 80 mph give it a lot of head shake especially around the big trucks, have found if I fold them back flat it helps (they are mounted on the sides of the mini fairing) if you kiss the fuel tank it helps to stop the shakes also have heard a fork brace helps control this head shake,dont have a brace so I don't know for sure if it helps The KLR likes clean air so I try to stay away for the dirty air around trucks, make sure the steering head bearings are adjust right and hang on JD-Oklahoma A-1 A-17 TT600 KX500 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 7:41 am
by James L. Miller Jr.
Also taller fairings don't help.. I took my "cheater" fairing (attached the stocker to the top of the +4" I have on) off, and mine stopped. Moving the heavy things (tools, ass, etc) to the front helps much more than you'd think. My tool tube now holds much more than the rear pack needed to. Much more stable. Of course, wheelies suffer a bit. Just buy the "super duper 3rd grader manufactured repotrash motocross muffler. If I had that I could probably do whillies in 6th gear! millerized
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, HAULNA4814@A... wrote: > The A-1 & the A-17 both do this, I have found that the way the bike is loaded > can make a big difference, on the A-17 I have large driving lights that at > over 80 mph give it a lot of head shake especially around the big trucks, have > found if I fold them back flat it helps (they are mounted on the sides of the > mini fairing) if you kiss the fuel tank it helps to stop the shakes also have > heard a fork brace helps control this head shake,dont have a brace so I don't > know for sure if it helps > The KLR likes clean air so I try to stay away for the dirty air around > trucks, make sure the steering head bearings are adjust right and hang on > JD-Oklahoma > A-1 > A-17 > TT600 > KX500 > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 7:57 am
by zrod73026
Pulsing vibration? HMMM. Try adjusting the balancer chain. High speed wobbles? HMMM. Old, out of shape tires? How about loose spokes? That's all I got, but then it's early,,,,,,where's my coffee? Rod Good luck and enjoy! --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "evenstevenklr87650" wrote:
> Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if
some
> things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my > bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets > really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles. It > is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot! > > Steve-_

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 9:20 am
by Arden Kysely
I've found that some tires are less stable at speed than others on the KLR. You can also check steering head bearings, tire pressure, wheel balance, wheel truing, triple clamp bolt torque, and wheel (front/back) alignment. __Arden --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "evenstevenklr87650" wrote:
> Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if
some
> things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my > bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets > really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles. It > is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot! > > Steve-_

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 11:51 am
by dumbazz650
To address this you really need to establish a baseline for the machine. So spend a couple hours checking things out... the time you spend on it now can literally save your life. 1. Runnout the front wheel to be sure it's true, not bent, not out of round or crooked. Also check for loose spokes. 2. Check that the front tire is completely seated all the way round. 3. Check the forks to be sure these are also straight and not too sloppy and not leaking fluid. 4. Loosen and then re-tighten front axle to mfr specs. Use torque wrench and plan ahead so you have a new cotter pin ready. 5. Make sure both fork tubes are set to same height -about 1/8th inch above the triple clamp. 6. Loosen and then re-tighten pinch bolts on triple clamps to spec. 7. Tighten steering stem nut to spec. 8. Adjust handlebars to comfortable position -but still clears fuel tank. Re-tighten mounts to spec. There are a couple of contributing factors, a tall bike with a big floppy front fender, long spindly fork tubes, high speeds, rain grooves cut into pavement, head winds or side winds, etc. When my A9 does the slow wobble at 80+, I just take one hand off the grips and it usually settles down. If your grip is tight, it only makes the wobbles worse. Mark A9, A1, and A2 project bike
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "zrod73026" wrote: > Pulsing vibration? HMMM. > Try adjusting the balancer chain. > High speed wobbles? HMMM. > Old, out of shape tires? > How about loose spokes? > That's all I got, but then it's early,,,,,,where's my coffee? > Rod > Good luck and enjoy! > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "evenstevenklr87650" > wrote: > > Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if > some > > things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my > > bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets > > really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles. It > > is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot! > > > > Steve-_

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 12:11 pm
by planetequipment
--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "evenstevenklr87650" wrote:
> Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if
some
> things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my > bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets > really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles.
It
> is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot! > > Steve-_
My bike (A15) is stable at 80+. I have never had stability problems either before or after installing a HT fork brace. Configuration: Small saddle bags - contain tools and other essentials that are always with the bike (mounted on HT original racks) Kawasaki tail bag (for general utility use) Wolfman tankbag (for small gloves, small handy to have junk) Currently running Duro HF904's, but have had no problem with stockers or Trailwings. Ron

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Thu May 22, 2003 7:39 pm
by The Mule
The front wheel being out of balance and loose hardware on the front end (triple clamps) are two causes of the same symptoms that I've experienced.
> I've found that some tires are less stable at speed than others on > the KLR. You can also check steering head bearings, tire pressure, > wheel balance, wheel truing, triple clamp bolt torque, and wheel > (front/back) alignment. > > __Arden > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "evenstevenklr87650" > wrote: > > Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if > some > > things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my > > bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets > > really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles. It > > is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot! > > > > Steve-_ > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com. List FAQ
courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html
> Unsubscribe by sending a blank message to: > DSN_klr650-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com . > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > >

speed wobbles at 80mph???

Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 1:35 am
by Stuart Mumford
Yo Steve! There are two distinct problems you can be experiencing. The first is speed wobble, which is likely a symptom of what Arden described, it is marked by a high speed oscillation of the front end or the whole bike. The other is more of a high speed "weave", in which the bike sort of wags its tail, like a 80 lb. sheepdog that has found a dropped hamburger, only in a scary manner. This is more likely a symptom of something misaligned in the forks. I experienced this weave on my 99 after a tire change. To remedy it, I loosened all the front end hardware (fork tube clamp bolts, axle, fork brace), rotated the top of the fork legs a bit in the clamps and made sure they were at the exact same height, and then retightened everything to spec. After doing this, my bike was, and still is, as stable as a Hayabusa at speed (OK a Hayabusa on knobbies). I concluded that a high speed weave is a symptom of something cockeyed (or in a bind) in the front end. Hope this helps, Thanks CA Stu A13
> The front wheel being out of balance and loose hardware on the front end > (triple clamps) are two causes of the same symptoms that I've experienced. > > > I've found that some tires are less stable at speed than others on > > the KLR. You can also check steering head bearings, tire pressure, > > wheel balance, wheel truing, triple clamp bolt torque, and wheel > > (front/back) alignment. > > > > __Arden > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "evenstevenklr87650" > > wrote: > > > Hey everyone. I just bought a used 87 KLR 650 and I dont know if > > some > > > things about it are normal. I know they all vibrate alot. But, my > > > bike has a kind of pulsing vibration. Is that bad? Also, It gets > > > really unstable after 75 or 80mph. I start to get speed wobbles. It > > > is really anoying, Is this common to any of you? Thanks A Lot!

dual star still in business?

Posted: Fri May 23, 2003 10:44 am
by Kelley Kinser
Randy, They had some phone problems for a day or two that they have since resolved. I have been by there a couple of times in the past week and they have been swamped, filling and shipping orders as fast as they can. Kelley................. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. http://search.yahoo.com