Bandit Alley
MODEL SPECIFIC => BIG BANDIT BANTER => Topic started by: S_Kisby on December 06, 2005, 05:29:47 PM
-
Hi
Possibly a simple question.... I have an 02 1200 with only 1500 miles on it. I have notices a lot of vibration issues and have tried several products to calm them down. I recently noticed that if I let go of the handlebars they seem to shiver & shake (best description I can come up with). I have never seen this on a bike before & have no clue as to the cause....HELP!
-
I have a similar problem. If I let go of the handelbars for just a few seconds the front end goes to wobbling, at certain speeds its worse than others. As long as I have at least one hand and a little bit of pressure on the bars you dont notice anything. I had this happen on a Honda 750 of mine several years back, and so I bought a new tire and it solved everything. I think thats whats wrong on the Bandit, but since I am so cheap and I figure I can get at least another 7000 miles out of this front tire I am just going to live with it unless it gets worse. If I could feel any wobble with my hands on the bars I would definitely buy a new front tire. Can you see if the front tire is cupping or wearing unevenly? if so after making sure that every thing is tight, I would say its your tire.
-
Only 1500 miles? I'm guessing you still have the stock front tire then - and it is a Michelin Macadam 90X? If so, the tire is probably cupping... that's about when those start to cup. Replace it with a Michelin Pilot Road (which will go well with the rear Mac90 - which isn't a bad tire - just the front 90's suck) and you'll be happy.
Or if you're like me, you'll just put up with it until it wears out and replace both tires.
-
I had the same problem once on my CB900F. Whenever I got up in speed, it would start to wobble. I changed the front tire and fixed it.
-
I have an 02 1200 with only 1500 miles on it. I have notices a lot of vibration issues and have tried several products to calm them down. I recently noticed that if I let go of the handlebars they seem to shiver & shake (best description I can come up with). I have never seen this on a bike before & have no clue as to the cause....HELP!
This is an extremly common problem with B12's fitted with Macadams.
Simple answer, get rid of the Macadams now and put on just about any other tyre and your problem SHOULD be solved.
Or you can do what I did, put up with it until the tyre was just about due for replacement, and put on just about any other tyre. Personally I use a Metzler M1 on the front. But as I said, just about any tyre, without the centre line tread, should fix the problem.
-
That happened to me with conti front, i uped the air and rode it till worn out. I now run the Shinko's 009's with nothing but praise for em! Front has 8k rear got 7k! The front will last another rear, no cupping! and all for less than $155.00 for both to your door! :beers: :motorsmile:
-
:thanks:
I guess next question is....
Metzler z6 or Pirelli Strada's?
-
Whichever one you can get the best deal on.
Personally, I like my back tire to have tread grooves across the center. Makes me feel better in the rain and it's easier to see when they're worn out, so I wouldn't choose either one. I can't recall reading any bad reviews of either the Z6 or the Strada (just complaints about how reading the TWI's on the Z6's and how a lot of folks didn't know the tire was worn out until cord started to show).
FWIW - I've been happy with Michelin's Pilot Roads. I'm on my 2nd front & 3rd rear PR.
-
Well I like the Z6, its what I change to. And here it the UK I've had no problems with there being no tread over the mid section of the tire. Wet or Dry. :banana:
-
I keep hearing that the Z6 is a great rain tire. Supposedly because the front tire channels the way for the rear? (Though that would only work going straight.) I still don't see how it could be a better rain tire than a similar tire with tread across the center.
The thing that makes me most leary about the Z6 is how many people I've seen posts from that discovered their Z6 rear was due for replacement when cord started to show. At least with a tread pattern that crosses the center, it is plainly obvious when you're getting close.
-
Daytona, which conti front did you have? I just got the road attacks put on and haven't been able to ride much since. I hope they dont cup on me.
-
Daytona, which conti front did you have? I just got the road attacks put on and haven't been able to ride much since. I hope they dont cup on me.
Not to worry it wasn't the attack! I have heard nothing but good stuff about those.. It was a too low of air pressure thing that got away from me! My fault not the tire... :motorsmile:
-
This is just a quick addition to this post:
I had the same problem with my '02 b12S.
I followed the consenus and got a set of the Shinko 009's.
Headshake gone...for a while.
Now I have about 2K miles on these rubbers and the headshake has returned, but not quite as bad as before.
I get no shake above ~55mph, but anything below that gets progressively worse down to about 20-ish, then smooths out again.
I heard someone mention a while ago that it could be a steering head bearing issue, but I haven't been able to confirm/deny it.
Any ideas anyone? I really hate riding with my hands on the bars, what a drag! :shock:
PS. Don't misunderstand, I love these Shinko's. They flat rock in wet or dry and wear like Levi's, plus they're cheap as grade 2 dirt. :roll:
Later!
Elmojo
-
Elmojo.... I have the Shinko 005 Advance on my front and there is lots of headshake going on from 40 - 53 mph. It's by far the worst of four front tires I have had on (Mac 100 & 2 Avon 45's). My steering head bearings don't seem loose at all - no play or clunk or rough spots... but I'm probably going to re-adjust them for grins. One thing the factory manual says is there should be some tension on these bearings - using a spring scale the bearings should be tightened so it takes and initial pull of 7 - 17 oz. before the bars move. I've not seen this mentioned in any steering head bearing threads but might as well give it a try. The headshake gets downright scary at times.
I am pleased with the Shinko tire except for this headshake problem. The 009 rear goes on tomorrow. Looking forward to trying that out.
-
I was talking to the guy at our local tyre shop lately and he said that the problem with the B12 front end wobble is a problem with the steering head bearings and it's not just B12's that experiance this.
He said that you can check, tighten, grease the bearings to your hearts content, but it won't make a scrap of difference. But if you REPLACE them, then the problem usually goes away.
The reason why a different tyre 'fix' the problem, is that, quite obviously, different tyres have different contact characteristics and therefore some tyres will 'hide' the problem.
When I mentioned Macadam 90x and 100x he said, and I quote "I wouldn't fit a Macadam to the front of any bike, not unless I really hated the bloke.....on the rear their great"
-
...yet the Mac 100's had the least shake of all (for ma anyway) - go figure. If the "adjustment" doesn't help I'll either replace them or just hold on to the bars. :duh:
-
Well, we (terrebandit & I) finally dug into the steering head bearings... sorta. Dropped the bars and did the Suzuki factory "initial force" steering adjustment (page 5-27) test. Could not get any kind of reading on the scale it was so smooth and "loose". Not loose like wobbly just no resistance to bar movement.
I used the smallest ball peen hammer and a drift punch to tighten the steering stem nut... it moved very, very easily over a 1/4 rotation. We kept checking the tension and it was finally starting to register something on the scale. Kept on tightening until it was in spec (high end of the 7 - 17 oz. range) and yet the steering head/fork assembly was still smooth with no notchiness noted.
Torqued down the steering stem head nut and put it all together. A final measurement showed the tension got tighter (and now really on the high end) but we decided to leave it. I also noted that it had more tension one direction than the other - maybe cable routing caused that, not sure. Next time I'll not get it quite so tight to compensate for the final torquing of the head nut.
Took it out for a little 100 mile romp and WOW... what a huge difference in handling. Practically all of the headshake is gone. Several tests were done in the 40 - 55 mph range and I was able to generate headshake in only one condition. Smooth asphalt headed downhill leaning back slightly caused it twice. The rest of the time it was rock solid. There was overall improvement in the bike's handling at other speeds as well. Everything felt more stable - one has to presume it's similar to installing a steering dampener.
I will put a few hundred more miles on it and recheck the tension. I may have gone slightly too tight but things are still very smooth. In reading the factory manual it says to torque the steering stem nut to a specified setting and then back off 1/4 turn. I would think that will leave the nut fairly tight still which should be tighter than I first found mine. We were both surprised how easily that nut moved at first.
Now add to the mix a new 009 Shinko rear tire and things really feel different. I'm liking the Shinko tire - very grippy feeling and of course with no squared off edges the steering is a LOT quicker feeling. We also did a valve adjustment - that required no adjustments (yippee)!!!! I'm all set for a few months of riding!!!!
-
I also tried the same thing and used the same tools. I tighten the steering stem nut just till it felt firm, but then I tested the movement had bad notchiness. I backed off some but movement was still notchy. Handling is very bad at slow speeds. I have some new bearing sitting right in front of me. :beers:
-
After about 800 miles on the new shinko 005 I was getting shake on decel from 55 to 40 mphs. " no hands only " Read all these posts and found the adjustment ring loose from factory, 6500 miles on the bike now. Appears to be several sets of instructions on the proper adjustment of the head bearings. I will say this, even if I left the adjuster loose and tightened the top nut there was no play. I tried all the methods and settled on my own. Loosened adjuster grabbed forks and shook. tightened until all free play was gone.
This didnt require forceful tapping on the adjuster, and movement was just out of the free coasting range. Tightened down the top nut and a little bit of force was needed to move bars no binding.
So far so good sent Jake packing.
PIN
-
="gearset01"]After about 800 miles on the new shinko 005 I was getting shake on decel from 55 to 40 mphs. " no hands only " Read all these posts and found the adjustment ring loose from factory, 6500 miles on the bike now. Appears to be several sets of instructions on the proper adjustment of the head bearings. I will say this, even if I left the adjuster loose and tightened the top nut there was no play. I tried all the methods and settled on my own. Loosened adjuster grabbed forks and shook. tightened until all free play was gone.
This didnt require forceful tapping on the adjuster, and movement was just out of the free coasting range. Tightened down the top nut and a little bit of force was needed to move bars no binding.
So far so good sent Jake packing.
PIN
Up the air pressure, i used 42psi and stopped the uneven wear on the left side of the tire. Shake comes from the choppy wear we get from wide left turns, or too flat a profile of tire on a sport bike rake.Too much tire on the road, happens to any tire if you let the psi get away from you. The steering head or triple brg adj should be as close to no movement in fork leg as possible, but not too tight. If over snugged it will damage the race, or cage of the brg's, plastic in some cases. With no slop, the bars, (with tire off floor) should move from one full turn to another with no help after a little push, or from center to full turn either way. If not slow speed will feel like its fighting you. JMO but been there and done that. 009's is what i had in the shinko's i had over 10k when i traded her!! :duh: :crybaby: :roll: :beers: :beers: :motorsmile:
-
I tried 42 PSI and everything in between 36 and 42. I dont get it the factory tires I ran at 42 and never had cupping or any problems just shit life. Ive read here that running at 42 isn't a good idea :?: I guess trial and error is the best way. I should have my factory manual before too much longer. I am really hoping that the head bearings aren't plastic , I will not be happy about that. There is alot of forces there, and thats just cheap. The Shinkos are not cupped the tread looks good but it is wearing slightly more on the left side cause of the crown in the roads here. I am going back to 42 PSI front and rear I liked it on the factory tires. As far as movement of the bars goes a little push and it goes 3/4 of the way. As I mentioned the bars would swing easy until I tightened down the top nut then there was a little resistance, the exploded view isn't as good as a cut away to see whats going on there at assembly. :idea:
PIN