[kevin]

Hi,
I dont know if any one else has had this, but at a speed of lets say 100+
on a straight I get a severe wobble, the front wheel starts to snake wich in turn goes right through the bike to the rear wheel and it must be said to my pants!!

The 1st time this happened was leaning into a very relaxed bend down hill on a windy day, the next was on a clear day and very smooth rd.

All the reviews iI have read have not said anything about this before, I realise I am not really ment to go this fast, but if the bike is able to reach these speeds then it should do without me filling my pants.

The Tyre pressure is fine, it has only just done 600 miles and is due for its 1st service now.

What do you think?

 

[Burger Bob]

You don't mention what machine you are riding when this happens.

Bob

 

[Burger Bob]

OK, Kevin, I've just seen from your previous posts that you have a 650 Burgman. I must say that this is the first time I've come accross this problem on a Burgman. I have read that the Silverwings could develop a wobble or weave at high speeds, but personally I have never experienced this with my 650 at any speed. I would suggest having your wheel balance checked and steering stem checked for correct ammount of play. Perhaps others can offer some ideas.

Cheers,

bob

 

[allwalk]

First thing I would check is to make sure the front axle is tight and secure. Someone else reported finding there front axle loose with similar results. Make sure the axle is tight and then the bolt that pinches the front axle is tight as well.

 

[Lapine Rider]

I agree with Burger Bob, except that I would also suggest laundering your pants.

 

[Rubble]

Kevin;
Have a look at this page:

http://home.jps.net/~snowbum/instability.htm

 

[Randy]

Just did the 600 mile check .....wobble at 100 + :shock:
Well your right it should do it without a wobble
But I sure hope I am not looking for a 600 when yours is for sale :lol:

 

[Burger Bob]

Something else I just thought of - where do you have your shocks set? By increasing the height of the rear of the bike, more weight is put on the front wheel, which, in my experience, helps to keep the front end more stable, particularly during cross winds. I agree with Allwalk about checking the front axle, in fact, I'd check all major nuts and bolts! Let us know what you discover.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[kevin]

wobble

Thanks for your feedback.

The bike is going in for it's 1st service from new.

I have only had the bike a couple of months if that, and I am pleased except for that wobble.

The rear shocks are on the lowest setting ( #1 ) as I am short and need all the help I could get.

I will let the dealer know about the problem and report back here when I find out what has caused the wobble.

I just did not expect this from a brand new bike as good as the Burgman 650.

untill then..........

 

[Rubble]

Kevin, now that you say you have your shocks set so low I'm pretty sure that is probably the cause of your concern. I have read on other forums of the same problem occuring (different type of bike, though) because of a light front end. In most cases it is cured by stiffening the rear shock settings.
Just out of curiostiy, is that 100 kilometers or miles per hour?

 

[Jim]

Kevin,

If your riding is high speed (70 mph+), you will want to try a shock setting of at least #2. I had the same wobble, going down the expressway @ 70-75 indicated. Stiffining the rear end, will bring the front end down.

The higher the speed the stiffer the suspension should be.

 

[kevin]

wobble

The Bike has just been booked in for it's 1st 600 mile service for friday the 1st of april.

The speed I was stateing is MPH, I have read the link that was about wobble and can see that downhill makes it worse and throw in a bend and weave-a-matic pant-static can rear its ugly head.

The shop where I got it from said " I dont see what we can do about the wobble at that speed as we would have no one to go at that speed to test it, who would risk hes life. ( i can understand that ) But the machine must be stable at that speed or it would not be made to reach such speeds.

I must stress I do not ride at this speed all the time, it was just to see how it would perform being a scooter at that speed.

I will raise the rear shocks up a notch and the next time the road is clear will try again...

 

[allwalk]

I've had my machine up past this speed several times and it was rock solid. You are right in expecting it to be stable at these speeds.

 

[pauljo]

I have had mine over 100 mph several times when testing accessories & their effect on top speed (windshields, top box, etc). No wobble. The only time I felt a wobble start was when my front Bridgestone was worn from use. Replacing the tire took care of that.

Check front axle pinch bolts & steering head bearing adjustment. Set tires at 41 psi rear & 33 psi front. Set rear shocks on position 4 (next to stiffest setting). If you still have a wobble, something is wrong.

The dealer's response would have me looking for another dealer or a good independent mechanic. They should know enough to check front axle, steering head, and tire balance at a minimum. The unwillingness to test it at illegal speed is understandable, but totally irrelevant. They should do the troubleshooting regardless - you can test the results.

 

[Dan Jones]

Check your bearings. or have your dealer check them

I had both the front and rear bearings go out when the tires wore down. I had to replace my front bearings with industrial grade bearings because the dealer did not have any on hand when I needed them.

 

[kevin]

I have my bike back from it's first service and they said they checked the head, steering and axle and could find nothing loose, the only thing they did find was that the tyre pressure in the front wheel was 5lb under.

they put air in the tyre and told me they tested upto 100MPH and had no wobble.

I have had the bike now upto 107mph and it was worse than when i first took it in, I thought i was going to come off, the bike wanted to change lanes.

I have now got a friend who knows a lot about bikes to have a look at it for me, he has taken it out and said it is a wonder that i managed to stay on.

I will let you know he's findings in a few days, by the way I put the rear shocks upto number 4.

one other thing is now that it has had it's service it no longer has the punch it had before, ie before I would twist the grip at any speed and whoa hold on, now at upto 80 that still happens but twist hard from there and i was lucky to see 107mph downhill or flat road (mind you with the slap i get now that's a good thing)

 

[4DThinker]

Kevin... That wobble just may be God saying "This is too fast. Slow down". Maybe it's just the scooter saying it. Either way, you might want to take the hint. Did you buy it to race it? If so, you've voided your warranty. You might want to tell your insurance agency too. They have "special prices" for motorcycle racers.

My scooter tends to scrape it's bottom when I hop curbs. I complained to the dealer but he said he had no one to test it over curbs and that all he could do was check it for on-the-street performance. He did some service on it, and even claimed he sent his 14 year old nephew out over some curbs on it but it never scraped for him. I got it back but it STILL scrapes bottom over curbs, and now it's even slowing down a bit.

It "could" just be that I weigh 210 and the nephew weighs 145, and my portlyness was what brought the springs down far enough to scrape the curb. It "could" just be that your head and body combined with the wind profile of your scooter creates an unstable situation at high speeds. But you go ahead and blame the bike. I will too.

Dave B.

 

[kevin]

Kevin... That wobble just may be God saying "This is too fast. Slow down". Maybe it's just the scooter saying it. Either way, you might want to take the hint. Did you buy it to race it?

Let me just say I have not got this bike to race it, and as stated earlier was to see how fast the bike could go and how it handeld being a scooter.

The bike sholud handle the speeds thrown at it safely and in a controlled manner, or the bike would not be made to reach such speeds.

It "could" just be that I weigh 210 and the nephew weighs 145, It "could" just be that your head and body combined with the wind profile of your scooter creates an unstable situation at high speeds.

If this was the case why did it also wobble for my friend who is a very diffrent shape to me!! Also I take it that everyone her are also come in all shapes and sizes but they dont get this wobble at high speeds, I must be a very strage shape.

I think that if a bikes top speed was say 50mph that it should do so safely and without trying to throw the rider off, or maybe I should just except it and slow down!! I will blame the bike, I think.

I understand what you are saying about slowing down and about the kerb issue (although going up and down kerbs is not life threting) but as stated above, if a bikes top speed was within the speed limt and wobbled would you except that!! of course not. I know I should not travel at that speed,and i did not buy the bike for this speed and i have had boy racers (ZZR 600) but please lets agree that it should stay firm without weave, or maybe the Silver Wing scooter should not have been recalled when it was found to be unstable at high speeds!

 

[Brian]

I don't recall ever seeing anything from Suzuki about the 650 being designed to go over 100MPH. It is advertised as a street-legal scooter, and nothing more. Just because a car or bike has enough power to reach high speeds doesn't mean that that's what it's intended to do. The power of the 650 is for easier, smoother acceleration; hill-climbing ability; load-carrying capability; etc.

That being said, I have had my 650 over 110MPH indicated several times now. I've never had any wobble or other handling problems. I keep my tires at 33 - 36 front, and 41 rear. I have my shocks set on 3. I weigh 230 pounds.

If this wobbling persists I would take it to another dealer if yours can't isolate the problem. A problem now at 100 could be a problem later at 65.

 

[kevin]

I do not wish to argue about the intended use as to wether the bike was desigend to go over 100mph or not, the fact is it can. So logic tells me if something can then it should do so safely.

I just asked for some advice, and said that I do not useally ride at these speeds, But I ask this would everyone else on this forum be happy to take there bike upto 100 and feel like they are going to fall off!! of course not.

Many of you in your replies have stated that you have taken your bike over 100Mph without any wobble or weave, so please do not judge me as being a speed deamon seeking the thrills of a sports bike, I know what I have but, as has just been stated above by Brian a problem at 100 can and will if left become a problem at 60.

The intension of this post was to ask if anyone else has had it happen to them and how to solve it. Also so that when i do get it solved can say, this is what caused it and this it what cured it, no more no less.

By the way the X9 500 was recalled for a weave at the 100mph mark and I wanted to know if there was anything going on with this bike. It does seem there is a very big problem with wheel bearings made even worse by living in the rain infested UK.