Author Topic: My Weeble's Wobble (Read 12528 times)

bittercrick · **on:** August 21, 2011, 12:33:42 am

Well haven't had anymore problems lately with Weeble cutting out but he still has his wobble above much over 60mph. But heres what iv'e learned while rideing if i lean down over the tank the wobble pretty much ceases or if press down hard on the foot pegs while pulling back on the bars it ceases to wobble so i think it must just have a weak frame structure.if i'd have known before what i've learned through rideing the RE. i'd have spent my $7k elsewhere.they really need to get on top of there quality control before the word spreads to far in the USA.and the back order of most accessories when ordered with no idea of when the part will become available is somewhat of a joke.seems they catalog an item to feel out the market then go into production.my wifes china built scooter is more stable at 60+mph.but i plan to keep rideing Weeble and hope a cure is found. bittercrick

Desi Bike · **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2011, 12:53:42 am

Mine had a wooble problem over 110km/h, I did nothing to fix it, now its stable up to 135 km/h. Maybe the headstock loosedned up as I broke it in? Who knows. 3000 km on the clock this month so far, still having fun.

Kevin Mahoney · **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2011, 12:55:14 am

Lower your tyre pressure to no more than 18-20 lbs in the front and 24 in the rear. This is unrelated to your frame. You can also try adjusting your shocks.You will find that this make a huge difference. Lastly take it back to your dealer and have them check the steering head bearing pre-load (last resort)
I can assure you that you will never bend the frame regardless of what you do short of T-Boning a car. The C5 is very quick handling. If you are not used to that type of handling it can be a bit disconcerting. By quick I mean that any input you give it causes a reaction. It is very neutral which means it goes where you give it input to go.

Kevin Mahoney · **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2011, 12:58:21 am

PS - As I re-read your post I realized that the other thing you are doing is shifting weight. This again had nothing to do with the frame as such. The C5 has three degrees less rake in the fork than the the other bikes. This was done to make it very quick handling. If you ride this bike in the twisties and turnies you can get a lot more out of it for this reason. You can also try shifting the weight of the bike by moving the handlebars or even trying different set. No bike setup is perfect for everyone individual.

bittercrick · **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2011, 01:48:48 am

Thanks for the response Kevin i did lower my tire psi. to those numbers awhile back it helped a little but didn't aliveate the problem . I understand what your saying about the steering geometry as I've had a Buell 1200 Ulysses when they first came out it was quick handling also but i never had a problem I've owned an rode a hell of a lot of bikes in my life and only one that ever acted similar was an old Kawasaki i once owned. but I'll stick with it and see what i can figure out.or watch this forum for more updates.

olhogrider · **Reply #5 on:** August 21, 2011, 03:19:24 am

If you didn't live in East Nowhere Wyoming, I would let you ride mine. It is rock solid up to terminal velocity. Sometimes if my elbows are out and my jacket sleeves start flapping in the wind it will induce a bit of head shake. I still wonder if your bike is properly setup. Wheel alignment, steering head bearings, even the position of the fenders has caused some issues.

bittercrick · **Reply #6 on:** August 21, 2011, 04:39:45 am

no it's west nowhere Wyoming

BRADEY · **Reply #7 on:** August 21, 2011, 06:47:21 am

The C5 is the only bike from the RE which has this inherent problem of instability. And for me its very scary.

Its not a race bike but a cruiser, which should not require such fine tuning to be stable.

Whatever changes RE made to its setup geometry, to make it nimble and blah blah, has gone wrong terribly.

prof_stack · **Reply #8 on:** August 21, 2011, 07:30:36 am

Yep, I wish the B5 had been available when I thought about buying a RE.

But my C5 looks nicer and up to 60 mph is rock steady. But above that it's not very fun to ride. It's the only motorcycle I've ever had that is squirrelly at high speed. Jeez, my Buell Blast thumper was rock sold steady at its top speed of 90mph.

Notice the ads of enfieldmotorcycles.com for the B5 and G5 say "better high speed stability" or something like that while the C5 doesn't. That means something, doesn't it?

jartist · **Reply #9 on:** August 21, 2011, 07:35:50 am

If you're not happy with the C5 ride you might want to try some different tires. Others have had luck with a more classically profiled 3.5 inch in front with matching rear. You've got a world of choices on the 18" rims.
http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,10819.0.html

barenekd · **Reply #10 on:** August 21, 2011, 07:44:28 pm

Bittercreek,
I have ordered some K70s for the Olde J-3. I don't like that straight cut tread the front Avons have, the look or the behaviour. That has contributed to some strange happenings, which even include the slide into the ditch. My bike will start to weave a bit especially above 80, which I obvious don't make a habit of doing, but knowing the potential is there is enough.
Just sticking to the stock sizes.
I should have them on in a week or so. I'll let you know how they work out for me.
Bare

bittercrick · **Reply #11 on:** August 21, 2011, 10:43:38 pm

Thanks Bare I'll be anxious to hear the outcome.I only wished they'd have sorted this out before it left the factory. So the new owners didn't to incur this expense ,guess they couldn't find the time needed for a road test .bittercrick

olhogrider · **Reply #12 on:** August 22, 2011, 12:03:52 am

Bitter, the stock tires on the C5 are great. I think you should be looking elsewhere for your stability problems. If you do decide to swap tires, let me know. I would be interested in your Avons. There is nothing wrong with the C5 design but anything built by hand can be put together incorrectly. I would get it in to the dealer before swapping anything.

bittercrick · **Reply #13 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:42:06 am

Was just out in the shop checking everything on Weeble agin and as a last try I stood in front of the bike with the front tire between my ankles and calfs I sqeezed tight and reached up and took hold of the grips and pulled them right and left and the forks twist a bunch so I think I found the problem .I then tried the same on my 06 T100 and theres no give at all.And as I found earlier on theres no good way that I can see to install a fork brace. $:-\$ bittercrick

jartist · **Reply #14 on:** August 22, 2011, 04:09:23 am

It shouldn't do that with or without a brace. I'd take the front end apart and put it back together. Not too hard to do with ducati scottys tutorial. Or take it to the dealer.

Ice · **Reply #15 on:** August 22, 2011, 04:16:53 am

If I recall correctly ( and I'm not completely sure here), Br. gas house gorilla had instability in his C5.
IIRC (again, big if) the cause was some sort of unwanted pressure from something mounted not right in the rear half of the bike pulling things askew.

A thread search should shed some more light on things.

Br. bittercrick,
Our 35mm forks do have some flex to them,they've had for sixty years as have every all the other brands.
You're sure everything up front is tight ?

prof_stack · **Reply #16 on:** August 22, 2011, 04:22:25 am

Quote from: Ice on August 22, 2011, 04:16:53 am

If I recall correctly ( and I'm not completely sure here), Br. gas house gorilla had instability in his C5.
IIRC (again, big if) the cause was some sort of unwanted pressure from something mounted not right in the rear half of the bike pulling things askew.
...

GHG's C5 had an older style rear fender setup. The newer ones (like mine) have a better setup from the gitgo.

olhogrider · **Reply #17 on:** August 22, 2011, 05:02:52 am

Try this. Grab a fork slider and pull it away from the other slider. I was able to move the axle in and out of the slider in spite of the clamping nut being torqued to spec. A bit more torque was all it needed. Check the fork leg security while you are at it. I doubt the top of the tubes would be loose just because of how they are installed.

gashousegorilla · **Reply #18 on:** August 22, 2011, 05:33:11 am

bittercrick, before you dropped your tire pressure, did it feel like your stability would fall apart at around 55-60 mph? And now , after you dropped the pressure you can go a little faster before it happens?

bittercrick · **Reply #19 on:** August 22, 2011, 12:11:16 pm

Seems it's always started wagging at any thing over 60mph any faster and it increases till it gets plumb scary.I've aligned the rear wheel which was off square.checked the fender bolts and anything else I could think of .Hope I'm not boring you fellers with all this but I'm coming to wits end.Seems more like a design flaw than anything.Thanks for bearing with me on this. bittercrick

gashousegorilla · **Reply #20 on:** August 22, 2011, 02:20:46 pm

No, not boring at all. I been there, know what it is like.

Scary when it happens, frustrating till you find it. Mine was doing the same thing at around the same speed. I would get it back to the dealer NOW. Your bike should be stable..... If you want, you can PM me, I'll walk you through what I did.

lj3 · **Reply #21 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:02:31 pm

Quote from: bittercrick on August 22, 2011, 12:11:16 pm

Seems it's always started wagging at any thing over 60mph any faster and it increases till it gets plumb scary.I've aligned the rear wheel which was off square.checked the fender bolts and anything else I could think of .Hope I'm not boring you fellers with all this but I'm coming to wits end.Seems more like a design flaw than anything.Thanks for bearing with me on this. bittercrick

my C5 goes straight as an arrow all the way over 70mph, if there were some kind of "design flaw" wouldn't every C5 sway at speed?
I rode almost 300 miles yesterday and a few times I had my hands off the bars at 60+ with no sway/wobble at all. my guess is its all in the setup from the dealer.
I've got almost 2000 miles on it now and it just runs better and better, yesterday I did about 280 miles averaging over 60mph and got around 65mpg.

lj3 · **Reply #22 on:** August 22, 2011, 03:04:03 pm

I also adjusted my shocks as stiff as they would go, that made a huge difference in handling.

bittercrick · **Reply #23 on:** August 22, 2011, 05:48:08 pm

I have finally gained some headway on the wobble.I loosened the cinch bolt and the axle nut then bounced the front 3 times and tightened everything back up took it to town to coffee this morning at 65+mph and no wobble . I'm ecstatic less it was only a fluke I'll keep you posted on this. bittercrick

p.s.Yes if this was the cure I'll eat crow,can't taste that bad

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #24 on:** August 22, 2011, 07:40:55 pm

The factory manual for most bikes I've seen recommends this, or tight one side, bounce, then tighten the other. It lets everything settle nicely into place before you lock it down. If you still notice some wiggle, loosen the lower triple tree pinch bolts, bouncy-bouncy, and re-tighten. It's the same principal.

That aside, so glad you've got it sorted! And thanks for keeping at it. These machines need a little more TLC than some but they're great little bikes.

Scott

Ice · **Reply #25 on:** August 22, 2011, 08:10:04 pm

Quote from: bittercrick on August 22, 2011, 05:48:08 pm

I have finally gained some headway on the wobble.I loosened the cinch bolt and the axle nut then bounced the front 3 times and tightened everything back up took it to town to coffee this morning at 65+mph and no wobble . I'm ecstatic less it was only a fluke I'll keep you posted on this. bittercrick

p.s.Yes if this was the cure I'll eat crow,can't taste that bad

Crow seasoned with road bugs strained through the teeth of a big Enfield grin is delicious ! IMHE

Contributions like this are a priceless addition to the knowledge base and are an immense service to all the brother hood.

Beers to you Sir !

Kevin Mahoney · **Reply #26 on:** August 22, 2011, 08:41:49 pm

We use a similar trick with engine vibration. Sometimes it is worth it to loosen up the engine mounting bolts, run the engine a short bit and then re tighten. Things find their center that way.

singhg5 · **Reply #27 on:** August 22, 2011, 09:51:04 pm

Quote from: bittercrick on August 22, 2011, 05:48:08 pm

I have finally gained some headway on the wobble.I loosened the cinch bolt and the axle nut then bounced the front 3 times and tightened everything back up took it to town to coffee this morning at 65+mph and no wobble . I'm ecstatic less it was only a fluke I'll keep you posted on this. bittercrick

p.s.Yes if this was the cure I'll eat crow,can't taste that bad

This sounds pretty good. Give a report after you have tested it a few more times. Enjoy the ride !

bittercrick · **Reply #28 on:** August 22, 2011, 10:20:05 pm

Well did a highway run got to 68mph and it started again maybe not as strong as it had been took it to 70+ and it got stronger again so backed off to 65mph and it quit so better than what I had but not what I was shooting for. Back to the drawing board I guess.
I stoped a couple of times and tried different shock settings to no avail. Boy this thing is a head scratcher fer sure. And thanks for staying with me on this, what kinda beer do you prefer I'm buying

bittercrick

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #29 on:** August 22, 2011, 10:28:04 pm

Ok, let's review...

Check your tire pressure again, something like 18/26 should be a good start. Set you're rear shocks softer, not harder. One notch down from the middle would be a good spot to start. Loosen the front axle, axle pinch bolt, and lower triple pinch bolts, bouncy-bouncy-bouncy, tighten the triple, tighten the axle. Make sure your rear wheel is properly aligned. Make sure you don't have excessive play in the steering head bearnings (you probably don't or you'd notice it sooner).

It should only take you about 20 minutes to go through all of that. Take it for a spin and see how it does. If you want to make adjustments after that try one thing at a time.

Scott

barenekd · **Reply #30 on:** August 22, 2011, 11:35:30 pm

I don't know if the fender setup is as stiff as the G5. But the G5 has a one hell of a fork brace!
Start from the steering head shaft. If that nut's loose, all kinds of weird things can happen. It lets the triple clamps flex between the two of them and leaves the head bearings loose. Definitely could explain your difficulties. Grab the front fork down low and see if you're getting any back and forth movement in them. That's loose bearings. I thought way back you said you had checked that stuff. Must've been someone else.
Bare

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #31 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:01:37 am

No fork brace on the C5 but it'd be worth loosening the front fender struts and re-tightening just the same.

Scott

bittercrick · **Reply #32 on:** August 23, 2011, 12:53:19 am

Thanks Scotty but i've done all the things you named thats why I say I'm really stumped on this.the only thing that works at all is lying forward on the tank like a monkey breeding a football, sorry . bittercrick

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #33 on:** August 23, 2011, 01:05:41 am

Two bigger things to try...

1) Get the bike warm. Loosen all the mounting bolts for the engine until they are just loose. Then, with it running at dile, tighten them all up. Go roundy round, a little on each until they are all snugged to spec. Like Kevin said, this lets the engine "find its center" which is important when it's a stressed member of the frame.

2) You could check to see if you have the Gorilla problem. Unbolt one side of the rear fender, just two bolts. You can unbolt either the fender or the whole strut which might be a little easier. If it springs distinctly out of place you've got pent up stress in the fender causing a frame harmonic at speed. Gorilla valiantly foudn this problem and solved it by drilling new holes and re-bolting the fender and now he's smooth as silk. Well, he was always smooth but now the bike is too

If neither of those helps, get to the dealer. A fresh pair of eyes can't hurt. My bike is dead solid to 80mph+ so there's no inherent design flaw. The frame should be more than stable enough for all the engine can give.

Scott

gashousegorilla · **Reply #34 on:** August 23, 2011, 02:56:06 am

.....Or 60 grit sand paper more like it.

Just to add what Scotty has said about the tail section. Do ensure that the notch on the front of the rear fender is fully seated in the rubber bush that is below and behind the seat. It's not easy to see, Try looking from the under side of the fender. I think I posted a pic of it in your last post. THIS IS A MUST ! If it is not seated the entire tail ..fender..and both fender stays will wag. It will get worse as speed increases, and more air is rammed under that high set fender. The faster you go, the more the tail wags, then so does the bike.
I've tested it by removing the entire tail. running the bike to around 80-85 mph, with the higher tire pressures stamped on the plate. The bike was rock solid..... Reinstalled the tail , with the fender seated correctly, still with the higher tire pressures. It was better, but like yours bittercrick....not like it should be. That's when we dropped the tire pressures, and it worked. Sort of sounds like yours?
I would also check your swing arm pivot bolt that it is torqued correctly. You may also want to add some washers , to fill that extra side to side play at the shock mounts. Upper and lower. The idea is to get rid of any excess sway or wag in the rear, that will resonate up the frame, and upset the stability. It worked for me. also, Spin your wheels, do the rims look like they are true and round? Any excess hop or run out? Fork oil level the same in both Legs? Mine wasn't. Could be one thing...could be a few things adding up? Like is was said earlier. It should have been test ridden.

PAndy · **Reply #35 on:** August 23, 2011, 10:57:25 pm

I've been dealing with a 65+ mph wobble as well that is quite frustrating, something always seems wrong with this bike.

So, I tried to loosen the front axle cinch bolt and bounce it a few times, only to find that the bolt breaks before I can re-tighten it enough to actually pinch the front axle. I've broken 3 bolts already. All the bolts were non-SS so they should be pretty strong, I'm trying to track down a grade 8 bolt but this seems pretty unnecessary, at least based on how easy it was to pinch the axle with all my other motorcycles.

If it was always loose this would definitely give me stability issues, I'm just amazed that the fork was made stronger than the bolt intended to pinch it.

Anyone have this issue as well?

drbvac · **Reply #36 on:** August 24, 2011, 01:16:29 am

I am amazed that any of the bolts would break before being torqued to the appropriate amount. Sometimes if pinched and then over tightened the stresses put on the forks actually twist them.

High speed wobbles are usually due to the fender problem - and/or tire pressures and as a last resort the engine mounts themselves as stated before.

And - these are not really high speed ( 70mph to 150 mph road rockets) bikes. My ride on mower shakes really badly at 40mph

P. Schraub · **Reply #37 on:** August 24, 2011, 01:56:09 am

Hey Guys,
Just a thought, did you have your wheels balanced ?

PAndy · **Reply #38 on:** August 24, 2011, 03:21:38 am

I loosened the pinch and bounced it a few times, then I tightened until it started to snug, then tightened 1/2 and eventually 1/4 turn at a time, at no point did it actually pinch the front axle, even as I tightened 1/4 turn until the bolt broke. 3 times

Arizoni · **Reply #39 on:** August 24, 2011, 05:57:55 am

Some thoughts on breaking the bolt:

The pinch bolt on my G5 has a 6mm thread.

My recommended torque for a bolt this size is 8 Ft/Lbs of torque if the threads are dry. (This amount of torque will break a SAE Grade 2 bolt and should be used with either a SAE grade 5 or 8 (or its metric equivalent) (ref SAE J429)

The minor diameter of this bolt is .200". When this is combined with a Grade 5 bolt (85KSI Yield) it should be capable of creating a load of 2670 pounds before it yields. It should be capable of withstanding a force of 3770 pound before breaking.

A torque of 8 Ft/Lbs applied to a 6mm bolt with dry threads create a clamping force of 2000 pounds leaving a surplus of 670 pounds before it yields.

I can't help but think that a 2000 pound load should be enough to tighten the pinch enough to tighten on the axle. If it is not, then try a Grade 8 bolt and nut (or its metric equivalent).

PAndy · **Reply #40 on:** August 24, 2011, 08:11:43 am

I'm just going to the dealer, it's still under warranty and there's no reason that I shouldn't be able to pinch the axle before these bolts break. I don't want to throw a grade 8 in and end up breaking the mount itself.

bittercrick · **Reply #41 on:** August 24, 2011, 12:12:54 pm

Good thinking Pandy.We shouldn't have to work this hard to make a brand new bike rideable.However it's not the dealers fault either other than it's his responsability as having sold the thing.I know why some dealers drop the RE line after a year or two they get tired of fighting problems that should never have left the factory. My 2c bittercrick

gashousegorilla · **Reply #42 on:** August 24, 2011, 02:31:57 pm

I would think ,if you snapped three bolts trying to pinch down on the axle. Something is not machined correctly. Maybe the axle is undersized where it slides through the lower leg? Is the hole in the lower leg over bored? Not enough space in the slot?

barenekd · **Reply #43 on:** August 24, 2011, 05:19:16 pm

Quote

o, I tried to loosen the front axle cinch bolt and bounce it a few times, only to find that the bolt breaks before I can re-tighten it enough to actually pinch the front axle. I've broken 3 bolts already.

Try Allen headed cap screws. they are generally stronger than hardware store bolts.
While you are doing the tightening, have you checked to see if the gap in the fork leg that the bolt squeezes together is closing? If it is, then no bolt is going to squeeze the metal tighter.
But if you're tightening down that much, either your axle is too small, or the hole is too big.
Some minor machining error at the factory, it would strike me. Is your bike still under warranty? Have the dealer figure out which one is wrong and get a newbie. Or if you can get the specs from RE, and have the mikes to measure it with, do it yourself. As an interim, see if you can find some 1 or 2 thou shim material to wrap the axle with.
Bare

PAndy · **Reply #44 on:** August 24, 2011, 08:47:20 pm

@gashouse; My thought's exactly, there is no reason I should be able to snap a bolt while at the same time being able to push the axle in and out with my bare hands. Something down there is the wrong size, and since it's under warranty it's not my problem. Just glad I can't ride for a few weeks anyway while it's getting taken care of.

@Bare; If I didn't have warranty I would have already torn out some old .001 shims and wrapped them in there, figure if I get all these issues fixed correctly in the beginning, by the time the warranty runs out I'll hopefully have a decent motorcycle.

singhg5 · **Reply #45 on:** August 24, 2011, 10:46:36 pm

Quote from: Ducati Scotty on August 22, 2011, 10:28:04 pm

Ok, let's review...

Check your tire pressure again, something like 18/26 should be a good start.

Set you're rear shocks softer, not harder. One notch down from the middle would be a good spot to start.

Loosen the front axle, axle pinch bolt, and lower triple pinch bolts, bouncy-bouncy-bouncy, tighten the triple, tighten the axle.

Make sure your rear wheel is properly aligned.

Make sure you don't have excessive play in the steering head bearnings (you probably don't or you'd notice it sooner).

Scott - This was very helpful review. My G5 handlebar and overall bike vibrations had become so bad that it was very uncomfortable above 50 mph. The forearms and elbows would become numb, very uncomfortable - on the verge of pain - due to constant shaking, as if attached to a vibrator. I even bought foam grips that slide on top of the OEM handlebar ends. Obviously the problem was still there because they were not going to fix the real problem !

After I read your post, I thought why not try it - the bike is in bad shape anyway. So, I took off the windeshield. Loosened pinch bolt of front axle, loosened front wheel axle nut, loosened pinch bolts of each fork - G5 has a brace between upper forks attached by the pinch bolts. Put the bike on center stand, ran engine at idle with a couple of blips of throttle and then let it idle. Keep the handlebar front wheel straight. Went round and round tightening the fork pinch bolts, then axle nut and finally pinch bolt of front axle - got that really tight.

Set the front tyre air pressure at 19 psi and rear at 27 psi. Rear shocks all the way down, at the soft setting.

Went for a ride - What a significant difference it made, as if I got my bike back. The vibrations were of much shorter duration and more like mini-vibrations. Took bike to 70 mph but the wind was too much to go any faster so came back

!

I am going to put back the windshield and then test it again to see if windshield helps or makes it worse.

Beer to you from my side

!

prof_stack · **Reply #46 on:** August 25, 2011, 12:41:13 am

Glad to hear your vibration issues went away.

So, does the G5 tire pressure need to be about the same as the C5?

GlennF · **Reply #47 on:** August 25, 2011, 01:40:43 am

Quote from: prof_stack on August 25, 2011, 12:41:13 am

Glad to hear your vibration issues went away.

So, does the G5 tire pressure need to be about the same as the C5?

It would be interesting to know the optimum pressures for the B5 as well.

I suppose if you really want to tweak the Bullet handling you could always build a UCE featherbed Norfield

singhg5 · **Reply #48 on:** August 25, 2011, 01:50:09 am

Quote from: prof_stack on August 25, 2011, 12:41:13 am

Glad to hear your vibration issues went away.

So, does the G5 tire pressure need to be about the same as the C5?

Prof - It is not that the vibrations have completely disappeared. It still has vibrations, perhaps more than your new bike or a Harley. But they are less than before this 'bike-shake-up self-resetting' routine.

Now the question - is this level of vibrations an ISSUE ? That depends on whether you like RE or Goldwing that can cruise without spilling cup of coffee

!

prof_stack · **Reply #49 on:** August 25, 2011, 04:48:37 am

Quote from: singhg5 on August 25, 2011, 01:50:09 am

Prof - It is not that the vibrations have completely disappeared. It still has vibrations, perhaps more than your new bike or a Harley. But they are less than before this 'bike-shake-up self-resetting' routine.

Now the question - is this level of vibrations an ISSUE ? That depends on whether you like RE or Goldwing that can cruise without spilling cup of coffee !

Vibrations from my thumpers have never bothered me. The C5 does start talking to my hands at speeds above 70mph. My old Sportster was a vibrating beast. The new Guzzi is just plain sweet all around.

barenekd · **Reply #50 on:** August 25, 2011, 04:09:49 pm

I run 24F and 28R in my G5. It may contribute to the bit of high speed weave (over 70) I get out of it, but it's nothing alarming. I have run 18-20 with no problems. I've got some K70s now that I need to mount and see what they do to the handling.
Bare

singhg5 · **Reply #51 on:** August 25, 2011, 04:32:08 pm

UPDATE - WINDSHIELD on G5

Attached the windshield on the handlebar and took G5 for a ride to see if it helped or made things worse.

The handlebar vibrations were slightly magnified. The windshield shakes like a tuning fork at certain RPMs that cause vibrations. However, at certain RPMs (that do not induce shakes), the wind from the front seems to help stabilise the handlbar.

The good thing was that it blocked wind really well. I was able to ride upto 75 mph sitting upright, without leaning forward ! Kept it between 65 - 75 mph for a few miles on the highway.

Windshield will stay on it, considering the temperature has started to fall. Some nights are cooler and it will be sweater time in a few days.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #52 on:** August 26, 2011, 06:53:12 pm

Singh, I have another recommendation: Napoleon bar end mirrors. No, not one that looks just like it, the real deal Napoleon brand. I took mine off the other day and put on one of the stock mirrors. The side with the stock mirror vibrated more than usual, the side with no mirror vibrated WAY more. Uncomfortably so. The Napoleon's are well built and kinda heavy. Adding that weight to the outside of the bar really helps.

If you are one of those guys who just can't deal with bar end mirrors for width reasons I understand. Start looking for some really heavy bar end weights. I saw some the other day that were about a pound each for around $50 US. Those would do more than anything to get rid of your bad vibes.

Oh, and I'd say get rid of the foam grips. I find that with soft foam you tend to overgrip and your hands get very tired. I like the Pro-Grip gel type grips myself. A little vibe reducation and more comfortable than the thin stock grips.

Scott

singhg5 · **Reply #53 on:** August 27, 2011, 03:51:11 pm

Quote from: Ducati Scotty on August 26, 2011, 06:53:12 pm

Singh, I have another recommendation:.....

Start looking for some really heavy bar end weights.

Oh, and I'd say get rid of the foam grips. I find that with soft foam you tend to overgrip and your hands get very tired. I like the Pro-Grip gel type grips myself. A little vibe reducation and more comfortable than the thin stock grips.

Scott: You are right about the foam grips - they are not so comfortable. My small hands / fingers barely go around it and feels as if I am about to lose the grip. So I hold them tight as you have written and it is tiring.

I will look into heavy bar end weights and gel type grips and see which ones fit in G5. Thanks for ideas.

barenekd · **Reply #54 on:** August 27, 2011, 04:13:54 pm

The barend (Napolian) mirrors can be adjusted so they don't stick out much past the end of the bars. I have mine mounted outside the existing weights and they word very well. They reduce the stock bar shakes down to essentially nothing They don't stick out far and The image is very clear until about 70, then they will blur a little, but are still usable. They work great.
Bare

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #55 on:** August 27, 2011, 10:56:27 pm

Good point Naked, I keep forgetting that. I may adjust mine in a bit.

Singh,
Bar end weights:
http://www.hvmp.com/universal.htm
Now you have an idea of what I mean. Might take a little trimming since they don't mount inside our bars.

Do a search on 'Pro-Grip Gel', dozens of styles will come up. If you have small hands avoid the barrel shaped styles that are bigger in the middle. All will fit right on as is but fit even better with some very minor mods. I cut down the outer ridge on my plastic throttle tub a little to make it easier to get them on and seated. I also usually toss the throttle side grip in the freezer for a few hours and then carve a bit of the inner grip opening away at an angle with a very sharp razor. This lets the tiny ramp on the inner part of the plastic throttle tube seat into there nicely. That will make total sense once you remove the stock grips. There are some ridges on the throttle tube but just leave them, I never feel or see them even with the thinnest grips.

Scott

bman734 · **Reply #56 on:** August 28, 2011, 02:36:02 pm

Those of you going 70+ mph on these bikes I think are missing the point of owning a thumper in the first place. Yes, there are times when it will be necessary to go these faster speeds, short jaunts on the highway IE, but this bike was meant for back road riding going between 35 and 55 mph. Also regarding the dealers selling these bikes. My dealer test rode my bike before delivery to make sure there were no issues as is recommended by RE. He also made it clear that if I had ANY problems to make sure to let him know about it. If you have issues with stability take it bake to your dealer and have them fix it. You've got a two year warranty so unless you don't trust the capabilities of your dealer, which by the way should be something to research before you bought the bike, they should be the ones fixing it.

prof_stack · **Reply #57 on:** August 28, 2011, 03:09:16 pm

Quote from: bman734 on August 28, 2011, 02:36:02 pm

Those of you going 70+ mph on these bikes I think are missing the point of owning a thumper in the first place. Yes, there are times when it will be necessary to go these faster speeds, short jaunts on the highway IE, but this bike was meant for back road riding going between 35 and 55 mph. ...

+1

But the UCE was designed for higher speeds (70pmh) for longer trips, moreso than the AVL and iron-barrel. Despite that, my C5 is "best" under 65mph.

drbvac · **Reply #58 on:** August 28, 2011, 03:50:03 pm

+1 I can remember rolling along with a couple of buddies on my 08 Fatboy with the big bore kit on it cruising at 95-100 mph. Not hard to do on a HD with 75 HP but - big but - not a relaxing ride in the country. Once in a while quite and adrenaline rush and fun but around a sweeper and into a bunch of traffic or a hay wagon side ways on the road - scare the shit our of you.

I love the RE - at about 50mph - perfect - revving at half throttle - not beating up the motor - can still hear!! Can go 65-70 to pass but - slow down and smell the air - not so concetrating on NOT getting killed you cant enjoy what you are doing.

Want to go really fast - get on the Haybusa on the track - full leathers and fill your boots. Donor banks love bikers doing it on public roads

bman734 · **Reply #59 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:10:05 pm

I'm happiest going 45 mph on our local lake shore road. It's smoothly humming in 5th gear with no wind lean needed in my body. Plus it's been getting near 80 mpg at this cruising speed. I'm also finding that as the bike continues to break in it's beginning to smooth out at the higher speeds on the highway. I've had it up to 70 mph but don't feel comfortable with the wind force that batters you at those speeds. With a windshield maybe but otherwise not so much fun. If you are in a hurry when riding this bike then maybe you should have gotten a pocket rocket. I had a thumper as one of my first bikes so when I first saw the RE I got a major nostalgia rush and knew that as soon as I could afford one I was getting it. I've never been happier.

barenekd · **Reply #60 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:59:02 pm

Quote

will look into heavy bar end weights and gel type grips and see which ones fit in G5.

I bent the stock bars and getting new ones from CMW has been very slow (only about 6 or 8 weeks so far) so I got some other bars from Chaparral. They are about the same as the stock ones with an inch or so higher rise. I like them because they keep the bars farther away from the tank!
They don't have the end plugs to screw the weights into, so I got some longer screws and ran them all the way through the bar ends and Napolians and use the Napolian rubber mounts to hold the whole thing together and attach the assembly inside the bars. It has worked quite well. the bars vibrate a little more than the stock bars, but I can still use the mirrors, so it's not too bad. Mostly noticeable when I don't have gloves on.
Bare

bittercrick · **Reply #61 on:** August 31, 2011, 09:52:17 pm

Sorry to reopen this but I learned a little something today while on my way home from coffee. I sat as far back as I could and ran Weeble up to 75 MPH. (a first) and he didn't wobble at all. So is that a rake problem or

? If I could set on the rear fender and reach the bars I have it made right

bittercrick

Desi Bike · **Reply #62 on:** August 31, 2011, 10:36:59 pm

If there is no traffic in front or passing me, mine is stable at high speed, but if the air I'm cutting through has been disturbed by traffic, it will occasionally give me a couple of ocillations, but not a continious wobble. When it does ocillate from turbulent air, I pull straight back on the bars, tuck my knees into the tank clench everything and it smoothes out. The wobble I get is not like the wind blown fun I used to endure on the Suzuki 250 Boulevard. In clear, un-cut, air your chrome cousin in Canada runs up to top speed well.

Ducati Scotty · **Reply #63 on:** August 31, 2011, 11:15:15 pm

I can run to 80mph in clear air or traffic, passing semis, whatever. I get a little wind blast but no wobblies. I'm not rubbing it in here, I just want to point out that it's not a design flaw in the bike. Something is out of sorts with your rides and I want to help you sort it.

Scott

barenekd · **Reply #64 on:** September 01, 2011, 06:37:15 pm

More on the K70s. Haven't found any dirt yet, but I got into some low speed tight stuff and find the K70s are lighter, quicker, and more precise steering than the Avons. Luvin' 'em. Never go back!
Bare