I’ve been fighting this "over 80mph" weave a long time and the problem was literally right in front of me.
I was to meet my wife for a movie in the Uptown area of Minneapolis so I took advantage of a nearly perfect evening and fired up the ol' slow zuki. Traffic was heavy for the 20 mile ride but un eventful. Last time out it was shifting hard and ran pretty hot. I think I need an oil change. The movie was “Little Miss Sunshine” and was as funny as I’ve seen in a long time. The return trip was just as boring as the one up. Traffic was moving pretty good and at one stretch I mixed it up with a car but my dreaded speed wobble kicked in and with the hard shifting and hot engine I had to back off
. When I got home I dumped all the oil and planed for 4 fresh qts the next day. Got a filter and some Valvoline 10W 40 MC oil for $3.50 a qt. from the local Suzuki store. Also got to drool on the last new Bandit and a couple ZX 1400s. The used FJR 1300 that was there last week got scooped up by some lucky SOB. The parts guy is rebuilding a GS 750 for the track and was very interested in my speed weave problem. He gave me some good ideas on how to check and adjust the steering head bearings. Back to the garage for a little wrenching. Now Ive got tight head bearings, new swing arm bearings, fresh oil in the engine and forks, new Dunlop 491s and an as good as it gets alignment. The test ride was strange at first. Low speed seemed different like it wanted to wander. The new 491s might be suspect as well as very tight head bearings. Steering was no problem so on to the gas pumps for some 91 non oxy premium. I hit the freeway and it went through the gears like clock work. Fresh oil makes a world of difference. After 5 miles down the road I exited and prepared for a more aggressive return trip. As I got to the on ramp an oncoming bike was entering the ramp. It was a new BMW R1200 GS and he was getting on it. This is not exactly how I wanted to test the speed wobble but what the hell. I tail him close up to 4th and almost 6k rpm. He was moving fast and I felt like I was on a rail. NO SPEED WOBBLE!! We were now in the fast lane so I rolled it up and through 7k rpm, hit 5th and went by him like he was still in stand. What speed is a GS1100E doing in 5th at over 7k rpm? Got to my exit and put her in the barn. Now Im one happy GSer!! \\
/ \\/ Thanks again everyone who helped make my bike right. Dave
I was to meet my wife for a movie in the Uptown area of Minneapolis so I took advantage of a nearly perfect evening and fired up the ol' slow zuki. Traffic was heavy for the 20 mile ride but un eventful. Last time out it was shifting hard and ran pretty hot. I think I need an oil change. The movie was “Little Miss Sunshine” and was as funny as I’ve seen in a long time. The return trip was just as boring as the one up. Traffic was moving pretty good and at one stretch I mixed it up with a car but my dreaded speed wobble kicked in and with the hard shifting and hot engine I had to back off
. When I got home I dumped all the oil and planed for 4 fresh qts the next day. Got a filter and some Valvoline 10W 40 MC oil for $3.50 a qt. from the local Suzuki store. Also got to drool on the last new Bandit and a couple ZX 1400s. The used FJR 1300 that was there last week got scooped up by some lucky SOB. The parts guy is rebuilding a GS 750 for the track and was very interested in my speed weave problem. He gave me some good ideas on how to check and adjust the steering head bearings. Back to the garage for a little wrenching. Now Ive got tight head bearings, new swing arm bearings, fresh oil in the engine and forks, new Dunlop 491s and an as good as it gets alignment. The test ride was strange at first. Low speed seemed different like it wanted to wander. The new 491s might be suspect as well as very tight head bearings. Steering was no problem so on to the gas pumps for some 91 non oxy premium. I hit the freeway and it went through the gears like clock work. Fresh oil makes a world of difference. After 5 miles down the road I exited and prepared for a more aggressive return trip. As I got to the on ramp an oncoming bike was entering the ramp. It was a new BMW R1200 GS and he was getting on it. This is not exactly how I wanted to test the speed wobble but what the hell. I tail him close up to 4th and almost 6k rpm. He was moving fast and I felt like I was on a rail. NO SPEED WOBBLE!! We were now in the fast lane so I rolled it up and through 7k rpm, hit 5th and went by him like he was still in stand. What speed is a GS1100E doing in 5th at over 7k rpm? Got to my exit and put her in the barn. Now Im one happy GSer!! \\/ \\/ Thanks again everyone who helped make my bike right. Dave
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