Wobbbal. After tip.

[usranger74]

I think I have a front end wobble at low speeds and when turning at slow speeds. Its not bad but it is there.

I have not been on my Nomad (07) for about 50 days. I was packing it today and checking the oil when (I want go into the details) it tipped over. It tip onto its right side. The front tire was tuned to the right when she tipped.

While the bike was on the floor I tried turning the front tire back to the left. The bike was put back right up with the help of a friend.

So, on my ck ride full loaded I noticed the wobble at slow speeds. It may have been there 50 days ago but now I am a little paranoid that I may have damaged the front end trying to right the bike.

My gear is loaded in a pack across the back seat, in the two hard bags, a tour trunk and a trunk pack. Total weight does not exceed 55 lbs.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Top Cat]

It seems hard to believe you could damage something picking up the boke.
How are your tires? Is the front one cupped at all?

[AlabamaNomadRider]

If it just fell over it shouldn't have done anything to the front end. The crash bars would have taken most of the hit. I dropped mine with me on it on the left side. Did damage the front end at all. Just scrathes on my crash bars, curled clutch lever and messed up mirror. Replaced the mirror, clutch lever and the rear crash bar.

Is it possible Bill that it has been sitting and you possibly have a flat spot on your tire. I would have try riding it at slow speeds to see if it got better.

I know this isn't much help but I don't think it would have it the front end hard enough. It could have struck the handlebar and caused some damage. Maybe you need to go into detain about what happened and how it landed.

[Dave]

Time sell it! Damaged goods.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Probably just a minor thing Bill. As TC mentioned the tires may have cupped or you could have a bump or knot on the tire. Could have developed while it was sitting.

[jandreu]

Possible but not likely but you may have torqued the fork alignment.
Someone posted a while back an easy fix for this, can't remember who but maybe they will chime in.

[usranger74]

It seems hard to believe you could damage something picking up the bike.
How are your tires? Is the front one cupped at all?


Tires are Avon with less than 2,000 miles AP has been kept at 38 psi. Tire is good

[usranger74]

I don't think the handle bar hit the floor. Crash bars did their job. I might have torqued it when it was on the floor and I turned the front wheel back to the left.


Well, heck. I am off to MV in the AM. If I were staying here I would considered taking it to a dealer for a look over. I will take it easy and see if it get worse or not.

[ringadingh]

I doubt that just landing on the crash bars would damage the steering in any way. If your tire is partially worn that may be the cause, although I seen you say there is less than 2000 miles on them. It seems a lot of Nomads tend to wobble.

[glwilson]

My bike cart-wheeled and rolled on both sides for about 30-40 yards and the front forks (including the bearings) checked-out just fine.

So... laying your bike over onto the crash-bars and lifting it back up has NOT done any damage (given that is EXACTLY what happened).

Nomads have an inherent wobble in their front end. Many debates have occurred about the cause and many solutions "cure" the problem.

Since you are leaving now on a long ride to MV... take it easy going down and be careful... knowing that you have a "wobble" problem.

I might add... you didn't mention it... but did you hit the front brake just before it went down? If so... you caused the problem. Do not touch the front brake when the bike is turned sharply. It will only result in the bike going-down. Don't know if that happened, but don't feel bad if it did. There are plenty around that will tell you they learned that fact the hard-way. Nothing to be embarrassed about... but plenty to learn from. ;) http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

Ride safe and we'll see you in MV. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

[cactusjack]

My bike went down on the left side around 40 MPH, then flipped over on its right side and slid for 60 feet down the road. I rode it home and didn't notice any problem with the steering.

I don't think you could have damaged anything picking it up.

[recumbentbob]

check your tire pressure and pressure in your shocks. Check the damper setting on the shocks probably increase them because of the extra load.

I think the extra load on the bike is making the front end a little light. and the fact that you haven't ridden it in so long.

[kawgirl]

My bike cart-wheeled and rolled on both sides for about 30-40 yards and the front forks (including the bearings) checked-out just fine.

So... laying your bike over onto the crash-bars and lifting it back up has NOT done any damage (given that is EXACTLY what happened).

Nomads have an inherent wobble in their front end. Many debates have occurred about the cause and many solutions "cure" the problem.

Since you are leaving now on a long ride to MV... take it easy going down and be careful... knowing that you have a "wobble" problem.

I might add... you didn't mention it... but did you hit the front brake just before it went down? If so... you caused the problem. Do not touch the front brake when the bike is turned sharply. It will only result in the bike going-down. Don't know if that happened, but don't feel bad if it did. There are plenty around that will tell you they learned that fact the hard-way. Nothing to be embarrassed about... but plenty to learn from. ;) http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

Ride safe and we'll see you in MV. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

It doesn't sound like he was riding when it fell over. I understand his saying it was in the garage or on the driveway and just tipped over.

I know what you're talking about gl. I won't say why. :-/

[dougster]

MV=? Missouri Valley? ;)

If you happen to be coming by Crete, stop in and say hello!

[waterman]

MV=? Missouri Valley? ;)

If you happen to be coming by Crete, stop in and say hello!

MV = Maggie Valley, NC

[upside22]

You can tweak the front end. My son tweaked the front end on his Yamaha vstar 1100 classic when he wrecked it. It didn't wobble at any speed but it just didn't handle right. We put it on the motorcycle jack and took all the weight off the front end. Unclamped the triple trees, put the front tire between my knees, and my son twisted the handlebars till the front tire was perfectly in line. Fixed all the problem. Easily done. Nothing was bent or broken, just "twisted" slightly. I'm sure the same thing could happen to the Nomad. Get in a large parking lot, aim for a far off light pole, hold the bars perfectly straight and make sure it tracks straight.

My Nomad always had a had a "whole bike wobble" at high speed. A little puff of cross-wind or a slight bump in the road would case the whole bike to oscillate with a left lean and then a right lean, maybe three or four times. You could just see the top of the windshield move back and forth a couple of inches. Not scary or anything but it was just there. A couple of months ago I was riding the bike to work and something went "Clang" in the front end. No more problem. I think it was the same thing. One of the fork tubes was in a bind in the triple trees and finally relieved itself, at least I couldn't find anything else changed in the front end. Of course a week later I hit the deer and I haven't had the chance to take it on a long ride to see how it now handles!

When you say it wobbles do you actually get movement in the handlebars or in the whole bike?

[jims]

You didn't have flat additive like Slime in the tire did you. After a month of sitting it could have settled, but would eventually spread out (according to manufacturer)

[usranger74]

I might add... you didn't mention it... but did you hit the front brake just before it went down? If so... you caused the problem. Do not touch the front brake when the bike is turned sharply. It will only result in the bike going-down. Don't know if that happened, but don't feel bad if it did. There are plenty around that will tell you they learned that fact the hard-way. Nothing to be embarrassed about... but plenty to learn from. ;) http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif
Ride safe and we'll see you in MV. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

I did not hit the front brake when she went. I was stading behind her loading my trunk.

I am now 850 miles into my trip to MV. There is no doubt - there is a front end wobbal at low speeds. Even coming to a stop. Doing slow parking lot turns is not easy or fun.

It just might be the loaded tour box on the back and the pack on top of that has casued this??? That is the only thing different that before no wobble.

[usranger74]

When you say it wobbles do you actually get movement in the handlebars or in the whole bike?

The handlebars wobble and it is significant, at least to me.

[blowndodge]

Can you take off the additional weight and try it to see if thats the problem??

[glwilson]

What BD said...

I cannot imagine that no more weight than you said you put on it that it would be the problem.

Heck, I have had two people, a full backpack and the two saddlebags packed and never had it cause a wobble.

Ultimately, it was my tires. Replaced and balanced them... no more problem.

[dougster]

MV=? Missouri Valley? ;)

If you happen to be coming by Crete, stop in and say hello!

MV = Maggie Valley, NC

Well, I got the "Valley" part right!

[dougster]

What Upside and jims said makes a lot of sense. I remember when I took off my front tire, the instructions were to leave the tube clamps loose once I had the front tire back on, and then to butt the front tire up against something and "bounce" the front end as much I as I could (sitting on the bike) to align them. See #5 under the "installation" part on this link: http://www.gadgetjq.com/front_axle.htm

[macmac]

I can't see how a dead stop drop will create wobble. Your load is less than a pillion rider.

How did the bike fall when you were loading the trunk? Did a rotor happen to hit something on the ground? A rock, curb stone maybe?

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I agree Mac. My bike fell hard when it fell with me on it back in April 2008. Hard enough to bend the clutch lever, distorted the left mirror and put deep scratches on the left rear crash bar and minor scratches on the left front crash bar. I turned the key off, uprighted the bike, with help, and it fired right up. Rode the bike home for 50 miles and it rode just as smooth as silk. Unless the rotor possible hit something I can't see that the drop would have caused a wobble.

[macmac]

Beats me. I dumped the 1500 once on the right, and crashed it once on the left and right. That was a bad day.

I hit a jeep with the 16 and wedged the bike so hard it didn't lay down just stayed straight up, and never a wobble from any of that.

The only way I can see this is if a rotor took a hit.

usranger should seek a dealer look see..

I just can't see how fork tubes or the axel could get twisted. Not in a stone cold dead no speed drop.

[Netnorske]

I might add... you didn't mention it... but did you hit the front brake just before it went down? If so... you caused the problem. Do not touch the front brake when the bike is turned sharply. It will only result in the bike going-down. Don't know if that happened, but don't feel bad if it did. There are plenty around that will tell you they learned that fact the hard-way. Nothing to be embarrassed about... but plenty to learn from. ;) http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif
Ride safe and we'll see you in MV. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

I did not hit the front brake when she went. I was stading behind her loading my trunk.

I am now 850 miles into my trip to MV. There is no doubt - there is a front end wobbal at low speeds. Even coming to a stop. Doing slow parking lot turns is not easy or fun.

It just might be the loaded tour box on the back and the pack on top of that has casued this??? That is the only thing different that before no wobble.



Bill,
I have the same trunk and luggage bag loaded to the hilt and I don't have any wobble.... :-/.

[macmac]

That's another problem. How the hell did the bike go down when he was loading it from the rear somewhere? Was it pushed off the stand somehow? That would seem like work to me.

ALL Bikes should be parked in 1st gear all the time they are parked. And the side stand seemingly should be down all the way.

Leaving a bike parked in Neutral is asking for a problem.

[ringadingh]

Your right Bill, parking in gear is the best option, but I only do that on grades.

[macmac]

Why is that Ring? I never leave a bike in neutral untill after the wheels are off the ground on a lift. Even on the level concrete floor in the barn the bike remains in gear.

[blowndodge]

always parked in gear!!!

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Parking in first gear is not an option, it is necessary. Leaving one in neutral can lead to a lot of things happening. Even a nice strong wind could cause problems being parked in neutral.

[Top Cat]

My bike wobbled today on Route 81 going 70 mph. You know how the turbulence from following a semi moves you around. That is what my bike did most of the trip if I got up to 70 or more.

[ringadingh]

No good reason other than its just a habit.

[usranger74]

I can't see how a dead stop drop will create wobble. Your load is less than a pillion rider.

How did the bike fall when you were loading the trunk? Did a rotor happen to hit something on the ground? A rock, curb stone maybe?


Mac

I was loading the trunk. (kick stand was on a brick as I had just ck the oil - so the bike was almost level). It tip over on a clean concert floor. F. wheel was cocked to the right.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Tim it may have been the road surface causing the problem. Air is okay in your tires, right?

[usranger74]

always parked in gear!!!

I do park in gear. It tip over not from rolling but because I put pressure on it while loading my trunk. At time the kick stand was on a brick. as I had just ck the oil with the bike "level". Should have taken it of the brick http://s2.images.proboards.com/angry.gif:(" title=">:(" border="0"/>

[usranger74]

When got to MV I off loaded all by gear etc. Wobble is for the most part gone. Parking lot manuavers much easer. Go figure.

[macmac]

TC get to an after market bike shop. The dealer is no good for this one.

Get the bike on a lift.

Tell the tech to push the swing arm from the right side of the bike hard, and pull it back as hard several times for feel.

Once he spys the gleem of the right side swingarm spacer with the swingarm pushed hard to the left side to measure the gap between the frame and the swingarm.

Then pull the arm back and measure that gap. If the difference is something like 0.100 or more you need swing arm seals.

Nomads are too loose with new seals on the show room floor.

If the tech has a brain storm I want to know what it is.

Custom spacers can be made as 1/2 the gap, what ever that is. The OD is bigger than the seals OD, the ID is the exact same as a seal.

The custom spacer must ride on the swing arm spacer steel ends on both sides.

The seal will still wear on the back side as a thrust washer, but they do anyway.

My 01 had a gap if 0.138 and you could feel it in corners.