2011 Voyager Front tire issues/wobble

[jimbo279]

I need some suggestions/opinions on a wobble problem I am having with my 2011 Voyager. I just had my dealer remove the original stock Bridgestones (front and rear) and install a Dunlop Elite3 180/70R/16 (radial) on the rear and a Dunlop Elite3 130/90/16 (bias) on the front. I had the dealer inflate the tires to rear (45psi) and front (40psi) and I took it for a ride. As soon as the bike gets to about 60km's/hr (35mph) the bike develops a front wheel/handlebar wobble that lasts to 80 km's (50mph) and then smoothens out and doesn't show up unless I ride between those two speeds.
I took it back to the dealer and they have checked front wheel balance which was good. They felt the new Elite3 bias was defective so they replaced the front tire with a new second Elite3 bias. They then took it for a ride and the wobble issue is exactly the same. The tech then played with the tire pressure front and rear raising and lowering it which changed the dynamics of the wobble but didn't eliminate it.
They now feel that the reason is because of the mismatched tire sizes which is different than stock. I have personally used that same Elite 3 radial on the rear of my 2006 Nomad along with an Elite3 bias on the front and never had a moments problem. I have talked to others that have done the same thing as I did on a Voyager with no problems. I am working with the dealer who is being fair to get to the bottom of the problem and they want to put the stock Bridgestones back on. I would prefer not to and I don't really want to live with the wobble until the tires need to be replaced again.
Any suggestions/comments/experiences would be greatly appreciated as I have a road trip planned in a couple of days. Thanks.

Jimbo

[ray2]

Ask them about the steering head bearing. It may not be tight.

[redjay]

If the bike had no issues before the tire change I would suspect the balancing is off even though the dealer has checked that. Sometimes the rear tire causes problems even though you might be convinced it is the front tire. Is the drive belt (and tire) alignment correct ? 40 front and 40 rear pressure should be okay.
I have Michelin Commander II's on my Voyager with no issues.
130/90 front and 180/65 rear. Both are bias tires I believe.

[gv550]

Unfortunately, this a common symptom when using an E3 on the front and the only cure is to mount a stock Bridgestone front tire.
Dunlop does not recommend this tire for the Voyager, and neither does Kawasaki.

[blackdogbrian]

Garry - seriously, over 600k km on your bikes!!!!
I'm impressed!

[Loafer]

Do check the rear tire, swingarm and ditch the front tire, check the steering head bearing.
What works on one bike, doesn't always work on another. Why do you wish to run with a
radial and a bias? :hmm:

[RACNRAY]

Wheel and tire assemblies that are out of balance VERY SELDOM, like one in a thousand, cause side to side wobble. I have been balancing m/c wheels since 1976 and the occurance you are speaking of can be caused by a few things.

#1...a defective tire

#2...tread pattern

#3...tire profile

With 5700 miles on the original rear tire I installed a larger tire (B/S 180/60) to replace the original tire. No wobbles from the front. That front B/S lasted 12,700 miles with no wobbles b4 I replaced front and rear with the Dunlop E3'S.

Pretty much from the get-go the front tire had that side to side wobble that prgressively got worse as the miles were accrued. At about 8000 miles the wobble was so bad i could not take both hands off the bars to shift my helmet, as i could with the B/S's.

I now have Commander 2's with no wobble, so the Vulcans are not happy with the E3 front tire. Mnay have noticed and complained of this wobble with the E3's, so we are not alone.

RACNRAY

[rewindgy]

What Stealer are you using in Calgary? I got the E3's on the Nomad and the only thing they do is howl after 20,000 km's. Rear will probably last to 30,000 km's and front should be done then too. I never like dunflops before, but they do stick well and seem good in rain. I noticed that they brought out a new American Elite E3 for Harley's? wonder if they howl?

[jimbo279]

Well I just returned from a 2500 km trip after the dealer replaced the first Dunlop E3 front with a second one and all is well. The tech that did the work felt the front still had a wobble/head shake and until the tire warmed up it was very slight. Rock solid after about 10 km's and the tire had a chance to warm up. I will see how things go from here. I am slowly running out of Kawi dealers that I feel comfortable with, although I would give these guys another shot.
Thanks for all the comments and help.

Jimbo

[almsy]

Had Metzeler ME880's installed within the last 2000 miles, stock size on front, 180/65-16 on rear. Great ride, no issues whatsoever

[BC RED VAQ]

Wheel and tire assemblies that are out of balance VERY SELDOM, like one in a thousand, cause side to side wobble. I have been balancing m/c wheels since 1976 and the occurance you are speaking of can be caused by a few things.

#1...a defective tire

#2...tread pattern

#3...tire profile

With 5700 miles on the original rear tire I installed a larger tire (B/S 180/60) to replace the original tire. No wobbles from the front. That front B/S lasted 12,700 miles with no wobbles b4 I replaced front and rear with the Dunlop E3'S.

Pretty much from the get-go the front tire had that side to side wobble that prgressively got worse as the miles were accrued. At about 8000 miles the wobble was so bad i could not take both hands off the bars to shift my helmet, as i could with the B/S's.

I now have Commander 2's with no wobble, so the Vulcans are not happy with the E3 front tire. Mnay have noticed and complained of this wobble with the E3's, so we are not alone.

RACNRAY

Ray what air presser are you running in the front tire.I put comanders ll on my vaquero now i have a decel wobbe around 45mph and 30mph.You can't take your hands of the bars for more tan 5 sec if that long it is bad. dealer says normal wear and tear. I took it to a shop that said stearing head bearring need ro be replaced with tapered barring. And no problems after that have not heared back from mawkaw. Thanks from IL

[BC RED VAQ]

ray i have put comander ll on my vaquero and now have a decel wobble fro 45mph to 35mph you can't take your hands off the bars for 5 sec and you get a tank slappind wobble. What air presser are you running and do you have dyna beeds or wheel weights. Thanks from IL

[Stu]

I'm having a similar experience to what Jimbo's original post was. My bike is a 2006 Nomad 1600, witk 28k miles on it. I just recently changed the rear tire to a Dunlop E3 180/70-16 Radial. Previous tire was a Bridgestone Excedra 170/70-16 (I discussed with the PO, he said it had always had the Excedra's on it - the one that I replaced was the third one). The front tire is also a Bridgestone Excedra, and it still has life left on it, so I wasn't going to replace it.

After replacing the tire, there was definitely a 'wobble' that occurred. Kind of like if you were stuck in a rut in the road. Like the front tire was going straight, but the back tire was 'wagging'. I checked the pressure, and it turned out to be about 46psi. I backed it down to 41psi, and that seemed to help a bit. It doesn't always happen, but mostly at 65+ mph. Happens both when going straight, and turning (which is scary).

I brought it back to where I bought it from, and the guy explained that the E3's are a bit more 'stiff', and that they may feel a little more slick. I've heard great things about the E3's, and not heard that they are more 'slick' than perhaps the Bridgestones..

My next thing to check, I think, is the steering head bearing. But since nothing changed on the front end, I'm a little weary of looking there.

Input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[toy4bob]

ray i have put comander ll on my vaquero and now have a decel wobble fro 45mph to 35mph

Similar here. I did not have this the first couple thousand miles on the II's. Just had the k service on mine and asked them to check the steering head bearings. they state that they aren't adjustable, and that a lot of bikes have the wobbles (really?), even goldwings. They said if I couldn't live with it or it got worse, they could install tapered bearings, for darn near $400...ouch. Close to 300 in labor was quoted.

[BC RED VAQ]

Guys after I put the comm II tires on my vaquero at 6400 miles 130/90/16 front and 180/65/16 rear after 200 miles I had a low speed wobble from 50 mph down. I could not take both hands off the bars for 5 secounds any longer and I would have wrecked. I called Kawasaki and the dealer and rep said they cold do nothing about it because I put the wrong size tire on my bike. I took it to the shop that installed the tires and as soon as I told him wobble he said new tappered head bearings he said if it did not stop it he would put stock tires back on for free. I had him change the head and front wheel bearings with all balls bearings and the wobble was gone from that moment. Im not saying it will work on anybody elses bike but I have not had a wobble sence and know of a friend with the same problem and went to the same shop and replaced his also and no more wobble cost him $150 for the head bearings and for the head and front wheel bearings and dyna beeds it was $289. Just teling my story good luck with your bike and problem. Thanks, B Cope.

[cactusjack]

Similar here. I did not have this the first couple thousand miles on the II's. Just had the k service on mine and asked them to check the steering head bearings. they state that they aren't adjustable, and that a lot of bikes have the wobbles (really?), even goldwings. They said if I couldn't live with it or it got worse, they could install tapered bearings, for darn near $400...ouch. Close to 300 in labor was quoted.

This is BS. I'm betting your problem is the steering head bearings. You either need to service them yourself or find a competent shop.

[BC RED VAQ]

The dealer tried to tell me that to all big bikes wobble and i told them add the rep they were stupid and had no ideawhat they were talking about. I got hung up on promtly the sad part after i caplained to kawasaki 3 times and a rep called me it was the same rep that told me all big bikes wobble he had a different story this time around. I got the bikefixed right this time and a free pair of driving lights installed Im happy. :lmao: