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01-21-2017, 06:32 AM | #2 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Tillsonburg, Ontario
Posts: 148
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Have had my 15 Vaq for a full season now, with over 12000 kms. Not one issue with any wobble.
I have heard some had, but it might be due to under inflated tires or mods that change the OEM configuration. |
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01-21-2017, 07:23 AM | #3 |
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DBQ Iowa
Posts: 1,807
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Greetings,
Have two Vaq's a '12 and a '15. No wobble, no problems...
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You only get one, so "Make it the best day ever!" 2014 Victory Cross County Tour Blue Fire Gloss (BFG) "Cruella" Brides Ride: 2012 Victory Crossroads in Sunset Red "Ruby" Previous Vulcans: '15 Vaquero, '12 Vaquero, '10 1700 Nomad, '04 1500 Classic, '01 1500 Classic, '88 Vulcan 750 VROC # 10967 | VBA # 3115 |
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01-22-2017, 06:13 AM | #4 | |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Stockton, Ca.
Posts: 568
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Quote:
My rim or wheel ran true but the tire had a distortion to it. I had a Commander II go bad, the tire look like new but the tire cord had a problem. Put a new tire on and the problem was gone. What year and how many miles on your skoot? The next thing to check is the tripple tree or steering head bearings, if they are loose the wobble can develope. The last thing would be the wheel bearings.
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Too much fun Is never enough. You make a living by what you get, You make a life by what you give. The measure of a man can be summed up by how he treats people who are the least significant to him. |
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01-22-2017, 10:03 AM | #5 |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 616
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I know the Voyager (which is the same front end at the Vaquero) had front end wobble issues during deceleration if you took your hands off the handlebars.
I tried a Dunlop Elite on the front and didn't like it. Went back to the Excedra Max front and ran Dunlops and then Commander IIs on the rear. The combination worked well for 60,000 miles. Oh, I did rebuild the front suspension with Race Tech springs and Gold Valve Cartridge Emulators at around 30,000 miles, and upped the front tire pressure to 36.
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2010 Vulcan Voyager, 2007 Vulcan Mean Streak, 2009 Vulcan Nomad Login or Register to Remove Ads |
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01-22-2017, 11:58 AM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Van Buren, AR
Posts: 462
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My 05 Nomad 1600 had a very slight wobble and it turned out the steering stem bearing nut needed a few more pounds of torque. As for the Vaquero, I have noticed there is a slight wobble in the front end that you really don't notice unless you let go of the handlebars. It only happens when moving between 40-50mph. Uncertain why it is only at that speed range. I do not ride without holding the handlebars, but I have tested it while using the cruise control on the highway, and the wobble isn't there. I have heard that the stock stem bearings aren't very good and I plan to replace them with the AllBalls tapered steel bearings. That has been my only issue with my 2012 Vaquero and still loving the bike after 20,000 miles.
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Heath Cady aka "Talon" VBA #01416 2012 Vaquero SE Candy-Lime Green/Black aka "T'Kehla" 2005 Nomad 1600 Black/Silver aka "Mystique" (SOLD) 2006 Vulcan Classic aka "Lil'Wolf" (SOLD) "Life isn't a race; no one gets out alive. May as well slow down and enjoy the ride." |
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01-22-2017, 12:50 PM | #7 |
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Piedmont OK
Posts: 2,205
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I know I need new bearings or at least they need to be tightened. The first time I took my hand off the grips it scared the sh*t out of me and I can fell it wobble in the turns. My nomad hand no wobble and went through turns faster than my Voyager. I just don't look forward to taking the lowers and faring off again.
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David (Framer) Marang 2018 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited VBA#02245 VROC#35311 2013 Antlers 2014 Mountain View 2014 Antlers 2015 Eureka Springs 2015 Antlers 2016 Salem 2016 Antlers 2017 Eureka Springs 2017 Lake George 2017 Antlers 2018 Custer |
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01-22-2017, 04:08 PM | #8 | |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Middle Tennessee
Posts: 616
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Quote:
The front suspension sucks which is why Kawasaki recommended 28 PSI in the front tire. People who have ridden my Voyager were amazed at the difference front suspension work can do for the ride quality and handling of the bike. When I was getting the engine repaired under warranty the techs had to ride the bike, but they didn't know I had updated the front suspension. When they next saw me, that was the first question they asked. It is noticeable and worth every penny.
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2010 Vulcan Voyager, 2007 Vulcan Mean Streak, 2009 Vulcan Nomad |
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01-23-2017, 01:46 AM | #9 |
Jr. Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 10
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Thxx for all the feedback, I am picking up a 2012 on Tuesday and have zero experience with the Vaquero.My only other Kawasaki was a 1500 drifter and I had had no wobble problem with that bike.
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01-23-2017, 08:16 AM | #10 |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Cleveland Ohio
Posts: 714
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For those of you that are going to tighten or repack your fork bearings while you are in there spend 50 bucks and put these in.
http://www.allballsracing.com/22-1039.html |
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01-25-2017, 01:43 PM | #11 | |
Jr. Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 10
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Quote:
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01-25-2017, 02:13 PM | #12 |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Cleveland Ohio
Posts: 714
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I'm gonna go with the issue is your stem bearing but the Commanders made it worse. I could be wrong, but I am pretty confident of that. Really, lots of bearing issues in the stem on the Vaq's and the Voyagers. Maybe the tire is out of round, or out of balance. But think about it, if the tire was really that bad you would feel something at speed.
Pop the top off the triple t and tighten the bearing a bit. Not a hard or time consuming job and I bet it fixes it. |
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01-25-2017, 04:54 PM | #13 | |
Advanced Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Stockton, Ca.
Posts: 568
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Quote:
I backed the stem nut off and retorqued it to double the specified torque. The problem was still there and getting worse. I could not feel any out of balance when on the highway. If I was making a left hand turn at 65 or 70, there was a slight wobble. When making a right hand turn it was not there. When I jacked the front tire up off the ground and spun it by hand, the tire was distorted from side to side. When a new Commander II was installed, the problem was gone. Same tire model and tire pressure. Checking the tire is a lot less work than the stem bearings. Do the easy things first.
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Too much fun Is never enough. You make a living by what you get, You make a life by what you give. The measure of a man can be summed up by how he treats people who are the least significant to him. |
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01-26-2017, 01:19 AM | #14 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: New Castle, In.
Posts: 365
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My Voyager had a light wobble from about 3000 miles when slowing round 40 mph. Did not always do it, but was getting gradually worse. Remove the tree and cleaned and repacked the stock bearings, and retorqued them slightly tighter, about an 1/8 of a turn more on the nut. That was 3 years ago. Am going to change fork oil and recheck them again net month, hopefully, life has been a pain lately. Bike now has just over 60,000 miles on it, was new when I got it with 0.3 miles showing.
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2005 800 Classic 2012 Voyager ABS |
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01-26-2017, 10:36 PM | #15 |
Jr. Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 10
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Thanks all for the input, think Im gonna buy a set of the stock tires to start and see if that works. Are there any videos on how to tighten the bearings?
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