Feels strange

[bob393]

You are going to love this!

I had the bike out today for a short ride, 25mi, and while accelerating away from a stop light, not fast either, at about 40 mph the bike started to wobble, wobble enough for me to pull over and check the tires. I thought I had a flat or something. Everything seemed fine and I rode home slowly. The bike felt like it had real soft tires. Kind of wandering on the road, not severe wandering, but scary! More like absolutely no confidence in it!

I got home and checked the obvious stuff.
Everything seems alright, Tires OK, axles tight, chain tension OK.

I haven't had it out again but I see no reason anything would change.

Any thoughts?

[rexazz2]

wheel bearings???

[il_ragazzo]

loose nut between the seat and the bars?

jk jk

[bob393]

It defiantly has that

[Trackerrrr]

Uneven road surface will feel like low tires sometimes too. Was the route a new one for you?

[Free Coffee]

It's true, I've been on roads that were so wonky they made me think there was something up with the bike.

[bob393]

It was a new rout. I had the bike out last night again on more familiar roads and it felt better. When I get a chance I will try the "bad" section again and see if that was it. Good thought!

[loudnlow7484]

Could it be the swingarm pivot? I wouldn't expect it to do that at just 40mph, but it's worth checking.

A funky road surface will definitely make it feel like that. Especially a road that has been chewed up in preparation for repaving..... it feels kind of like going across a steel grated bridge (I think the word is "frightening").

[Philskat]

Mine does that on the roads around here that have allot of tar on them where the cracks have been patched. As a matter of fact Sunday me and the kid were coming home from out of town (2 and half hr ride) and when we hit my in laws neighborhood i thought i had gotten a flat when we hit the tar it was like she was on ice.

[Apathy]

The roads around here are like almost invisible wash boards this year.... Makes me think I have alignment issues on my car and a flat on my bike... Even though I know where to expect it now I still feel paranoid.

[Diggity]

Hey Free Coffee, I'm going to have to use that one -- "Wonky!!!" Crappy roads freak me out too fellas...

[bob393]

I started to change my tires today and much to my surprise the front was a bias belt and the rear was a radial. I know that's a no no on a car but on a bike? Could be that?

[phroziac]

All the twisties in my area are crappy roads just gotta deal with it and ride the right lines...

[Diggity]

All the twisties in my area are crappy roads just gotta deal with it and ride the right lines...

Yup Michigan roads at there finest!!!!

[phroziac]

Yup Michigan roads at there finest!!!!

since you live so close to me...where do you suggest i go for twisties? I'm still really new to riding but I tried out some twisties and thought it was fun...except that the speed limit is 45 or less and heavily policed on most of them except Hillandale Rd. I haven't been on Hillandale yet, but im gonna go next time i get home, and see how well it's maintained...

I started to change my tires today and much to my surprise the front was a bias belt and the rear was a radial. I know that's a no no on a car but on a bike? Could be that?

It's a no no even on a lawn mower.

Besides that, if you value your life you should not ever run radials on a sport bike. They have no stiffness to the tire itself, it all comes from the air inside it, and trust me, if you have a sudden loss of air in one, you're going to be very sorry.

I had an inner tube blow out in a bias ply tire on a dirtbike once. I was on a country road riding at top speed (60 mph), and all of a sudden the back of my bike is trying to pass my forks! I just barely saved it, and only because I had been studying for the road test to get my endorsement (was in the process of a dual sport conversion to that bike). If i hadn't immediately grabbed a handfull of clutch lever, i would have gone down. And I was wearing a T-shirt and a helmet. (no shorts or flipflops, sorry, never was that big of a squid!)

What if that had been a sport bike going through a twisty? Or straight line at 100? And the whole no gear thing?

Anyway, I also would not suggest just replacing one tire. You really ought to replace them both at the same time, but that is just my opinion. They should atleast be the same sort of tire, or if they aren't, you should have a reason for it and know *why* you chose to do it that way. Also looks bad to have mismatched tires if you try to sell.