Wobble using ds tires

After over 18,000 miles on my 215/60/17 HP I'am changing to the 205/55/17 UHP.
I have been reading about the many questions about the wobble at 90+, my liner does it also so I keep it below 85.
This problem seems to be with several size tires and bikes.
I would like to get an idea of what percentage of the people have had this happen to them.
I'am really looking forward to trying the smaller tire.
Thanks Jim

A wobble at any speed is BAD You should never have to adjust riding style for a problem (unless ya just gotta get 'er home)... Make sure your shock bushings and swing arm bearings are tight, good, & properly lubed then check steering head bearing torque and ensure they're properly and completely greased also tinkering with air pressure amounts (in this case what's good for the goose may not be good for the gander) then ensure proper front fork action (even if ya have to do a drain and refill) had a customer bring his vtx back after CT install with a wobble and found left fork to have 125cc's less oil than the right equating to an abnormal dampening action leading to a speed wobble that transfered through the whole bike .. I understand what most people are saying when they bring up the painfully obvious "it didn't do that when i had a MC tire on it" what they're missing in the equation is the fact that with a CT you will have a CONSIDERABLLY larger contact patch on the road in the rear which in turn will amplify any handling or maintenance (lack of) issues thus leading to the easy blame of the CT . Check over your whole ride (it's always a great idea to do a complete nut,bolt,fastener check of your baby atleast once a year) then go too the tire and yes just because something is NEW doesn't mean it's GOOD . I've seen plenty of instances of bad tires ie.. tread bonding, carcass deformation, and sidewall tolerances not the same from left to right , but again it's more notceable because of the amount of tire thats ALWAYS on the road surface ... Sorry for the long post hope it helps

#1 what he said (dam good post)

awesome write up! Thanks

Well said VN, all that pertinent info in one paragragh, need to frame that one cause every cause of a wobble is in there.

See you out there
Smokey

Real good answer.
I agree with you Smokey. Get VN's approval, and make it a sticky.

Jerry

vn1500 wrote:A wobble at any speed is BAD You should never have to adjust riding style for a problem (unless ya just gotta get 'er home)... Make sure your shock bushings and swing arm bearings are tight, good, & properly lubed then check steering head bearing torque and ensure they're properly and completely greased also tinkering with air pressure amounts (in this case what's good for the goose may not be good for the gander) then ensure proper front fork action (even if ya have to do a drain and refill) had a customer bring his vtx back after CT install with a wobble and found left fork to have 125cc's less oil than the right equating to an abnormal dampening action leading to a speed wobble that transfered through the whole bike .. I understand what most people are saying when they bring up the painfully obvious "it didn't do that when i had a MC tire on it" what they're missing in the equation is the fact that with a CT you will have a CONSIDERABLLY larger contact patch on the road in the rear which in turn will amplify any handling or maintenance (lack of) issues thus leading to the easy blame of the CT . Check over your whole ride (it's always a great idea to do a complete nut,bolt,fastener check of your baby atleast once a year) then go too the tire and yes just because something is NEW doesn't mean it's GOOD . I've seen plenty of instances of bad tires ie.. tread bonding, carcass deformation, and sidewall tolerances not the same from left to right , but again it's more notceable because of the amount of tire thats ALWAYS on the road surface ... Sorry for the long post hope it helps

I appricate your post, I have been building and fixing bikes for 58 yrs and keep my bikes in perfect cond., I have to get rid of the bottoming and slow speed handling.
The 205 is almost the same as the 200/55/17 so I think it will work great as I do not ride when it is freezing. Jim

With the 3.5 inch rim the largest tire I can run with no mods is a 195/55-16 and the 185/55-16 is preferred. When I put the 195/55-16 on I ran about 55psi for 1000 miles and started letting the air out till 44 psi now with no wobble. The 195 did not wobble it just act like you where running on roads with the rain groove cut in them when speeds are over 80+mph. I don't run that fast and it did not do it two up riding. I have 4k on rear now and it runs like a mc tire. I drag my floors boards sometimes and ct sticks great. I ride with a local church group and they can't believe how ct performs. Only one other rider has gone double darkside and his wife likes the softer ride. He told me no more mc tires in the rear for him.
Hope this helps
Andy