No wobbles

[Sin City Stan]

With all the talk about wobbles the last couple weeks I did a little test. I was up early this morning and noticed the winds were nil. I hit the road for a short ride about 6. On the way back on a good road without a crown and the cruise set at 55 I lifted and hovered my hands over the grips for about 20 seconds without any deviation in direction.

I was surprised as I expected some wandering. So I reset the trip and did it again. This time I got tired of holding my arms up and quit after three miles. I found I could shift my a$$ quick to give the bike a shake to follow slight curves in the road follow by a shake in the opposite direction after the curve. (No need to comment about my a$$. )

I've have not owned allot of bikes but I ridden quite a few and I have never experienced this sort of stability. Hell, my cars and trucks never could do this. (No I didn't try to use my a$$ to steer them. )

Is this something most bikes can do?

Also, for once my timing was good. It's blowing 30 now.

[Bull Durham]

I've owned a lot of bikes, Stan, and I can do the same thing with all of them. Yet, I've found out there seems to be a sweet spot for doing it. Some times I can do it a long times, other times, if I'm coasting, still in gear, say second or third and am slowing down, will get the wobble.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

My Nomad has never wobbled at any speed when I remove my hands from the grips. Of course I only did it a few seconds at different speeds. Seems to be a solid Nomad with great tires on it.

[Loafer]

I noticed that mine wanders, when I'm not paying attention. Is this because it doesn't have a center stand?

[glwilson]

Gerry... there isn't a stand that will help you with that

Most bikes have the ability to do that. I was surprised with the Nomad's inherent lack of ability. In fact, it concerned me quite a bit.

There are pictures of people standing on the seat of their bikes running down the road. Several I have seen are on old "pre-1950's" bikes... which rules-out the technology argument.

I am glad to hear you could do this. It must mean the changes made on the newer models have helped to address the problem.

Having said that... a word of advice... "keep your hands on the bars"; because when chit happens.... it happens fast! ;)

[ringadingh]

I could go down the road with no hands also for a couple miles just as you described on your ride, But then something can go all wrong while holding the bars, as I found out.

[caddman11]

As long as I'm not slowing down, I don't get the wobbles, from cruising speed, the slower I go, the worse it gets.

[vulcanguy]

Hi
If I let go of the handlebars, I get a wobble at exactly 42 MPH & stops at about 44. All
other speeds are OK, go figure.
I have 40lbs air in front & 42 lbs rear. Metz 880 tires
Cheers & ride safe!

[Chili]

I tried this past weekend out of curiousity as well. Riding 2up throttle locked just over 60 mph with a bit of breeze and mine was stabil as could be, was actually kind of surprised given the recent discussions.

[thedude]

The wobble typically does not happen cruising at higher speeds. Most often it happens upon decelleration. Try cruising 60, let off the gas, take hands off bars, and see what happens when the bike gets around 45 to 35. If you don't get wobble doing that, you are probably not going to get wobble and consider yourself lucky.

[Stump]

Back about 88 in L.A. , between alex and fort polk I was riding back to base in alex and the bike was so well balanced that I set the throttle lock and set on the back seat and went on down the road , then when a Louisanna State trooper passed me it didn't take long before I was talking to him along side of the road and he started writing in him big black book and when he was done preaching safty to me and those 6 pieaces of paper was handed to me I leaned a real valueable lesson that day and that was very simple 1 was stay on your assigned seat and don't get smart with the popo, that day cost me around 350.00 and a trip to my commanders office and more preaching so I quite riding stupid and started teaching motorcycle safty for the base. Boy what a change that day made in my life .

[blowndodge]

I must be one of the lucky ones. I have no side play in my swing arm and my steering head was lubed and tightened up (probably a tiny bit too tight). My Nomad has never shook, wobbled or handled strange...

[Bull Durham]

Yep, you just can't beat a lube job, eh?

;-)

[redjay]

I can ride my 05 no handed with no shakes or wobbles whatsoever.

[scott2007nomad]

I have only experienced a wobble when taking curves (freeway interchanges) at speeds greater than 80.

And, is this a nother comment about your a$$? :)

Originally Posted by Sin City Stan

Also, for once my timing was good. It's blowing 30 now.