vetter bag weaving and wobbling

[mason79]

Okay, I need some insight, I know I’m lazy to suit up in this awful heat to test what I think may be the culprit, even though the bags are off the bike now,but, considering your vast experience in these matters, some of you may be able to pick this off at a 1000 yards.

I went thru the steering head bearings repacked the originals and tighten them down intelligently, while the front wheel bearings seemed fine I installed new ones since I bought them, the swing arm bearings came next, I just cleaned and repacked them, with the progressive suspension fronts and rears and new Bridgestone spitfires up front, I was in canyon carving heaven, until…

I installed the Vetter saddlebags on nos brackets, including a new rear spitfire tire that the tire guy mounted with the dot aligned to the valve stem, and needing “ no balance”.

My ride to the South Lake Tahoe rally was fraught with weaving and wobbles at the indicated 75 mph, and planedick was trailing me notice the bags were not resting on the rubber stop securely and tightly, we laced them up tight and the wobble only appears to improve the situation till I hit 85 mph, now another strange thing is when I put my foot on the highway pegs the affliction seems to diminish, but not go away, I was a frustrated rally rider, what can I say?

I emptied the bags for the rally ride and while we never achieved speeds anywhere close to the law busting stuff me and planedick engaged in, I felt I the loss of weight helped.

So the question are
1. Has anyone ever put on Vetter saddlebags on a standard model and thought the aerodynamics caused destabilization?
2. or the content including the bags itself made it rear heavy ( yeah I don’t know what; with saddlebags won’t be rear heavy), cause the sway
3. or do you think the rear tire needs balancing, if so why does the problem not manifest itself at lower speeds, btw, my old tire never had any wheel balance weights on it, and I doubt if it was balanced.
4. Is balancing the rears overrated?
5. thanks for the help.

ps there is some minute side play on the rear wheel bearings held at the tire and moved, but did not feel notchy

[webbcraft2150]

I doubt the bags would cause an degradation of the aerodynamics. First thing would be to pull the bags off and see if the problem goes away. Loading too much stuff in the bags could cause a problem also. You said you cleaned/lubed the swing arm bearings, did you get the rear aligned correctly? Are the forks aligned and the tree clamps tight? Check those new tires and make sure the bead is seated equally all the way around. Did ya have the wobble before all this work?

[Ken Talbot]

Re: vetter bag weaving and wobbling

Originally posted by mason79
I went thru the steering head bearings repacked the originals and tighten them down intelligently,

Hmm, just how tight would this be? The only time I've come across a 'weaving' feeling is when the steering head has been tightened down just a hair too much.

JAT..

[tinman905]

I have the vetter bags and fairing on my bike .I can't even tell they are on . I can load them up and it rides just as nice when they are empty. I haven't noticed any difference at any speed and no wobble. Sounds like a balancing issue with your tire .

[mason79]

with the bike off the front tires the steering will flop over when nudged and without the binding of the clutch and trottle cables, it is on the tight side but i feel within range, i rode it fine for miles, the bike did not weave or wobble till i went to the rear tire and bags,

the swingarm i carefully feeler gauged both sides and it is spot on, yes when i did that the "middle hinge feel" went away and i think that is spot on as well.

would tire balance do that?

[Ken Talbot]

I think tire imbalance would show up with a definite bouncing or vibration, not a weave or wobble. Just because the head bearing is so easy to adjust, I would be inclined to loosen off the locknut, move the inside nut about 1/8 of a turn, snug the lock nut back up, and try it out. This is quick and easy to do, and you can track your progress in nice, repeatable increments so you can undo it it there is no change.

I've got all the Vetter gear on Tsunami, an '81 Standard. During one of our earlier rallies here, I took her for a test run up to about 105 mph with no wobble or weave before common sense set in.

[79XS11F]

Check your swing arm alignment. The spec is actually pretty tight and can be hard to confirm given that the back side of the pin holders is hollow. Use your feeler gages and make sure you not getting a proper reading. Other item to check is that you don't have a defective tire. It does happen. Don't ask me how I know
Rob

[mason79]

I removed the bags and took it to 105mph, it was unsettling a tad, but I think it was always like that, no auto-wobble this time I have always been able to “induce” somewhat of a wobble, and did it this time but it does not resemble the type of wobble cause by the bags, I subscribe to the notion that the bags may exacerbate an underlying condition, and that is what I’m looking to discover, of course with the help of doctor 11, whomever that may be.

It fairs no worse with the new tire, I’m under the impression it is not the tire, nor the balance thereof.

1. The rear wheel bearings while not notchy upon wheel off inspection, does have some play, and is this acceptable?
2. I have filled the full fairing’s compartment and it is heavy it the front, could that be it?
3. lastly it will later loosen the steering bearing, if enough comments rule out the former, again thanks.