This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Low speed weave

H

Huambo81a

Joined Mar 2008
15 Posts | 0+
Picked the bike up today, its a 2001 RSvR with 19k on the clocks. Looks mint.

Within 20 feet of leaving the dealers i noticed a slight weave leaft and right, very subtle, and initially i thought it was my imagination (new bike, maybe top heavy) but it soon became almost impossible to hold a perfectly straight line, under heavy braking it was more apparent, the bike moving left and right in a definite pattern. I should add, its a very slow weave, back and forth, quite gently.

Any ideas? Suspension settings? Suspension servicing? I had a HPI check done before i bought it, and there is no registered crash damage, and if there was, they have done a good job of fixing it.

Its back in the dealers now, they say they will sort it and it wont cost, but i`m scared it`ll be one of those things they never sort out properly. Or maybe i`ll get an "feels alright to me mate" answer.

By the way, i believe the tyres are quite new, they are Pirelli Dragon Evo's? and the rear is a 190 profile, is 190 normal?

Advice needed!
 
Last edited:
Huambo81a said:
Picked the bike up today, its a 2001 RSvR with 19k on the clocks. Looks mint.

Within 20 feet of leaving the dealers i noticed a slight weave leaft and right, very subtle, and initially i thought it was my imagination (new bike, maybe top heavy) but it soon became almost impossible to hold a perfectly straight line, under heavy braking it was more apparent, the bike moving left and right in a definite pattern. I should add, its a very slow weave, back and forth, quite gently.

Any ideas? Suspension settings? Suspension servicing? I had a HPI check done before i bought it, and there is no registered crash damage, and if there was, they have done a good job of fixing it.

Its back in the dealers now, they say they will sort it and it wont cost, but i`m scared it`ll be one of those things they never sort out properly. Or maybe i`ll get an "feels alright to me mate" answer.

By the way, i believe the tyres are quite new, they are Pirelli Dragon Evo's? and the rear is a 190 profile, is 190 normal?

Advice needed!
Click to expand...

Check that the steering damper mounting under the headstock is absolutely free and smooth, also make sure the outer one is as well, my money is on the rosejoint under the headstock is stuck or not functioning smoothly :thumbup
 
Check that your brake discs are free floating, sometimes i believe the bobins that hold the discs can stick so you need to clean them up, or its the discs that are warped perhaps
 
Last edited:
Yeah,
190s are normal as supplied as standard by Aprilia. Fit 180s if you want tight turning on racetrack days.
Technically, that is some excellent advise given above.
 
Appreciate the prompt replies, i`m a little bummed out about it all, there always seems to be a spanner chucked in for good measure.

I`ll take this onboard, first though i`ll see what the dealer does, although being a Yamaha specialist i doubt they have the first clue.

Cheers

Sam
 
Hope they sort it Sam, i'm sure they will. Agreed excellent advice above so take note. Could also be something simple like incorrect tyre pressures or notchy headstock bearings but you'd have thought they would have already been checked :dunno

Being a Yamaha dealer, should they not have done a HPi check :confused
 
Last edited:
Hello mate, I,ve had the same thing on steering damper equipped bikes, in my experience its the damper wound up too tight, try backing it off & if you put a lot of weight on your wrists it can make it worse.
 
Huambo81a said:
Picked the bike up today, its a 2001 RSvR with 19k on the clocks. Looks mint.

Within 20 feet of leaving the dealers i noticed a slight weave leaft and right, very subtle, and initially i thought it was my imagination (new bike, maybe top heavy) but it soon became almost impossible to hold a perfectly straight line, under heavy braking it was more apparent, the bike moving left and right in a definite pattern. I should add, its a very slow weave, back and forth, quite gently.

Any ideas? Suspension settings? Suspension servicing? I had a HPI check done before i bought it, and there is no registered crash damage, and if there was, they have done a good job of fixing it.

Its back in the dealers now, they say they will sort it and it wont cost, but i`m scared it`ll be one of those things they never sort out properly. Or maybe i`ll get an "feels alright to me mate" answer.

By the way, i believe the tyres are quite new, they are Pirelli Dragon Evo's? and the rear is a 190 profile, is 190 normal?

Advice needed!
Click to expand...

Hi
My first post..But the symptons you describe are exactly what my 05 Factory feels like when its been parked up a while..This cold weather makes the steering damper heavy even with it backed right off. Once a few miles up its fine..
Had same problem years back on an GSXR1100 with a damper fitted.
Other than that, agree with other posts regarding head bearings/tyre pressures.
 
mark58 said:
Hi
My first post..But the symptons you describe are exactly what my 05 Factory feels like when its been parked up a while..This cold weather makes the steering damper heavy even with it backed right off. Once a few miles up its fine..
Had same problem years back on an GSXR1100 with a damper fitted.
Other than that, agree with other posts regarding head bearings/tyre pressures.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, makes me feel a lot better!

I didnt think it could be the damper because i tried it wound all the way off, but i guess even then its still actively damping the steering somewhat.

I`ll give it a few days, see what the garage says, if they start chcning parts etc, then at least its a job that doesnt need doing!

Today was the best riding day i have seen all year, and thinking back to my ride yesterday, i absolutely LOVE this bike. I`m a complete V-Twin convert, and the thought of owning an IL4 again doesnt compute. Sure they are faster, but a V-Twin makes people look without irritating them, and it pulls so hard from where i need it to pull from! Acceleration wise its not much better than my 636 but it feels so much more useful, torque from anywhere, and that sound (even with a standard can) is immense, just immense!

i am so looking forward to getting it back on the road, i`m like a kid at Christmas, totally besotted!

Cheers

Sam
 
Huambo81a said:
Thanks man, makes me feel a lot better!

I didnt think it could be the damper because i tried it wound all the way off, but i guess even then its still actively damping the steering somewhat.

I`ll give it a few days, see what the garage says, if they start chcning parts etc, then at least its a job that doesnt need doing!

Today was the best riding day i have seen all year, and thinking back to my ride yesterday, i absolutely LOVE this bike. I`m a complete V-Twin convert, and the thought of owning an IL4 again doesnt compute. Sure they are faster, but a V-Twin makes people look without irritating them, and it pulls so hard from where i need it to pull from! Acceleration wise its not much better than my 636 but it feels so much more useful, torque from anywhere, and that sound (even with a standard can) is immense, just immense!

i am so looking forward to getting it back on the road, i`m like a kid at Christmas, totally besotted!
Cheers

Sam
Click to expand...

Exactly the way i was when i got mine 18 months ago....still the same now..:thumbup
 
I'm finding the same prob on a new shape 04 and it is only evident below 30mph ,will look at backing the steering damper off,and rechecking the tyre pressures.:confused:confused
As for the V Twin experience -------errr you can stick the boring in line 4s where the sun dont shine,give me Italian engineering and style anytime(the foods pretty good as well):inloveNow lets get JT on a development Aprilia GP Bike and kick Stoners ***.(well wishfull thinking but a yamaha will do for now):thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:biggrin.Thata was abit of a tangent ..hey ho
 
My 03 was the same,bottom steering head bearing had dried out.replacement bearings cured all:doug
 
GRINDER said:
My 03 was the same,bottom steering head bearing had dried out.replacement bearings cured all:doug
Click to expand...

Cool, i`ll let the garage know. See what happens . . . although part of me is wondering why im bothering to buy a bike with any problems at all. I could just go and get a better one withg less miles. I want this one though.
 
Huambo81a said:
Thanks man, makes me feel a lot better!


Today was the best riding day i have seen all year, and thinking back to my ride yesterday, i absolutely LOVE this bike. I`m a complete V-Twin convert, and the thought of owning an IL4 again doesnt compute. Sure they are faster, but a V-Twin makes people look without irritating them, and it pulls so hard from where i need it to pull from! Acceleration wise its not much better than my 636 but it feels so much more useful, torque from anywhere, and that sound (even with a standard can) is immense, just immense!


Cheers

Sam
Click to expand...

My feelings exactly..I've had every Jap sports bike going..ZX9, Blade, GSXR,R1 etc etc. I said I'd give the Aprilia a season and if I didn't like it I'd go back to IL4's. But as you say, despite not having the power there's more about these V twins that is hard to put into words, especially with a couple of decent cans on.
Plus as a 6ft 2" bloke I've got to say, the Jap sports bikes are getting toooo small.
 
Well, the bike wasnt to be. i think it had had a smash/repair at some point in its life and wasn`t prepared to part with my cash . . . . . . .

However, i pick up my 2006 Tuono R with 3500 miles and twin Akrapovic exhausts on monday :)

Hope i`m still welcome in the RSV forum

Sam
 
Of course you are mate. Sounds like you're getting a great bike!! Nice and new, hopefully no crash damage and low mileage. They are basically and RSV without a fairing in any case. I sat on one at the dealers the other day, really liked the feel of it.

Enjoy the bike and ride safe mate :thumbup
 
just picked up this thread as i'm experiencing the low speed weave.

at first i thought it was the odd tyres, but never bothered with it as i was going to change them.

in the mean time i've rebuilt the forks and changed the head stock bearings as they were both shagged.

the weave was still there but never gave it another thought as i still guessed it was the tyres.

last weekend i swapped to a new pair of BT021's

today was the first time i could get out, and it's still weaving at low speed. its a basic mille so no adjustable steering damper to mess with.

both tyres track nice and true when spun.

i had a DRZ400S which i used to swap to supermoto spec regularly, and if the front wheel was tightened up with the wheel unloaded it would weave, so that was the first thing i checked after the fork rebuild. but even after loosening and settling then re-tightening it still weaves.

i will try a geometry change tomorrow, pushing the forks back to the 2nd or 1st ring and see how that effects it. then work on tyre pressures. i will also check the wheels for alignment, but i think if that were out it would want to tip to one side or the other rather than weave.

Kev
 
well it looks like its a geometry thing for me. as lifting the yokes from the third to the second ring has made it lots better.

my mille does look high at the rear (although no others as yet to compare with) and that along with the forks at the 3rd ring seems to have pinched the trail dimension a touch, possibly causing it to weave at low speed.

the bike actually feels much better for it to be honest, real sharp now, can be placed anywhere. i will look at the rear ride height when i swap to the ohlins i have (just waiting for a new preload collar to come)

for comparrison, is there any chance some of you who feel their bikes handle nicely, can get the tape measure out and take a quick rear ride height measure, from say the rear footpeg hole on the subframe to the floor etc??????

cheers
Kev
 
×

Similar threads

B
Aprilia tuono 125 won’t start
Replies
0
Views
391
BikeChickMomo
B
sd1cko81
Rebound Damping
Replies
2
Views
759
sd1cko81
sd1cko81
P
2009 RSV1000R - Original Owner
Replies
0
Views
415
platinum216
P
john0neuk
Help needed I am baffled?
Replies
1
Views
792
john0neuk
john0neuk
E
02' Capo For Sale-Ohio-under 12K and Amazing Condition
Replies
0
Views
939
eburr
E

New Posts