I played this same game with Avon 12 years ago. I got "tired" of it real fast.
Avon Storm-Front end wobble?
- Thread starter Jonb
- Start date
Just put a new set of Storms on last weekend, and I have the same wobble problem when I let go of the handle bars. I usually only do this when decelerating an coasting to a red light. Have to admit It totally freaked me out when it first happened. When I add light pressure on the grips there is no wobble, even if only using one hand. This only seems to be a ST1100 problem weird!
Glad to hear I'm not the only one, and also glad to hear that even with this problem they seem to handle well. So far I like the overall feel of the tires.
Glad to hear I'm not the only one, and also glad to hear that even with this problem they seem to handle well. So far I like the overall feel of the tires.
Avon or Avon Storms are not OEM for the st1100. Stay with the Dunlop or Bridgestone and even the OEM Metzlers are hard to balance.
OP
OP
Jonb
Red Arr00w
Latest update: Tried the the changing psi idea and the handling issue almost goes away with pressures between 42 and 38, anything lower and the wobble is severe. Will have to be vigilent about the front tire pressure.
I am still curious as to "What" causes this phenomenom.
The Sun is shinning here in New Hampshire-Must ride......:biker:
I am still curious as to "What" causes this phenomenom.
The Sun is shinning here in New Hampshire-Must ride......:biker:
OP
OP
Jonb
Red Arr00w
Had a good ride Saturday morning out to the ocean. Found that the 40 psi setting is the cure. Barely a shimmy at 46mph otherwise stable all the way to triple digits.
Nobody fits OEM tyres to anything.
OEM is what was fitted at vehicle manufacture.
What we ALL fit is aftermarket replacement tyres which are approved by the tyre manufacturer for the vehicle we want to fit them to.
Avon do not recommend fitment of ST55/56 to the ST 1300.
They do recommend them for fitment to the ST1100.
Bridgestone, Dunlop, Pirelli/Metzeler all have recommended fitments.
It appears that tyre pressures for the US market can be VERY different to the UK or other markets.
Because someone somewhere has good/bad mileage/performance/handling etc. from a particular tyre does not mean that someone else somewhere else will have the same good/bad mileage/preformance/handling etc as you.
I wear out my tyres much faster than most people on this forum.
Why?
I live in a rural area in the west of Scotland and there are many more bends than straights.
I now run my front Avon St55 Storm at around 40lbs/psi to help it wear better and up to a point grip better.
This Avon has a different cross sectional profile to most other tyres, this results in a better turn in, but long term could result in a very poor turn in if ridden extensively on long flat straight roads causing squaring off. This squaring could result in a very abrupt transition from straight riding to leaning over.
In my type of usage, standard front tyre pressure will cause more rapid wear and a very severe uneven wear pattern on the shoulders of the tyre.
We are all different, we all ride differently in different areas of the world and even our own country/state/region.
Tyres are a VERY personal choice and everyone will get different mileage/wear/performance/handling/grip from whatever tyres they use.
At this moment in time and on at least two different models of bike that Honda produce(d) in the touring market (ST1100, Deauville), the Avon ST55/56 tyres are THE best tyre of choice regarding just about every area of use, at least in the UK.
Will they work for you, try them and find out.
With regard to headshake, there are common causes of this, poor fitting of tyre, bad wear pattern developing on tyre, bad pressure maintenance of tyre, head bearings (adjustment/wear/lubrication), disc warping, wheel assembly imbalance, tyre imbalance, road surface imperfection, rear wheel assembly/tyre imbalance or all, or combinations of one or more of the above.
The ST is also very sensitive, it seems, to bad tyre pressure maintenance, more so on certain brands of tyre than others.
A fault in tyre manufacture is far rarer, but is not unknown, more likely is a failure to handle and store the tyre properly in storage and shipping.
Sorry if this seems to have turned into a rant but I do get a bit frustrated when people cover the same ground over and over again and fail to realise that there are such a diverse range of possibilities for the cause of the problem at hand.
Ride safe, but ride.
OEM is what was fitted at vehicle manufacture.
What we ALL fit is aftermarket replacement tyres which are approved by the tyre manufacturer for the vehicle we want to fit them to.
Avon do not recommend fitment of ST55/56 to the ST 1300.
They do recommend them for fitment to the ST1100.
Bridgestone, Dunlop, Pirelli/Metzeler all have recommended fitments.
It appears that tyre pressures for the US market can be VERY different to the UK or other markets.
Because someone somewhere has good/bad mileage/performance/handling etc. from a particular tyre does not mean that someone else somewhere else will have the same good/bad mileage/preformance/handling etc as you.
I wear out my tyres much faster than most people on this forum.
Why?
I live in a rural area in the west of Scotland and there are many more bends than straights.
I now run my front Avon St55 Storm at around 40lbs/psi to help it wear better and up to a point grip better.
This Avon has a different cross sectional profile to most other tyres, this results in a better turn in, but long term could result in a very poor turn in if ridden extensively on long flat straight roads causing squaring off. This squaring could result in a very abrupt transition from straight riding to leaning over.
In my type of usage, standard front tyre pressure will cause more rapid wear and a very severe uneven wear pattern on the shoulders of the tyre.
We are all different, we all ride differently in different areas of the world and even our own country/state/region.
Tyres are a VERY personal choice and everyone will get different mileage/wear/performance/handling/grip from whatever tyres they use.
At this moment in time and on at least two different models of bike that Honda produce(d) in the touring market (ST1100, Deauville), the Avon ST55/56 tyres are THE best tyre of choice regarding just about every area of use, at least in the UK.
Will they work for you, try them and find out.
With regard to headshake, there are common causes of this, poor fitting of tyre, bad wear pattern developing on tyre, bad pressure maintenance of tyre, head bearings (adjustment/wear/lubrication), disc warping, wheel assembly imbalance, tyre imbalance, road surface imperfection, rear wheel assembly/tyre imbalance or all, or combinations of one or more of the above.
The ST is also very sensitive, it seems, to bad tyre pressure maintenance, more so on certain brands of tyre than others.
A fault in tyre manufacture is far rarer, but is not unknown, more likely is a failure to handle and store the tyre properly in storage and shipping.
Sorry if this seems to have turned into a rant but I do get a bit frustrated when people cover the same ground over and over again and fail to realise that there are such a diverse range of possibilities for the cause of the problem at hand.
Ride safe, but ride.
OP
OP
Jonb
Red Arr00w
Enjoyed your thoughts. Please remember that the bike had no issues until Dunlops (Both front and rear)were replaced with Avons. The "Shake" was ppy immediate! There was only about 150 miles put on the new Avon front tire and it was replaced with a new one supplied from Avon's warehouse. So, same problem from two tires after balancing and all the remounting activity involved. Wheel bearings are tight and there is no excessive play from the head bearings. I am happy with the current situation and hope to enjoy lots of twisty roads. I am only one of the few that experienced this issue with the Storms and I can't say enough about Avon's efforts to back me up.
Happy Riding
Happy Riding
It's seems to obviously be a tire problem. Storms on the 1100. Period. The tire is the variable when we have this consistently happening on our 1100's. Have yet to hear an explanation, particularly from Avon. Too may bikes behaving absolutely properly until the Storms go on.
There`s a man with good common sense!
pretbek
Ŵΐļļ ŗĭδέ ∫ỗґ Ŧщịştịέş
Yessir, this is true. But it sure isn't enough for this rider to give up the wet and dry grip, the quick turn in and the steady behavior in corners that also comes with the package.
I just keep my hands on the bars and keep riding them Storms.
Well Dennis, after having completely blamed the Storms for their own bad behavior, I have a new rear sitting in the garage all set to go on!
I put a set of Storms on my ST1300 last week before heading out on the Blue Ridge Parkway for several days of riding. It's rare that I ever forget to strap my helmet much I got distracted with other safety equipment and it happened. :nuts1: I let go of the bars in a straight at about 45 mph to fasten the quick-strap on my helmet and when I did my front end went into a violent wobble incident with my handlebars shaking several inches on each side. I was able to grab the bars which immediately stopped the wobble, but it scared the daylights out of me. Alarmed and confused, I pulled over as quickly as I could and fastened my helmet strap. I pulled over at the next overlook where it was safe to look for obvious mechanical problems.
I checked my tire pressure that morning and knew the cold pressure was at 42 in both tires so that wasn't the issue. I checked for play in my head bearings but they were solid when I pulled and pushed on the forks. I did't see this as a balancing problem because the ride is silky smooth with no bouncing whatsoever from the tires. I opened my grip at various speeds afterwards as if I was letting go but kept my hands around the bars to see what speeds this problem was occurring. It was present at all speeds above 15 mph in some form of intensity but the intensity was worse from 40-45mph. The only mechanical issue I'm aware of in my front end is that I found a slight leak in the left fork making the seal wet with a couple of drops that had ran down the fork. I discovered this while polishing the bike before leaving. I called my motorcycle mechanic and he said if it isn't leaking bad that it is probably just a small piece of dirt that's gotten into the seal. If that's all it was, I could slide a piece of 35mm film around the seal of the fork and the holes in the film would pick up the dirt and pull it out and likely require no further action. I did this and cleaned the fork very well. When I checked for any more leaking after the wobble incident there was no more leaking found and we had ridden several hundred miles by this time. Would this little fork oil leaking out cause a front end wobble too? Other than this, there was nothing wrong with my bike that I could find. If it were a spoked wheel I'd be looking for loose spokes but...
Apart from the wobbling problem, the Storms handle better in the curves and provide the smoothest ride I've ever experienced on a motorcycle, which happens to be the positive aspects they're known for. I love them. My handlebars had a slight wobble when decelerating to red lights and stop signs when I had the Bridgestones on it, but it was rock solid above 35 mph. I was in hopes the Storms would resolve this problem but the problem got worse. What I don't understand is why it is so easy to control with just one hand yet it gets so violent with no hands. All it takes is a finger to prevent the wobble. Handlebars don't shake without a reason. It seems Storms also have a reputation for quality control too. I read about some of the issues but also read where Avon is prompt to take care of the problem and send another tire. I'll be calling them shortly.
I checked my tire pressure that morning and knew the cold pressure was at 42 in both tires so that wasn't the issue. I checked for play in my head bearings but they were solid when I pulled and pushed on the forks. I did't see this as a balancing problem because the ride is silky smooth with no bouncing whatsoever from the tires. I opened my grip at various speeds afterwards as if I was letting go but kept my hands around the bars to see what speeds this problem was occurring. It was present at all speeds above 15 mph in some form of intensity but the intensity was worse from 40-45mph. The only mechanical issue I'm aware of in my front end is that I found a slight leak in the left fork making the seal wet with a couple of drops that had ran down the fork. I discovered this while polishing the bike before leaving. I called my motorcycle mechanic and he said if it isn't leaking bad that it is probably just a small piece of dirt that's gotten into the seal. If that's all it was, I could slide a piece of 35mm film around the seal of the fork and the holes in the film would pick up the dirt and pull it out and likely require no further action. I did this and cleaned the fork very well. When I checked for any more leaking after the wobble incident there was no more leaking found and we had ridden several hundred miles by this time. Would this little fork oil leaking out cause a front end wobble too? Other than this, there was nothing wrong with my bike that I could find. If it were a spoked wheel I'd be looking for loose spokes but...
Apart from the wobbling problem, the Storms handle better in the curves and provide the smoothest ride I've ever experienced on a motorcycle, which happens to be the positive aspects they're known for. I love them. My handlebars had a slight wobble when decelerating to red lights and stop signs when I had the Bridgestones on it, but it was rock solid above 35 mph. I was in hopes the Storms would resolve this problem but the problem got worse. What I don't understand is why it is so easy to control with just one hand yet it gets so violent with no hands. All it takes is a finger to prevent the wobble. Handlebars don't shake without a reason. It seems Storms also have a reputation for quality control too. I read about some of the issues but also read where Avon is prompt to take care of the problem and send another tire. I'll be calling them shortly.
Hopefully no one gets hurt or worse!
It's not your bike. It's the Storms, and we can't get an explanation.
Marshal_Mercer
Bumbleberry + Crumble = Yum!
As the Storms seem to be "stickier" than the other tires you've tried, it could be that your symptoms were present all along, but were amplified with their fitment. If that is the case, you might want to consider checking your suspension settings.
I've used the word "wobble" to mean a high frequency headshake, and "weave" to mean a low frequency headshake.
If your wobble occurs when you are on smooth pavement, one thing that you could try is lowering your rear ride height by reducing rear shock pre-load. That will increase the bike's trail, reducing the problem of a bike with, IMHO, too little trail already. The more costly way to do this is by raising the front end.
If your wobble occurs when you are on rough pavement, adding rear compression damping and pre-load should help.
If your bike weaves, adding rear compression damping should help.
Marshal
I've used the word "wobble" to mean a high frequency headshake, and "weave" to mean a low frequency headshake.
If your wobble occurs when you are on smooth pavement, one thing that you could try is lowering your rear ride height by reducing rear shock pre-load. That will increase the bike's trail, reducing the problem of a bike with, IMHO, too little trail already. The more costly way to do this is by raising the front end.
If your wobble occurs when you are on rough pavement, adding rear compression damping and pre-load should help.
If your bike weaves, adding rear compression damping should help.
Marshal
+1 +1
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2004
- Messages
- 343
- Age
- 81
- Location
- Bainbridge Island WA
- Bike
- still deciding
- STOC #
- 1951
You have to understand ST1100's are notorious for wobbling at between 40-50 mph especially on Decel. I lived with this on my 94 for many miles using Dunlop 205's and BS BT020's. After replacing the head bearings the wobble was much less. I almost didn't buy my first ST1100 due to all the stories of wobble. Like they used to say on the List if it wobbles with your hands off don't take them off.
I now have 11K on the Storms on my 05 ST1300. Best tires I've ever had. Handling and wear are outstanding. I expect the front tire to go over 15K.
The rear Storm has about a 50lb lower load ability then the 020F and instead of 3 plies sidewalls the Storm has only one ply. I suspect this squishy sidewall actually improves the handling.
I too have had to fasten my helmet one handed with both hands off the bars, and the Storms have been steady as a rock on the ST1300.
I now have 11K on the Storms on my 05 ST1300. Best tires I've ever had. Handling and wear are outstanding. I expect the front tire to go over 15K.
The rear Storm has about a 50lb lower load ability then the 020F and instead of 3 plies sidewalls the Storm has only one ply. I suspect this squishy sidewall actually improves the handling.
I too have had to fasten my helmet one handed with both hands off the bars, and the Storms have been steady as a rock on the ST1300.