Honda ST1300 Speed Wobbles / Weaving?

[jfheath]

I suggest as an experiment to lower the rear suspension an appreciable amount, and keep track of how much to return it, without making any other changes, and see whether it makes any difference in stability. I'm betting it will.

I would go along with that. After moving from the 1100, we took the 1300 camping and I wound up the rear suspension to compensate for the extra load. When we got home, I forgot to take off the extra pre-load and the bike felt skittish. It was frightening and felt as though the front wheel would tuck underneath the bike if I turned left or right.

These days, it doesn't bother me a jot if I leave the suspension up high. Which is a good indication of how my expectations of how the bike should behave actually affects how it does behave. Anyone tends to react to what they think is happening - but we are not computers, and we react late, which tends to make the problem worse.

You can demonstrate this effect on a push bike. If you have a bike with the older style of adjustable ball races in the headstock (ie an adjustable cup and a large locknut, tweak them a tad too tight so that the steering feels a bit stiff. Then get on and try to balance the thing. It slows down the speed of your reactions and the bike wanders all over the place as a result.

I'm not saying that a wobble exists for some riders and not for others. I'm saying that the bike AND the rider can be very sensitive to changes in the settings. Sometimes for the best, sometimes not. One thing at a time to get used to the new settings for a while. Then do the comparison test - back as it was, and then the new settings to make a comparison. Then something else.

 

[Kelvin]

Hi, something a bit different, my 2009 ST1300 ABS. Had it for 4 years, and done around 80,000 km. Always had Bridgestone tyres front and back and never had any problems whatsoever. Just had new ones front and back, but now for some reason below around 20kph the front end 'shimmies", but goes away after that. Bridgestone replaced the front tyre 3 times no questions asked, but the problem remains.
Never had any problems, no damage, accidents, no massive weight gains or losses. Usually 2 up, my wife and I. Not dangerous but I would like to remedy it if I could, if not when the next ones are due I might change my allegiance.
Anybody got any ideas or suggestions ?
I used to ride about 30,000 miles a year in a previous employment, Hondas and BMW's and never had anything like it before either, high or low speed.
I would appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks.

 

[Sadlsor]

Anything done to the forks?
Weird that 3 different front tires instigated this phenomenon... are you installing the wheel yourself, or the tires?
Steering head bearings checked?

 

[Kelvin]

Anything done to the forks?
Weird that 3 different front tires instigated this phenomenon... are you installing the wheel yourself, or the tires?
Steering head bearings checked?

Thank you for the reply. Tyre installed by official installer. Had them strip everything down and check it again. I haven't tried steering head bearings but I will now thanks.
Even Bridgestone UK were stumped.

Anything done to the forks?
Weird that 3 different front tires instigated this phenomenon... are you installing the wheel yourself, or the tires?
Steering head bearings checked?

 

[jfheath]

Take a look at the installation of the front wheel. BRIEFLY The axle haw to be tightened by the axle bolt and everything claimed against the right hand fork. Then the forks are bounced to settle them. Then the pinch bolts tightened.

If it is done any other way it is possible for the wheel to be sliding on the axle.

Check out the sequence in the articles section.

It could be other stuff going on as well but this is an easy check. I don't know how other bike wheels are secured, on of my early bikes did - but not everyone knows how to do this properly for the St1300.

Article [13] - ST1300 - Maintenance - Front & Rear Wheel Install and Front Axle Animation | ST1300 Articles

Animated sequence to show the correct procedure when installing the front wheel into the forks of a Honda ST1300. The right hand side of the bike is the side with the brake lever. Left is the clutch lever side. This is the convention used in the Honda manuals. The video and the photo below...

www.st-owners.com

 

[Igofar]

A few other things you'll want to check, and rule out.
Check to make sure your preload adjuster is serviced, and the fluid is full (you should have resistance from the first click).
Check your front rotor spools, or bobbins. To do this, run a flanged bolt & flanged nut, the size of the hole through the spool, lightly (finger tight only) snug the nut down (inside of rotor) then spray the spool with brake cleaner, while you turn the nut. This will remove all the brake dust, that may be causing your "floating" rotor to bind, and be warped.
Lastly, and most importantly, check the safety function of the SMC, to make sure your SMC is not causing your brakes to be grabby, and on the threshold of locking up on you.
Its also possible, that the person who installed your tires, may not have cleaned the rims properly before seating the tire to the bead, and this may be causing it to be out of alignment.
You can deflate the tire, brake the bead, clean the bead, apply the correct tire paste, and then reseat the bead to see if that helps.

 

[Kelvin]

A few other things you'll want to check, and rule out.
Check to make sure your preload adjuster is serviced, and the fluid is full (you should have resistance from the first click).
Check your front rotor spools, or bobbins. To do this, run a flanged bolt & flanged nut, the size of the hole through the spool, lightly (finger tight only) snug the nut down (inside of rotor) then spray the spool with brake cleaner, while you turn the nut. This will remove all the brake dust, that may be causing your "floating" rotor to bind, and be warped.
Lastly, and most importantly, check the safety function of the SMC, to make sure your SMC is not causing your brakes to be grabby, and on the threshold of locking up on you.
Its also possible, that the person who installed your tires, may not have cleaned the rims properly before seating the tire to the bead, and this may be causing it to be out of alignment.
You can deflate the tire, brake the bead, clean the bead, apply the correct tire paste, and then reseat the bead to see if that helps.

Thank you, I will try your suggestions.

 

[Kelvin]

Thanks everybody for your replies. I think the best way forward is to strip the front end down and start from scratch. Never too old to learn....