Hey guys. I wanted to ask you guys who spend a lot of time at highway speeds. I picked up a tl1000r that has no fairings a few weeks back. Love the shit out of it but noticed on the highway it really doesnt feel as stable in the wind. It has the stock headlight on it and gauges. Makes me seriously consider finding the windscreen. Curious what some of you find as far as wind effect once you ditched fairings
riding question
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It's just something you have to deal with when you ride a naked bike no wind protection
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I commuted for alot of miles at highway speeds on a '97 Bandit 1200 and having come from a vintage bike background I was aware of the noise, wind buffeting, and overall discomfort of a naked bike stretched out over long periods at 70mph+ so it wasn't much that was new to me. It's something to get used to though, and I would venture a guess at the fact the TL1000's were known to be kind of twitchy to begin with, and it just might take some getting used to it in order to be comfortable with it.
My naked CBR900RR was the same way until I messed with tire pressure and suspension adjustments to get the thing to feel more relaxed. It wasn't as aggressively flickable as it was to start with when I got it, but it felt a thousand times better at highway speed. Compromise will lead to your comfort in my opinion, back the preload off that rear shock, set your front tire up to be 4-6psi higher than the (cold) air pressure of the rear (thus likely equaling your front pressure when it comes up to temp) and mess with the fork adjusters. They only turn so far each direction and if you count the turns or clicks to the stopping point you can always adjust it back to where it was if it feels unnatural.
Naked bikes, just like women, are more fun. :thumbsup:
:letsride:
My naked CBR900RR was the same way until I messed with tire pressure and suspension adjustments to get the thing to feel more relaxed. It wasn't as aggressively flickable as it was to start with when I got it, but it felt a thousand times better at highway speed. Compromise will lead to your comfort in my opinion, back the preload off that rear shock, set your front tire up to be 4-6psi higher than the (cold) air pressure of the rear (thus likely equaling your front pressure when it comes up to temp) and mess with the fork adjusters. They only turn so far each direction and if you count the turns or clicks to the stopping point you can always adjust it back to where it was if it feels unnatural.
Naked bikes, just like women, are more fun. :thumbsup:
:letsride:
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id also suggest suspension adjustments and making sure tire pressure is good. also wheel balance. i had a front tire that would cause my bike to feel unstable at highway speeds. used some dynabeads to balance my tires and its smooth as silk up to whatever i feel like hitting
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IMO anything really under 80-85 i didnt really notice. 90+ and you will feel the wind tugging at you.
G
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·+2 on the suspension i'd set everything back to stock & try it then adjust one thing at a time & ride it to test the result until you find a comfortable compromise
If you get wind buffeting try raising yourself up a little then dropping down a little from your normal riding position & if theres a comfortable quiet position there adjust your bars & risers to suit
If you get wind buffeting try raising yourself up a little then dropping down a little from your normal riding position & if theres a comfortable quiet position there adjust your bars & risers to suit
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Naked bikes save your licence on highways but as fast on the twisty roads.
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quit bein a pussy
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Something is up with your bike. As stated previously :
Spend some time checking the suspension and put it back to stock. Make sure both fork legs are the same height above the triples.
Check tire pressure. Also check the tires to be sure they aren't flat in the middle. New tires may be the solution.
Balance the wheels.
FWIW, my SV, and the one before it, will run 100+ with only one hand on the bars with no issues. I never liked the stock nose fairing because it directs the air right at my helmet. No fairings is much more enjoyable to me.
Spend some time checking the suspension and put it back to stock. Make sure both fork legs are the same height above the triples.
Check tire pressure. Also check the tires to be sure they aren't flat in the middle. New tires may be the solution.
Balance the wheels.
FWIW, my SV, and the one before it, will run 100+ with only one hand on the bars with no issues. I never liked the stock nose fairing because it directs the air right at my helmet. No fairings is much more enjoyable to me.
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Sounds like the infamous 80mph wheelie landing tank slapper speeds of them, and I'm sure these guys are right, something is amiss with it. I would take the weight off the front and rear wheels one at a time and wobble them around and check for shot wheel bearings while your at it, that would heavily contribute to instability. As well, when the front end is unloaded make sure the bike is well supported and give the whole front end a few good pulls upward on the front wheel and listen for a clunk in the head stock, or just pop the top triple off and cinch down the bearings, or better yet replace them with new tapered affair from allballs or a similar company off ebay and ensure your steering system is of the utmost quality.
Wheel and head stock bearings, all of them, are a pretty easy job with a nice steel dowel and a mini sledge, and they are usually less than $80 for all of them, an afternoon to install at most with basic hand tools, and will transform any bike into feeling damn near brand new.
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I seem to be the odd man out around here lately but at the same time I feel it to be kind of odd for CF to just see it as dude is being bitchy after the fairings come off rather than what his actual question was about, and that was the instability of the bike and if fairings/windscreen had something to do with it. It was a technical question as far as I am reading here.
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If it's so unstable on the highway go through this list. Some buffering is normal but not enough that it should knock you off your balance. I ride at 100+ with no steering damper with no problems
-improper riding technique (stiff arms, weight on bars, etc etc)
-Misaligned forks/bent triples
-Bent rims
-worn out steering bearings
-bad tires
-bent steering stem/frame
-worn wheel bearings
-warped brake rotors (very very unlikely but possible)
-improper riding technique (stiff arms, weight on bars, etc etc)
-Misaligned forks/bent triples
-Bent rims
-worn out steering bearings
-bad tires
-bent steering stem/frame
-worn wheel bearings
-warped brake rotors (very very unlikely but possible)
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in other words, 'check over the whole front end?'
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Yea that would be the place to start fa shoin other words, 'check over the whole front end?'
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Up to about 80 I don't think it's too bad. Once I start pushing toward triple digits I really have to start "fighting" the wind blast or tuck down.
Loose head bearings are a common cause of speed wobble and general stability problems. Get the front wheel off the ground, center the bars, and give them a nudge to one side or the other. Ideally they should fall and hit the stop, but not so hard they bounce back or rebound. If they bounce, they're loose. Tighten the castle nuts a bit and try again. If they won't fall all the way without pushing, too tight.
Loose head bearings are a common cause of speed wobble and general stability problems. Get the front wheel off the ground, center the bars, and give them a nudge to one side or the other. Ideally they should fall and hit the stop, but not so hard they bounce back or rebound. If they bounce, they're loose. Tighten the castle nuts a bit and try again. If they won't fall all the way without pushing, too tight.
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