RE: Michelin Pilot Road 2 -- head shaking and sidewall cracks

It was the sidewall cracks that bothers me ... that is just plain dangerous.



As for headshaking, that is common with the VFR and a few other Hondas. The
V4 moves mass back some taking weight off of the front wheel, which then
tends to bounce around a little on the pavement irregularities. Front
bearing tightness (if ball bearings) has a big effect, even a little loose
and you can get the shake. Tapered bearings really helps.



I've also found that with some tires (most to some degree) running them at
low pressures makes this worse and then they wear in a way that them
compounds the issue. On the older Dunlops I found that running an extra 2
psi up front got rid of the cupping completely without an impact on grip or
handling. You might give this a try.



I also found that if I let the back of the bike sit low (usually when I'm
loaded for a trip ... I mean the bike has weight out back) there is more
shake, even with tapered bearings. Running up the rear preload as another
lister mentioned puts the weight back up front and brings things under
control.



With everything adjusted properly, you should have no headshake. When I
feel a little shaking, I know it is time to maintain something: tire
pressure, preload, or bearings.



I hope that helps.



Carl

_____


In a message dated 4/10/08 7:41:54 AM, patrick@xxxxxx writes:




> My front tire is showing some sidewall cracks and gave me a bit of
headshake on deceleration.



yeah, what's with that headshake? I've got the same bike, and I cannot go
hands-free on decel except for maybe a bike length, yet I can go for miles
on my other bikes, tires good or not.




_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

In a message dated 4/11/08 1:48:50 PM, CWALZER@xxxxxx writes:


> which then tends to bounce around a little on the pavement irregularities.
>
Yep. I've had the front tire come off the pavement under hard gas a number of
times, and hitting even a slight bump on the road compounds this. Nothing
like jumping on the gas @ a green light at the front of the pack, and having the
bars turn L to R in your hands unexpectedly.



**************
It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money &
Finance.
(http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolcmp00300000002850)

_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

Are these bad sidewall cracks? It's pretty hairline, but you can tell the
rubber is hardening.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/...160dd672_b.jpg


On Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 4:48 PM, Walzer, Carl (.)
wrote:

> It was the sidewall cracks that bothers me … that is just plain
> dangerous.
>
>
>
> As for headshaking, that is common with the VFR and a few other Hondas.
> The V4 moves mass back some taking weight off of the front wheel, which
> then tends to bounce around a little on the pavement irregularities.
> Front bearing tightness (if ball bearings) has a big effect, even a
> little loose and you can get the shake. Tapered bearings really helps.
>
>
>
> I've also found that with some tires (most to some degree) running them at
> low pressures makes this worse and then they wear in a way that them
> compounds the issue. On the older Dunlops I found that running an extra 2
> psi up front got rid of the cupping completely without an impact on grip or
> handling. You might give this a try.
>
>
>
> I also found that if I let the back of the bike sit low (usually when I'm
> loaded for a trip … I mean the bike has weight out back) there is more
> shake, even with tapered bearings. Running up the rear preload as another
> lister mentioned puts the weight back up front and brings things under
> control.
>
>
>
> With everything adjusted properly, you should have no headshake. When I
> feel a little shaking, I know it is time to maintain something: tire
> pressure, preload, or bearings.
>
>
>
> I hope that helps.
>
>
>
> Carl
> ------------------------------
>
>
> In a message dated 4/10/08 7:41:54 AM, patrick@xxxxxx writes:
>
>
> > My front tire is showing some sidewall cracks and gave me a bit of
> headshake on deceleration.
>
>
>
> yeah, what's with that headshake? I've got the same bike, and I cannot go
> hands-free on decel except for maybe a bike length, yet I can go for miles
> on my other bikes, tires good or not.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> vfr mailing list
> vfr@xxxxxx
> For subscription and delivery options:
> https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr
>

_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

Patrick Shelston scribbled:

> Are these bad sidewall cracks? It's pretty hairline, but you can tell
> the rubber is hardening.
>
> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/...160dd672_b.jpg

I wouldn't count on them sticking too well when leaned way over. That
rubber has seen much better days.

Looks like a set of new tires is in your near future.
_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

At 07:19 PM 4/11/2008, you wrote:
Yep. I've had the front tire come off the pavement under hard gas a
number of times, and hitting even a slight bump on the road compounds
this. Nothing like jumping on the gas @ a green light at the front of
the pack, and having the bars turn L to R in your hands unexpectedly.


Been there had that feeling, last fall, I lofted the front leaving
work on Saturday. The old girl came down more than a little bit to
the right and WhamBamThankYouMaam, I was in a nasty wobble with the
throttle in a neutral state.
I just did not think about it and kind of let her settle out. I did
not go down, much to the relief of most of the people I was working with.

Getting the front wheel up and light is really easy, getting stupid
with it up is not.
I got lucky and just let it do what it wanted for a moment and it settled.

I which dealing with my son's and my wife's opinion of how to raise
them was as easy.


JohnS
A Dragon Ascending
"Forging my body in the Fires of my Will"

_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

At 10:58 PM 4/11/2008, you wrote:

>Are these bad sidewall cracks? It's pretty hairline, but you can
>tell the rubber is hardening.
>
>http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/...160dd672_b.jpg

Um, yeah it looks like you have let your tire rot out from under you.

Not to point a finger and laugh, but even my tires have more wear on
them. I wish I did not have chicken strips on my tires, but I don't
have enough free time to go carving on enough good roads to wear the
strips away entirely.



JohnS
A Dragon Ascending
"Forging my body in the Fires of my Will"

_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

The bike is new to me as of this year... I didn't notice the front's age
since it looked like it still had some tread depth.

I'll be replacing it next weekend with the Pilot Road 2, likely.

On Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 11:21 PM, JES_VFR wrote:

> At 10:58 PM 4/11/2008, you wrote:
>
> Are these bad sidewall cracks? It's pretty hairline, but you can tell
> > the rubber is hardening.
> >
> >
> > http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2264/...160dd672_b.jpg
> >
>
> Um, yeah it looks like you have let your tire rot out from under you.
>
> Not to point a finger and laugh, but even my tires have more wear on them.
> I wish I did not have chicken strips on my tires, but I don't have enough
> free time to go carving on enough good roads to wear the strips away
> entirely.
>
>
>
> JohnS
> A Dragon Ascending
> "Forging my body in the Fires of my Will"
>
>

_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr