Wizard765 Posted June 15, 2016 Share #1 Posted June 15, 2016 and I don't mean the cute little bunny rabbit... My faithful steed is now "thumping" at slow speeds. It has me worried and I don't know where to start. Even stranger is that when I first start out I back the bike out of the garage and down my driveway at a very slow walking speed. Everything is as usual. No noises and no thump or anything out of the ordinary. Then I get her started and put her in gear. Once she is moving slowly I can feel a thump and even maybe a little wobble from the handle bars but as soon as I get her up a little faster this all goes away and she feels normal. Once we have been out for awhile and things are warmed up I only notice it in the seat of my pants when coming to a stop or at very slow speeds. Now I don't know what to be looking for.. Tires look fine. Could it be bearings? Rear diff? U joint? What do I look for and how do I troubleshoot this? Looking for ideas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV1100SE Posted June 15, 2016 Share #2 Posted June 15, 2016 I'd be looking at the tires. Did you lose a wheel weight on the weekend? Absolutely sure the tire doesn't have a flat spot from locking up a wheel recently? Put the bike on your lift and spin the tires and see if you can see anything out of round. Visual inspection of the tread area may look fine, but give the wheel a spin and watch it from the side...does the outer tread go in and out? Rim still round? Where do you think the sound is coming from? Have someone stand by the side of the road and listen for the thump to see if they can tell if it is front/back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
videoarizona Posted June 15, 2016 Share #3 Posted June 15, 2016 Thumps usually do come from tires...but that would be a tire that has lost of chunk of tread....check that first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted June 15, 2016 Share #4 Posted June 15, 2016 When was the last ime you greased the splins and pins in the rear wheel. They can do weird things when dry too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard765 Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share #5 Posted June 15, 2016 I'd be looking at the tires. Did you lose a wheel weight on the weekend? Absolutely sure the tire doesn't have a flat spot from locking up a wheel recently? Put the bike on your lift and spin the tires and see if you can see anything out of round. Visual inspection of the tread area may look fine, but give the wheel a spin and watch it from the side...does the outer tread go in and out? Rim still round? Where do you think the sound is coming from? Have someone stand by the side of the road and listen for the thump to see if they can tell if it is front/back. I took a quick look at the tires and found nothing obvious but will put it on the lift tomorrow and spin the tires. There is no noise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard765 Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share #6 Posted June 15, 2016 When was the last ime you greased the splins and pins in the rear wheel. They can do weird things when dry too. This is another possibility.. I have not had the back wheel off since I got this bike so don't know when the splines were last greased.. Maybe a good time to check on that while I have it up on the stand.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted June 15, 2016 Share #7 Posted June 15, 2016 Hi Wiz! As normal around this hang out, you have gotten top notch advice from these lop eared guru varmints IMHO.. Just thought I might add a couple things. If it were my scoot the first thing I would do is take a rubber mallet (have even done this by taking my boot off and smacking them with the heal of my boot when traveling) and smack the side of the brake calipers (especially the front if your feeling the wobble in the bars) hard enough that it drives the pistons in enough that you can wiggle the calipers a little and know the caliper pistons have back off a little. Now ride it in a place that you can test it without using the brakes - see if anything changes from doing this. If it does, you may have a caliper slightly hanging up. If this does not help, proceed with raising the scoot in the air and spin the tires, do this with the calipers backed off too so they will spin freely. Watch the tires carefully for side to side movement and also for out of roundness - it is not impossible for a motorcycle tire to develop a slipped belt just like car tires will do. Triple check the tires carefully for anything lodged or stuck into the tires.. Look at the bead lines on the tires along the rim edges and make sure they are where they should be as you spin the tires. I have also experienced similar sensations and sounds like you are talking about when certain brands of tires wear to the point that they have lost their contour - usually when the tread is half gone but that usually has been more noticable when turning slightly. I know I experienced this with both Michillen and Metzler tires. I always called em rumble strip tires cause it sort of felt like I was on real small rumble strips at slow speed... Any chance this issue started after some recent repair work? Are using any form of internal tire balancing beads or do you have stuff added into the inside of your tires to protect against flats? What kind of tire pressures do you run and have you checked em recently (of course you have,,,,, just thinking out loud here).. With the bike in the air just high enough that the tires are slightly off the ground, stick a crow bar or a board under the front tire and put enough upword pressure on the under side of tire that it just start to move the suspention. Do this in a bouncing, vigorous fashion and in a slow fashion all the while watching carefully between the wheel and the axle = watch for movement in that area that may indicate a bearing problem. Keep in mind that you really need to unload the suspention/take the load off the bearings to check them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saddlebum Posted June 15, 2016 Share #8 Posted June 15, 2016 My first guess would be either a bulge.or a shifted and/or brken belt in tire. Put the bike on a lift and slide something to use as a reference point close to but not touching the tire. Next turn the tire slowly by hand and watch for any irregularities in the space between the tire and your reference point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard765 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share #9 Posted June 17, 2016 Holy Cow! I found out the thumping problem.. By the way thanks for the input guys.. Yesterday it rained and I have to work outside as my garage is miniscule AND filled so the bike just fits.. Today after work I put her up on the Carbon One Lift Adapter (shameless plug here for Larry) which has got to be the best investment for the 2nd gen ever.. and had a close look at my fairly new front tire.. spun the wheel etc and it seems perfect.. now to get the blankie out because of my sensitive wrinkled skin and lay down under the back to have a look... Wow.. Huge chunk out of the tire.. This has me thanking God for my well being.. I was on a very long challenging ride (at least for me) over the weekend. There is a Cannonball ride organized in Canada and I was doing one of the Ontario rides. It's 1000 miles or over 1600 Kms in 36 hours with a layover somewhere.. very well organized I'd say.. Anyhow I started to feel the problem at a checkpoint about 2.5 hours from home and the remaining trip on a major hwy.. I had a look at the tires at the time and didn't see the problem (guess I'm not only stupid but fairly blind as well) anyhow continues running 75 to 80 mph down the hwy to the last checkpoint and then home.. So I know Jesus loves me but I'm guessing he still has plans for me... When I get the wheel off tomorrow morning I will take a pic.. don't need the ragging I'll get if I don't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted June 17, 2016 Share #10 Posted June 17, 2016 What kind of tire?? Some are known for chunking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbon_One Posted June 17, 2016 Share #11 Posted June 17, 2016 Lucky for you Wayne the Lord was watching over you. Now's a good time to grease those splines while you have the wheel off. Don't forget the front u-joint and shaft either. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcarl Posted June 17, 2016 Share #12 Posted June 17, 2016 If you need some help there buddy, just shout. And YES, Jesus does watch over you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard765 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share #13 Posted June 17, 2016 What kind of tire?? Some are known for chunking. It is a Dunlop D404 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mover Posted June 17, 2016 Share #14 Posted June 17, 2016 Great to hear that you found the problem without serious consequences. God is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongobobny Posted June 17, 2016 Share #15 Posted June 17, 2016 Wow! First I've heard of a Dunlop throwing chunks but I guess it can happen to any brand. I'm NOT a big fan of the 404's due to poor tread wear, but if you like the wide white walls it's pretty much the only tire you can buy. There is another brand of WW's out there but I forgot who they are and I'm not sure their tread wear is any better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV1100SE Posted June 17, 2016 Share #16 Posted June 17, 2016 In my opionion...the 404's are for a lighter bike. With the Venture you are talking close to 900lbs....PLUS weight of rider, passenger, gear, tongue weight (+) of a trailer..... I know you want white walls, but carefully check max tire capacity (weight) when considering what to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted June 17, 2016 Share #17 Posted June 17, 2016 I'm with Bob. First I've heard of a Dunlop doing that but 404 not one of their best. Dunlops usually good tires but 404s not much on treadwear. E3s hard to beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizard765 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share #18 Posted June 17, 2016 I agree with the Dunlops not usually doing that so I'm still OK with that brand.. The 404s were on the bike when I got it. IF I was going to get Dunlops I would go with the E3 but I just ordered Shinko SR777 which is heavy duty AND comes in a White Wall.. Got a Shinko on the front and so far I'm happy with it.. Time will tell.. So what is the consensus on Bias vs Radial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowrod Posted June 17, 2016 Share #19 Posted June 17, 2016 Shinko is a good tire rides very smooth.not to good in the mileage department lucky to get 8k out of it!! no radial tires in second gen sizes,that I have found,if you find em let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongobobny Posted June 17, 2016 Share #20 Posted June 17, 2016 So what is the consensus on Bias vs Radial? Not a good idea to mix and match IMHO but I GUARANTEE you others have a different opinion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted June 18, 2016 Share #21 Posted June 18, 2016 I always agreed with Bob but apparently Yamaha doesn't. One of the bikes, don't remember which one, comes with a radial on one end and a bias on the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted June 18, 2016 Share #22 Posted June 18, 2016 I won't mix them but what do I know?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickhandle2 Posted June 19, 2016 Share #23 Posted June 19, 2016 Wayne, I wouldn't mix bias and radial, as for the 404's I have them on mine and they are doing ok for us. I love the white wall even though they are a PITA to keep clean. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted June 19, 2016 Share #24 Posted June 19, 2016 :scared:,, another White Wall thread :scared: I LOVE White Walls!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigLenny Posted June 20, 2016 Share #25 Posted June 20, 2016 It is a Dunlop D404 Thank God it wasn't a Metzler, or it would've started a mile long string of posts explaining why Metzlers suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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