Help ! getting to the end of my tether with front end shimmy

[Radar_UK]

Several years since I used Tourances, I use TKC's all year on and off road I'm afraid, but it's not really a case of getting scrubbed in, although they will wear to your usage pattern IYSWIM....

The carcass itself is shaped....the profile of the Sahara is more rounded, almost pear shaped in fact, so the turn in feels consistent and smooth, whereas the tourence is rather more 'v' shaped and hence it feels like it dips into the corner...the plus side being you get more rubber contact patch.

Even when it's well squared off on motorways, it'll still feel different.

It's one of the reasons that I prefer the TKC's TBH.

Thanks for that - I will stick with them on the Dakar for the moment and see how I get on, was going to go for TKC's originally but was swayed by the thought of getting more miles out of the Tourance...

 

[Fanum]

Thanks for that - I will stick with them on the Dakar for the moment and see how I get on, was going to go for TKC's originally but was swayed by the thought of getting more miles out of the Tourance...

Yabbut although TKC's may wear 30% faster, they are 30% cheaper so it sort of balances out

(rough figs..I pay £140 for a pair of TKC's)

 

[Nobbyk]

I run my bike with 36 front and 42 rear,sorted, mind you, that is with WP front and rear

 

[GSmonkey]

How do you mean a dodgy front ? I've just switched to a set of Tourances from Sahara 3's and find the front doesn't feel right regardless of what pressure I use - bike was perfect before I changed tyres !

Its a well known problem, even with 'good' i.e. not defective tyres. When you come off the throttle, you get front end shimmy. Feels quite bad with a new front, then it improves and you get used to it.

I'll be going back to Anakees when I've used up my Tourance. The promised longevity isn't true (for me): 4,000 miles and the rear has seen its best - got the same with Anakees and better grip.

 

[Wingit]

I had a similar problem on a VFR. I changed the front tyre but also the headstock bearings needed tightening. One or both of these changes cured my VFR problem which incidentally was happening at the same speed as your problem.

 

[smartr]

That should help, try 40 & 45 PSi, worked for me when I've the dodgy front Tourance syndrome on a few occasions

No marked effect on handling either when I did it

Thanks for the feedback all,

I tried 50 psi in the front at the weekend and it made no difference so I guess I can rule out a dodgy front tyre. So It's going to BMW next Monday with instructions not to give it back until sorted.

I'm tempted to go back to the Anakee's I was originally running before any of these problems started but will see what BMW say first (and hold on to my cash!). I still can't believe that both a set of Tourances and a set of trail Attacks were faulty.

I checked the rear end of the bike again at the weekend and even after having both the rear wheel and Final Drive replaced under warranty It still looks to me as if there is a considerable run out as the rear wheel is spinning (watching it as bike is on Centre Stand).

So I'm still wondering if it is some sort of gearbox to final drive linkage issue?

 

[st247]

I checked the rear end of the bike again at the weekend and even after having both the rear wheel and Final Drive replaced under warranty It still looks to me as if there is a considerable run out as the rear wheel is spinning (watching it as bike is on Centre Stand).

It's not unheard of for spoked wheels to come out of spec from the factory, which may be why the back end still has a run out. The other less likley one is that the wheel carrier attached to the final drive is out of true, only heard of this one affecting early models though.

 

[Flashman2001]

Its a well known problem, even with 'good' i.e. not defective tyres. When you come off the throttle, you get front end shimmy. Feels quite bad with a new front, then it improves and you get used to it.

I'll be going back to Anakees when I've used up my Tourance. The promised longevity isn't true (for me): 4,000 miles and the rear has seen its best - got the same with Anakees and better grip.

I am getting 10,000 miles to a set of the original Tourances

I find the grip in both wet & dry good & predictable

In France fully luggaged up with panniers + top box & tank-bag riding on their ..... ahem Autobahn.... cruising at 120mph the bike was well stable



.

 

[Nobbyk]

I'd still advise giving Darren a call at MCT even just to ask his advice

You have nothing to lose

Nobby

 

[Berin]

Have you checked the rear preload? Too soft can cause a head shake.

 

[Nobbyk]

The rear shock can create havoc if not set correctly. When I first got my bike I had the same problem, Darren set it up best he could but recomended a change, so I did. Horses and budgets for courses.

 

[theEnglishman]

+1 for getting the suspension set properly. There's loads of good places about that'll have a look for not very many beer tokens

 

[Berin]

Can't recommend john at Revs Racing highly enough. He'll fit new Wilburs too, if you want a real improvement

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

The problem only arose when I changed tyres from Anakees to Trail Attacks.


lets fit new suspension and new wheels - it must be that

FFS

 

[Nobbyk]

Maybe the different tyres show up a problem that was there but masked. I can't believe that there would be such a dramatic change from the tyres themselves