vague front end

[fast and bulbous]

Just come back from 10 days in Spain and portugal with the GS loaded up. Both side panniers, top box and tent and sleeping bag bungeed over passenger seat. Last year it felt great but this time the front was really vague and once in Portugal I really scared myself as the bike just started to really wobble violently. Admitted I was making "good progress" but it just didnt feel as planted as last year and felt pretty vague above 80 . No more weight than last year. 22000 miles. Two new Tourance tyres but maybe the shocks need adjusting or replacing. Any ideas?

thanks John

 

[Pukmeister]

Sounds like not enough preload on the rear, allowing the rear suspension to deflect/squat under load when pressing on, which in turn allows the front to go light and feel vague. Could also be due to poor damping (although that tends to show up when tracking over undulating surfaces).

Any sign of leakage from the rear shock ?

 

[ducatiparts.110mb]

I'd ride the bike without luggage before jumping to conclusions. It may well just be down to the high speed drag effects of your luggage.

 

[Drumacoon Lad.]

Interested in this as I had a similar experience this weekend coming back to Calais on a 2008 1200GS with Tourances, and quite loaded up. Was most noticeable when passing trucks in strong winds on the Belgian motorways. I think I'll look at suspension and check settings as I did feel the back end felt a bit softer than usual.

 

[GSmonkey]

If you've a lot of weight on the pre-load does need to be wound up to max if needed. Can be most easily felt with a heavy top box when overtaking trucks on the motorway if not wound up enough.

 

[Drumacoon Lad.]

Thanks GSMonkey, I do have a big Givi topbox and it was a bit full. I'll do the preload adjustment and try and keep the weight down in the box for the next trip in July.

 

[cheap'n'cheerful]

Try taking less stuff .I take less than that and a pillion
cheers C'n'C

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

dunno if this helps but i had this problem on holiday before, fully loaded - exactly as you described.

I put the bottles of wine in the tankbag and the bike chain around the tank bag - all in an effort to get more weight forwards on the bike.
Worked a treat so i do the same thing everytime now.

I went to wales the other weekend, fully loaded rear end, no wine and forgot my chain - it was a nightmare again!

So for me, that was the way to fix it...

 

[fast and bulbous]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Sounds like I had too much weight at the back although Im pretty sure it was heavier last year and I never noticed any problems. Are there replacement shocks that work better or do you think they are a waste of money?

 

[Skid06]

had the same problem riding to the nw200, weaving n wobbling 90-110mph darent take it any faster because it was getting unsafe, new tourances, fully loaded..brother on same trip, same bike, loading, tyres, loading etc. gsa1200 08, we bought them at same time, he could take his to max speed and was steady as a rock and was the same when we swopped bikes, mine wobbled his didn't on the same esa settings
i got home, took off the luggage and did a couple of fast runs flatout and it was fine

 

[snerkler]

As the others have said probably down to too much weight on the back. However, I've just recently fitted Tourances after having EXP's and have not gel'd with the Tourances at all, and find them a bit vague on the front. Have you run Tourances before?

 

[Edventure]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Sounds like I had too much weight at the back although Im pretty sure it was heavier last year and I never noticed any problems. Are there replacement shocks that work better or do you think they are a waste of money?

Aftermarket shocks like Wilbers and Ohlins set up for your weight, luggage and riding style make all the difference.

 

[argee]

of course the front end is vague, its a paralever thingy.....

 

[fast and bulbous]

As the others have said probably down to too much weight on the back. However, I've just recently fitted Tourances after having EXP's and have not gel'd with the Tourances at all, and find them a bit vague on the front. Have you run Tourances before?

Its had Tourances from new and Ive never had any problems. I suspect I need to get the shocks either set up or replaced. I know the back one is easy to do but how hard is it to set up the front?