Looking to go Orange, but...

Dru

Dru

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Took a 2016 1290SA T out today, loved it, better than my 2017 1200GS at almost everything. Apart from one thing. It had a nasty high speed wobble on dual carrieways. Bike has only done 7k miles so not a lot. The rear Conti attack 2 tyre was a bit squared off. But that should not really give such an unnerving wobble.
Had a quick look and found only one thread on this but seems it’s happened to some before.
Is there a cure as it’s not something that I’d want to have to live with and would stop me from making the change.....
Apart from that a great bike that ticks the boxes.
 
There are loads of threads over on adventure rider. No real single issue will cause it but lots of things can like top boxes and if it had side cases on they did different mounts to help with the issue. Other cases are wonky wheels and badly set headbearings. Most of the time it only happens well into the license loosing speeds.
 
My 1190 would weave a little with my huge Givi cases at about 100mph - in comfort mode, switching to Street model allowed me to get up to about 115 OK, I would not want to go much faster with the panniers anyway, not sure how much pressure they would handle before falling off!.

Not saying the same issue affected the test ride, but if the suspension is in wibbly-wobbly comfort mode it may be more prone to instability....

...or look at the adv rider threads with a million reasons and cures.
 
Rasher said:
My 1190 would weave a little with my huge Givi cases at about 100mph - in comfort mode, switching to Street model allowed me to get up to about 115 OK, I would not want to go much faster with the panniers anyway, not sure how much pressure they would handle before falling off!.

Not saying the same issue affected the test ride, but if the suspension is in wibbly-wobbly comfort mode it may be more prone to instability....

...or look at the adv rider threads with a million reasons and cures.
Click to expand...

Yep, if you want to get into licence losing territory, stick the suspension into sport mode, and it firms everything up. Or stick some luggage on, leave it in comfort, and hold on tight!:D
 
I've got a '15 SA-T 1290......never had the wobble @ high speeds.

I do have a top box (don't have panniers)....things that I did have checked when I read the Adv Rider forum:

> Steering head (race) bearing
> Steering damper settings
> Wheels correctly balanced
> Suspension settings

....all spot on

Engine mode: Sport
Damping mode: Comfort

....it's very nice
 
Thanks for the replies, been doing a bit of reasearch and yes it seems a common thing but not all the time or with all bikes, which is frustrating...as if there was a definite fix I’d buy it tomorrow...I tried it in sport and street modes and it didn’t make much difference. To be fair the one I took out was as they took it in so it could have been any number of things. I’m going to take it out again once they have gone over it. It also had a topbox on, didn’t clock the make of it but quite big.
 
Bounce said:
I've got a '15 SA-T 1290......never had the wobble @ high speeds.

I do have a top box (don't have panniers)....things that I did have checked when I read the Adv Rider forum:

> Steering head (race) bearing
> Steering damper settings
> Wheels correctly balanced
> Suspension settings

....all spot on

Engine mode: Sport
Damping mode: Comfort

....it's very nice
Click to expand...


Yep read about all those things, encouraging that you don’t experience it. Going to take it out for more of a test ride, want to buy it but also don’t want to poke up with that wobble (when on the autobahn)....of course
 
Are you, ahem, a larger fella? The rear spring on those is only rated to a rider and gear weight of 75kg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Nin said:
Are you, ahem, a larger fella? The rear spring on those is only rated to a rider and gear weight of 75kg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

How is it meant to cope with a pillion as well then?
 
Dru said:
Took a 2016 1290SA T out today, loved it, better than my 2017 1200GS at almost everything. Apart from one thing. It had a nasty high speed wobble on dual carrieways. Bike has only done 7k miles so not a lot. The rear Conti attack 2 tyre was a bit squared off. But that should not really give such an unnerving wobble.
Had a quick look and found only one thread on this but seems it’s happened to some before.
Is there a cure as it’s not something that I’d want to have to live with and would stop me from making the change.....
Apart from that a great bike that ticks the boxes.
Click to expand...

You’ll get told off for saying that KTMs have speed wobbles - it’s a well know issue, but they are in denial.
 
Dru said:
Thanks for the replies, been doing a bit of reasearch and yes it seems a common thing but not all the time or with all bikes, which is frustrating...as if there was a definite fix I’d buy it tomorrow...I tried it in sport and street modes and it didn’t make much difference. To be fair the one I took out was as they took it in so it could have been any number of things. I’m going to take it out again once they have gone over it. It also had a topbox on, didn’t clock the make of it but quite big.
Click to expand...


Get the dealer to promise you that they’ll take it back if it wobbles, if they won’t then don’t buy it - simples.
 
Nin said:
Are you, ahem, a larger fella? The rear spring on those is only rated to a rider and gear weight of 75kg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

Really? That surprises me as no I’m not large at all, but 85kg....
 
It’s what the data sheet says. Had mine resprung to a more appropriate weight, difference is night and day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Engineer said:
You’ll get told off for saying that KTMs have speed wobbles - it’s a well know issue, but they are in denial.
Click to expand...
Seems some have it and some don’t so it must therefore be fixable. Strange issue though for a modern bike to have...reminded me of my first bigger bikes when I was younger where you had to fight it when going at speed. Got used to it after a bit and just barrelled along with a bit of a wiggle. But this was more than that, came on quickly and shook its head at just over a ton to the extent I wasn’t happy to go any quicker. Then at slower speeds you could almost start it off by loosening your grip and giving it a slight wobble and it wanted to set in more. Can’t be sure but to me it felt like a tyre issue...
 
Engineer said:
Get the dealer to promise you that they’ll take it back if it wobbles, if they won’t then don’t buy it - simples.
Click to expand...

They are going to look at it and check it all over before another test ride, and if it still wobbles I won’t buy it...even simpler!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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