We've been keeping track of the discussion under "Got me a Metzler 880 Back tire" and I did to! (Only I got me Front and Back Metzlers...) I still love them, (after 1500 miles...) BUT...

A lot of times, I get to a place on my ride back home, were I can coast a little and sometimes... I'll let go of the handle bars, sit up and shake out the strain on my arms and stretch the back... Then I'll casually grip the bars again and head to the house... Now, I'm no stuntman so, normally, it's no big deal... But, I havent done that since I've gotten my Metzlers...

Last night, however, I was riding back to the house and as I do, in pretty much the same place, I did the same thing... But this time, after about half a dozen revoloutions of the wheels (I'm doing about fourty-five at this point...) The front end starts to shimmy like that girl "Animal", from Beach Blanket Bingo...

So, I'm wondering... with only a change of tires and all other things being equal... Do I have a tire problem? An assembly Problem? Or, could there be something sinister going on?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated!

I would check the balance. Maybe one of the weights fell off and you just didn't notice. I had the same thing happen to me, everything seems fine till you let go of the bars, then she shakes. I'm betting on the balance o de wheel.

In aproximately 100,000 miles on a bike; I have never let go with both hands. I will let go with one or the other but not both! And having had a front tire blowout at about 65 I don't ever intend to!

Your most likely suspect is balance. Next would be the axel loose, and third would be the steering stem loose.

Clifford

The only thing that I am thinking of is... that you are riding... my roadie is still under wraps and hibernating !

Interesting that I just had a similar conversation with a friend of mine about his Goldwing. Apparently, there is a known Goldwing issue that at 45 mph, if you let go of the bars with both hands, a shimmy sets up. Nothing wrong with the bike, apparently, but has something to do with frequency perhaps...just the right speed to set up a vibration.

For Goldwings, there is some really expensive suspension system you can put in to resolve it - just keep at least one hand on the bars.

So maybe, the Metzlers just happen to set up a shimmy like that at one particular speed. I would note this, though, that the OEM tires would seemingly be more prone to remain true hands-free because of their wider tracking surface. The Metzlers (like the Dunlop I put on the front) are narrower, so I could see why the slightest vibration or shimmy would just self-perpetuate.

Random thoughts from a random thinker.

I had a slight vibration. Ended up being air pressure. Only 3 lbs under inflated.

Mr. Breeze

I agree with low tire pressure and/or tire unbalanced.

Doc

Thanks for all the ideas... Is this a great place to belong, or what!?!


I was worried about the steering stem issue because I got "clipped" at a local bike night a while back... (The bike didn't go over but, the locking pin alignment went out and the tripple tree has an oval receiver now... I was clipped by a Goldwing with a sidecar )
But the problem didn't start until the Metzlers...


So, the Metz theory holds the most water, because in the past 500 miles (over that past four days... Sorry, LakeCharles... ) I been cruising at some significant speeds, with no vibration... (save from those huge coffee cans moving up and down past 3500 RPM...)

The other affirmation for the tires being the cause, is that since the Metz's were installed... My Roadie handles like it's on rails...


So, until I go with a 40 degree rake... Not Bloody Likely (N.B.L.)... I'll just heed Clifford and the Doors' advice...

"Well, keep your eye's on the road(Star) and your hands upon the wheel...."
(BTW: after the last few months of the warrantee expire... I'm ging to the Roadhouse... Doolies, that is!)


Oh, wait... did I just hijack this thread from the "road songs" thread...

There is also the 'loose nut behind the wheel' theory.............

Mr. Breeze

That is one difference that I noticed when I went from my yami 650 to the road star. With my 650 I could let go and adjust gloves, glasses, etc. with no problem. With the roadie it seems to want to shimmy and shake even at low speeds. I wondered if it was the difference in the engine and the low end tork? It seems to start as soon as the engine starts to lug or pull a little. Either way, its hand on full time now!