[chuckie]

My michelin pilot (mounted in normal rotation) Pressured @ 41lbs Is cupping badly, mainly on the right. It has 4000 miles on it. Combination of in town & Highway. Speeds never exceed 75mph. Any ideas?
Chuckie

 

[highpockets]

Lots of opinions on why the front tire cups. I can just relate my experience. Someone explained to me how cupping is caused by the front tire loosing contact with the pavement do to poor front fork springs. Don't know if that's true, but it seems to work on my bike..... I found that by changing the front forks to Traxxion springs (or more exact, springs and cartridges) the cupping in my front tire has diminished almost completely.

 

[SneakySnake]

chuckie. Here is a post I made not too long ago about the same thing.http://gl1800riders.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193380

 

[chuckie]

thanks roadhog. I'll check it out
Chuckie

 

[IBTrike]

My michelin pilot (mounted in normal rotation) Pressured @ 41lbs Is cupping badly, mainly on the right. It has 4000 miles on it. Combination of in town & Highway. Speeds never exceed 75mph. Any ideas?
Chuckie

Chuckie:

When I first installed my MPA (normal rotation), if was fine for the first 3-4K miles but seemed to ride hard. (41PSI).

Then I bought into a suggestion by somebody on one of these boards that suggested dropping pressure to 33-35 PSI for better ride and still good handling. I did that for about 2K miles and the tire began to cup. I went back to 41 PSI. The cupping stopped and the tire has been fine ever since. Now have over 25K on it and much more life left. It is a bit hard riding, but that is the nature of the tire. NO buzz, no vibration. Michelins are known for long life and great handling, but they tend to ride a bit hard, for good reason.

I can't explain why your tire is cupping at 41 PSI. There is clearly a problem somewhere else. It should not do that.

And don't let someone tell you it is because you mounted it in normal rotation instead of reverse rotation. That is BS, a Gold Wing forum urban legend, and my experience proves it.

Good luck...Ride safe.

 

[KJ5IX]

Like mentioned before, the stock (if yours is stock) suspension, could possibly cause the cupping. I installed Traxxion Springs at the same time as tire change, I have a little cupping now but that was due to riding it a little over a hundred miles with no air in it :shock: :shock: !! almost 26K and no problems. Except the trip back with a bad valve stem, which of course isn't related to the tire...

 

[KJ5IX]

I see it is a CSC, you might have to request Don for his expert opinion. Furthermore, it looks like a Job for Dynabeads. :shrug::joke:

I have to ask: Now just what does it being a CSC have to do with it :?: :shock:

opcorn:

 

[W7AX]

I have over 15,000 on the MPA now. No cupping and never a wobble of any kind. I run 41 PSI in it. I do however know of others that have wobble but they also had it with other tires. It could be caused by the front end forks not being equal. (they are different from left to right). You might have a bit of slack in the head bearings and one other thing often overlooked is the trike frame itself might not be aligned perfectly . This will cause a slight scrubbing effect on the front tire.
OK my flame suit is on so here goes....the front end of a GL1800 is next to junk when compared to a really good front end. Get the full Traxxion treatment and if you really want to do it right get the Eurotrike front end installed. Yup, it's expensive but the Eurotrike front end is at least twice as strong as the Goldwing front end. Go look at one sometime and you'll see. In my opinion, Honda should have used bigger diameter forks and BOTH front forks should have been good quality cartidge type forks....not the junk they have on there now. Those that have never ridden with two good cartridge forks on the front will not have a clue as to what I am talking about.

 

[beastie]

My michelin pilot (mounted in normal rotation) Pressured @ 41lbs Is cupping badly, mainly on the right. It has 4000 miles on it. Combination of in town & Highway. Speeds never exceed 75mph. Any ideas?
Chuckie

Two thoughts:

• turn your forks to either side, pull up the plastic cover over the fork tube tops and see if both forks are in the same position in the top tree. It could be possible that one of your fork legs is higher than the other which could cause a problem and end up causing the tire to cup on one side.
• Take the tire off and reverse the rotation...make sure to have it properly balanced or go ahead and try the Dynabeads like Baldy_54 suggests.

 

[MS_Winger]

It could be possible that one of your fork legs is higher than the other

Huh? How could that happen? 4:

 

[KJ5IX]

Huh? How could that happen? 4:

Very easy if you have worked on the front end and let one side slip just a tad. I have seen right 3/8 diff in top placement. Needless to say that one did have a Slight pull :shock:

 

[MS_Winger]

Very easy if you have worked on the front end and let one side slip just a tad. I have seen right 3/8 diff in top placement. Needless to say that one did have a Slight pull :shock:

Looks like that would sure put the front axle in a real bind. I'm just trying to get an idea of how this happens.

 

[KJ5IX]

Like I said EASY: Primarily by thinking that you have the top of the tube aligned up while tightening the bottom clamp bolts, and letting the pressure off the support to check the clearance, and not rechecking the top. Trust me it happens !!!!!

 

[tripod]

I remember when I changed the springs I did that but only about 1/4 or so :shock:

Axle looked flat, and tire looked streaght :?::?: :shrug: rode like that for a couple of months 4: I found it when looking for why the turn signal wouldnt cancle of all things. Dont know how I got it off like that, but it was, and to make things worse is that I did it. :22yikes:

 

[chuckie]

Well I checked the top of the forks for alignment, like Don suggested, and they were both fine. I'm wondering if the left fork is locked up. I can't seem to compress it like I could when it was a bike. I think I'll try to temporarily disable it, and see if that helps. It sure rides hard in the front.
A lot harder than when it was a two wheeler. Almost jars at times. Could that be just the tire. How would reversing the tire at this stage help I wonder?
Chuckie

 

[W7AX]

Chuckie...it sounds like you have an anti-dive valve stuck. It's that gizmo on the rear of the left fork. You might try Fred Harmon's info regarding the anti dive.

 

[EZglider]

My michelin pilot (mounted in normal rotation) Pressured @ 41lbs Is cupping badly, mainly on the right. It has 4000 miles on it. Combination of in town & Highway. Speeds never exceed 75mph. Any ideas?
Chuckie

I have had the same problem. My builder said to use my front brake at the same time as the rear. when you use just the rear only the left side in the front works.

 

[Doc1]

Like I said EASY: Primarily by thinking that you have the top of the tube aligned up while tightening the bottom clamp bolts, and letting the pressure off the support to check the clearance, and not rechecking the top. Trust me it happens !!!!!

george P, I have a slight right pull if I let go of the bars even when I think I'm on level road. How do I check top tube alignment to see if I have that problem? Thanks Doc

 

[KJ5IX]

george P, I have a slight right pull if I let go of the bars even when I think I'm on level road. How do I check top tube alignment to see if I have that problem? Thanks Doc

Doc,
A very slight right is normal.. A near parking maneuver is fork alignment or frame. To answer the question, lift up the plastic tree cover, and you can see fork tube tops. If you have a rake kit the front will be slightly lower than the rear. Check at the rear or the split where the clamp bolt is to see if both sides are the same.

 

[Doc1]

Doc,
A very slight right is normal........

George, appreciate :bow::bow: :lol: :thumbup: