[[email protected]]

I have a 2012 Goldwing and it’s about my 7th or 8th wing. I’ve discovered when riding two up on the take off and on the stop I’m extremely wobbly in the handlebars. Not like a tire thing but like I’ve never ridden before and am moving the handlebar back and forth trying to stay up. I had Dunlop Elite 4’s on there with no sign of cupping. I’ve just put new Bridgestones on and haven’t ridden it yet. There is no fork brace. It’s like the steering is extremely loose and I have no control. Makes me feel like a total novice. After reaching 10mph or so all is well and no weird handling occurs. On one up the problem seems to go away. This is my 4th 1800 and there was no problem with the others.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

Did this begin with the recent change of tires? If so, re-visit the installation step by step as noted in your owner's manual under "If you have a flat tire". Take notice of the directional arrows embossed upon the rims, they correctly oriented to forward direction of travel? Are the directional arrows embossed upon the tire sidewalls matching the forward direction of travel? Loosen and properly retighten rear lug nuts, first setting lug nuts hand firm only in a diagonal pattern, then in that pattern use torque wrench to snug to about 1/3 of final torque, the in pattern to full torque (80 FP). Loosen all front axle hardware as instructed and then tighten exactly as owner's manual instructs. Check the "tell-tale" lines that on the tire sidewalls that are close to the rim edge, they must be equally spaced all the way around attesting that the tire is seated correctly on rim. Check lateral and vertical un-out on both tire/wheels (bent rim or faulty tire); Waldo has posted a serviceable method several time where one lays a stable object very close to the rim/tire, then turn the wheel to visually guesstimate any lateral motion toward and away from the stable object (will only show larger problems). Vertical run-out can be similarly observed at rear simply by observing how tire to floor gap changes on center stand as wheel is turned. On the front, use a scissors jack or such to just barely raise the tire off the floor and inspect as you did with rear. The tire install my have bent the one of the front rotor support cages, needs to be checked with real run-out gauge. Check for loose steering stem bearing pre-load, Honda suggests rapidly pushing down and pulling up on handle bars while front of bike is raised just off of floor. Check back with us if nothing is found out of order to resolve issue.

prs

 

[tamathumper]

Did this begin with the recent change of tires

Said he hasn't ridden it yet on the new tires, so I'd say no. Is the person on the back new, or are they doing the Macarena? If it only happens two-up, a little pillion coaching may be in order.

What's your preload set to?

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Be sure to check the simple things like:
- is the rear wheel mounted correctly to it's hub, are all 5 lugs tightened correctly
- are the rear tire beads seated correctly on the wheel
- when you spin it by hand, any evidence of the tire/wheel not being round
- is the front tie mounted correctly
- are the front tire beads seated correctly on its wheel
- when you spin it by hand, any evidence of the tire/wheel not being round
- when spinning the wheel, any evidence that either front rotor is not true

 

[JW.]

The Goldwing is tricky to ride slowly, especially stop start, there's plenty of past threads related to it. However, play in the forks does make it more difficult than normal and a fork brace will help too.

A couple of tips, when you stop do so just a little sharper than you might think and keep your head and gaze up - look at the high brake light on the car in front or, better still, keep your eye on the traffic light. Definitely no looking down at the road surface at the last second. If the road surface is dodgy have it sussed before you get to the stop. Starting off, kinda similar, let that clutch out and get going quickly, if you're in traffic, let the vehicle in front move a distance away before you move off to give yourself some catch-up space.

I have a traxxion front end too but I can't always guarantee a good clean stop. I also ride my Triumph Rocket, 2.3lts and big and heavy so you might think it would be similar but it's a pu$$y cat at low speed. It's a bike issue IMHO.

 

[Waldo]

The mention of Dunlop Elite tires offers a potential reason. No personal animus toward PR (location) but here's the sample of a West Virginia dial indicator most anyone can afford.

Cupping?

>CLICK ME<

 

[networkguy3]

Stopping and starting

I also suggest practice. Practice going as slow as you can in a parking lot riding on a painted line. Pretend you are in a slow race. Also practice looking from side to side and keeping the bike going straight like you might at a stop sign or stop light.

 

[[email protected]]

Thank you, I ordered a fork brace this morning so I'll see how that works and if that does no good then I'll look at the steering head, and If that doesn't work I'll look at a new DCT. It's plumb embarrassing, I look like a drunk pulling up to a red light right before he falls off. Never ever had this problem before.

 

[[email protected]]

I've played around with the pre-load and tried it low and high but all stays the same.

 

[[email protected]]

Yeah, It's got me bamboozled for the moment. I'll have the fork brace tomorrow so I'll see what that does.

 

[[email protected]]

YOU BEEN IN MY TOOL SHED???? I spent days making that one!!!!

 

[JW.]

Thank you, I ordered a fork brace this morning so I'll see how that works and if that does no good then I'll look at the steering head, and If that doesn't work I'll look at a new DCT....

It's plumb embarrassing,...Hehe...

The new bike isn't a whole lot better, that could be an expensive try!

For what it's worth..the GW has a fairly high CG because of all the bodywork, that combined with a narrow, slightly peeky profile front tyre is hard to manage. The narrow tyre gives a quicker turn in to corners but by the same token it is less stable when upright. Kinda more of a knife edge to balance on. IMHO, of course.

 

[MiWinger51]

The new bike isn't a whole lot better, that could be an expensive try!



For what it's worth..the GW has a fairly high CG because of all the bodywork, that combined with a narrow, slightly peeky profile front tyre is hard to manage. The narrow tyre gives a quicker turn in to corners but by the same token it is less stable when upright. Kinda more of a knife edge to balance on. IMHO, of course.

A high center of gravity? Surely you jest. The GW has an extremely low CG thanks to the flat 6.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[goldwing fan]

May be check your steering HEAD adjustment I had the same issue in my case it was like a notch wobble at very low speeds taking off in traffic and this is the strange part that I don t get and it goes against the honda workhop manual I loosed the main steering stem nut to maybe like 10 pounds if that and tightened the top nut snug that supposed to be finger tight and now the steering is back to normal no notches no nothing smooth as butter :thumbup:

 

[Farmguy]

Since it's your 4th 1800, and it's not behaving the same as the others -- is it also a recent acquisition?

Any chance the steering head has been been torqued too tight?

 

[Schoeney]

Suspect it was your tires. Let us know how it does with the new ones.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[jettawreck]

Please update if/when you find a cause/solution to this as it's very similar to the problem I've been having.
(Link to my post)
https://gl1800riders.com/forums/5-gl1800-tech-board/449485-steering-stem-bearings.html

 

[Fred H.]

You most likely have notched steering stem bearings.

 

[Waldo]

Don't know it they have fell out of favor here, but All Balls roller head bearings fixed my problem on both my '02 & '06.

https://www.amazon.com/All-Balls-22-1002-Steering-Bearing/dp/B000GU2I68/ref=asc_df_B000GU2I68/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=318779389843&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16770989374505294645&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015428&hvtargid=pla-660807740847&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63350251917&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=318779389843&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16770989374505294645&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015428&hvtargid=pla-660807740847

 

[jettawreck]

Don't know it they have fell out of favor here, but All Balls roller head bearings fixed my problem on both my '02 & '06.

https://www.amazon.com/All-Balls-22-1002-Steering-Bearing/dp/B000GU2I68/ref=asc_df_B000GU2I68/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=318779389843&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16770989374505294645&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015428&hvtargid=pla-660807740847&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63350251917&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=318779389843&hvpos=1o5&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16770989374505294645&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015428&hvtargid=pla-660807740847

I believe the general consensus is the All Balls tapered bearing replacement is the best solution.