Freeway driving--Wiggling
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 740
From: South Puget Sound, WA
As far as the SF fender, I just replaced my SF fender with an S model dirt fender and find the stability is better. Don't know why, this is on an S model bike BTW. I still have the SF fender and they are easy peasy to swap for testing. The SF fender looks dorky as hell though and doesn't prevent the water or crap from being flung up from the front tire onto the riders face.
These bikes aren't that light, and that's no excuse for instability when there are no other cars on the slab.
What I don't hear people doing is balancing their tires/wheels. Seems that our heavy knobby tires and tubes are not likely to be manufactured with balance in mind since they were never intended to provide smooth highway manners. Real street bikes have street tires and I'm pretty sure they even balance them with real weights. Has anyone actually balanced their KLX wheels on a machine?
Real street bikes have a built in stability and smoothness at speed. They actually get more stable and smoother as you go faster. I'm finding the opposite with the KLX and that is usually a balance issue.
These bikes aren't that light, and that's no excuse for instability when there are no other cars on the slab.
What I don't hear people doing is balancing their tires/wheels. Seems that our heavy knobby tires and tubes are not likely to be manufactured with balance in mind since they were never intended to provide smooth highway manners. Real street bikes have street tires and I'm pretty sure they even balance them with real weights. Has anyone actually balanced their KLX wheels on a machine?
Real street bikes have a built in stability and smoothness at speed. They actually get more stable and smoother as you go faster. I'm finding the opposite with the KLX and that is usually a balance issue.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 326
Mine are balanced, I balance them with each tire change< I use spoke weights and yes, they are very much in need of a balance, especially if you run rim locks. This isn't a vibration you would feel from an out of balance tire, this is a bar moving, bike moving side to side shake that can feel worse with winds.
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 501
From: W. Oregon
I was thinking these bikes are "relatively" light compared to standard streetbikes. My last street bike was a DL650 Vstrom, it weighed around 420 pounds. (dry) (the KLX is listed by Kaw as having 297 lbs curb)
I had my wheels balanced when I put on rim locks, but I did this at the same time that I put in new steering head bearings, so I can't say what effect the balancing had.
I agree that anyone having stability issues would want to get the wheels balanced.
I had my wheels balanced when I put on rim locks, but I did this at the same time that I put in new steering head bearings, so I can't say what effect the balancing had.
I agree that anyone having stability issues would want to get the wheels balanced.
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 200
From: CA
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The KLX just isn't completely at home on the slab. Be careful that you are not unwittingly stiff-arming the bars or making sudden movements. Even a jerky clutch motion (pulling rather than squeezing) while shifting will cause oscillations.
Much of the stability issues have to do with geometry of the bike. That's why it's so responsive and flickable at slower speeds.
When I had my suspension tuned for motard, the shop decreased (I'm pretty light) the rear spring rate and increased the fork spring rate, effectively relaxing the geometry a little bit. The bike is notacably more stable at highway/freeway speeds now, but it will never be completely at home in that environment.
Anyway, what you're reporting is not uncommon and people who encounter what you speak of on this bike rarely if ever find anything wrong with the steering head tension, etc. It's just the nature of the beast, but I guess it doesn't hurt to double check such things. Getting your rider sag properly set can help. How much do you weigh?
Much of the stability issues have to do with geometry of the bike. That's why it's so responsive and flickable at slower speeds.
When I had my suspension tuned for motard, the shop decreased (I'm pretty light) the rear spring rate and increased the fork spring rate, effectively relaxing the geometry a little bit. The bike is notacably more stable at highway/freeway speeds now, but it will never be completely at home in that environment.
Anyway, what you're reporting is not uncommon and people who encounter what you speak of on this bike rarely if ever find anything wrong with the steering head tension, etc. It's just the nature of the beast, but I guess it doesn't hurt to double check such things. Getting your rider sag properly set can help. How much do you weigh?
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Senior Member
1st Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 200
From: CA
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As far as the SF fender, I just replaced my SF fender with an S model dirt fender and find the stability is better. Don't know why, this is on an S model bike BTW. I still have the SF fender and they are easy peasy to swap for testing. The SF fender looks dorky as hell though and doesn't prevent the water or crap from being flung up from the front tire onto the riders face.
These bikes aren't that light, and that's no excuse for instability when there are no other cars on the slab.
What I don't hear people doing is balancing their tires/wheels. Seems that our heavy knobby tires and tubes are not likely to be manufactured with balance in mind since they were never intended to provide smooth highway manners. Real street bikes have street tires and I'm pretty sure they even balance them with real weights. Has anyone actually balanced their KLX wheels on a machine?
Real street bikes have a built in stability and smoothness at speed. They actually get more stable and smoother as you go faster. I'm finding the opposite with the KLX and that is usually a balance issue.
These bikes aren't that light, and that's no excuse for instability when there are no other cars on the slab.
What I don't hear people doing is balancing their tires/wheels. Seems that our heavy knobby tires and tubes are not likely to be manufactured with balance in mind since they were never intended to provide smooth highway manners. Real street bikes have street tires and I'm pretty sure they even balance them with real weights. Has anyone actually balanced their KLX wheels on a machine?
Real street bikes have a built in stability and smoothness at speed. They actually get more stable and smoother as you go faster. I'm finding the opposite with the KLX and that is usually a balance issue.
What is the interval for this?
Every time that you change the inner tube?
Every year?
