Hard vibration in the steering at 45 mph

[AlphaJoe]

Hello again,

I have a 2014 ST-S. So, last night something strange happened. My wife and I were on a ride and suddenly, when I got to about 45 mph and maintaining speed, the steering started shaking violently. I looked down and the wheels were shaking so hard they were a blur. It only did it between 45 and 48mph, and would go away if I accelerated or decelerated while it was happening. We were a good distance from home, so we turned around and made our way back. I dropped her at the house and then went out by myself. The vibration is still there, but much more muted with half the weight on the bike. I did a full check over everything on the bike and did notice that my oil was low, so I topped it off which seemed to help, but I wonder if there is something else wrong due to the fact that it seems to matter if there is more weight on the bike. Could the sway bar be loose or something? My wife just left her job, so my funds are extremely limited right now. I am afraid to take it in to the shop to find out it will be a large repair bill, so I am hoping it can be something I can fix myself.

The tires are only a couple months old, with less than 1000 miles on them. We have rode together on the bike many times before and have not had this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[canamjhb]

My guess is tire tread separation. I would check to see if the problem seems to come from one side more than the other. If so, swap tire sides and see if the vibration follows the tire. If that happens then you've solved the mystery. Good luck

[Motorcycledave]

What you described could be several things, but I would first check the tires you could have
an out of round tire or a tire separation (bubble) on your tire. Jack it up and spin the tire to
see if that is it, grab the tire while jacked up and move it front to back and look for broken
or loose steering parts.
Good luck
Dave

Hello again,

I have a 2014 ST-S. So, last night something strange happened. My wife and I were on a ride and suddenly, when I got to about 45 mph and maintaining speed, the steering started shaking violently. I looked down and the wheels were shaking so hard they were a blur. It only did it between 45 and 48mph, and would go away if I accelerated or decelerated while it was happening. We were a good distance from home, so we turned around and made our way back. I dropped her at the house and then went out by myself. The vibration is still there, but much more muted with half the weight on the bike. I did a full check over everything on the bike and did notice that my oil was low, so I topped it off which seemed to help, but I wonder if there is something else wrong due to the fact that it seems to matter if there is more weight on the bike. Could the sway bar be loose or something? My wife just left her job, so my funds are extremely limited right now. I am afraid to take it in to the shop to find out it will be a large repair bill, so I am hoping it can be something I can fix myself.

The tires are only a couple months old, with less than 1000 miles on them. We have rode together on the bike many times before and have not had this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[quasi]

jack it up, support it. take a block of 2 x 4 or something like that, drive a spike nail in the board enough so it won't fall out. place it just a fuzz from the center of the tire and spin the tire. see what happens.

[ARtraveler]

My guess is tire tread separation. I would check to see if the problem seems to come from one side more than the other. If so, swap tire sides and see if the vibration follows the tire. If that happens then you've solved the mystery. Good luck

A caution about tire switch. The tires are directional and you will also have to swap them on the rims to have them go in the direction intended. The directional arrows are on the sidewall.

[Grandpot]

Checking for broken or badly worn steering parts is first. Next, check for wheel weights that might have fallen off. Do that by looking for glue marks on the rim with no weights.

[Peteoz]

A caution about tire switch. The tires are directional and you will also have to swap them on the rims to have them go in the direction intended. The directional arrows are on the sidewall.

AK, is it Ok to swap the wheels over for say a 5 mile test run? ......

Pete

[ARtraveler]

AK, is it Ok to swap the wheels over for say a 5 mile test run? ......

Pete

Probably will run "funny" because the tread, as designed, will be running "backwards." That's my best answer to a good question.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Hello again,

I have a 2014 ST-S. So, last night something strange happened. My wife and I were on a ride and suddenly, when I got to about 45 mph and maintaining speed, the steering started shaking violently. I looked down and the wheels were shaking so hard they were a blur. It only did it between 45 and 48mph, and would go away if I accelerated or decelerated while it was happening. We were a good distance from home, so we turned around and made our way back. I dropped her at the house and then went out by myself. The vibration is still there, but much more muted with half the weight on the bike. I did a full check over everything on the bike and did notice that my oil was low, so I topped it off which seemed to help, but I wonder if there is something else wrong due to the fact that it seems to matter if there is more weight on the bike. Could the sway bar be loose or something? My wife just left her job, so my funds are extremely limited right now. I am afraid to take it in to the shop to find out it will be a large repair bill, so I am hoping it can be something I can fix myself.

The tires are only a couple months old, with less than 1000 miles on them. We have rode together on the bike many times before and have not had this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Excuse me but ....What the H*ll kind of tires do you have now .....this could make a big difference in solutions ...............sorry just frustrated

[Bob Denman]

jack it up, support it. take a block of 2 x 4 or something like that, drive a spike nail in the board enough so it won't fall out. place it just a fuzz from the center of the tire and spin the tire. see what happens.

O thought that you were going to suggest he pound on both tires with that block and stud,;until they explode!
Then: go get some new tires!

[optimus prime]

I have a 2012 RTS and it started doing the same thing at the same speed. It is the tires causing the vibration on my bike. I had the same problem a few years back. Tread separation was the cause back then. I am sure it has happened again with these tires. Will be looking for car tires soon.

[quasi]

O thought that you were going to suggest he pound on both tires with that block and stud,;until they explode!
Then: go get some new tires!

nope, just a cost effective dial indicator. you crack me up!!

[oldguyinTX]

Did you get the "Orange Screen"and/or any codes? When my RT did the same thing - at 70 mph - it turned out to be the Yaw Positioning Sensor. Replaced under warranty. When it happened to me, it scared the crap out of me.

[AlphaJoe]

Well, my front tires are at a perfect 18psi, right around where the manual says they should be, maybe a little higher. My digital pressure gauge won't reach the back one well, so I am going to have to find my thin old school one. It is in a box somewhere. The tires are fairly new, I got them at the beginning of the year and they don't even have 2000 miles yet. They are the Kemda tires on the front, and a Kumho car tire on the back.

I have noticed a squeak coming from the right front, where I feel the majority of the vibration is coming from. I notice it as I come to a stop, this faint <squeak><squeak><squeak><squeak><squeak>, right before I come to a stop. I have tried it without the brakes and it still does it.

I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and run it to the shop. Hopefully it is something that will fall under warranty (this is why I got the big platinum plan).

I will let everyone know what they find out. Thanks for all the input.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well, my front tires are at a perfect 18psi, right around where the manual says they should be, maybe a little higher. My digital pressure gauge won't reach the back one well, so I am going to have to find my thin old school one. It is in a box somewhere. The tires are fairly new, I got them at the beginning of the year and they don't even have 2000 miles yet. They are the Kemda tires on the front, and a Kumho car tire on the back.

I have noticed a squeak coming from the right front, where I feel the majority of the vibration is coming from. I notice it as I come to a stop, this faint <squeak><squeak><squeak><squeak><squeak>, right before I come to a stop. I have tried it without the brakes and it still does it.

I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and run it to the shop. Hopefully it is something that will fall under warranty (this is why I got the big platinum plan).

I will let everyone know what they find out. Thanks for all the input.

Thanks for update on the type of tires .... Since you have Kenda's on the front I agree with canamjhb it sounds like ply separation ..... ON the squeak thing try lifting the front off the ground and spinning the tires by hand .....OEM pads are known to Squeek ......... Mike

[2Paw]

I had the same/similar problem with my 2012 RTS

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...-Wheel-wobbles

I have about 14K miles on the replacement tires, I still have the problem sometimes,
but it's an indication that 1 of the tires is low on air. Once you add air and match the pressure
in both tires (BTW the Lamonster pump is great for doing this) it's all okay.

[AlphaJoe]

Well, The shop says that the tires have cupping and they are blaming me. My warranty is now void on the tires because they said that I did not check the tire pressure every day. I just bought them a few months ago and now they want me to buy new ones. Mad doesn't even describe what I am feeling right now.

[classicvw]

Since it's been less than 1K miles, I say the shop is full of it. And if you had run the tires with uneven pressures or both way out of whack for an extended time, I'd think you would have sensed an issue long before you did. Just my thoughts and I know you can't PROVE they're wrong, your word against theirs. Anybody disagree with my non-expert reasoning?

[Peteoz]

Well, The shop says that the tires have cupping and they are blaming me. My warranty is now void on the tires because they said that I did not check the tire pressure every day. I just bought them a few months ago and now they want me to buy new ones. Mad doesn't even describe what I am feeling right now.

That's not good news at all, Joe. Since you have to change them anyway, it might be time to move to a "real" tyre that won't fall apart if you look at it sideways. (Or don't check its pressure EVERY day ! )

Pete

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well, The shop says that the tires have cupping and they are blaming me. My warranty is now void on the tires because they said that I did not check the tire pressure every day. I just bought them a few months ago and now they want me to buy new ones. Mad doesn't even describe what I am feeling right now.

...I haven't heard of " under inflation " being a cause of " cupping " on tires ..... crappy construction and or a defect yes ......... jmho ..... What say you Peter ???? .... Mike

[Peter Aawen]

My thoughts?? Defective tires, really good chance! Defective or damaged suspension, less of a good chance but still a significant chance! Under inflated tires - Errrm, not likely!!!

Certainly not likely on the front end of a Spyder where the load imposed on any one tire is hardly going to get into 3 figures of pounds..... well maybe a few hundred #'s, but not much more!! Even a crappy push bike tire can handle a few hundred #'s of load without needing massively high pressures & not causing vibrations or tread wear; and besides, there is AMPLE EVIDENCE that Kenda tires are prone to significant construction defects that lead to this sort of problem, I doubt that any court in your land or mine would consider much beyond the blindingly obvious 'smoking gun in the trunk of the bloody great elephant in the room' of it being a Kenda tire in order to decide that a defective tire was the most likely cause of your issues!!

Any chance we can see a pic of this 'cupping or tread wear' they claim is caused by running low pressures (wot?! Lower than the pressures BRP recomends up front?!?) & that it's that giving you/causing the vibration issues you are experiencing??!? I'd really like to see that wear?!?

[DcD]

We do also have a "wobble problem" with our 2012 RTS and when it does happen we have to reduce the speed this way the wheel stop to shake. Bought it "used" 2 months ago and did get 6 big wobbles since we did buy it. The dealer verify balancing/alignement and found out alignement was not right and create bad wear and tear on the tire so alignement is ok now but damage was done to the tire so even with good alignement our Spyder still wobble between 60 kl and 80 kl . Next step I guest would be to change tire.

Hello again,

I have a 2014 ST-S. So, last night something strange happened. My wife and I were on a ride and suddenly, when I got to about 45 mph and maintaining speed, the steering started shaking violently. I looked down and the wheels were shaking so hard they were a blur. It only did it between 45 and 48mph, and would go away if I accelerated or decelerated while it was happening. We were a good distance from home, so we turned around and made our way back. I dropped her at the house and then went out by myself. The vibration is still there, but much more muted with half the weight on the bike. I did a full check over everything on the bike and did notice that my oil was low, so I topped it off which seemed to help, but I wonder if there is something else wrong due to the fact that it seems to matter if there is more weight on the bike. Could the sway bar be loose or something? My wife just left her job, so my funds are extremely limited right now. I am afraid to take it in to the shop to find out it will be a large repair bill, so I am hoping it can be something I can fix myself.

The tires are only a couple months old, with less than 1000 miles on them. We have rode together on the bike many times before and have not had this issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

We do also have a "wobble problem" with our 2012 RTS and when it does happen we have to reduce the speed this way the wheel stop to shake. Bought it "used" 2 months ago and did get 6 big wobbles since we did buy it. The dealer verify balancing/alignement and found out alignement was not right and create bad wear and tear on the tire so alignement is ok now but damage was done to the tire so even with good alignement our Spyder still wobble between 60 kl and 80 kl . Next step I guest would be to change tire.

are generally caused by an un-balanced wheel / tire .... so that is where I would look first .... If you still have Kenda's then read what Peter has to say ( and I agree with His assessment of the crapenda ).....Mike

[AlphaJoe]

Wound up replacing the tires. Everything is smooth as glass now. Went with Federal as opposed to the Kemda. I am still perturbed that the shop wouldn't make it right, but at least I am back on the road again.

[2Paw]

Wound up replacing the tires. Everything is smooth as glass now. Went with Federal as opposed to the Kemda. I am still perturbed that the shop wouldn't make it right, but at least I am back on the road again.

It's because they couldn't if you replace bad tires with more bad tires.