honda goldwing unstable at 100km/hr

[sandmart]

Hi, I have a handling problem. The bike is a bit unstable at 100ks plus. She wants to wander in the front end. fork seals and oil have been renwed also new back shockies. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks sandmart.

[Marmoot]

Check the wheel balancing

[Paul in NZ]

tyres and tyre pressue? What kind of fairing? Load distribution? Steering head bearings? Rear shock or swing are bearngs?

[NighthawkNZ]

Hi, I have a handling problem. The bike is a bit unstable at 100ks plus. She wants to wander in the front end. fork seals and oil have been renwed also new back shockies. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks sandmart.

Wheel bearings, wheel balance, tyre presure, steering head bearings, are the fork springs set correctly, try a different tyre...

What happens under heavy braking?

[Robert Taylor]

Hi, I have a handling problem. The bike is a bit unstable at 100ks plus. She wants to wander in the front end. fork seals and oil have been renwed also new back shockies. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks sandmart.

The current replies are all totally relevant. Are the shocks that you have fitted genuine oem new or something else? Ride height, spring rate etc can all have an affect. Panniers, disposition of load?

[jonbuoy]

Worn swingarm bushing?

[cynna]

a bike i had a few years ago had handling problems at speed. a new front tyre fixed this even tho the old one was probably only abut half worn

[sandmart]

Thanks for the quick replys. Its a gl 1200 gold wing with original fairing, has new tyres and new rear shocks, which are after market (good quality). The wheels have been rebalanced, Swing arm has been check out. Thanks sandmart

[idb]

If the tyres are inflated correctly and in good condition I suggest you start by checking ALL bushings and bearings.

[TDC]

Thanks for the quick replys. Its a gl 1200 gold wing with original fairing, has new tyres and new rear shocks, which are after market (good quality). The wheels have been rebalanced, Swing arm has been check out. Thanks sandmart

Check the steering head bearings, these are quite highly loaded given their small size and the weight of the bike, I have seen fail in the past.

[Marmoot]

frame is guaranteed to be straight or are you just buying it second hand?

Check if right and left forks are in the same adjustment (if they are adjustable).

Check if the new rear shocks are/is mounted properly. Check the tightness of all screws and nuts.

[Robert Taylor]

Thanks for the quick replys. Its a gl 1200 gold wing with original fairing, has new tyres and new rear shocks, which are after market (good quality). The wheels have been rebalanced, Swing arm has been check out. Thanks sandmart

With respect to those shocks have they in any way changed the static and dynamic ride heights? Is the spring rate different? I have no barrow to push here as Ohlins do not build shocks for these. Has the problem occured after you fitted?
If in any way the geometry / ride attitude has been affected this could either cause or contribute to the problem.

[Macktheknife]

I know I am probably being too simple here but did the problem exist before the new tyres and rebalancing?
If not a simple check with the shop that fitted them should provide some answers, it is possible to incorrectly balance them.

[NighthawkNZ]

I know I am probably being too simple here but did the problem exist before the new tyres and rebalancing?
If not a simple check with the shop that fitted them should provide some answers, it is possible to incorrectly balance them.

Simple is usually good and often over looked...

[Rhino]

NightHawks comment about the steeering head bearings is worth checking. I have a GL1500 and have replaced them twice in the last 10 years.

[FROSTY]

Dude can we go back to first base
Has the bike ALWAYS had this issue or is it a recent happening?
If recent what have you done to the bike just before it happened?
From my experience heres a few ideas
1)use of innapropriate tyres for your bike -perhaps wrong sizes,mismatched or non center groove type tyres
2)Fairing misalighned -possibly a low or no speed drop on a heavy bike could cause aerodynamic issues

3)Heavy weight in the panniers possibly combined with a pillion??
4) on the same vein-Different possibly bigger panniers
5)as Robert alluded to if you have incorrect spring/damping rate shocks on the back it can feel like the issue is the front end
6)head bearings loose/suspect wheel and swingarm bearings

I started from my biggest suspect--the tyres

[Robert Taylor]

Dude can we go back to first base
Has the bike ALWAYS had this issue or is it a recent happening?
If recent what have you done to the bike just before it happened?
From my experience heres a few ideas
1)use of innapropriate tyres for your bike -perhaps wrong sizes,mismatched or non center groove type tyres
2)Fairing misalighned -possibly a low or no speed drop on a heavy bike could cause aerodynamic issues

3)Heavy weight in the panniers possibly combined with a pillion??
4) on the same vein-Different possibly bigger panniers
5)as Robert alluded to if you have incorrect spring/damping rate shocks on the back it can feel like the issue is the front end
6)head bearings loose/suspect wheel and swingarm bearings

I started from my biggest suspect--the tyres


I think Frosty has summarised this rather well, if you can nail when it started to happen and what changes ( if any ) you had made.

[NighthawkNZ]

4) on the same vein-Different possibly bigger panniers

I remember when I first put the Givi panniers on my XJ. They made the rear sub frame wobble a bit which I noticed on the steering. I had to strengthen the brackets which helped but the still vibrated a lot and was still noticable up front especially if you you coasted and "look at me no hands"

[sandmart]

Thanks for the reply. unfortunatley i had the front fork seals done and new rear shocks (after market but desingned for the goldwing ). Have new tyres which have been rebalanced twice. the panners are original that come with the bike. will look at wheel bearings and swing arm. thanks martin

[sandmart]

Thanks I will also check the steering head bearings. Have done it before they seemed good. Also wanderin weather worn front springs could cause this problem. Cheers Martin

[Robert Taylor]

Thanks I will also check the steering head bearings. Have done it before they seemed good. Also wanderin weather worn front springs could cause this problem. Cheers Martin

If they have ''sacked out'' ( very possible as now 20 years old ) it certainly wont help. But there are so many set up and influencing variables that I wouldnt stick my neck out and say this is the whole problem. If the new aftermarket rear shocks are holding the rear end up much more so than what you removed then it will place more load onto the front end. If you still have the old shocks you may wish to back to back test.

It may be that the new shocks also have a firmer spring rate and much more effective compression damping.

Sometimes we can riddle ourselves with science and it can turn out to be the most stupid, simple thing!

[sandmart]

Thanks i have been considering that, as the originals and the new ones are air assisted i have been playing with the air. Have got to the point where they dont bottom out and is a smooth ride in the rear and it does seem to make it worse or better in any way. But still looking at them. Thanks Martin.

[roadracingoldfart]

When i worked at a Honda dealer the good old gold wing was known as a barge but it did an admirable job as a tourer and (dont tell anyone) i actually liked them lol. The Aspencage was nicknamed "Avalanche".

The one thing that made them unstable was the good old dress up factor with accessories. If the bike has one of those silly little rubber mudflaps on the front mudguard then take it off and see what happens.
Its a silly little thing but it can make a huge differance to the straight line stability at highway speeds.

Cheers Paul.

[Robert Taylor]

When i worked at a Honda dealer the good old gold wing was known as a barge but it did an admirable job as a tourer and (dont tell anyone) i actually liked them lol. The Aspencage was nicknamed "Avalanche".

The one thing that made them unstable was the good old dress up factor with accessories. If the bike has one of those silly little rubber mudflaps on the front mudguard then take it off and see what happens.
Its a silly little thing but it can make a huge differance to the straight line stability at highway speeds.

Cheers Paul.

CBX550s were another example, you fitted a tiny little rear carrier and without any load on that carrier it made the front end wobble. The sensitivity was incredible.

[roadracingoldfart]

CBX550s were another example, you fitted a tiny little rear carrier and without any load on that carrier it made the front end wobble. The sensitivity was incredible.

And yet the 400 did not suffer it. Go work that out.

And ask a cop what a CBX 650 was like lmfao .
Peeerfect up to about 140kmh but at 141 they spat the poor rider off into the weeds and carried on for many many hundreds of metres on thier own without a wiggle ( according to crash reports) .
Also side crash bars on a CX 400/500 was enough to upset them too.

It shows with these few examples that it is the smallest of things that can cause a massive gremlin in the operation of a bike.

[sandmart]

Hellow all and thanks for your help, the problem ended up being a loose engine mount, which i found while doing some cleaning on her and the other which yet to be fixed is the rear wheel bearing. once again thanks to all.
Keep right side and the rubber on the road. Cheers sandmart.