triple digit speeds!!
 

I was wondering if anyone can help me... everytime I reach upwards of 95 mph my hawk does not feel stable. feels kind of wobbly I am fairly new to riding but I do have the nerves to reach over 100 mph ,yet the bike just doesn't feel stable. oh yeah I have a brand new set of michelin pilots on my rooster so tires aren't the issue I think.....

someone anyone please help

your wobble could be caused by many things
- rear wheel properly aligned?
- check your forks, are they in the stock position as some owners raise them in the triple clamps (to quicken up the steering) and this can cause instability at high speeds if the forks have not been modified with stiffer springs
- check your damping adjustments on your forks, if they are set overly light it could cause a wobble
- is the rear shock shimmed? if so, see comment for raised forks
- what about the condition of your wheel bearings
- are the tires new? could be a defective tire
- could be swingarm bushings, or loose steering head bearings
- etc....

as you can tell, there are lots of possible causes

Mikstr

wow im kind of a noob and just bought the bike but i know it doesnt feel right

Check the more obvious:

Are both front and rear wheel balanced?

Any brake pads rubbing agains tthe rotors?

Are your tires in decent shape, nice and round?

Are your wheels round and true?

Is there a tight link in your chain?

At triple digit speed any of the above would cause the bike to feel unstable.

One thread is enough for this topic, should consider deleting the other tread.

sorry for the other post just trying to get answers. should i take to dealership or can i troubleshoot myself

new tires they tightened the chain at dealership after purchase they said it didn't sound right the tires are round and damn near brand new(still have little nubs)

Your problem is most likely to be caused by a cupped front tire or a front or rear inflation problem. Verify those are OK and I'll give you the next list, which focus' on suspension settings and mechanical defects.

How much do you weigh and do you have any additional weight or bags on the bike?

Learn to ride the bike before trying triple digit runs on the straights. That's not what litre twins were made for.

Oh. And when you do get to the triple digits, that is a good time to practice panic stops...seriously. Moving that fast if you need to stop quickly you better know how to do it. Being out of control of the bike at any speed is not only foolish but dangerous.

Not preaching. I've just seen too many "noobs" smeared on the road or part of a car turning in front of them lately.

Read this http://www.sungazette.com/news/artic...articleID=5670

and this http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriot...960.xml&coll=1

i can ride fine ... just called dealership and he says i may need a steering stabilizer,b.s. then he says the tires may need to be balanced since the bike sat at the dealership for so long I will check tire pressure though.feels like the problem comes from the rear of the bike.who says litre twins aren't made for triple digits if they weren't you wouldn't be able to reach those speeds so quickly i aint talking 150 mph just little over 100 mph

I'm sure you do. It's very rare that anyone ever admits otherwise.

j schmidt I weigh 174 lbs. no bags on bike bike is stock 1998 rooster

penst8 have you ever experienced any of the symptoms mentioned above

Before I redid the front forks...yes. Stock forks are notoriously soft although at 174 pounds they may be correct for your weight. If it is a used 98, the previous owner may have beat the hell out of them doing wheelies (very easy on the hawk)

Try this guide and see if that takes care of your problem before spending any money. http://www.sasbk.co.za/suspension_setup_guidelines.htm You won't be able to make all of the adjustments, but it is a start.

And look at those two previous links to see what 100mph can do.

doesn't wheelie easy for me maybe im not trying to them but supposedly they are effortless and i damn sure redline and it doesn't even act like it wants to come up only time it acts like it wants to does is when i just dump the trottle in second after backing off of it

IMO, this is one of the most stable sraight line 100mph bikes I've riden, it's a different story when leaned but straight it should be very stable. At that speed though even the smallest flinch by the rider can make things unstable very easily. The stock springs are set up for a 130 pound rider but I'm around 200 and it was still stable for me, so start checking all the things listed and get back with what you've found.

Snap the throttle in 1st at around 3000 rpm and hold on tight if you've never done them PAHLEEESE be careful it CAN/WILL put you on your ass!

And when you say wobble, you are talking about the bars weaving back and forth, left-right-left rapidly? Or just vibrating/bouncing up and down?

wobble like im wiggling my ass from left to right in small motions like i dont have much traction maybe? tires good

Next check the steering head bearings for looseness. Then make sure the rebound damping is set to factory specs (which I can't remember) and the front and rear spring preload are in the middle.

Try it and then check back.

If it's truley in the back, (sometimes it's hard to tell), I would check these first.

That's why I posted the setup guide. At triple digits, it is good to have everything in spec although I don't think you can get sag with stock bits.

My guess is it's too soft and it's porposing.

Check what the others have said. Don't easter egg.
Sometimes you think you can "feel" the problem at one end (say the front) but it is the other end causing it. Bad Headset bearings will give some strange symptoms like "wallowing" around curves, feeling a cilck or clunk in the bars when stopping and starting.

As for the stabilizer...that would only mask a more serious problem.
Unless you are planning to take the bike to the track you probably don't need a stabilizer...especially before you fix the initial problem.

Oh and please be careful running higher speed until you have corrected the problem...tank slappers are a bitch!

Good luck!

Tires could look like new, but if they are not balanced on the wheels they could easily cause instability at higher speed.

If it your ass that's wiggling at high speed, I suggest loosing some weight wearing something formfitting to restrict ass wiggle due to wind forces. :mrgreen:

If the shop suggested a steering damper, I would try moving the forklegs down the triple clamps first, have the clip-ons moved all the way to the top of the forklegs, that should slow the steering a little to make a difference.
In order to do that you might need to suspend the front end of the bike.. or at least un-weigh it.