Ride On Users - Question About Vibration
#11
05-30-2018, 02:10 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#12
05-30-2018, 04:03 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#13
05-30-2018, 04:09 PM
#14
05-30-2018, 05:28 PM
Join Date: Jan 2017
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Thanks for that and I am most curious what is up here. When I first posted I was on my phone at work and wanted to see if maybe you had mentioned what bike you have or maybe it would be in your signature. Since no I will now ask, do you have spoked wheels and if so have you checked the spokes? I can tell you that a couple broken spokes will put a world of hurt on you and something like you are describing is very much like what I have experienced before.
#15
05-31-2018, 10:02 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
#17
05-31-2018, 10:37 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
this is normal when first installing Ride-on. i think the stuff is great and will never run metal weights again.
#18
05-31-2018, 12:06 PM
2016 RGS, 9835k miles, cast aluminum wheels, did not replace wheel bearings as they were fine when checked. Everything went together correctly, no brakes dragging, etc. Checked the head bearing adjustment, it’s in spec, no slop at all. I can set the cruise at 80 and take my hands off the bars and it tracks dead nuts straight.
I spoke to an engineer for Ride On and he gave me a list of things to check. I did notice that my belt adjustment was on the tight end of the adjustment. (I had marked the adjuster cams so that I could easily just line the marks up, the belt does ride true on the pulley and doesn’t walk hard to one side). I’ve read where the pulleys will heat up and expand making the belt tighter and can cause issues. So, I loosened it some and also added another ounce of Ride On to both the wheels (suggested by the engineer). Went for a ride and the vibrations seem to be less apparent.
I had a buddy ride my bike and he said he didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary until he was back in town going 30-35 mph. He said he couldn’t tell if it was the bike itself or just the bike picking up every little mark/divot/anomaly in the road and by that point, he said he was looking for something so that may have skewed his observations.
I’m seriously wondering if it’s the new tires/tread pattern and now my brain F’n with me. I have about 250 miles on the new tires so far.
I spoke to an engineer for Ride On and he gave me a list of things to check. I did notice that my belt adjustment was on the tight end of the adjustment. (I had marked the adjuster cams so that I could easily just line the marks up, the belt does ride true on the pulley and doesn’t walk hard to one side). I’ve read where the pulleys will heat up and expand making the belt tighter and can cause issues. So, I loosened it some and also added another ounce of Ride On to both the wheels (suggested by the engineer). Went for a ride and the vibrations seem to be less apparent.
I had a buddy ride my bike and he said he didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary until he was back in town going 30-35 mph. He said he couldn’t tell if it was the bike itself or just the bike picking up every little mark/divot/anomaly in the road and by that point, he said he was looking for something so that may have skewed his observations.
I’m seriously wondering if it’s the new tires/tread pattern and now my brain F’n with me. I have about 250 miles on the new tires so far.
Last edited by Cygnusx51; 05-31-2018 at 12:10 PM.
#19
05-31-2018, 02:49 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
make sure the rubber mounts for the mufflers are good and installed correctly. they cab cause a vibration if bad or loose. check top motor mount for tightness also. you always set your belt adjustment dead overnight cold and when the bike warms from riding it the belt will be much tighter. i always set my belt adjustment at the loose end of the specs overnite cold. good luck and i hope you find out what's going on.
#20
05-31-2018, 03:28 PM
^ I’ll be sure to check those as well just to be safe. I’m wondering if the loosening of the belt adjustment slightly is the reason why the vibrations weren’t as bad yesterday as the day before. It makes sense that it could have been the cause initially because it rode smooth to start, it was after some miles that you could feel it through the whole bike. Stop for a bit, smooth for a few miles, then back to vibrating as everything heated up again.
This is the first time I’ve replaced a front and rear at the exact same time and the fact that these tires have a harder contact compound than stock tires may also be amplifying something that I just didn’t notice before.
Update: Vibration gone!
After my talk with the engineer at Ride On about the vibration, I went through the bike and checked everything that I was told to like drive belt adjustment, rotors, brake calipers, motor mounts, etc, to no avail. I slowly added more product getting it to the severe amount which didn’t take care of it either.
I rode 650 miles to TN with my hands, arms, and head being vibrated like an orbital sander and upon getting to Pigeon Forge I went straight to Rocky Top HD to have the Ride On taken out of the tire and the wheel balanced like normal to see what happened. I couldn’t take the vibration any longer and wasn’t waiting till I got home. The guys at HD were familiar with Ride On and echoed the sentiments here, guys there use it with no issues, and said my tire is most likely out of round causing a slight hop.
Well, after an hour and $100, the bike rides smooth as can be again. It ended up being that Ride On couldn’t balance my wheel/tire.
The engineer at Ride On said that they have seen this before (although rare) so I’m not knocking the product here, it’s still in my rear tire with no problem. Oh well, I can live with the few weights that are on the rim to not be shaken to insanity any longer.
This is the first time I’ve replaced a front and rear at the exact same time and the fact that these tires have a harder contact compound than stock tires may also be amplifying something that I just didn’t notice before.
Update: Vibration gone!
After my talk with the engineer at Ride On about the vibration, I went through the bike and checked everything that I was told to like drive belt adjustment, rotors, brake calipers, motor mounts, etc, to no avail. I slowly added more product getting it to the severe amount which didn’t take care of it either.
I rode 650 miles to TN with my hands, arms, and head being vibrated like an orbital sander and upon getting to Pigeon Forge I went straight to Rocky Top HD to have the Ride On taken out of the tire and the wheel balanced like normal to see what happened. I couldn’t take the vibration any longer and wasn’t waiting till I got home. The guys at HD were familiar with Ride On and echoed the sentiments here, guys there use it with no issues, and said my tire is most likely out of round causing a slight hop.
Well, after an hour and $100, the bike rides smooth as can be again. It ended up being that Ride On couldn’t balance my wheel/tire.
The engineer at Ride On said that they have seen this before (although rare) so I’m not knocking the product here, it’s still in my rear tire with no problem. Oh well, I can live with the few weights that are on the rim to not be shaken to insanity any longer.
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; 06-13-2018 at 08:39 AM.