looking for a little advice here. a couple of weeks ago i was riding down route 9 in massachusetts. those from MA and familiar with rte 9 know it's a long stretch with potholes and aggressive drivers ready to run you off of the road. one guy was riding my tail real hard, so when i saw a huge pothole i couldn't slow down or swerve in time. i hit it, and it was a pretty rough bump but nothing else happened.

last night i was out for a ride and i was taking a sharp left turn. as i was leaning into the turn the rear wheel felt like it was about to slide out from under me and tip me over. i thought maybe there was some gravel or something, but when i was going through a rotary the same thing happened. i made sure the tires were at the spec'ed pressure before i left, so i knew it wasn't an issue with the tires gripping the road. the past few days it's felt like the wheels are shifting back and forth, but i thought it was just in my head (more like hoping it was) or uneven pavement (i can't stress how sh!tty boston's roads are right now).

my question is: has anyone else experienced this when turning, and do you guys think there's an alignment or balance issue?

thanks guys

 

Did you check your rims for any obvious damage, I've seen spoked rims bent from hitting rocks and potholes really hard. It's rare at least from what I've seen but it would be worth checking. You can get the bike on a lift and check the rear tire, see if it wobbles or if there is anything else suspicious going on. Is it only when turning left or does it happen on right hand turns too?

 

hey Uncle. i should have mentioned that it happens during right turns, too. and also when i got home from my ride on route 9 i checked the rims, spokes, and tires, everything looks good. i don't have a lift, so i haven't checked for wobbles, but i guess now's as good of a time as any to invest in one.

 

How old are your tires? Might just be a coincidence that they're getting close to the end of their lifespan...hard, etc...

Edit: sorry, 'just saw your signature...a 2012 Nightster...tires should be good...

=8^)

 

the bike's still a baby, a 2012! i got the bike at the end of the riding season last year, so the tires are basically brand new. they only have about 700 miles on them.

 

I would check to make sure the rear wheel has not loosened up where you would tension your belt. look to see that the sprocket bolts are in the same positions on both sides. also inspect you rims really well. sound dangerous. please be careful!

 

mJK. Did you have any wheel weights on that might have shot off when you hit. That can cause what you saying and also vibrating. I see its fairly new so not sure if they had been balanced at some point.

 

Do the rubber XLs mount the swingarm pivot thru a bushing that ties the rear of the engine & swingarm together?

If so - I'd suggest checking the condition of those mounts, and the engine case where those holes are cast into the case.

 

There's been on and off issues with front wheel bearings on different models, not sure of yours. But it sounds like either the wheel bearing in the front, or the swing arm bearing may have been damaged by the pothole you had to hit hard because of the as*hole behind you.

Perhaps an under warranty inspection might be able to find the issue.

Best wishes tracking down the issue.

 

thanks guys! this is a huge help, i'll check all of this stuff out tonight when i get home.