Front end seems bouncy

[ramairgtz]

I rode my xs to work today for the first time and the front end seems very bouncy on the highway around 60ish. Only have around 140 miles on the bike. I rebuilt the forks and I'm using 15w oil 6oz per side. Any suggestions? It's hardtailed so is that just how they ride?

 

[rpgoerlich]

Check the tire, make sure the bead is seated evenly all the way around both sides.
Maybe re-balance the front tire if you haven't had it balanced recently.

 

[mouser]

I was finding mine was doing that too so I tried 30 w and I'm happier with the ride

 

[jchrisk1]

I use 7oz. of 30wt. Works well for me.

 

[ramairgtz]

I'll give the 30wt a try thanks for the suggestions. This is my first hardtailed bike so I don't really know what to expect.

rpgoerlich I'm running dynabeads in the tires so if I keep having problems I may take them out and have it balanced.

Rode saturday night down a different highway and didn't seem as bad so I think it was mainly the road

 

[jetero41]

after you change the fork oil come back with more on the Dynabeads, please.

 

[scabber]

The 30 WT OIL might take some the bounce out of the front end but doesn't change the the fact that that the rear tire is bouncing off the road every bump as soon as it does you have no control over it till it makes contact again cornering or braking. The Dyna beads might help if you pull your head out of your butt where it was when you cut off the rear suspension and stuff 4 or 5 ounces in doesn't improve ride quality but takes care of that hollow feeling after head removal. Welcome to the wonderful world of the hardtail chopper unsafe at any speed my

 

[XSLeo]

The Dyna beads work great. www.innovativebalancing.com
On your forks up the oil level to 7.5 ounces each side.
Ramairgtz, what rpgoerlich was talking about was not balance. If you look at your tire where it sets on the rim, there is a ridge made in the tire. This ridge should set the same distance from the rim all the way around the tire. If not the tire will act like it is out of round.
Leo

 

[ramairgtz]

Checked the tire and it looks ok. Picking up some 30w fork oil after work so hopefully it helps out. Thanks for the suggestions I'll reply back if it works or not

 

[ramairgtz]

Thought I would update this. I put 7.5oz of 30w oil in each fork and turned in the adjusters on top of the springs 1 turn and it rides great now. Filled my bars with silicone and it helped alot with the vibrations.

 

[pumps]

Mines a stock bike and I noticed it bouncy but when I put the PSI in the tires per the manual instead of what it says on the tire it improved greatly.

 

[XSLeo]

Yes most of the tires I have run On my 650 needs about 28 front and 32 rear. What the manual calls for is factory tires, not made any more. The best way to figure out what pressure works is set them to say 30 front 35 rear. Take it for at least a 15 minute ride at speed, not around town but out where you can cruise at 55-60.
After the 15 minutes pull over and check the hot pressure.
If it goes up 3 lbs then the pressure is right.
If the pressure goes up 4 or more lbs then the cold pressure was to low.
If it goes up 2 lbs or less the cold pressure is to high. Let the tires cool down 45 minutes to an hour works. reset the cold pressure as needed.
Do the 15 minutes at speed and recheck the hot pressure.
Do this till you find the cold pressure that gives you a 3 lbs more hot pressure.
Now remamber this pressure. Thats the Ideal pressure for those tires at the load on them. If you load up for a trip reset the cold pressures the same way to get the loaded cold pressure.
Write these pressures down. As long as you use the same tires you will know just how to set then for the load and conditions.
Leo

 

[ProSimex]

Jeez scabber you dont need to shit on hardtails like that. My buddy rides a hartailed XLCH and swears its a more solid ride. Looking forward to riding my hardtail XS in the spring.

 

[scabber]

I might have been a bit tuff on him just kidding my first bike was a 1955 hard tail I chopped years back. If it had a rear suspension I would not have cut it off. They do bounce around and hit a big bump at high speed on a curve can be exciting.

 

[ramairgtz]

Honestly for this being my first hard tailed bike I'm surprised how well it rides.

 

[CDNTX650]

Jeez scabber you dont need to shit on hardtails like that. My buddy rides a hartailed XLCH and swears its a more solid ride. Looking forward to riding my hardtail XS in the spring.

having owned a 78 that was hard tailed and my stock 74....guess why i still own the stock 74....hahahah

 

[ProSimex]

I dont doubt it. Think I want a full stable of XS bikes done up in different styles. Chopper, bobber, stocker, cafe racer, some form of big bore mega drag racer. all that good stuff.

 

[gemiller]

If you think you may have a balancing issue I use http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.php in all my bikes even my track bike. They work great and no ugly balancing weights.

 

[yamaman]

i dont really get hardtails, but id imagine youd want to run the lowest rear tyre pressure you can get away with. also have the front end and tyre as firm as pos. need some veteran hardtailers to post their set ups!

 

[gemiller]

Wow now I feel like a tool, i didn't see the response with someone else already showing dynabeads, my bad. But I'm another believer, i run them in my track bike and even well over 100 I've had no issues.