My California Vintage handles like a dog.

[doktorwlodek]

 I don't remember that lovely weather in february like last fiew days in Poland. Temp. app.10 C, no snow at all.

 Yesterday I ride on the highway from Warsaw to Poznan (about 20 miles) at speeds to 190 km / h.  Configuration: New bearings at rear wheel. Max inclined original windsheld and founded lightbar; without knees covers and without bags (trunks).

Conclusions:
1 Very, very subtle "snake" I caught only up to 180 km / h, without fear of loss of control over the motobike. I could even accelerate.
2 Even so inclined, original windsheld, generates a powerful turbulence. Riding at speeds like 180 - 190 km/h, possible, but only position is:   maximal close  helmet and chest to the handlebar. "Sitting on fuel tank". I want to lean a little this oryginal windsheld by enlarge the holes in the rack, at the future. I'm sure I should to mount something like "Vetter Pop-Vents" like Sheepdog did before. (http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=27946.msg1040481#msg1040481)
3 Today I'm on duty in Hiperbaric Chamber, so I have not had the opportunity to test the configuration with the other windshelds, yet: 1. "My idea" cuted transparent part of windsheld from broken EV and 2. really large "Grose Germania windsheld".

I hope weather in Poland will be still "Ride - able" (sunny, no snow  :) Greetings from Warsaw !

[Chuck in Indiana]

1 Very, very subtle "snake"

I realize you have been chasing this problem, but that is "normally" steering head bearings that are just slightly too tight..
Edit:
Oh, forgot.. a steering damper with too much stiction will do it, too..

[doktorwlodek]

"I realize you have been chasing this problem, but that is "normally" steering head bearings that are just slightly too tight..
Edit:
Oh, forgot.. a steering damper with too much stiction will do it, too.."

 I check head before... I take off damper.
 If You are talking about low speed (5- 20 km/h), I'm 100% agree. In the time of "slow ride comtetition" on motorcycle rally - this is the key :)
But my problem starts up to 160 - 180 km/h, near maximum speed (on highway, good asphalt - surface conditions).

Another test drive:

Initial assumptions:
1. Yesterday I wear all oryginal equipment on bike. I set up the damping and rebound of shock absorbers near the maximum (only 5 clicks down from max) and rear spring preload on the fourth (of five).
2. I took my girlfriend named Renata ("big blond one",  near 65 kg weight) for a ride.

Results:
 1. I checked the motorcycle at 190 km / h, many, many times. Day was really beautiful.  No any problems with steering, snacking, shacking, etc. It was almost as stable, as Hayabusa. Even as I wanted to initiate sway motorcycle was still stable. Of course, for a maximum bent windsheld - annoying turbulence.
 2. Then I left my fiancee at our home and went for a ride alone. At maximum speed gave to introduce the "something resembling a small shimmy" High frequency, but, fortunately, with a low amplitude.

Conclusion:
 1. Replacing the bearings in the rear wheel was necessary and resulted in an improvement conduct .
 2. In old books is written " The center of gravity is essential for the stability of the motorcycle".
 If you charge the rear ( passenger weight ) - geometry varies little from "sport " to " chopper - like " . Increasing the angle of the steering head has a large stabilizing effect.
 3. Oryginal windsheld is really shity, so I will experimented with it. May be solution will be cutted "Germania windsheld" ?

Yesterday I felt like a test pilot .
Bride gets a reward new helmet - Shark


My new bike, 90 Anniversary Cali,  with NON-ORYGINAL windsheld (cutted from EV model)


My lovely Old Yellow Cali 1100 IE with ugly, but perfect windsheld. Last  autumn I sell it to my friend. He is a husband of my ex-girlfriend. All stay in family :)


I hope all images will be in post...

[Rob Morton]

"1. Replacing the bearings in the rear wheel was necessary and resulted in an improvement conduct ."

Dok, this could easily cause the problem you describe.

Also slop or any movement in swing arm bearing?
I've known very worn Koni Dial-a-ride shock absorbers to create a nasty bounce at speed but this sounds different from what you are saying?

 :)

Rob

[Strom]

TL/DR all of the above... but do your test runs wearing different jackets. Some get air inside and without the "out" vent it will shake your body just a little, which introduces movement to shoulders/hands and you are all over the place.
My friend didnt believe me... finally after 3+ years of his bike handling like a dog he got himself a new jacket and the bike handles like its on rails... :)

[Sheepdog]

Check the runout on your wheels. Hamfisted tire installers can easily bend the wheel's flange, causing oscillations at various speeds. Even a little bulge will make a difference...

[rossoandy]

Wondering if there was ever a fix found....

[mtiberio]

Stay away from 110/80 fronts. Use 110/90

[Tom]

Get the bike up to operating temps.  Go back to your house and pump up the tires to the max. air pressure that's on the tire.  You probably have too much flex in the sidewalls at oem air pressures.

[johnr]

Lou, sliding the fork legs UP though the clamps (read lowering the clamps on the fork legs) will slightly steepen your rake angle and reduce the trail.

This will quicken the bikes steering while reducing it's directional stability.  If the steering  geometry is such that you have too much trail or, your front tyre is too wide, then you can get directional instability because of the tendency of the front tyre to over correct.

Though the bike may benefit  from slightly quicker steering I doubt that over correction is the problem.

Given that everything is set up and as tight as it should be, I think it's a trye problem.

I was most unhappy with the Metzler lazertechs that came on my 02 Calli but all problems disappeared and lighter steering resulted too, with a set  Pirelli Sport Demons.

[geoff in almonte]

Hi All

My 08 Vintage also goes into an alarming wallow when cornering under fairly spirited riding.  Usually at speeds over 130kph.  Under normal, i.e. quasi legal speeds, riding conditions it handles OK - a tad harsh, but no wobble or wallow.

I have reviewed this thread and, after eliminating the anecdotes and non-Vintage items, have come up with a list of things to check out.

They are, in no particular order:

1.  Steering head bearings
  - adjust.  BTW what is meant by "I've nipped the head bearing nut down aprox 60 degrees" ?
  - grease

2.  Swing arm bearings
  - adjust
  - grease

3.  Wheels
  - Alignment
  - runout (side to side)
  - out of round?
  - spokes

4.  Steering damper
  - tighten to frame & reduce damping
  - or remove entirely

5.  Tires
  - radial bad - bias ply good
  - I'm not going to discuss manufaturers - each to their own.
  - tire pressure  Again, each to their own - I run my Avon RRs at 38psi fr and 40psi rr.
  - ensure tires are correct width and profile.

6.  Wheel bearings
  - ensure proper bearings in place
  - grease

7.  Front forks
  -  raise forks (lower bike) by 1/2 inch in the triple trees
  -  set preload & sag per rider's weight.  Sag should be 1/3 of total travel - i.e. 20-25mm

8.  Rear shocks
  -  set preload & sag per rider's weight.  Sag shoud be 1/3 of total travel - i.e. 20-25mm
  -  shock length - 14 inches - eye to eye

NB - sag & shock length figures were provided by Todd at Guzzitech.

9.  Hydraulics
  - once preload and sag have been set, compression and rebound damping can be addressed. 
  - this is usually pretty subjective, depending on the rider's weight, road conditions, riding style etc.


Anyhow, that is my take.  Did I miss anything important?

I'll be stepping thru all of these next spring to try and get this machine's handling sorted.

Then it's on to the FI.

Cheers!

G

[Richard Tasmania]

I have been studying this for a while as I also had problems, the bike was scary to ride. It is now fantastic. What I did was remove steering damper, checked all the suggestions such as steering head and swingarm bearings, but the major difference was, as suggested by two others, Pirelli Sport Demons front and rear. 42 psi rear, 38 front.

[blu guzz]

 look at the date of the first post.  wow, a 10 year thread.

[Sheepdog]

I've had a Vintage for 13 years and occasionally some handling quirks came up. The worst was after installing new tires. The rim got bent outward very slightly by the ham-fisted installer (me) and fouled up the wheel's runout. This resulted in some wobbles that became worse at higher speeds. I sent the wheel to a wheel builder in Denver and he was able to fix it for about $250 (including shipping).

One of the other quirks came about from a windshield that was too upright and not quite centered. Careful windshield setup is pretty critical on these bikes, particularly with a taller aftermarket shield. Measure carefully to make certain the shield is fully centered. By the way, raking the shield back reduces buffeting, also.

I ran my Vintage with a top case for a while. There were times when passing trucks or side winds would push the rear end of the bike around. I no longer use the trunk, though it was nice for around town.

My 2007 bike was delivered missing one of the bolts that secures the rear rack to the frame. I wouldn't mention it, but a friend's Vintage was also missing the same bolt.

I had nothing but trouble with Metzler Lasertecs on two separate bikes. They lose traction all at once and make the bike handle worse and worse as they wear. I tried the Bridgestone BT45s and they were better, but felt twitchy...the steering was not linear and the bike seemed to fall into turns. I have had my best luck with Michelin Activs and Metzler ME88s. Also, my friend BrineyJim uses the Shinko 230 Tour Master on his Vintage and has been very satisfied for over 5000 miles.

Someone else mentioned it, but my bike handles best with both the compression and rebound fork dampening set 4 or 5 clicks back from max. I put a set of Ikon 7610 shocks, Hyperpro fork springs, and a Matris steering damper on my bike after 10 years of ownership and that really sharpened the bike's handling up a great deal. I also switched out the front brake rotors with the Grimecas from an Aprilia RSV4. This saved a kilo of unsprung weight.

My bike is pictured below. This was taken during a 650 mile weekend trip.

[wolfeguitars]

Just a thought, since the previous owner was "too short" for it.....just perhaps that little guy or his dealer/friend attempted to lower the bike through the triple tree or something else. Just a thought.