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Front End Wobble - 2004 Ultra

NEWHD74FAN said:
Actually, I don't know if it is just me, but lately new tires that I have been getting seem to use more weights to compensate unbalance than before. Happened the same way on previous 2 motorcycles I have been changing tires on. Maybe they are allowing more manufacturing tolerance than before...hoping that more accurate assembly techniques of the inner plies/design technology would compensate. :newsmile079:
Click to expand...

NewHD, I did not see that on this recent set of tires that I put on, but that is just 1 sample. These days I bet companies are scrambling to find ways to cut corners, reduce costs & raise prices. But please do it on a product that won't kill you if the cost cutting plan back-fires.

I can't stand lawyers just like the next guy, but class action suits must be taken against these giant companies when their greed over-rides the right thing to do.
 
Hoople,

It's very possible!!

I just checked Metzeler's Fitment guides and it recommends a 77H tire on the rear and 72H on the front. I cannot find my tires on the Metzeler site. (Tire was purchased in February or March 2010.)

Metzeler Fitment:
metzeler_fitment.jpg


My front tire:
IMG00081-20100706-2144.jpg


I am calling Devil Dawg Custom Cycles tomorrow. This is just another "interesting" thing that has come up with them and the servicing of my bike. (I have done all of my wrenching except for this one time. I had knee surgery last year and it did not seem I was getting any time to fix a broken drive belt I got in Jan 2009, so Feb 2010 I took the bike to them to fix the belt, do the 50K mile fork service, paint the fairing, add a power outlet and due the scheduled maintenance. I also asked them to give the bike a once over for road worthiness since the bike had sat a year while my knee was rehabbing. The first thing recommended was new tires.)

It seems the tires they gave me were an accident waiting to happen.

Any suggestions how to proceed? Devil Dawg has already told me they will do nothing more with my bike. I have been going over it and fixing items, making a list to give to the Better Business Bureau or Small Claims Court.
 
Of course having solid facts is important. Knowing the absolute weight of the bike would be #1 to know. Maybe sweet talk a truck stop weighing station into letting you get a front & rear number reading.
I can tell you for a fact, the factory will insist your cold tire pressure was too low. Metelzer makes a point of it in their catalog saying 44 psi is the least it should be cold. (there was a recent thread here on tire pressure that was very interesting)

The number(s) I was pulling were out of thin air. I am trying to come up with any reason to stop me from removing these tires from my bike. I only have about 1 1/2 years of riding experience under my belt. If what happened to you would have happened to me, I think it would have been a wipe out.

Luckily you were cool and got yourself & your 2up to a safe stop.
 
I think you have a problem there, just because the tire size is right does not mean it is the right tire for your "full size touring bike". Many do not realize, that with the advent of sportbikes with fat tires front and rear, that load range for comparable heavy cruisers or heavy weight touring bikes DOES make a difference as Hopple so aptly pointed out. There was a time about 35-40 years ago when you could interchange front and rear tires by just flipping the rotation arrows, but that has long since gone!

You may notice that even Dunlops with in the SAME model may offer two different load range tires for a given tire size BECAUSE Harley Davidson motorcycles are HEAVY! Same thing with putting cruiser tire on the other Brand H...the Honda Goldwing...just because it fits on the rim does not make it Touring class tire that uses extra plies in the sidewalls and belt to support the tire and that in turn creates more heat and needs extra air pressure to support greater gross weight and dynamic handling over their life.
 
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ALCON,

I think the wrong tires were put on my bike and that the load rating was less than Metzeler recommends. I think Devil Dawg owes me the correct tires (or money to purchase them myself) at a minimum. I think they should be thankful I did not have an accident.
 
I know this may be adding salt to the wound, but did you determine the date code of the failed tires or have their "remains"...may be too late and no big deal at this point.
 
Sorry. ALCON is military (at least US Army) slang for "All concerned". (I work on an Army base. )
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