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Steering Stabilizer for GL1100?

6971 Views 14 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  flyinged320, 
olefart1
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Has anybody entertained the idea of adding a steering stabilizer on a GL1100. If so what would be the best way to install it.:clapper::clapper::clapper::clapper:
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flyinged320
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I do not know the answer, but just wondering why you want a steering stabilizer. I have noticed that on a rough road that my steering seemed to wobble a bit when I take one hand off the handle bar. But didn't notice it on a smooth road. I had my steering checked and found no front bearing problems, fork issuesor looseness in my steering or front tire pressure too low. Are you experiencing the same or similar problems? I had not noticed it before on my GL1100 until a few weeks ago.
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olefart1
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what im realy refering to is if at a real slow speed on a rough surface that may have sharp bumps like a man hole cover or a rock in a yard or a big root growing out of the ground it will have a tendense to to make the handle bar over react and some times there maybe sterring wooble at slower speeds on good roads. a adjustable steering stabilizer will counter react because it is a shock adsorber. dose that make any sence
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SpiderBob
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It is a mask of real problems starting to happen. Yes, they make a stabilizer, I believe you can get one at Wingstuff.com, but in reality your arms act as the stabilizer and when things start to go wrong that is an indication that it needs attention. My feeling by using a shock to counter this effect you are masking the problem and letting it mushroom into a greater problem when it does manifest. Don't get me wrong, perhaps it is a blessing in disguise, but this is just my feeling.
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olefart1
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No its not a mask. I Have rebuilt front forks new bearings the hole nine yards. the japs new there was a problem with there design why would you put a counter weight at the top to try to counter react the problem. If Honda had put a stabilizer other than a lead weight people would not ask why dose my steering wobble. THIS WAS KINDA THE ANSWER I WAS EXPECTING.
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DaveO430
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Honda designed the steering head and rake angle to make it handle so easy for a big bike. Kept in good condition with the proper tires it won't shake. I don't think any of them ever had a shaking problem with the original or good, well balanced replacement tires. My 83 never shook, you couldn't make it shake, My 1800 never shook with the original tires, it did with the first replacement(@#$% bridgestones),but now with tires it and I like I cannot make it shake at all.
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flyinged320
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So if I get any kind of wobble, such as on a rough road, when I am holding the handle bar with one hand; what should I look for and how can I determine if I have a front end problem? I tried holding the front wheel between my legs and grabbing the handle bar to check for looseness and got none. I checked the front bearing with the wheel off the ground and found it to be smooth and no play at all. The front tire is a Michlen, in good shape and properly inflated. Just had the front forks rebuilt. Brakes calipers have been rebuilt and new pads installed. New bearings have been installed in the rear wheel and it is running smooth and no looseness at all there. Something does seem a littledifferent in the steeringand I cannot put my hand on it. Need some expert advice.
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DaveO430
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Are your steering head bearings tight? With the front wheel off the ground grab the bottom of both forks and push and pull, there should be no play. With the front wheel straight give the bars a tap to one side, it should turn by itself all the way to the stop but not fast enough for it to bounce off the stop.
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flyinged320
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Thanks...I will give that a try.
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flyinged320
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Dave0430 - I did as you suggested and found no play in the steering head bearings. I pushed the handle bar and the front wheel traveled smoothly to stop and did not bounce, for left and get some hose interference at the very end of the right turn. Is there anything else I could look at?
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DaveO430
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flyinged320, I reread your post carefully and on a rough road there will be a little shake, nothing to worry about. If there is shake on a smooth road there might be something wrong, usually when decelerating at about 40 MPH with hands off the bars most goldwings will shake a little if the tires are not perfect.
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exavid
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Honda put the fork weight on the 1100s because they did make a mistake. When they added the Honda fairing to the 1100 the weight of the fairing changed the dynamics of the bike/fork system. The weight is there to prevent or reducewobble at certain speed ranges. The only wobble I've experienced on a Gold wing is the 35mph hands free wobble that can usually be cured with proper head bearing tension and a new front tire. A steering damper will make the bike seem to wander on the road because it stiffens the fork steering enough to reduce the self steering effect of gyroscopic precession that tends to keep a bike going in a straight line. If you ever rode one of the old English bikes that had a hand adjusted fork tensioner it was annoying when the tension was adjusted a little bit snug because the bike would wander.
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sandiegobrass
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....I am not sure I'd call it a "mistake".. remember the 1100 was first designed as a standard before they added the tour package, but yes.. after they added the fairing and other stuff, the weight was then included to eliminate (actually reduce) the wobble tendency... so yes.... the better solution would be a redesign... but I am sure it was easier to fix with the weight.... which begs the question.. did the 1200 use the weight?? I know they had a standard too..
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exavid
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No the 1200 didn't have the weight. I don't know what they changed in the suspension maybe rake angle maybe a bit of weight redistribution but they did something that made the weight unnecessary. I call the weight an engineering mistake because it was obviously a last minute fix. The 1100 was Honda's first Goldwing fairing and it would seem they found some problems with wobble in late testing, after the fairing design was set in stone.
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flyinged320
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As it turns out, I rode the bike yesterday on both a rough road and smooth highway and it handled well. Now that I understand the dynamics associated with the steering on a GW Aspencade, I feel much better. Thanks guys for all your help...I love this forum!
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