Modern Buddy

Does anybody experience any kind of scooter wobble around 40-45mph? I am thinking it may be the result of stiff suspension on uneven roads, because sometimes it feels more pronounced than other time but it does not feel out of control. Also it seems to go away if I speed up.
This happen to anybody else?

I too have noticed that the front wheel seems wobbly at 40 - 45 mph. even ckd the wheels to make sure they were secure! guess thats why they say to stay under 40 mph

It may just be your roads, I haven't experienced any wobbles on mine, if you wanna see wobbles ride my '86 elite 80. Past 20 mph if you let go of the handlebars the handlebars will shake violently and will the bike will try to throw you off.

Are you experiencing this on a Buddy or on your P200?

I have been up to 55mph on my Buddy (downhill) and have never experienced any vibration other than road roughnesss.

Cross-winds do push it around quite a bit.

I've been having this same kind of problem on a People 250. One fellow suggested it could be that the steering head needs tightening, which is apparently a routine maintenance sort of thing. I finally brought it into the dealer/shop, and the mechanic discovered an "out of round" front tire, which he says could be due to an old internal patch, or wear/age, etc. Maybe other causes for this? Maybe a wheel balancing problem?

Haven't gotten it back yet, so I can't say if it's been fixed or not. You might have your mechanic take a look at your front tire.
Matthew

I have had my Buddy 125 up to an indicated 75mph, and regularly ride an indicated 65mph. I do long stretches in 40-45mph range and I do not experience wobbling at all.

I would be checking to make sure the front end is lined up right and the tire pressure is where it ought to be.

Check the tire pressure.

I ride at "high speeds" daily and rarely get this feeling.

I've pegged my odometer several times and I still feel safe at that speed.

I've had the wobble in the past, but it turned out to be a rear tire issue.

Thanks for the info guys. I will check the steering column / head. I did trailer the scoot 250 miles home so I suppose it is possible it may have come loose or damaged along the trip.
Thanks

JNV wrote:Thanks for the info guys. I will check the steering column / head. I did trailer the scoot 250 miles home so I suppose it is possible it may have come loose or damaged along the trip.
Thanks

I just got new Zippy 1s put on my scooter and I'm experiencing a wobble (up-and-down) that feels like the front end. Would you mind telling me what to check in the steering column/head? Thanks!

i hit 75 - 80 on my buddy every day, and have never felt a wobble.... or at any speed for that matter

i have a wobble on mine sometimes also. it was much more noticeable earlier (2k mi. now) but it was very unfamiliar my '06 never did such a thing. it did seem to be associated with mid-range speeds, like it was a front shock type thing. however it seems to be going away, i haven't noticed it much recently. And it never made me feel unsafe or like i shouldn't ride and take it in to the dealer. it was just a teensie bit unsettling.

weaseltamer wrote:i have a wobble on mine sometimes also. it was much more noticeable earlier (2k mi. now) but it was very unfamiliar my '06 never did such a thing. it did seem to be associated with mid-range speeds, like it was a front shock type thing. however it seems to be going away, i haven't noticed it much recently. And it never made me feel unsafe or like i shouldn't ride and take it in to the dealer. it was just a teensie bit unsettling.

That sounds a lot like my experience. But I didn't notice before I switched the tires. So I'm wondering if the shop mechanic changed something (even slightly).

My wife experienced the "wobble" the first (and only) time she rode my Buddy. She was used to the freight-train stability of her Honda Helix. Got on mine and once we hit, yep, about 50 mph, she began to wobble. I'd never experienced a wobble so it kinda baffled me, so I got on and tried to duplicate the conditions. Couldn't do it. Finally, I tightened up...as if I were scared, or unsure and sure enough, I found the wobble. I had to start it, but once I did, there it was.

My recommendation? Loosen up. Don't go that fast until you are completely comfortable on your scooter. If you are all tightened up, the narrow handlebars will exaggerate ANY movement your hands and arms make. If you shake just a little, the scooter will shake a lot.

--Keys

redcass wrote: That sounds a lot like my experience. But I didn't notice before I switched the tires. So I'm wondering if the shop mechanic changed something (even slightly).

Did they properly balance the new tires?

Keys wrote:
My recommendation? Loosen up. Don't go that fast until you are completely comfortable on your scooter.

i can see you point, but i don't think it applies too much to me, mostly because i had been riding for about 8-9 months before my accident, i had certainly lost all that noobish caution by then I really don't think i was too worried or tense when i got back on, (except going around R corners, i ALWAYS look in the mirror now. I am convinced the wobble is something different about the new bike. but like i said, it hasn't stopped me one bit.

Keys wrote:My wife experienced the "wobble" the first (and only) time she rode my Buddy. She was used to the freight-train stability of her Honda Helix. Got on mine and once we hit, yep, about 50 mph, she began to wobble. I'd never experienced a wobble so it kinda baffled me, so I got on and tried to duplicate the conditions. Couldn't do it. Finally, I tightened up...as if I were scared, or unsure and sure enough, I found the wobble. I had to start it, but once I did, there it was.

My recommendation? Loosen up. Don't go that fast until you are completely comfortable on your scooter. If you are all tightened up, the narrow handlebars will exaggerate ANY movement your hands and arms make. If you shake just a little, the scooter will shake a lot.

--Keys

Wow, is this your advice to me? As I said, I had no wobble before I switched the tires. "Loosen up"? I am loose, Keys. I know how to ride my scooter.

vitaminC wrote:Did they properly balance the new tires?

That's a really good question. I'll look into it. Darnit, I wish I had a dealer in town.

dannyW wrote:i hit 75 - 80 on my buddy every day, and have never felt a wobble.... or at any speed for that matter

Miles Per Hour?!?!

Um, no, Redcass, it was addressed to JNV...

--Keys

The only time I ever feel a wobble of any kind is on grooved-concrete freeway, or when a big truck passes, but that's usually around 70-75mph (indicated). I did notice, with the stock tires, if you hit a groove/crack in the road going in the same direction you are, it would wobble as well...that "line down the middle tread pattern" was awful...the Zippys fixed that problem. Also, the small windscreen helped a lot in keeping the front end "grounded"...it doesn't jump around as much at higher speeds because of the air pushing down acting like a spoiler. Sounds like you have a warped rim, loose headset, or bad tire.

Keys wrote:Um, no, Redcass, it was addressed to JNV...

--Keys

Phew!

I have run my scoot up to 65 and it's been OK unless I hit a crosswind. Those can be brutal even at low speed.

Oddly enough, I have found that riding with my 1/2 face helmet with flip-up shield in the up position, I get more turbulence. When I ride with my Davido skid-lid, I have less turbulence and the scoot feels a little more stable.

Might depend on rider height, speed, helmet...?

redcass wrote:

"Loosen up"? I am loose, Keys

Buddy_wannabe wrote:redcass wrote:

"Loosen up"? I am loose, Keys

Hm, who's mind is in the gutter?

After trying a few different PSI configurations (with no success), I took my dear scoot back to the shop and the mechanic told me he forgot to line up the valve on the front tire correctly. Um, wtf?

Anyway, he also took my wheels to a motorcycle shop to balance them and they said they couldn't balance them, b/c there were no weights in them to begin with. Really? Are they not able to add weights as necessary? I don't understand how this works.

Anyway, for the most part, the uncomfortable wobble is gone. I just don't understand why it's not possible to balance tubeless scooter tires.

Mine (wife's scooter really) has been getting less and less (wobble that is) all on its own. I am writing it off to the front suspension getting more loose as it breaks in. It is starting to absorb the bumps better rather than wobbling the whole bike. That is my new theory anyway.

redcass wrote:Anyway, he also took my wheels to a motorcycle shop to balance them and they said they couldn't balance them, b/c there were no weights in them to begin with. Really? Are they not able to add weights as necessary? I don't understand how this works.

Anyway, for the most part, the uncomfortable wobble is gone. I just don't understand why it's not possible to balance tubeless scooter tires.

I think it has to do with the fact that the 10" wheels/tires have such a small diameter that there is no gain in/need for balancing them. Unbalanced bigger diameter wheels/tires can produce more wobble and thus benefit from/require balancing.

-jetboy

I think it has to do with the fact that the 10" wheels/tires have such a small diameter that there is no gain in/need for balancing them. Unbalanced bigger diameter wheels/tires can produce more wobble and thus benefit from/require balancing.

-jetboy[/quote]

Thanks for the explanation, jetboy!

jetboy wrote: I think it has to do with the fact that the 10" wheels/tires have such a small diameter that there is no gain in/need for balancing them. Unbalanced bigger diameter wheels/tires can produce more wobble and thus benefit from/require balancing.

-jetboy

'Tis true.

However, I have a local independent motorcycle shop who recently mounted a new rear tire for me and they DID balance it. He wasn't sure he'd be able to put it on their balancing machine, but he managed and used the "stick-on" weights. Made a difference.

--Keys

Keys wrote:However, I have a local independent motorcycle shop who recently mounted a new rear tire for me and they DID balance it. He wasn't sure he'd be able to put it on their balancing machine, but he managed and used the "stick-on" weights. Made a difference.

--Keys

Huh, stick-on weights. I have to remember that.

Yep. Stick-on. A lot of cast wheels can't use the crimp-on type, so they came up with a stick-on alternative.

--Keys

Easy to do and helps quite a bit....

http://www.innovativebalancing.com/motorcycle.htm