Dunlop stock tires. Grrrrrrrrrr...

1953 Views 26 Replies 12 Participants Last post by bpf, Sep 10, 2010

_vrodman_

Discussion Starter · Jul 6, 2010

Someone sent me to this site. He said the forums here had input on stock Dunlops but I can't seem to find the thread. He said ALOT of people have been complaining about wear and ESPECIALLY the handling. I have been doing battle with HD about the stock tires, particularly the FRONT TIRE. Poor wear and "dead man's wobble" at high speeds (90 to 110mph). They think I am full of shit. This is my second Vrod (07). I never had a problem with my other Vrod at highs speeds. I am going to Metzlers but I want some back up comments from others and their problems with Dunlops so I can shove it up their asses... Thanks in advance. Stan

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

Luigit

· #2 · Jul 6, 2010

stan

dunlops suck

its been very well documented here numerous times

i, myself, am going to give the Avons a try but i have had metz and they are great tires too.

if you are having high speed wobble, perhaps you should have your fallaway checked. do a search and there is a great video showing how to do it your self.

_vrodman_

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 6, 2010

Thanks Luigit. I still can't find the thread to other posts as I am new here and computer illiterate. No matter, I had Metzlers on my first Vrod (03) and didn't have any of these problems. HD is such a pain to deal with...

VrodG

· #4 · Jul 6, 2010

I searched dunlop and junk and came up with these threads.

http://www.1130cc.com/forums/search.php?searchid=4933746

AOW

· #5 · Jul 7, 2010

http://www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118507
http://www.1130cc.com/forums/gtsear...www.1130cc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140291

bpf

· #6 · Jul 23, 2010

_vrodman_ said:
Someone sent me to this site. He said the forums here had input on stock Dunlops but I can't seem to find the thread. He said ALOT of people have been complaining about wear and ESPECIALLY the handling. I have been doing battle with HD about the stock tires, particularly the FRONT TIRE. Poor wear and "dead man's wobble" at high speeds (90 to 110mph). They think I am full of shit. This is my second Vrod (07). I never had a problem with my other Vrod at highs speeds. I am going to Metzlers but I want some back up comments from others and their problems with Dunlops so I can shove it up their asses... Thanks in advance. Stan

Hi.

I recently did a 1000 miles trip driving quite fast, I was often at 90mph, up to 125mph with stock tires on a 2010 VRSCDX. I had no particular problems, however I was already using a superbrace on the fork. Prior to using the superbrace I did a few runs at 125mph+ and the bike was running ok.

From what you describe, I would first check the torque of the fork bolts and fall away, that could explain the wooble, unless your tires are already showing wear related side effects.

ElrodontheV-Rod

· #7 · Jul 23, 2010

If a super brace takes away a wobble from the front end at any speed,it's a cover,not a fix.
I run the dunlops long enough to know they won't cause a properly adjusted suspension to cause a wobble.Even if a new metzeler is installed,it's still a cover,not a fix.
Make sure the rear shocks are adjusted correctly.Remove the factory oil from the front forks and install the SE off road racing oil.Set the front end fallaway.Then install the new Metzeler tires.
I also recommend cutting the rear shocks to 12 inches and installing the progressive lowering kit into the front,along w the racing oil.These mods right here will make any VRSC bike launch and handle the way in which it was designed to.

bpf

· #8 · Jul 23, 2010

ElrodontheV-Rod said:
If a super brace takes away a wobble from the front end at any speed,it's a cover,not a fix.

I agree. In my case the superbrace is an improvement since the fork was okay even at high speed, I now have better handling but the stock handling had no wooble at any speed so if the tires are not overused the problem is related to the frame or the suspension.

Checking the torques is fast and free. A few days ago on a French HD forum a guy had a similar problem (but at a much lower speed, the bike was not a v-rod): some bolt was too tight on the bike, it seems it was the bolt connecting the triple-three to the frame.

AOW

· #9 · Jul 23, 2010

sounds like the front tire is already cupped, which is fairly common from dunlops on a V.

gritgolfer

· #10 · Jul 23, 2010

the stock Dunlops on the V just plain suck. I went with Avon Cobras and will never go back to the stockers.

bpf

· #11 · Aug 3, 2010

I'm now at about 3750 miles with the stock tires and at last I understand the problem :bash:, I got wooble at about 100mph.. Never saw tires wearing so quickly on a bike, I could not believe it before getting the problem myself. Probably changing both tires to Metz in the next days even if the rear could last a bit more.

AOW

· #12 · Aug 3, 2010

Metz, Avons, Pirelli, or anything else would be a step in the correct direction

Shaggyhou

· #13 · Aug 3, 2010

ElrodontheV-Rod said:
If a super brace takes away a wobble from the front end at any speed,it's a cover,not a fix.
I run the dunlops long enough to know they won't cause a properly adjusted suspension to cause a wobble.Even if a new metzeler is installed,it's still a cover,not a fix.
Make sure the rear shocks are adjusted correctly.Remove the factory oil from the front forks and install the SE off road racing oil.Set the front end fallaway.Then install the new Metzeler tires.
I also recommend cutting the rear shocks to 12 inches and installing the progressive lowering kit into the front,along w the racing oil.These mods right here will make any VRSC bike launch and handle the way in which it was designed to.

I agree with all this except using the SE race oil. Put the Ricors in your front forks and run the stock 10 weight oil that way you get the control you need and a smooth ride. I can tell you though that I have had my bike to an indicated 140 without the brace or the Ricors and wobble was not a problem even with the stock dunlops, so if a superbrace took it away then my guess is that your fall away needs adjusting or you dunlops are cupped.

Louis

· #14 · Aug 3, 2010

_vrodman_ said:
Someone sent me to this site. He said the forums here had input on stock Dunlops but I can't seem to find the thread. He said ALOT of people have been complaining about wear and ESPECIALLY the handling. I have been doing battle with HD about the stock tires, particularly the FRONT TIRE. Poor wear and "dead man's wobble" at high speeds (90 to 110mph). They think I am full of shit. This is my second Vrod (07). I never had a problem with my other Vrod at highs speeds. I am going to Metzlers but I want some back up comments from others and their problems with Dunlops so I can shove it up their asses... Thanks in advance. Stan

The Dunlops are foul but a bigger problem is them shipping bikes with steering bearings loose, which in American I think is called "fallaway". Check this first. There is some complicated way of checking this precisely but if it is bad enough to eff up the handling it will be obvious. Pull the bike backwards and slam on the brakes. If you feel movement through the head, they're loose. Then either check them properly or tighten them a bit and see if it sorts it, depending on what sort of person you are.

I had exactly this. Not having owned one before I assumed it was normal. Glad it isn't.

You don't need a superbrace or any other aftermarket parts. The bike is fine, if properly adjusted.

The Dunlops are terrible. The probable reason is that they are absurdly heavy, the Harley wheels are not exactly light, and the very basic suspension can't cope. I doubt Harley are interested in our opinion on this. They just switched to Michelin by the way. They're probably cheap and nasty too. Metz or Avon Cobras seem to be the answer.

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Louis

· #15 · Aug 3, 2010

Oh, and the front springs changed for 2007. You don't need to mess with the front end any more, it is crude, but the springs and oil are fine (IMHO).

You could change the whole front end, but that costs a fortune and you still have a cruiser, with attendant limited ground clearance, so I can't see the point.

The stock bike, correctly set up, and with the comedy tyres replaced, and ideally with some half decent rear shocks, handles as well as a fat cruiser is going to handle. I run with sports bikes every week "in the canyons", and while they can lose me if they try hard, when we're keeping up a very fast pace I ain't holding nobody up. Sometimes I take my KTM990 or Triumph T955i, and then staying ahead is a little easier, but I find I have less fun. I actually LIKE scraping the pegs round every bend.

Shaggyhou

· #16 · Aug 3, 2010

Louis said:
You don't need a superbrace or any other aftermarket parts. The bike is fine, if properly adjusted.

If you are just cruising then I agree but after having done the Ricors and Superbrace the bike is 200% better in IMHO. The Ricors doing to majority of the change, they made the bike feel almost 200lbs lighter in turns and the brake dive is non-existent now.

Louis

· #17 · Aug 3, 2010

Shaggyhou said:
If you are just cruising then I agree but after having done the Ricors and Superbrace the bike is 200% better in IMHO. The Ricors doing to majority of the change, they made the bike feel almost 200lbs lighter in turns and the brake dive is non-existent now.

What are the Ricors? I am NOT cruising, I'm caning the thing, and I think it handles about as well as I could expect, but anything that makes it better and doesn't cost arm + leg is worth investigating!

Not at all convinced by the idea of the superbrace. Fork braces were all the rage when I was young, and I found good ones made no difference, and bad one resulted in a badly aligned front end. The V-Rod, it seems to me, does not have a long enough or feeble enough front end, nor the ground clearance, to need one.

Anyway, just to drive my original point home, all this is very interesting, and there are lots of things that will help a bit, but if the bike handles like a basket of dingo's doo, then the head bearings are almost certainly loose. And the fact the simple suspension can't keep the overweight Dunlops on the ground won't help either. Horrible things.

ElrodontheV-Rod

· #18 · Aug 4, 2010

I'd like to try the better valves and the thin oil just as a comparison one day,but with the stock springs removed from both of my V-Rods,Progressive lowering spring kits,SE oil and the stock rear shocks cut to 12 inches and adjusted to 5,my V-Rods handle excellent.
I run my 07 real hard in curves so I do use the brace on the forks.There is a noticeable difference in keeping the bike into the curve with the fat rear tire because of the fork brace,and lowering the front reduces rake.I can keep some nice sharp curves at 130mph all the way to the edge of the chicken strip without the terrible plowing that some fat tire bikes like to do.
The 03 is lower than the 07 and since the 240 has been on it,I don't ride as aggressive because I don't think it's cool to scrape expensive parts.I have 1 inch of travel in the front on the 03 to keep the frame off the bumps when going real slow.It was close to 4 inches of travel from the factory!
I have 1 and a 1/4 travel on the 07.
In stock form,all VRSC's have very nasty mushy suspension due to the fact that there are rules that companys have to follow if they make more than 30,000 production units.
The way in which mine are set up,I would consider calling the style a true Street & Strip setup.The suspension alone brought me down from 1.70 to 1.58's for my 60 ft times.

Then,on the other hand,I have a Softail Heritage that is in stock form and handles as nimble as a bicycle at speeds up to 80mph,mostly due to the negative front caster.

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Louis

· #19 · Aug 4, 2010

Interesting. There's no way I could ride on these roads with an inch of travel, I regard the stock four inches as woeful. My partner prefers to avoid the Harley because of the short travel suspension...

But I don't understand this bit:

"In stock form,all VRSC's have very nasty mushy suspension due to the fact that there are rules that companys have to follow if they make more than 30,000 production units."

There are loads of fine sports bikes sold in the US and Europe that have excellent suspension, why are Harley different? As far as I can see it comes with dire suspension units because they are cheap, and suspension is not where the average Harley owner wants his money spent. Post 2007 I don't consider the front under damped, just harsh and crude. The rear units are simply inadequate and need replacing. Ironically I replaced mine with Arnotts, which are hardly wonderful handling EITHER, thanks to the very soft damping, but they mean I can make sure I STILL have four inches of travel even when I take a pillion, and I can take the spring rate right down for low velocity town riding with speed humps and pot holes.

With the Arnotts and stock fronts I can, and often do, touch the pegs in every bend up a twisty road. The handling would be unacceptable if it had more ground clearance to perform in, but since you have to call "game over" so early, the handling is fine - IMHO.

ElrodontheV-Rod said:
I'd like to try the better valves and the thin oil just as a comparison one day,but with the stock springs removed from both of my V-Rods,Progressive lowering spring kits,SE oil and the stock rear shocks cut to 12 inches and adjusted to 5,my V-Rods handle excellent.
I run my 07 real hard in curves so I do use the brace on the forks.There is a noticeable difference in keeping the bike into the curve with the fat rear tire because of the fork brace,and lowering the front reduces rake.I can keep some nice sharp curves at 130mph all the way to the edge of the chicken strip without the terrible plowing that some fat tire bikes like to do.
The 03 is lower than the 07 and since the 240 has been on it,I don't ride as aggressive because I don't think it's cool to scrape expensive parts.I have 1 inch of travel in the front on the 03 to keep the frame off the bumps when going real slow.It was close to 4 inches of travel from the factory!
I have 1 and a 1/4 travel on the 07.
In stock form,all VRSC's have very nasty mushy suspension due to the fact that there are rules that companys have to follow if they make more than 30,000 production units.
The way in which mine are set up,I would consider calling the style a true Street & Strip setup.The suspension alone brought me down from 1.70 to 1.58's for my 60 ft times.

Then,on the other hand,I have a Softail Heritage that is in stock form and handles as nimble as a bicycle at speeds up to 80mph,mostly due to the negative front caster.

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Shaggyhou

· #20 · Aug 4, 2010

ElrodontheV-Rod said:
Then,on the other hand,I have a Softail Heritage that is in stock form and handles as nimble as a bicycle at speeds up to 80mph,mostly due to the negative front caster.

I have never been on a softail that I would consider nimble, heritage or otherwise. It handles good for an air cooled Harley but as Louis has stated there are loads of sport bikes (I will broaden it and say metrics in general) that handle great out of the box. I can see where if you think a softail heritage handles nimbly where you would think that a Vrod handles fine stock. I personally do not come from a Harley background and expect my bike to handle much better then it did in stock form.

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