Think my steering damper is passed it’s sell by date. Bike weaves when doing… err, about 95 round a bend. thoughts anyone? tried to “adjust” it, not a lot seems to happen.
1150GS2014-06-14 21:05:42
A new one is only £45.00 - worth a shot if you’ve doubts about yours?
I have experienced a Tonti Cali weaving and I am not convinced it is down to the damper. Mine had a new damper when it did it.
Very un-nerving when it happens and I would love to know the cause…
tyre pressure and take the screen off
What are the most effective tyre pressures for a 13 stone solo rider?
Mine weaved less when I took the Panniers off.
I seem to recall that a marketing point in the '70’s was that the California was the only Dresser that was stable up to its top speed…I have never found that to be the case…
A fork brace stopped my Spada weaving, so maybe fork sliders were a bit sloppy and ‘squirming’. ?
Tyres could do it too, may not be just down to pressure but also build quality.
Steering damper will mostly only work for front end wobble / tank slapper, which is the other kind of resonance.
Mike H2014-06-15 12:23:19
Cali IIIs already have a fork brace fitted as standard.
It may be the steering damper but I would suspect the handlebar mounted screen to be the more likely cause. My Cali III FF has the full frame mounted fairing and doesn’t have a stability problem. (Probably because it weighs the best part of half a tonne fully loaded.)
36 psi front. 42 psi rear. Didn’t weave around this bend before, not a problem really.1150GS2014-06-15 18:22:22
My old hydro did something similar when I first got it. After tightening up the damper, putting on new tyres, and using higher tyre pressures, it didn’t do it anymore. I don’t know which combination of those was most important in solving the issue for me. Of course, yours might be a different issue altogether.
Could the bike have developed a bit of play in the swinging arm bearings?
All the best,
David.
Thanks!
Will give it a go and report back if I survive!!!
Mot soon, find outabout the swinging arm bearings
My 1991 Cali 3 did this, I replaces the head bearing and problem solved. I removed the damper as that had had it and the bike handled well.
Worth checking the head bearing not too tight. Only take a minute or two.
Unless they’re self tightening, I doubt it!! LOL
Worth checking.
they are poohe . take it off . do you really need one ? go and buy a good one if you do .
I’m guessing that wasn’t originally poohe No I thought not I was umming and arring but in the end I put the cylinder style one on during the rebuild last year, wot I got from Gutsibits. It’s quite stiff if you try it by hand BUT it’s placed between bottom yoke and an angled bracket that’s welded on the back of the cross tube between the two downtubes below tank, so the degree of movement is quite small. Theory has it that a damper helps if you got a Spada type upper fairing (which I have).
Mike H2014-06-17 16:35:31
I got one for my 1980 T3 Cali from Motomecca but when I asked an experienced Guzzista to ride my bike to check it out he said it felt all wrong for a Guzzi. We took off the damper and he set off again returning about 15 minutes later declaring I now had a proper Guzzi.
All the best,
David.