Firebolt Feeling... "Jumpy" In Turns? SCARY!!!

[Hempfieldhunter]

[confused] I'm a new firebolt owner and I've only been riding motorcycles for about 3 years. I am just now starting to puch my new buell, and in turns it seems jumpy, like the tire is bumpy, and the tire has less then 200 miles on it. The best way to describe it is that it feels like a bumpy tire, mostly only while turning. What is this? Is it normal? Is it just the RUMBLIN V-Twin? Thanks guys, bike goes in for a tune up after I come back from vacation, but just curious. Thanks!

BTW tire pressure is correct too. Thanks!

 

[dave_xb12r]

Have you referred to your manual for tuning the suspension for your weight?

 

[XBear9S]

What does "tire pressure is correct" mean?

What type of tire are you running?

How fast are you entering a turn?

Are you the first owner?

You say, "mostly only while turning", when else?

Thanks,
Special K!
Central Texas Hill Country Hellbuellies
"I'm a Hellbuelly! What the hell are you?"

"All truth (about Buells) passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Secondly, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

--Arthur SchopenBuelly

 

[marko138]

First thing I would do is get the suspension set up. Mine is rock solid in the turns...I'd bet it's just not set up properly.

 

[XBear9S]

First thing I would do is get the suspension set up.  Mine is rock solid in the turns...I'd bet it's just not set up properly.

Agreed. Start with the simplest thing and go from there.
Only exception is when something has changed.
Then you go back to the last thing you did and start from there first.

Special K!
Central Texas Hill Country Hellbuellies
"I'm a Hellbuelly! What the hell are you?"

"Calling upon my years of experience, I froze at the controls."

--Stirling MossBuelly

 

[Hempfieldhunter]

I am the SECOND owner, only had it about a month, turns around thirty? not real fast, and I will look online for a onwers manual! THANKS I'LL TRY IT! Any other ideas lemme know!

I'll get the tire stuff then

 

[Stevenc150]

I will look online for a onwers manual

Buell.com - Register for free in Owner's section and you've got access to almost any year model.

At the top of this page, "Buell Service Manuals" link, you'll find '03 & '05 Bolt service manuals - like free gold.

Welcome to the Board.

 

[Buell_Cru]

I had the same problem and it was the suspension. Took me 30 minutes and the bouncy feeling was gone.

 

[Midnight82]

suspension tuning is a breeze on these bikes. I had issues coming into left turns only.

I read through the service manual and went out in to the garage to check my suspension, found out that the right fork tube was adjusted differently than the left.

Silly previous owners....

 

[toddb3]

All good advice! When I got my 12R I hated how it handled. Downloaded the service manual and set the preload to my weight then the clickers to stock settings and adjusted from there. I think I went a half turn tighter on the rebound and one turn tighter on the compression for the forks and nearly the same for the shock and love how it handles now! I've always kept a suspension log for all other bikes I've owned, I need to start one for the Buell before I resume track days.

 

[black_xb12r]

right on todd... i do alot of off raod racing and ice racing and with anything jetting and suspension especially MAKE SURE YOU LOG EVERY CHANGE! it makes things much much easier to set it back if you go the wrong way or go to much and want to start over or something...