High Speed Stability

[thegreyman]

Hey all-

As you many of you all know- I am new to Guzzi and still "figuring out" my Griso. So 100 miles of in-town riding and a 200 or so miles via HWY1 Monterey- Big Sur, I ventured on the might 101 and headed for San Jose today. First of, yeah this bike is NAKED, hot damn that wind was killing me! But that is to be expected, what kinda threw me off guard was the stability issue I had or maybe it's just perception. I am coming from a Harley Street Rod which is heavier, longer wheel base and has a longer rake all that translated to better stability at higher speeds. So for example I felt like I was getting blown around and the "wobble" was substantial. I felt very very uncomfortable at speeds over 65MPH for pretty much most of the ride, to be honest I had a hard time keeping it steady anywhere past 75MPH.

So is this just perception because I am coming from a longer heavier bike? Or is this reality? If so, any recommendations to fix t?

 

[magoo]

Got a screen ? Even a flyscreen makes a big difference on many naked bikes

 

[Bill Hagan]

Motorcycles are all about YMMV.

I was surprised to read your observations, tho, as to "stability" at speed.

I kid around about riding fast, as the Griso is, for me, anyway, happiest in the rocking and rolling hills at 45 -60 mph.

That said, I have had it in the indicated upper 120's twice, and thought it rock solid steady. Wind blast was significant but it was glued to the road and ever bit as stable there as my Norge and Ballabio. The EV has never been north of 118 indicated and probably not 105 reality.

So, while I have zero Street Rod miles, that thing must be a rocket sled if any more stable than a Griso.

Very curious to hear other views. I have ridden numerous other motorcycles, but none I can recall above 100 other than my own.

Bill

 

[beetle]

I find the Griso to be very stable at speed. In fact, it's the best handling bike I've ever owned. Cruising at 80mph is no problem. I do have the medium screen however. Prior to adding the screen I found cruisng at 65-70mph to be a chore over a long distance, with a sore neck a guarantee at the end. No stability issues though.

I came from Japanese bikes, so initially found the Griso to have very slow steering but ultra stable. I have raised the forks through the triple clamps as per the owners manual to the 'sport' position and it is now quite nimble but still has the on-rails handling.

I guess I'm not offering any solutions, but I don't want you to despair that the Griso is a poor handling bike. I hope it's a perception problem, because I would suspect any stability issues at those speeds may suggest a potential problem that needs to be sorted.

 

[GuzziMoto]

I have the small fly screen on my Griso.
I have spent plenty of time at 80 - 90 mph or higher, sometimes for fairly long spells.
I find it very stable, no issues at all.
I also don't have an issue with the wind, I find it is just a matter of being in shape same as any other physical condition.
I do suggest that at higher speeds you use your arms less for holding on and your torso more. Holding on to the bars of any bike too tightly can cause stability issues.

 

[vivo]

The griso is very stable and 90 mph crusing will beat you up because of the wind but my bike was never thrown around. There are some days where the air is turbulent and on those occasions a bike will move around a bit. Tuck in a bit and keep going, naked is something you either love or hate. As long as suspension, tires and service issues are good the Griso should be very stable for a naked.

Phil

 

[fotoguzzi]

check your tire pressure.

 

[jiltedjohn]

Same as the other replys, i find my G11 very stable at any speed, but as in all unfaired bikes , the wind can grab you and upset the status quo a bit. I stick out a bit on mine as i'm 6' 3" and a fat bastard, although i'm losing a good bit of the lard for 2013.

 

[moto]

I've had my Griso to an indicated 126 mph with no instability, and have also ridden it for hours on end at 80 mph and above in very strong crosswinds in the Northern Plains of the U.S. with no problems. I recommend at least a small windscreen (like the OEM flyscreen) for comfort at high speeds. In really bad crosswinds I've stopped to take off my larger windscreen (National Cycle Street Shield w/ quick mounting system) to get better relief from buffeting (leaving the flyscreen on), but I never found the bike becoming unstable.

Guzzimoto's advice to hold on more with your (knees and) torso and less with your arms can be very important in reducing instability, I've found.

Moto

P.S. [edit]: Now that I think about it, I stopped soon after taking off the large windscreen to put it right back on. The small one was no better. The crosswinds were about 50 mph from the North, while I was headed due East at an indicated 85 mph. No stability issues.

 

[tonUPRacer]

My guess is that it is a weight issue and maybe the wheelbase as well. I'm speaking from my experience riding an old 1979 HD sportster and then moving to a Ducati Monster, then Duc SS, and finally my new V7 Racer. Also, I'm a small guy probably 140lbs with gear so if its a windy day I will get blown around more than when I was on the HD, that being said the Ducati was light years ahead in handling & performance. I've just got 200 miles on my Racer, most was on a windy fall day and I did notice being blown around a bit in big gusts, but as for high-speed stablity I felt very confident. I did take it slowly up past 100mph and it felt just fine, whereas getting my HD past 90 I had to check hold on for dear life and check for missing parts afterwards. It's a different ride & feel, you'll adjust and I'm sure enjoy what a motorcycle is meant to do, lean over and turn

 

[thegreyman]

Well all this makes me feel much better. My conclusion is as follows:

1) My feelings were mostly perception based ( again HD Street Rod = heavier/longer wheel base)
2) Tire Pressure- yes I was under PSI on my front tire
3) Need a windshield
4) Adjust my riding position ( use more knee and tuck)
5) Suspension: I purchased this with the suspension already adjusted, need to figured out what the previous owner did, and what would benefit more highway riding.


Thank you all for your input.

cheers
#guzzioriginals

 

[Ad B]

Hi Greyman,

I have a fly screen om my G12. It keeps wind of my body, my face/helmet is quite a bit in the wind.
But the ride is very comfortable.
My G12 is a very stable bike, the only wobble I get is when I accelerate to hard from a corner. :whistle:
Very good you allready checked your tire pressure.
How good are your tires, at the end of the lifetime of a tire they tend to be a bit more unstable.
Check your suspension settings.
You can set your bike in factory settings and try from there.
In this topic is written a lot about these settings sometimes with lenght and weight from the driver (!):
https://www.guzzitech.com/forum/219/7953.html :idea:

As I wrote before, my G12 is very stable.
On highways I mostly drive between 120 km/h (75 Mls/h) and 160 km/h (100 Mls/h), also long distances (+ 250 Mls)
Till above the 200 Km/h mark (125 Mls/h) he is as steady as a rock.
So it ís posssible... :mrgreen:

Have fun and enjoy.
Ad B

 

[alpine]

Hey all-

As you many of you all know- I am new to Guzzi and still "figuring out" my Griso. So 100 miles of in-town riding and a 200 or so miles via HWY1 Monterey- Big Sur, I ventured on the might 101 and headed for San Jose today. First of, yeah this bike is NAKED, hot damn that wind was killing me! But that is to be expected, what kinda threw me off guard was the stability issue I had or maybe it's just perception. I am coming from a Harley Street Rod which is heavier, longer wheel base and has a longer rake all that translated to better stability at higher speeds. So for example I felt like I was getting blown around and the "wobble" was substantial. I felt very very uncomfortable at speeds over 65MPH for pretty much most of the ride, to be honest I had a hard time keeping it steady anywhere past 75MPH.

So is this just perception because I am coming from a longer heavier bike? Or is this reality? If so, any recommendations to fix t?

I felt that way on my Griso before I installed the Griso Guzzi medium size screen , after that it was stable and easy cruising at high speeds .

Roberto

 

[Dulcenea]

I also feel like I get blown around more than is comfortable when I ride 65+ mph, and since my neighborhood opens immediately onto a freeway I'm pretty much always at those speeds.

I'd love to get my hands on a Givi 770, but apparently they've gone the way of the dodo. Since that seems to be out of the question, where's the best place to purchase the medium Griso screen? And how much do they run? When I do a quick Google search on it not much comes up.

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

The bars on a Guzzi at speed are basically a handy place to hang the controls. Work on your thigh and core strength to grip the tank. Relax your upper body. When *you* get blown around, if you are holding the bars too tightly, you will make the bike move around.

 

[Stevie]

I used to own an 03 VRod, wind turbulence from semi trucks would really upset that bike. On a still day you could feel the wake a big truck left in the air following a thousand feet behind. Side winds were a bit bothersome too. Some blamed that problem on those spun aluminum wheels HD was using.

My Griso seems pretty stable to me, it's naked of course and I like it that way. I think that adding a wind screen that attaches to the bars and forks will, in my experience induce a bit of wind created instability into the handling dynamics of the bike. If it were my only bike and I planed on doing extensive touring I probably would consider a screen though.

 

[Pascal]

Come on guys, someone should have mentioned this already...

Most of those bikes have a pretty wimpy suspension set up from the factory and it gets more obvious with taller folks.
I totally re-did mine before I took it to a local racetrack and it felt like a totally different bike.
I didn't have the suspension set-up at the most radical racing point so it felt a tad wobbly in high speed turns (120mph +) but it was always rock solid in a straight line.
So on the streets, it should never be an issue. There are good infos on these boards on how to adjust your suspension and I used them as a starting point.

 

[makarushka]

Well all this makes me feel much better. My conclusion is as follows:
5) Suspension: I purchased this with the suspension already adjusted, need to figured out what the previous owner did, and what would benefit more highway riding.

There's no need to figure it out -- you can always ask me and get a full answer, just like with the other questions you've had so far ;-) The suspension has been adjusted of course -- to me, and my weight and riding preferences. That said, it is completely stock and while it is perfectly adequate any way you look at it, for aggressive riding it can be bettered significantly. Straightline stability has never been an issue for me, though. The wind does beat you up a bit above 75mph or so but you get used to that, too...

I'd venture a suggestion that at the mileage the bike must have right now, plus with it being a 2009 model, a simple fork service may be in order. The forks were starting to have a bit of stiction when I was settings sags last, now that I think about it. If you service the forks, there are a number of changes that can be made to suit them better for your weight. I think springrate will be just fine as is but you could change the valving. Many places to do it but one I already recommended to you I believe -- catalyst reaction in redwood city can rework these Showas with their eyes closed, and with top-notch results.

Again, maybe you do need to raise the frontend back a bit -- I dropped it quite a bit for a very sharp, effortless turn-in. Still, never felt unstable on the highway whatsoever, and at stupid speeds. It's all a matter of preference but your impressions here indicate to me that possibly for you that's what needs to be done. Seriously, this is one thing that changes the handling of this bike drastically -- don't neglect experimenting with this. I have the forks sticking out above the triple at least two more notches than stock -- that's 10mm or so. I had them even higher but did in fact get to a point where it made the bike too twitchy so I backed it off to where I liked it. I ride twisties every day though, so I may in fact have that bias. If I were you I would set them to stock and go from there. Again, if you are in the area, I'll do this for you no problem.

You know what'll be a massive upgrade? The Matris shock I have for sale :evil: :mrgreen: In all seriousness, though, if freeway stability is your main issue with the thing, this would not be worthwhile and the stock shock should be just fine.

 

[thegreyman]

Ride Report- High Speed Stability:

So checked my PSIs today- all was good to go. Then decided that a trip to santa cruz was in order for some good grub. I rode out with a friend of mine who rides an 08 Ninja 636. I forgot to mention I added a GIVI A770 screen. So most of what I was complaining about in my first post was "perception" I came a from a bike that was 120lbs heavier with a longer wheels base. 90MPH was a good speed on my VRSCR. So today and boy was it windy out- I headed out. I was cruising around 70-75MPH, hit 80-85MPH several times then slowed down due to wind gusts that wanted to launch me into the great pacific. All in all, it's a naked bike even with the screen- I was stable, but would like to be more stable, as I felt uncomfortable taking the bike past 80MPH, this never happened on my VROD. I will take your advice Dmitiri and see what I can do with the suspension ( so might pay you a visit). I will also see about the shocks. As for the MATRIS Shock- if I could afford it I certainly would pick it up.

 

[Dulcenea]

I forgot to mention I added a GIVI A770 screen.

Greyman, would you mind sharing where you found one? I haven't been able to find any in stock anywhere.