Topic: "dog tracking" on grooved surfaces?

[stueveone]

Hey Everybody,
I noticed my cb750 k4 gets a bit squirrely on grooved pavement. The front tire tends to wonder independent from the rear tire on surfaces that have grooves in the direction that I'm traveling. In other words, it is scary as hell riding on the freeway when the bike dog tracks.
Any suggestions? Is this normal?

[BobbyR]

since we are on monotrack vehicles you have to expect that. I found tire pressure has some effect. When I went to the more modern tires, it helps a bit. It does suck to ride that surface.

[WFO]

Normal but it is kinda freaky.

[Bob Wessner]

+1 on a modern tire tread design and tire pressure. Years ago my 750 had the traditional ribbed front tire tread pattern. If you think grooved pavement is bad, try a steel bridge grate! The ribs tend to want follow the pavement/bridge pattern and it results in a lot of sphincter flexing.

[WFO]

+1 on the sphincter flex.

[moham]

+1 on the sphincter flex.

All I can say is "Wow".

[WFO]

I was agreeing that hitting pavement/bridge pattern will cause your butt to pucker ( git your mind out of the gutter man)

[Terry in Australia]

It's your tires. Chuck 'em and install Bridgestone BT45's and it won't happen again. 

[bunghole]

Do some dirtbike riding in loose sand.  Once you get used to that, the freeway tracking won't bother you a bit.

Totally weird to have a vehicle dictate where the wheel points and you just have to go with it.

[moham]

I was agreeing that hitting pavement/bridge pattern will cause your butt to pucker ( git your mind out of the gutter man)

insert winking emoticon: here.

[BobbyR]

All this butt talk is making me nervous. Going to the Babe Thread.

[stueveone]

Cool, thanks guys. Yeah, I know some degree of tracking is inevitable, plus the fact that the old girl is a bit heavy probably doesn't help either.
Well, yet another reason to swap out my crap rear tire for the Metzeler I've been wanting 
Yeah, the Seattle bridges with steel grates are wicked!

stueve

[klkruser]

yeah, I used to ride across the steel grating on the old Kelowna BC bridge, it was like riding on marbles, but it just felt that way, the bike would hang in there for the most part

[BobbyR]

yeah, I used to ride across the steel grating on the old Kelowna BC bridge, it was like riding on marbles, but it just felt that way, the bike would hang in there for the most part

The most part is great. It is the other part that worries me. 

[Terry in Australia]

Cool, thanks guys. Yeah, I know some degree of tracking is inevitable, plus the fact that the old girl is a bit heavy probably doesn't help either.
Well, yet another reason to swap out my crap rear tire for the Metzeler I've been wanting 
Yeah, the Seattle bridges with steel grates are wicked!

stueve

I hope that Metzler is better than the ones I had on my BMW R100RS, they tracked every groove in the road, slipped on white lines, and made my bike handle like shiit.

I swapped them out for new Bridgestone BT45's and they don't track at all, period. I've been using BT45's for 10 years now, and I wouldn't use anything else. Cheers, Terry.    

[mrbreeze]

Before you condemn your tires make sure you check out your swingarm bushings,steering head bearings,fork integrity(proper oil level,good seals,etc.),wheel trueness.
Man....you shoulda seen the slop in my swingarm a few years ago before I rebushed it.Everytime I got to speed on the freeway....got the shakes goin' but when I hit that grooved concrete sh!t.......man...I thought I was goin' down!!

[WFO]

Cool, thanks guys. Yeah, I know some degree of tracking is inevitable, plus the fact that the old girl is a bit heavy probably doesn't help either.
Well, yet another reason to swap out my crap rear tire for the Metzeler I've been wanting 
Yeah, the Seattle bridges with steel grates are wicked!

stueve

There ya go i got a laser tech in my sites this winter to match my front. Try these guys free shipping over $75 and 115.oo delivered on a laser tech is excellent.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/

[andy750]

I with Terry on this. My Metzlers were crap at not tracking whereas the Bridgestones BT-45s are solid, straight line tires on unsurfaced roads, metal bridges, etc etc...tracking dosent have to be "normal" 

cheers
Andy

[scondon]

Before you condemn your tires make sure you check out your swingarm bushings,steering head bearings,fork integrity(proper oil level,good seals,etc.),wheel trueness.
Man....you shoulda seen the slop in my swingarm a few years ago before I rebushed it.Everytime I got to speed on the freeway....got the shakes goin' but when I hit that grooved concrete sh!t.......man...I thought I was goin' down!!

   All very good points Fred. The easiest points to cover are the fork fluids and front steering bearings(even if you are only adjusting the play). It used to feel like one of my tires were going flat as I drifted back and forth a bit on the grooves, but since covering all the points you outline I no longer notice changes in pavement.

   If there were a scale of "wobbliness" from 1 to 10 I'd say I went from a 6 to a 2

[stresssolutions]

I hit a blacktop road that had been ground down for resurfacing at 55-60, and experienced the winking/flexing/clenching that has been so thoroughly discussed.  Did ride the rest of that road at 45...remember that I'm a new rider, had about 2000 miles experience at that point.