philipviana
Member
This is probably not a problem specific to the rc390, but this is my first bike and I could use an opinion diagnosing a problem I've been having this past week:
Bike experiences irregular bumpiness / chunkiness on all road conditions at almost any speed. Can't tell if this problem has always been there or if I have just noticed it, but I am pretty sure this is a new occurance. Feels like I am going over bumps on the road even when conditions are smooth.
Pretty sure it's not engine related because the engine feels and sounds totally smooth at all revs in any gear.
Things I suspect:
- Thought it might be chain slap. Slightly tightened chain slack per the manual spec so that when I press the chain upwards towards the bottom of the swingarm, it does not contact the swingarm itself (but does contact the plastic protector underneath the swingarm). Bumpiness has not gone away.
- Put a new front tire (Metzeler M7RR) on 2 weeks ago, just a little bit before I noticed the bumpiness. I properly balanced it with wheel weights and the tire (virtually) did not move on the balancer stand. Wonder if either the new tire is a harder rubber than my previous Pirelli Rosso II which is somehow causing me to feel more of the road than before. I have it at 29psi per the manual.
-A mechanic at Moto Guild in SF commented that my front suspension felt stiff - I asked him if that was bad; he said no, that's how you want a little sport bike. Can't tell if the suspension feels any different now than when I first got it.
-Have had a lot of false neutrals between 2nd and 3rd lately, wondering if perhaps I have damaged part of the gearbox or if the dog teeth on some gears may have shaved some remnants into the case which might be jamming things up. TOTAL speculation, though, I have no proof that anything is wrong with the gearbox. I adjusted my shifter lever linkage so that it is consistent and even going both up and down gears and havent missed any shifts since then.
Any idea what I should do to diagnose the problem and fix it? Going to have a friend who rode it once before ride it again for me this weekend to see if he notices it, and going to ride his ninja to compare to see if his bike is bumpy. Could all be in my head...
Thanks.
Bike experiences irregular bumpiness / chunkiness on all road conditions at almost any speed. Can't tell if this problem has always been there or if I have just noticed it, but I am pretty sure this is a new occurance. Feels like I am going over bumps on the road even when conditions are smooth.
Pretty sure it's not engine related because the engine feels and sounds totally smooth at all revs in any gear.
Things I suspect:
- Thought it might be chain slap. Slightly tightened chain slack per the manual spec so that when I press the chain upwards towards the bottom of the swingarm, it does not contact the swingarm itself (but does contact the plastic protector underneath the swingarm). Bumpiness has not gone away.
- Put a new front tire (Metzeler M7RR) on 2 weeks ago, just a little bit before I noticed the bumpiness. I properly balanced it with wheel weights and the tire (virtually) did not move on the balancer stand. Wonder if either the new tire is a harder rubber than my previous Pirelli Rosso II which is somehow causing me to feel more of the road than before. I have it at 29psi per the manual.
-A mechanic at Moto Guild in SF commented that my front suspension felt stiff - I asked him if that was bad; he said no, that's how you want a little sport bike. Can't tell if the suspension feels any different now than when I first got it.
-Have had a lot of false neutrals between 2nd and 3rd lately, wondering if perhaps I have damaged part of the gearbox or if the dog teeth on some gears may have shaved some remnants into the case which might be jamming things up. TOTAL speculation, though, I have no proof that anything is wrong with the gearbox. I adjusted my shifter lever linkage so that it is consistent and even going both up and down gears and havent missed any shifts since then.
Any idea what I should do to diagnose the problem and fix it? Going to have a friend who rode it once before ride it again for me this weekend to see if he notices it, and going to ride his ninja to compare to see if his bike is bumpy. Could all be in my head...
Thanks.