Keep them tires air'd up... REALLY!

[oldchopperguy]

Just a quick experience to pass on...

Over the last few weeks, my scoot developed a slight tendency to "wobble" with a loose hand on the bars. Numerous riders have griped about this irritating and potentially dangerous condition. I actually began to think I might have a cracked frame/broken weld at the fork crown, etc. However, no such evidence was found.

I usually gauge-check my tires each month, and "kick" them before every ride to be sure they're well inflated.

Tonight, I checked them with a gauge (been 6 weeks) and to my surprise, front tire was 20 lb, rear was 12 lb! Now I must mention they both still felt fine to the "kick". No lower clearance over speed bumps was evident. No flexing of sidewalls was visible even with my 250 lb butt aboard, and, no noticeable sluggishness was noted in acceleration or top speed. Just the "wobble" if I'd remove my hands from the bars.

I inflated the skins to 35 lb and the wobble was GONE, and, the scoot drove like new.

Lesson learned here: Check these small tires with a gauge regularly, as visual check, and/or kicking isn't good enough.

I wonder how many of us have been cussing the step-through frames on these as being too flexible (frame-flexing is EXACTLY what this phenomenon felt like) when it might be flexing sidewalls instead?

Ride safe, and keep them balonies air'd up!

Leo in Texas

[numbski]

Thanks for that, I'll be checking mine today - it's been feeling rougher than usual.

[Montanaborn]

Same exact problem I had two years ago. Now I make a habit of checking the air pressure every morning before I would get on the scoot. I leave the gauge sitting on my seat as a reminder.

[rockhound]

Over inflation not good either.Rides too solid and every flinch is a bobble on mine.(45psi)

[oldchopperguy]

Rockhound,

Absolutely... Seems like these scoots are VERY much affected by either a few pounds too much, OR too little air. The tires are fairly small, compared to car or truck tires, so I suppose the effects of wrong air pressure are magnified by the same percentage of size in comparison... Like 2 pounds off on a scooter tire may be like 6 pounds off on a car tire... or something like that...
At any rate, it seems mighty important to keep 'em right!

Ride safe,

Leo in Texas

PS: I've been taking the wife along on the back lately. A passenger REALLY settles these scoots down! When the load exceeds the weight of the vehicle, it holds down EVERYTHING... Must be why those 3rd world folks do so well with the whole family and 1,000 pounds of building materials aboard! (LOL!)

[idnative1948]

Yes, check them regular. Last commute into work came around a curve that I am on four times a day (able to go home for lunch) at speed I normally go and holy crappola it got squirrely quick. Pulled into a gas station and grabbed my gauge to check the front tire, pushed the gage on and dumped what air I had left. Obviously balance beads stuck in the valve core. I usually check air at home and bump with air first to displace the beads. Rockhound is correct in that over-inflation can cause issues also.