Highway Speeds

I'm still somewhat new to bikes. Though I've been riding for the past year and a half, I've rarely driven at highway speeds. This is because when I get my Seca past 90 kph, it begins to feel rather loose.

I dont want to say it has a speed wobble because its rock solid under 90kph and I haven't taken it on a country road to really open her up and see.

I dont think this is a normal feel for the bike... and I dont think its nerves because speed doesn't particularly scare me. Speed on something that feels like its ready to slip out from under me though, kinda makes me nervous.

Any ideas?

 

Check you head bearings:
Put bike on center stand - have some one hold rear down to get front off the ground. Push/pull the forks looking for looseness. Gently push the handle bar and see it swings from lock to lock without rough feeling spots.

Check your swingarm:
On center stand pull back tire left to right looking for looseness.

If none of the above take a good look at your tires for uneven wear - could be a balance issue too.

 

Could be as simple as worn out rear shocks too; that will make a bike feel squirrely and unstable at speed as well.

The stock rear shocks on the 550 Seca were all done at between 8K and 12K miles; they weren't all that great to begin with.

Also; how are the front forks? Good seals, new oil?

How old are your tires, and what are they?

 

Tires - Bridgestone Spitfires, brand spankin new with less than 500 km on them

Front fork seals - Replaced this spring, with the tires

Rear Shocks - No idea... my rear end is kinda squeeky though, I just blamed that on noisy springs. They seemed ok though... bike has 47 000 km on it so who knows if they've ever been changed.

Was going to put on sportster shocks this winter, but I think I might tackle that mod now

 

Sounds like the shocks are due. I used Progressive 12-series on both my 550 Secas.

 

*UPDATE*

Weather has been rather shitty here over the past week so I haven't really had a chance to ride. But today was absolutely perfect and I just got back from a 70km plus ride with my buddies.

I haven't had a chance to order some shocks but I might hold off a while now. I upped the pre-load to the second position (from no pre-load) and the rear end is nice and stiff now. Opened her right up a few times and shes nice and solid at speed. I'm wondering if that was my problem all along. My 185 pounds was just too much for the old springs.

Squeak I was hearing from the rear end has now been determined to be coming from the swing arm. Going to open it up and put some grease in there. Which kind should I use?