Frustrated with Front Wheel Hop; can’t find a shop willing to touch it

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

Dan...the one guy’s tone on the phone was like it was “beneath” him to touch the bike.

I tried loosening them all and started from the beginning so to speak. I’m wondering if a major problem is that the tire is still mounted? I don’t currently have spoons to remove the tire, but maybe that is the next step. Would that be part of the problem the rim won’t budge?

I never true a wheel with a tire on, especially if I fully loosen all of the spokes. The extra weight and pressure can throw things off.

[Sullybiker]

You might have got the rim 'close enough', and be careful the spot you're seeing isn't the seam, which is often slightly out.



Check your tyre is seated properly; it's unbelievably common for them to not be. Worse still, if it is has worn while not seating correctly it will forever hop due to the uneven wear.


It may also just be a defective tyre. I know this kind of thing can be infuriating, but if you've learnt all that, spend a bit of cash and lace yourself up a new good quality rim.

[dpl096]

I don't know. If some stroke shop owner has that opinion then he won't be getting any business from me regardless of my make of bike.... Its really too bad you've got some jackass haters to deal with....I'm sure you are frustrated and don't blame you at all. For most of us older riders here we remember the same bs about anything Japanese in the 70s...I'm betting you've got a good bike there....just needs a little extra care right now. Try giving Dan's advice a whirl.

[Ski_rush]

Originally Posted by dpl096

I don't know. If some stroke shop owner has that opinion then he won't be getting any business from me regardless of my make of bike.... Its really too bad you've got some jackass haters to deal with....

You’re not kidding...and there’s a Kawasaki dealership near me that has a repair shop. Despite another shop recommending that I call him about doing this, I refuse to deal with the guy. Here’s why. Last month, I needed a front tire installed on my Magna. I called and asked if I could bring him a loose tire and wheel for a mount and balance. He refused. He went into a anti-Chinese diatribe and assured me that any tire I buy online is a Chinese knockoff and will kill me. I assured him I would buy the tire from a legit seller like Revzilla, Bike Bandit, or Dennis Kirk. He again assured me that only real shops like his get the real tires and all other dealers get Chinese knockoffs. He then described how the bikes are bad too. I didn’t want to waste any more time, so I didn’t engage him. But, I’ll never work with him that’s for sure.

Since tire spoons are so cheap at HF, I will try to remove the tire and true the wheel again. It’s worth another shot. Thinking about it now, the tire and air pressure were probably a big problem in me getting this right.

If I can’t do it, I was able to find one guy who will work on it but he doesn’t come cheap! He wants $120 for this...which is about double what I thought he’d say. Hence, I want to try myself again before dropping that kind of coin.

[Ski_rush]

Originally Posted by Wild Dog

You changed the rims on the apollo??

The Apollo deluxe comes stock with 17x2.50 in front and 17x3.00 in the rear for wheel sizes. It’s a funky wheel size as far as buying tires.

[OneLeggedRider]

Shops are getting pretty finicky around here. The Honda/Suzuki shop in Zanesville will not mount a tire unless you buy it from them, and it has to be on the bike so they can charge more labor. And they will tell you it's for liability reasons but it's really about the almighty dollar. And I guarantee you they wouldn't touch any China bike.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

If I can’t do it, I was able to find one guy who will work on it but he doesn’t come cheap! He wants $120 for this...which is about double what I thought he’d say. Hence, I want to try myself again before dropping that kind of coin.

Honestly, $120 to true a wheel and dismount/remount a tire/tube is pretty reasonable. I used to do it for about $100 if I had to remove the tire/tube and about $80 for just the wheel with 40 spokes or less. That would be to get the radial and lateral runout less than 1mm.

[dpl096]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

. He then described how the bikes are bad too. I didn’t want to waste any more time, so I didn’t engage him. But, I’ll never work with him that’s for sure.

If I can’t do it, I was able to find one guy who will work on it but he doesn’t come cheap! He wants $120 for this...which is about double what I thought he’d say. Hence, I want to try myself again before dropping that kind of coin.

Sounds like someone who was born dumb and worked hard at perfecting stupidity. I hope you get this done on your own and let the hater loser keep running off current and future customers. Chinese branded bikes are only going to increase. . . and whether the jackweds are accepting or not eventually Chinese branded automobiles will be rolling up and down the highways.... Look no further than Buicks current Envision.... I believe I read it is entirely manufacturer in China and shipped here. I'm not saying their products are superior.... I'm just pointing out the fact they are here now and will only increase and that morons like the dealer you spoke of had better readjust his business practice or prepare for dwindling business.

[pete]

I know a couple of the guys at the local Suzuki dealership..
there issue with Chinese bikes is not really the bike but the owners..
they fix the bike... because it is a piece of crap and keeps braking down
and they were the last to work on it then the new problem becomes
there fault in the owners mind... and then they bad mouthing the shop
to anyone who listen... fixing Chinese bikes can do the shops reputation harm..

And getting compatible parts can be a nightmare...
they can't just go to the computer and link the bike/model/ part
to a part number as with a jap bike.. then order it knowing it is the right part..

I work 5 minutes away from the Suzuki shop....Yamaha shop is on the other side of the city
I order a lot of my Yamaha parts though them.. not a issue as everything is linked on computer....
try doing that with Chinese bike parts..



..

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by pete

And getting compatible parts can be a nightmare...
they can't just go to the computer and link the bike/model/ part
to a part number as with a jap bike.. then order it knowing it is the right part..
..

This, has to be one of the biggest reason, why some dealership and shops don't like to stock parts for Chinese bikes.....
The biggest shop in my city, refuse to sell parts for any brand sells chinese parts, because of what you say.

About breaking all the time.. They don't break more than any entry level yamaha (xtz 125, ybr) or honda (xr 150, titan).
But even so, we are talking about truing a wheel.. The shop owner can just say "look buddy this rim is not very good, is not going to hold true for long, just get a new rim and spokes or live with it"...

[ChipToothy]

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

Chinese anything always comes with hidden problems
People included

They can't be any worse than here lol

[NzBrakelathes]

Originally Posted by ChipToothy

They can't be any worse than here lol

They are I’ve not seen anything like this before in a place that’s semi modern

[timcosby]

buddy of mine that works on vintage harleys wont fool with the new spoke rims. he said they are mostly from tiawan and can take up to a whole day just to get close. just not built round enough. the shop probably knows this too and knows you will freak out when you get the bill for 6-8 hours of shop time so they just say no thanks. take a day or two and work at it till you get it close enough.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Ski_rush

So, I’ve loosened and re-tightened the spokes on the front wheel 3 times now. I thought I had the wheel laterally “true”; I was pretty happy with the result. However, the radial hop was still there. I have a noticeable low spot and high spot on the rim. This issue has been there since I got the bike. At first, I thought it was in my head. It was only recently that I learned how to check for trueness. I just can’t seem to get that rim radially true. And, I can feel the hop as I’m riding on road. That’s how I noticed the problem in the first place.

So, I called several shops and they won’t work on the wheel. The first question they ask, “what kind of bike is it?” I say “Apollo”. They quickly figure out that’s its Chinese and the conversation ends there. “I don’t work on Chinese bikes!”

Ok...so, am I now left with a bike that’s not viable to ride?

Manny’s parts warranty has expired so I can’t even ship the guy the wheel and hope and wait for a replacement.

A new wheel for this bike is $200. Is that my only option here, because if it is...then this bike is going to sit for a while like a paper weight in the garage.

Anyone have any suggestions for me? i would greatly appreciate it. I got the lemon of the bunch I suppose...lucky me.

Yes, you are lucky. You are lucky because you will now have the opportunity to learn how to do this yourself. There is a site on youtube called Britannia Motorcycles, which explains EXACTLY how to lace up a wheel when you don't know how. He starts a "Trials Iron" build. He does these in like 45 minute threads. There are a guzzillion Quick and easy methods shown on how things were done 'back in the day'. Sometimes it's good to know this kinda stuff. I have trouble understanding him, you probably will as well. Just soak it up, what this guy is teching is very hard to find theses days....ARH

[2LZ]

You can do this! We need a positive review on the new Apollo!

200.00 for a rim? Seems awfully costly. What size?