Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: Drivablity, diagnostic specialist, new bikes

Question
What is meant by vehicle jerking (due to engine) at steady speeds ? and what are the causes for the jerking .

Answer
I am not much of a diagnostic specialist, but I'll try to help.

Surging is caused by either intake, carburetor, ignition, or chain problems.

If your bike has a chain drive, there may be tight spots on it that cause this. A new chain and sprockets would be in order.

If your bike is carbureted, the carbs may need cleaning and/or adjustment. It could be that the air filter needs cleaning or replacement. There might also be an issue with the ignition coils being worn out. This can happen even on new bikes if they're run hard or in lots of hot weather. You could might also change the spark plugs.

If your bike is fuel-injected, there may be a problem with the ignition mapping, especially if you've added an aftermarket exhaust system or high-flow air filter. I'm not sure how you'd fix that other than with some sort of ignition adjustment kit (PowerCommander, et al.)

Good luck in your troubleshooting!

Pat