Lowspeed handlebar wobble ?

[Clone]

After you have done all you can to the steering bearings and find that you still have problems, check your swing arm bearings.
Sometimes a wobble is caused by looseness at the other end of the bike.

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This is often the cause of a low speed wobble, usually when decellerating, the swing arm will have a slight bit of play that is almost impossible to detect, and this is amplified through the chassis giving you the feeling of a head shake, but it is coming from the other end. Just replace the bearings and call it good.

[fisher51]

Thanks,guys ya`ll are great

I have learned so much reading other threads, and hope I can be a help soon to someone else. Beware of "left turn Larry" ride safe

[ptm]

How old is the tire? Any cupping on the tread? I had a wobble that I noticed when decelerating below about 40 mph. It wasn't bad, I didn't notice it at all unless I held the grips very loosely or let go altogether. I lived with it for a while, but when the tire wore out and I replaced it, the wobble went away...

[terbang]

A lot of bikes get that as the front tyre nears the end of it life.

[fisher51]

new tire

Noticed b-4 changing 3 weeks ago,was hoping that was it. Thanks,the wobble is only at LOW speed 5 to 8mph , makes handling bike on sloped driveways tricky. No problem anywhere over 10 to 15mph., just have to use extra care to keep everything under control. Thanks again.

[psyguy]

I can now see that I`m not the only one that this bothers,

no you re not

one other thought - if the head stem bearings had been overtightened in the past (or suffered in an impact) this may have damaged them
while you cant detect any play in the front end now it doesnt mean that the bearings are actually ok
if you were to remove your forks (and some of the cables around the head stem) you may well get a totaly different impression for how smoothly (or not) the steering tilts from side to side

[Dogma]

no you re not

one other thought - if the head stem bearings had been overtightened in the past (or suffered in an impact) this may have damaged them
while you cant detect any play in the front end now it doesnt mean that the bearings are actually ok
if you were to remove your forks (and some of the cables around the head stem) you may well get a totaly different impression for how smoothly (or not) the steering tilts from side to side

I'll second that. I just found a notch in the center of my steering that never noticed before. I had the forks off, and even then I only noticed it when moving the handlebars slowly. Now that I have the wheel back on, I can barely feel the notch, and then only by moving things slowly. My handlebars would wobble if I let go while holding about 40. We'll see if the new wheel bearings I installed change that, but I'll be doing new steering bearings this winter.

[fisher51]

Thanks Psyguy

After talking with the owner of the bike b-4 me, I learned he had a Jeep pull out in front of him 10yrs. ago. I have a (same year) 80` GS1000 I`m gonna keep for a parts bike, I may change out the front-end while installing new bearings.I think you are on to something... THANKS

[highmileage]

Also, some brands of tires will squirm and feel like there's a wobble at low speeds. I know one friend who says he is experiencing exactly that with the Conti Milestones on his 1200 Gold Wing. The front tire has a tread pattern that (he says) causes a low speed wobble that this bike never had before and he can't wait to replace it with something else.

So if all else fails, try a different brand of tire next time.

[Zook]

Your friend needs to adjust his steering head bearings, too. I said the same thing about my Concours after I changed tires. "It didn't do that with the old ones, so it's gotta be the tires".

WRONG. Tightened the bearings and the bike was rock steady.

[Zook]

Ive been battling a high speed wobble for years and have tried everything.... except that !! Could you elaborate on the exact sequence you use to align the front end / forks and tighten the stem bearings / nut....

Remove tank-ya don't want to scratch it!
Gain access to steering stem nut. Remove covers, etc. Loosen LOWER triple clamp bolts, all 4 of them.
Now, on the steering head you will see a pinch bolt aft of the stem bolt. Loosen the pinch bolt, then the stem bolt.
Under the top triple tree you will see a nut with notches in it instead of flats like a regular bolt or nut. This is what you tighten. Use a spanner wrench or a hammer and screwdriver to tighten. Lefty loosey, righty tighty. Whack it enough to make it move a bit. Not too much! Just enough, say, one notch in the nut, if that. Now tighten everything in reverse sequence. Check the drag on the bars with the bike on the c-stand, it should move smooth and free just a slight drag with no notchiness. If ya feel that the bearings are shot. If all seems okay, go for a short test ride. If the problem goes away and the bike isn't difficult to hold a set line, all is well. If the bike seems to want to fight steeing input the bearings are too tight.

HTH

[bonanzadave]

Lefty loosey, righty tighty.

HTH

Got it ! Did it last night and went for a sprint. No prob steering but still a little wobble at 3 digits. Im gonna try a little tighter tonight. Thanks!!

Cant believe Ive been doing that for so long and not loosening the lower clamps.....

[Zook]

You may even want to loosen the lower clamp bolts and axle pinch bolts. Bounce forks then tighten, starting at the axle and work your way up. This helps align everything.

Oh yeah-in my description I forgot-there is a regular nut on top of the notched nut. Loosen it and after tightening the notched one, retighten the regular nut. This is the jam nut that holds the adjustment nut tight.

[bonanzadave]

You may even want to loosen the lower clamp bolts and axle pinch bolts. Bounce forks then tighten, starting at the axle and work your way up. This helps align everything.

Oh yeah-in my description I forgot-there is a regular nut on top of the notched nut. Loosen it and after tightening the notched one, retighten the regular nut. This is the jam nut that holds the adjustment nut tight.

Ive never seen that nut. Just the big hex head bolt on top of the tree.