wobble in front tire

[adameee]

I bought an 81 gs650 a couple weeks ago. There is a wobble in the front tire. The wheel itself is true. There is no wobble or shudder whatsoever in the ride. While I am going to change the front tire, I am wondering if it is safe to ride conservatively until the tire is replaced. There is plenty of tread, and there is no visible damage unless you are sighting along the spinning wheel (no bumps, creases, etc.).

Thanks in advance. This is an excellent forum, and I've learned a huge amount from it so far.

[hampshirehog]

I bet the thing hasn't seated properly on the bead. I wouldn't ride it.

[bonanzadave]

Do a quick check on the tire date code, air pressure, steering head bearings.

[adameee]

Pressure good.

Tire: Bridgestone Spitfire 11F. Not sure what the date code is, but the only other lettering I see besides weight/pressure is this: S11F T8802.
I will search online to see if there are issues with this tire.

Re: steering head bearings, again, the issue is definitely the tire. Wheel is true and tire has like a long indention.

If the tire isn't properly seated, can it be taken off and put back on?

[tkent02]

If the tire isn't properly seated, can it be taken off and put back on?

Yes it can, but first check the concentric circles around the bead, it will be obvious if the tire is not on the rim straight.

[Woodsy]

could it be a flat spot on the tyre? how long was the bike sitting when you bought it?

[derwood]

You can take off the front wheel,let all the air out, break the bead, lube it up (the bead) and re-inflate it. ......like he said check the concentric rings moulded into the tire, its readily apparent if the bead hasn't seated.

[joejeweler]

Pressure good.

Tire: Bridgestone Spitfire 11F. Not sure what the date code is, but the only other lettering I see besides weight/pressure is this: S11F T8802.
I will search online to see if there are issues with this tire.

Re: steering head bearings, again, the issue is definitely the tire. Wheel is true and tire has like a long indention.

If the tire isn't properly seated, can it be taken off and put back on?

I recently put on a set of Bridgestone Spitfire S11F tires on my '82 GS850GL, as i wanted a well regarded and long wearing street tire.

I've read where i can expect 10K-12K miles at the rear, and a lot more up front with "reasonable" throttle application and speed into turns!

So far i've put about 800 miles on mine in 3 weeks,.....no complaints. They are SO much better than the original (30-year old) originals i used for a short while! Confident in wet or dry running.

At 55, i'm not likely to push either the bike or tires to their limit, and longevity and practicality were my main concerns,.....at a reasonable cost. The duel rubber compound gives good cornering response, while the harder center compond supposed to be long lasting. So far, at 800 miles,...they look brand new.

Not sure what your issue is,.....but as has been mentioned the bead seems like as good a place to search as anywhere.

[adameee]

What is the right lube to use? I just watched a great video on breaking the bead on a motorcycle tire on you-tube by thumbwave. He sprays the tire/wheel with windex as he goes.

[1_v8_merc]

Soapy water is the quickest thing.

That's probably what is Inside his windex bottle.(I hope!)
I've used tire shine before, but that was in a pinch.
(do not use windex, FYI)

[UncleBen]

Could be just out of balance. Do you have any shops near you that sell dynabeads? If not you can order them online cheap and they arrive fast. I recently replaced the tires on my GS1100 and used dynabeads to balance it. I would have had the shop balance it but I decided to put the tires on myself this time and I don't have a balancer.

I must say that the dynabeads work very well. No ugly weights on the wheel and it is smooth as glass. Here is the link if you need it: www.innovativebalancing.com

[adameee]

Fixed!
That part of the tire was not set right. Concentric circles on the sidewall at the rim said it all.
Broke the bead, pulled the tire on that side (couldn't get it all the way off). Inspected, looked good. Put the tire back on, well lubed, and watched it slip into place as I inflated it. I am going to guess that the tire was put on dry, or without enough lube, because as it reseated it seemed clear that the lubrication is what allowed the bead to move out into place.
That was so satisfying. Thanks.