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Front end wobble/wiggle

5K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Dirtwiz 
#1 ·
I know some of you do this, and I do once in a while.
While riding at any speeds above, lets say 30 mph, I'll take my hands off the handle bars. You know when we were kids, we'd ride our bicycles like this. It was "cool" to ride with no hands!!

Anyway, I digress....As I said, with my 2012 900, I'll take my hands off the "wheel" for a few seconds. When I first started doing this, no wiggle/wobble at all. Now, when I let go, I get a terrible wiggle from the front end. I know, DON'T DO THAT!
Just curious if you may know what the problem is. (and please don't say I'm a dumb ass for doing that in the first place)
This summer, on the Ohio Turnpike, I saw a guy "let go" doing 70mph...I think he was combing his hair.....
The main reason I ask is because I don't want that to happen when I'm "holding on"........now that would be a problem....

Thanks, Dan
 
#2 ·
Sounds like you have something loose or out of balance. I would probably check the bike for that as well.:grin2:
 
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#4 ·
First thing I would check is tire pressure, cheap and easy. Next make sure everything is tight. If that doesnt do it maybe balance the tires again and go from there.
 
#5 ·
I would agree about checking tire pressure and then next balance if the problem isn't solved with pressure. I was amazed how much tire pressure affected the bikes handling when going straight. After I put my fairing on my 900, I took it out on the highway. The wobble was down right scary. A few days later I went out again and the wobble was getting worse. I had stopped for some grub and someone told me I should check out my rear tire. Looked low. It was. Very low. 4 Lbs of air in it. Turns out my valve stem was dry rotted. Anyway, long story short, after fixing that and readjusting the pressure in the front, the wobble was gone for the most part. Still had some when going through major turbulence behind bigger trucks, but nothing that would make me wanna check my skivvies for skid marks like before. Haven't had issues with it since.
 
#6 ·
I just bought a 1700 Nomad and it had a terrible handlebar slap, up and down vibration on every single road irregularity. Big, little, didn't matter, the handlebars would bounce like a ball on a rough road. Checked the inflation on the front tire and it was way over inflated, 45 lbs. I lowered it to 36, problem solved. Most people run the 1700 over inflated according to the manufacturers specs of 26 lbs, but 45 was way too much.

So, check the air in your front tire. You may have to adjust the air pressure, within reason, so find the sweet spot.
 
#7 ·
My tires were a little low....just 2 pounds, but that seemed to help the problem a little. The front tire only has 5500 miles on it, so I'll check on getting it balanced again...may have lost a tire weight on it ?, but I don't know for sure. I also made sure everything (nuts & bolts) were tightened up.

Thanks for all your suggestions.......Dan
 
#8 ·
At 5500 miles on stock tires I wouldnt spend money on a balance, I would consider replacing tires....I know people say they get crazy milage outbof the stock tires but thats nuts...I have 2500 miles on my stock tires and pray they last till winter for replacing.....
 
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#9 ·
I was always under the impression that the front end wobble was the steering head bearings were in need of lube and re torking. mine does the same thing.sometimes when only one hand is on the bars. I also think it has a lot to do with the road surface itself.
 
#10 ·
Very common issue. Mine did it at about 35mph as I was decellerating with hands off. If I put one finger on the bars it was ok. I just made sure I had 40PSI in my front tire and it was fine until my tire was near the end of its life then it would still do the wobble. I was riding a Classic though so im not sure if this pertains to narrow tire Vulcans or not. I dumped the Perelli's I had on it when I bought it and went to Commander II's which were much better but even the Commanders did it once the front was at like 20% tread or it was over 100 degrees outside....I live in Southern Utah and thats a common temperature for at least 3 months each summer. Change your tire and pump it up and I bet you are ok....just check it once in a while.
 
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