wheel wobble

Hey guys, a quick question for you today. Sometimes when I release my handlebars at speed the front wheel will start to wobble or shimmy pretty bad. Sometimes it doesn't do it, and there is no vibration through the handlebars when I am riding with either one or both hands on. Is this normal? Thanks in advance for any and all help.

 

mine started doing that too after i put a new tire on, i had it balanced twice and still does it especially at about fifty, either 1) its not balance right or 2) i got a bad tire, you could have a wobble in the rim that will cause it too but i know mine didnt do it with my old tire.

 

Possible causes:

Tire (front or rear)
Wheels.
Axle Clamps.
Swing arm bushings
Steering head bearings.

 

I had this issue on both my ymaha's, On the Seca it ended up being a brake caliper sticking.

On my VSTAR it was the tire, Put a brand new tire on and it started happening, took it back twice and the rebalanced. Finally the dealer replaced the tire and whobble gone.

 

Is there any way for me to check the steering head bearing?

 

I have a very distinct NOTCH in my head bearing.

Mine wobbles anything under 50mph.

Your wheel bearings could be going, or all the above mentioned, or even two more things...

a) my windshield was not installed right by PO, at higher speeds it would cause wobble because of the air pressure forcing it one way and fighting it's way back to the NOTCH that is in my head bearing (which isn't supposed to be there!)

b) air pressure in front shocks / adjustments off balance via left to right / front to rear of shocks/struts etc. Any unbalance in the suspension can make wheel wobble.

As far as checking the neck bearing, put it on the center stand lift the front wheel up and turn the bars left/right. I have a strong NOTCH in dead center, in fact I can leave my bars in the middle and the wheel will stay straight because of it. Don't mistake head bearing play for wheel bearing play either.

 

Put the bike on the centerstand.

Have an assistant sit on the rear of the seat to elevate the front end.

Crouch down in front of the bike, and grab ahold of a fork tube with each hand. Try to move the forks fore and aft; there should be no play. If there IS, then it can possibly be adjusted out by tightening the bearings up slightly; however:

If there is no play, or once you have the bearing adjusted; with the front end elevated, push the forks to one side or the other; they should fall smoothly over. Do it the other way, be sure the forks can move fully from lock to lock, freely and smoothly. If there is any binding, or a "loose spot" in the center, it's time for new steering head bearings.

 

This is a classic indicator of a need to replace the steering head bearings. I would recommend upgrading to tapered rollers while you're at it.

 

I had the notch too and when I replaced the bearings with the tapered rollers as bigfitz said, it made a HUGE difference in handling.

 

+1 and wheel bearings. Replaced all bearings in the front end (Wheel and head) and bike now goes where I told it and tracks through corners and handles well at low speed.

Even if they may seem okay, when was the last time they were checked and greased? These are not lifetime sealed bearings we're talking about here.

Fairly easy to do with the right tools. One of the first things I did and worked well.