Hopefully not a silly question...

**LilSel** · 21st November 2008, 10:22

Just wondering... If you take your hands off your bars & coast along, should your front end remain straight without wobbles??
When I do this, after about a second, my front gets the wobbles on... is this normal? or something to be concerned about? by 'wobble' I mean left to right tank slappa-ish kinda movement. Is not noticable when one hand on or both hands holding bars relaxed.

Hope this isnt a silly question either

I just didnt think it was quite 'right' that it did that.

Cheers for info/advice in advance

**nodrog:Me** · 21st November 2008, 10:26

no its not normal, could be any number of things, from shagged head stem bearings, to a rooted front tyre.

i take it you have checked your front tyre isnt flat?

**LilSel** · 21st November 2008, 10:28

Originally Posted by nodrog

no its not normal, could be any number of things, from shagged head stem bearings, to a rooted front tyre.

i take it you have checked your front tyre isnt flat?

Oh bugger... Front tyre isnt flat & condition of tyre is alright too (warranted last month)... Prob shouldnt ride to taupo this afternoon then

**nodrog:Me** · 21st November 2008, 10:38

take it into a shop and get them to have a look.

**vifferman** · 21st November 2008, 10:48

Remember: there are no silly questions, only silly answers.
Or so they say...
Even though your tyre if WOFable, and looks OK, it could be worn such that the tread induces wobbles. And as Gordon the nodrog says, the steering head bearings could be loose or worn. It could even be summat playing up in the rear, and transferring slight wiggles to the front, which you don't notice when you're holding the bars.
However (but!) what you described is very common, especially with some bike models (like VFRs), so don't panic.
DON'T PANIC!!
LOL.

If it's not noticeable when you are holding the bars, and/or it happens only at certain speeds/conditions (70km/h going down the Harbour Bridge was hopeless for several of my bikes), then it's not a biggie.

Sometimes having the wrong tyre (or a poorly fitted/blanced tyre will do it). I used to have a VF500, which was fine until I had Cycletreads in Chch fit a 16" Dunlop to the front, which had a V-shaped profile compared to the usual Metzeler ME33. If I took even one hand off the bars, espeically going downhill, it was dangerous.
The Metzeler totally fixed the problem, but I never found out if it was profile, tread pattern, an out-of-round tyre, bad fitting, or the tyre had worn weird.

**nico** · 21st November 2008, 11:30

as above on the vfrrrrrrr put new stearing head bearings and the same prob went awat and bars actually became straight while riding as well

**98tls** · 21st November 2008, 11:32

May be off but a bar-end weight has parted company with the bike has it? or possibly a rim weight come off.

**MSTRS:Me** · 21st November 2008, 11:32

Shouldn't be a biggie. As Vifferman says, some bikes just seem prone to this 'phenomenon'. YT's EX500 will sometimes do it, but I think it is only in a certain rev range. What I think is happening is some sort of harmonic resonance through the frame. Answer...keep a hold of the bars.

**BM-GS** · 21st November 2008, 11:46

I read an article about this in the UK bike press (Performance Bikes?) many years ago, and they reckoned that all bikes did it at some speed. I naturally went out investigating and found that my ZZR600 did it at about 80km/h. From memoery, the tyres were near-new, bearings were anyone's guess, but the bike was in the shop for regular servicing and I never noticed any other problems, or performend bearing-threatening stunts.

No biggie, just a gentle wobble as I let the gas off in top and drifted down through ~80ks... It only seemed to happen in top - maybe the engine-braking in the lower gears loaded the front too much?

Tyres were D207 up front, so sporty profile. Lots of rear ride-height too, from new shock (as opposed to chopper-style with old shock).

If it goes away with a hand on the bars, fuhgeddaboudit... or play?

**LilSel** · 21st November 2008, 12:36

Thanks for all the advice & info!!

I shall take it in to get looked at soon!!

It is possible that something went askew when dad dropped my bike about a month ago?! (well he says he didnt 'drop' it, it 'fell over'

) result was a new clutch lever.

Well seeming as its not looking to be a major major...& more of a 'do fix it'/'semi normal for certain bikes' kinda thing... I think I shall ride down the line & keep my hands on the bars lol, put her in to get looked at when back. Would much rather ride than drive the ute down.

**fireball** · 21st November 2008, 13:03

Originally Posted by LilSel

I think I shall ride down the line & keep my hands on the bars lol, put her in to get looked at when back. Would much rather ride than drive the ute down.

thank fuck for that!

now can you stop bloody working and lets ride, im bored!

**Big Dave** · 21st November 2008, 13:05

Actually what is happening is the bike is staying still and the planet goes out of whack.

Crashe knows all about it.

**Colapop** · 21st November 2008, 13:54

Ummm... after all these years you've just noticed your front wobbles? Has FB never noticed your front wobbling before?

**vifferman** · 21st November 2008, 14:05

Originally Posted by LilSel

It is possible that something went askew when dad dropped my bike about a month ago?!

Yes, it may have very slightly twisted the forks in the triple clamps - not a biggie; if that's the case, they just need loosening up and retightening.