Front wheel wobble cause?

[Stu]

What can cause the front wheel to wobble IF you take your hands off the bars?

The front wheel bearings have been replaced to no avail.
Front tyre pressure is OK, tyre tread is worn & mostly on the right but I don't think it should be so bad as to cause the wobble.

Wobble happens at all speeds, so long as you're going fast enough to take both hands off the bars ad gets progressively worse until it's almost a tank slapper & you have to grab the bars again.

Bike is an 02 reg half faired Fazer.

TIA

[cb1000rsteve]

Head bearings and tyre balance???

[Mark_h]

Often down to a dodgy tyre. Mate had it on his FJR and that's got a load of mass to wobble. Other obvious one is if it's a bike that's been laid up for a while with ultraseal or some other puncture gloop in it then it may clump somewhere. Go get it chucked on a tyre balancing thing and see if it's balanced. This should show up either an iffy tyre or gloop.

If not then it's down to head bearings, suspension and other complex stuff so start with the simple stuff.

[Biker Biggles]

Bent wheel?

[Stu]

Head bearings and tyre balance???Be disappointed if bike shop suggested wheel bearings & it turns out to be head bearings. I thought tyre balance only showed itself at a particular speed???

Often down to a dodgy tyre. Mate had it on his FJR and that's got a load of mass to wobble. Other obvious one is if it's a bike that's been laid up for a while with ultraseal or some other puncture gloop in it then it may clump somewhere. Go get it chucked on a tyre balancing thing and see if it's balanced. This should show up either an iffy tyre or gloop.

If not then it's down to head bearings, suspension and other complex stuff so start with the simple stuff.
Don't think ultraseal is involved - could be tyre, but a little expensive to change it & it's not the problem.
So how would suspension cause this & how would you rectify it?
Bent wheel?s'pose will look & see

Keep it coming if anyone knows more thanks

[Daimo]

Wow, scare mongering or what :lol:

I get wheel wobble, and it only ever happens when (most common, not all causes obviously).

a) Tyre pressure is low, or
b) Tread is low. Time for a new tyre.
c) Tread has dropped as above, hence the tyre becomes slightly out of balance and needs re-doing.

I doubt its bent wheels or bearings.

[maviczap]

My old CBx550 used to do this on deceleration at about 35mph

Was worse when the front tyre was old and worn

[Woz]

My mate's Ducati developed a horrible front end wobble. Surprisingly, when he had the REAR tyre replaced, it went away.

[Mark_h]

I thought tyre balance only showed itself at a particular speed???

Nope. Just typically worse at certain speeds when you hit the resonant frequency.

Could be tyre, but a little expensive to change it & it's not the problem.

Hopefully a quick spin on the balance thing should find it unless it's something really weird in the carcase.

So how would suspension cause this

Anything loose or broken could contribute

& how would you rectify it?

Tighten or replace affected part :)

Do you know anyone accommodating with another fazer, you could quickly eliminate half the problems with a quick borrow of someone else's front wheel.

However, my mate with the FJR had it in and out the dealers trying to get it sorted and it turned out to be a tyre problem. One bit of the sidewall was stiffer or floppier than the rest and that set up the wobble. Not sure if it got picked up on the balancer though.

[hongman]

Wheel alignment?

[monkey]

Midget stuck in the front of the frame trying to get out?

[-Ralph-]

My XT starts to get unstable after 75 mph since I had semi knobbly tyres put on it, though the model of tyre is oem equipment on as GS Adventure so should be ok. Also had new chain + sprockets at same time so Ill check wheel alignment

[Bri w]

Vodka...

I get a wobble on from stationary

[Villers]

Had similar on my Hayabusa, on decelleration it would go a bit bonkers and I checked everything but it turned out the crappy Avon tyre had went loopy in the end.

Youve been given lots to try there, I'd be looking at the wheel and tyre personally so long as your front bearings are ok, theres no brake rub and your bar ends are in place and tight!

[Stu]

Youve been given lots to try there,
:lol: Just the RIGHT answer would have been more helpful ;)

I now suspect the tyre, having seen it, as I think I said head bearings have been changed & I felt for the front & rear wheel bearings but I can't feel anything amiss there.

[barwel1992]

bent forks, caused the front to wobble on mine

[Bibio]

as I think I said head bearings have been changed

have you checked the 'new' bearings for 'notchyness/roughness' sometimes people are a bit overzealous tightening new bearings or tighten them in one place (without moving upper and lower yokes while tightening to specified torque). this puts pits in the new races or ovals the bearings which can cause the bearings to move in and out of the indents and 'wobble' the front end. as the bearings go in the indent the rider tries to compensate and corrects the steering then relaxes, the bearings go into the indent again so the rider corrects the steering again so on and so on. this is more noticeable cruising in straight lines and not noticeable (unless there is a huge indent) while cornering as rider counter steers.

[Red Herring]

bent forks, caused the front to wobble on mine

Are you sure it wasn't the "wobble" that caused the bent forks....:D


Most bikes develop a bit of a wobble/head shake at certain speeds but it should be very minor. If it's more than that I'd just start checking through the basics, starting with the simple things like tyre pressure, shape and balance. As has been mentioned don't just restrict yourself to the front wheel, many issues at the back are felt at the front so check the rear tyre/wheel as well, then move on to things like wheel and swingarm bearings.

Another simple thing to check is the fork alignment, just lift the front off the ground and loosen the bolts holding one of the legs into the yoke and rotate the leg by hand. (only do one at a time). It should rotate easily and smoothly with no lateral movement evident down the leg.

[andrewsmith]

Vodka...

I get a wobble on from stationary

:smt036:winner:

[suzsv650]

My R6 does it, The cause- The bike has a slightly Bent Rim, Where I rode over a brick!! If the tyre company does not compensate for this when fitting the trye it wobble at certain speeds, bike will wobble about 20-40MM (guess) when i let go of the bars at about 65ish.

Ive got used to it now, and when i go in for a tyre change i always tell them about the rim so they compensate for it.

[Mark_h]

Stu,

Did you ever get to the bottom of this?