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FRONT WHEEL WOBBLE

3K views 38 replies 14 participants last post by  Longboater 
#1 ·
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WHEN THE HANDLE BARS SHAKE THE MOST IS WITH MY WIFE ON WITH ME AT SLOW SPEEDS. I ALREADY PUT TWO NEW TIRES AND A FORK BRACE. OTHER THAN THAT THE MECHANICS ARE PERFECT. ALSO WE ARE LOOKING FOR RIDER TO PASSANGER COMMUNICATIONS AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CB RADIO BUT I DON'T KNOW ALOT ABOUT EITHER BESIDES THE FACT THAT THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYTHING BOTH DECENTLY PRICED AND QUALITY THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL. I LOVE THIS PLACE!:18blue:
 

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#3 ·
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I put both front and rear tires new and then I put the fork brace. It is not really bad...Just not perfect. I was sure it was one of the tires as they were both worn. I just hate to pay a shop becouse I try to do most everything mechanical if possible. Hey thank you this is awesome!:18blue:
 
#4 ·
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If you have not replaced the steering head bearings they are probably due. The bearings wear into the race and cause a notch in the straight ahead position. The tapered roller type replacements should last longer, more surface area, and create a little more friction in the steering which will probably stop the wobble.
 
#6 ·
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How about the fork fluid? has that been changed recently?.,,
 
#7 ·
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As for driver to passenger communications your 1800 already has an intercom system installed ----all you need is two headsets.

Running 40-42 psi front and 45-50 psi rear seams to help with the wobble

Also retorque the head bearing to spec then check for "tight"spots--if found change out bearings as mentioned above with tapered ones.Just a retorque sometimes puts just enough resistance to stop wobble
 
#8 ·
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Please explain Wobble, is it a wobble in a straight line on deceleration or is it a walk in a turn when you turn the bike at slow speed.

Kit
 
#10 ·
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Hi Vettster,

I, like Kit, would like to know more.

What are you calling a wobble and under what circumstances does it happen? What brand of tires are you running and how much air are you putting in them? How much do you each weigh?

An under inflated rear tire can cause a "squirm" and a passenger would probably compound that effect. Also, if the steering head is loose the extra weight in back would unload thebearings a bit.

We can speculate all day, but we need more info to guess. :cooldevil:
 
#11 ·
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The dreaded steering wobble, or shake. It has a lot to do with the geometry of the front end of the motorcycle. Lots of bikes experience it. Some old models even went as far as to incorporate a steering dampener shock. I've seen them on some older small bikes. Goldwings seem to be prone to it under certain conditions. Probably because it's a heavy bike, so it puts more weight on the steering head.

Most people that experience it, complain of it while decelerating between 35 mph and 25 mph. Especially if they take both hands off the handlebars at the same time. Almost always, if at least one hand is on the handle bars, it dampens the steering enough that you won't get a wobble. But on one occasion I experienced a force strong enough that required both hands to stop it. (I was run off the road and I jumped a curb going back on the road.)

There are lots of opinions as to what causes it, but it has to do with the self righting forces of the motorcycle (hence the geometry). When something pushes the wheel off center, the bike wants to re-center itself and the wheel goes back to center, but it over corrects and then it's pointing to the other side. So it re-centers itself but over corrects again. It sets up an oscillation and the wheel goes back and forth. Depending on the conditions, the oscillation can grow worse with each swing of the wheel, that is unless another force is there to dampen it. Without something to dampen it, you get the tank slapper. If nothing else is there to stop it, your hands are your last defense. So when you take both hands off the handle bars, all it takes is a small bump and away it goes.

The first time it happened to me, it scared the daylights out of me. I wasn't ready for it and I thought the bike had a major mechanical problem. I talked to an experienced friend at the Honda shop. I was embarrased to admit that I was riding no handed. She laughed and told me to keep my hands on the handle bars. Then she explained that actually it's a common thing and many many people had told the same story before me.

Several things are known to affect it.

First check your tires. Tires that are abnormally worn, or out of balance are more likely to set up the wobble conditions. It doesn't happen as often with new tires. But you shouldn't have to replace your tires early just to stop the wobble. The tires don't cause the problem, they just set up that bump that is needed to start the shake.

Because of my own experience, I am a big believer in the importance of the adjustment of the steering head bearings. It's probably the best thing you can do for the situation. I'm not saying loose steering head bearings cause the problem, and I'm not saying tight steering head bearings solve the problem. But I am saying that it makes a big difference. If they are too loose, it's just that much easier for the wheel to swing back and forth. If the steering head bearings are well adjusted, they will offer some dampening to the steering, and help overcome the bikes tendency toward the steering wobble.

My personal experience with my 1200 was that it wobbled rather easily. I just learned to live with it. I didn't know much about it at the time. After a couple years, when the bearings wore out, I knew they needed to be replaced because I could feel a "notch" in the steering, so I replaced them. I did it myself, and I muddled my way through the job. I didn't know how to properly torque them so I did it by trial and error. It took three tries. The first time they were too tight, and the bike tended to wander as the steering was too slow to return to center. So I loosened them up and then it wanted to wobble really easily. So I tightened them a little bit and I think I got them pretty well right. The bike felt really good, and I didn't experience a steering wobble again for about 2 years. That notch I felt means the bearings are shot. They will be loose long before they are worn out. Maybe by a few years. So if your front end is loose, that doesn't mean you need to replace your bearings. It could just be time to tighten them up a little bit.

If you want to test it, get out on a side road where there isn't any traffic at all. Go about 25-30 mph. Take both hands off the handle bars and then lightly slap one of the hand grips. If it starts to wobble and the wobble grows quickly, it's time to make some adjustments. If it's really loose, it will wobble really bad, really quickly so be ready to grab the bars. Intentionally inducing a shake isn't exactly one of the safer road test items you can do, so be careful.

Somebody posted an article here once, a really good write up about how to tighten them correctly to ensure the bearings reseat properly. I saved the link for just such an occasion:

http://www.motorcycleproject.com/motorcycle/text/shucking.html
 
#12 ·
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The wobble is from 25-35 mph. I am running Metzler880s and the pressure is by the book. I weigh 220 and she is 120. The handle bars shake some at these certain speeds mostly with two of us riding. Not as noticable when it's only me. I will verify the tire pressure again for sure.
 
#13 ·
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vettster wrote:
The wobble is from 25-35 mph. I am running Metzler880s and the pressure is by the book. I weigh 220 and she is 120. The handle bars shake some at these certain speeds mostly with two of us riding. Not as noticable when it's only me. I will verify the tire pressure again for sure.
Got it.

Try this: Put some air in the tires.

Metzlers, (I only had 1 set and that was 1 too many) require lots of air. The Metzler people insist you must exceed the maximum pressure listed on the sides of tires to have them work properly.

If it were me, I'd just cut my losses and put some 'Stones on the bike.
 
#14 ·
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My opinion, and mine only, but lots of experience behind this statement.

First properly torque the steering head bearing nut. I see no need to tear it apart just yet , as the all balls although very popular work by over torque to mask the wobble situation. It takes a great many miles to wear out the stock bearing, but they do become loose and should be checked at the first service. They never are, so check them and torque the nut to 20 ft pounds. Yep the book says 21, but how do you get one pound on the tool........I just use 20. Wiggle the forks back and forth about twenty times, and torque it again, then do it all over again. If there is not catch or rough area the stem bearings are fine. Changing them out will accomplish nothing.

If it still acts up, quite simply it is the tires. A great many people have put on new tires and more new tires and still have the problem.

I think you will find that going to the Stones will take care of the wobble. A great many tires have problems.

It is also as you say, more noticeable two up. More weight on the bike so it does show up more.

My bike runs glass smooth, I torqued the steering stem at 8K, and I run a 709 Stone on the front, and a square tire on the back. It will just sit there, even hands off you can smack the bars and try to get them to act up and they will just return and run smooth.

To me it has always 99 percent of the time always worked out to be the tires. New, used, traded, old, worn, new, always the tires.

So for me, my own experience, there is no tire for the 1800 but a Stone.

Kit
 
#16 ·
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Metzlers have a history with causing a wobble in the front of the 1800 . as the others say ,go with bridgestones and put an extra 2 pound pressure in each tyre and it should cure the wobble ,

As for the rider to passenger communications , Get 2 sets of J&M headsets and simply plug them into the existing system on the wing ,turn up your intercom volume and you can talk all day to your passenger or in my case LISTEN all day to my passenger , :cheeky1:



http://www.cyclemaxohio.com have J&M headsets from $77 a set .

Ciaran
 
#17 ·
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Bike...and Dennis wrote:
Kit Carson wrote:
To me it has always 99 percent of the time always worked out to be the tires. New, used, traded, old, worn, new, always the tires.

Kit
Kit...have you taken your redundancy pill today? :cooldevil:
That is too big a word for me. I do not know what redundancy means. :) I have taken a couple of pills though, an tightened my screws. :)

Kit
 
#18 ·
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Kit Carson wrote:
Bike...and Dennis wrote:
Kit Carson wrote:
To me it has always 99 percent of the time always worked out to be the tires. New, used, traded, old, worn, new, always the tires.

Kit
Kit...have you taken your redundancy pill today? :cooldevil:
That is too big a word for me. I do not know what redundancy means. :) I have taken a couple of pills though, an tightened my screws. :)

Kit
Look, see, examine andstudy number three. :D

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redundancy
 
#19 ·
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Thank you for all of your help. I have to get a manual for this bike true. We puy down a couple of hundred today and the brakes were great. It was a little chilly though. The heated grips and seat really help in cold weather. Thanks again.:cooldj:
 
#20 ·
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I believe my 1800 started the "slow down wobble" at about 10,000 miles with the front tire when the 07 was new. I changed out the rear at 19500 miles or so and the wobble still persisted. Changed out the front at about 26,000 miles or so and the wobble disappeared. Installed a new Stone on the front and still happy with no wobble at now 36000. BUT... The new Monty Traxxion system was installed back at 30,200, not for wobble but for other reasons.

My take on the wobble is; it's there always lurking and will show up as tires wear especially the front. My riding style uses higher tire pressures than most and the riding is very very easy, not nearly the norm. I feel the Stone is good for the 1800 and my riding style.

As for the wobble it is not bothersome in that I know the tires and bike are in almost perfect condition most, if not all the time, as this is my year round daily ride.

As Kit and others state the GL1800 is the best touring bike for the money.

Longboater
 
#21 ·
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Thanks for the info. Not sure why mine has the wobble yet. Both tires were put on new at the same time time. Metzler 880s are not cheap either. I am thinking it might just be the bearings in the fork head. It looks like you have done some great rides. We have only done one real nice one where we made a big circle of california seeing all the best sights of the state. what is The new Monty Traxxion system?
 
#22 ·
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Hi again Vettster,

The tires are the problem. You say you inflate by the book and that simply won't work for a Metz.

Of the tires I've tried, Metzlers gave the worst (and first) decel wobble I ever experienced. They are expensive, yes, but that doesn't mean they are any good. Your tire dealer will suggest what makes the most profit, not what works.

If you start throwing money at this it will get expensive real quickly, and the best you can hope for is a temporary mask to the problem. As the tires wear, things will get worse.

Keep the tires but inflate them at least to the maximum printed on the tire. Metz people actually suggest higher.

When the tires get worn and start to show cupping you will be forced to change them. At that time, save a lot of money and go with Bridgestones. The bike will feel like a new sport bike with animproved ride.
 
#24 ·
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vettster wrote:
I will try maxing out the tires and when they need replacing I will go with the bridgestone tires. Is there a certain model tire number for the wing? Maybe I can get some quotes for them.
Inside the trunk lid is the tire label from Honda with both the Dunlop and Bridgestone specific tires for the 1800.

I love my Stones!
 
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