how serious is this front end wobble?

[atmosphere0284]

Whats up everyone? I have a 2014 Vaquero I purchased last summer I have 250 miles on the thing because I'm contemplating trading it in after reading all these threads on front end wobble. Is this affecting all nomads/vaqueros/voyagers? Certain years? I don't want to be stuck with a bike that I'm constantly having to worry about.

[H8BUGZ]

250 miles total on bike or you have only ridden it 250 miles? Either way it may be under warranty depending on date of sale or if you bought it new last summer.

[MAS Tequila]

It's something that will affect any bike, no matter what brand, if the maintenance isn't kept up with.

You also have to remember that this group, and most groups of riders except for squid groups, are usually made up of older gentlemen.

And older guys, like older women, like to sit around and beat a dead horse way past any point of reason, then down the road someone else comes along and brings the same point up again, and that poor old dead horse gets drug back out and beaten some more.

You Vaq isn't any more susceptible to a front end wobble than Gus's new Harley, unless you refuse to do the required maintenance and keep safe undeformed tires on it.

I've seen guys hear of some ultra rare issue and imagine it happening to them and worrying themselves to death about it.

To the point where riding ceased to be enjoyable for them.

They either stop riding or trade their bike for something else with different imagined issues.

I have a 2003 Nomad with over 140000 miles on it.

It still has the original neck bearings and has never had a front end wobble.

So go ride your bike and don't worry about it.

[atmosphere0284]

250 miles total on bike or you have only ridden it 250 miles? Either way it may be under warranty depending on date of sale or if you bought it new last summer.

bought brand new last summer. 250 total miles. i fear the wobble.

[atmosphere0284]

It's something that will affect any bike, no matter what brand, if the maintenance isn't kept up with.

You also have to remember that this group, and most groups of riders except for squid groups, are usually made up of older gentlemen.

And older guys, like older women, like to sit around and beat a dead horse way past any point of reason, then down the road someone else comes along and brings the same point up again, and that poor old dead horse gets drug back out and beaten some more.

You Vaq isn't any more susceptible to a front end wobble than Gus's new Harley, unless you refuse to do the required maintenance and keep safe undeformed tires on it.

I've seen guys hear of some ultra rare issue and imagine it happening to them and worrying themselves to death about it.

To the point where riding ceased to be enjoyable for them.

They either stop riding or trade their bike for something else with different imagined issues.

I have a 2003 Nomad with over 140000 miles on it.

It still has the original neck bearings and has never had a front end wobble.

So go ride your bike and don't worry about it.

Advice taken. I am really good at staying on top of maintenance so I guess I'm over thinking this. I guess its time for the ECU to go to Ivan and hopefully my eggs wont scramble as bad due to a cooler running bike.

[dumbo]

long time reader not much on posting. I have had seven bikes in 20 yrs. all have had a wobble at 40 to fifty mph with hands off the bars. went with all balls and still they wobbled. Don't worry about it. Keep your hands on the bars and get out and ride.

[OldSchool]

bought brand new last summer. 250 total miles. i fear the wobble.

How much riding experience do you actually have ?

[OldSchool]

long time reader not much on posting. I have had seven bikes in 20 yrs. all have had a wobble at 40 to fifty mph with hands off the bars. went with all balls and still they wobbled. Don't worry about it. Keep your hands on the bars and get out and ride.

Something was wrong with all seven of your scoots. You should be able to drop your arms and ride straight at 70+ miles per hour. As long as you have the bike balanced out properly that is.

[atmosphere0284]

How much riding experience do you actually have ?

Been riding since 2006.

2006 GSXR 600 (sold)
2006 GSXR 1000
2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe (traded for the Vaquero)
2014 Vaquero

[OldSchool]

Been riding since 2006.

2006 GSXR 600 (sold)
2006 GSXR 1000
2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe (traded for the Vaquero)
2014 Vaquero

Well the " Wobble" was just as real with all your other bikes. There is no difference nor is the Vaquero any different than any of the other bikes you have owned. There is "NO UNIQUE" problems with any of the Vulcans concerning "Wobble". Any statements you have read about wobble are the same statements you can find on any motorcycle forum on the internet no matter what the brand. The Vulcans usually have heavy feeling front ends, if you are feeling a wobble in your front, you need to take it in to find out what the problem may be.

[atmosphere0284]

Well the " Wobble" was just as real with all your other bikes.

Thats the thing though... With my other bikes and the forums I was a part of I have never ran into numerous threads about front end wobble. Sportbikes are a different animal all together being as light as they are and jackasses thinking they should drag knees on public roads...even so, the front end issues with sportbikes are easily remedied with a steering damper (i.e. Scotts or Ohlins).

[MAS Tequila]

Thats the thing though... With my other bikes and the forums I was a part of I have never ran into numerous threads about front end wobble. Sportbikes are a different animal all together being as light as they are and jackasses thinking they should drag knees on public roads...even so, the front end issues with sportbikes are easily remedied with a steering damper (i.e. Scotts or Ohlins).

Has it been an issue for you yet?

If it hasn't been an issue, then don't even think about it.

Otherwise every bump you hit, you'll be wondering if that's the wobble someone was talking about.

No bike is absolutely rock solid, NO bike.

There are too many variables and outside forces.

There's that narrow tire up front that rolls over these terrible road surfaces covered in potholes and bumps that can and will make the front end feel iffy, especially if you hit one off center.

There's that wide tire out back that transfers every little imperfection up through the whole bike.

Then all of the wind interference with all of the fairings and deflectors and everything else on our bikes.

Don't forget the oil in the forks that may or may not be set to the right amounts or hasn't been changed and is shot.

The shocks that aren't balanced and should've been changed 3 years ago.

Just go ride it like you stole it.

[redjay]

Thats the thing though... With my other bikes and the forums I was a part of I have never ran into numerous threads about front end wobble. Sportbikes are a different animal all together being as light as they are and jackasses thinking they should drag knees on public roads...even so, the front end issues with sportbikes are easily remedied with a steering damper (i.e. Scotts or Ohlins).


Don't take both hands off the bars and you will never experience the wobble.

[dave m]

i had wobble, tank slapper when i was 19 or so and had both hands on the bars and i do not know how i did not go down. even bikes in the 80's had the wobble, just ride it

[mike07nad]

Mr Atmosphere0284 - I have had 3 Voyagers 2009, 2013, 2014. All three at some point had a wobble if you removed your hands from the bars. As long as you kept 1 hand on the bars it NEVER WOBBLED. Note - they did not always wobble nor did it bother me. It annoyed me (Cause I tend to be a perfectionist). I did find that certain brands of front tires wobbled worse. Least to worse: OEM Bridgestones, Metzler 888, Commander II, Dunlop Elite's ( Have not tried the American Eagle Elites - I love their rear tires).

If you do develop a wobble - first thing I would try are the All Balls Tapered head bearings - They will not replace them under warranty but it removed any wobble on 2 of my bikes. Tightening and greasing OEM bearing is a waist of time (my opinion) - All the dealer ever did was over tighten them and it drove bad.

Right now I have a combination of All Balls Bearings and a Fork Brace that add additional stiffness to the front end. Since I've added the Bearings and the brace - I can remove my hands from bars at any speed with out a wobble.

You need to put some miles on that bike - with only 250 miles you have not had your first Oil Change or first service done. Probably still has the breaking oil in it. Go ride that thing. Keep your hands on the bars (You really should do that anyway). Break it in.

While Ivans reflash is the best thing anyone with a 1700 can do - Don't waist your money if you aren't gonna ride it. It will not solve your perceived wobble issue. Put the $350 toward a bike you will ride.

[cactusjack]

Whats up everyone? I have a 2014 Vaquero I purchased last summer I have 250 miles on the thing because I'm contemplating trading it in after reading all these threads on front end wobble. Is this affecting all nomads/vaqueros/voyagers? Certain years? I don't want to be stuck with a bike that I'm constantly having to worry about.

Has it ever happened to you on this bike? If not, you're worrying about something you may never see. Do you fear the boogie man, too? :D

[MAS Tequila]

Has it ever happened to you on this bike? If not, you're worrying about something you may never see. Do you fear the boogie man, too? :D

I AM the boogie man.

Just ask the ex-wife!

[Biker Dash]

The ONLY time I had ANY issue with ANY sort of wobble with my Nomad was when I was on tires that were badly cupped. (They were like that when I bought the bike.) And even then, it was VERY minor. New tires fixed the issue. I had a bit of a wabble issue with the V-Max and the Shadow 750 I owned previously. In both instances, it was only when I reached a certain speed, caused by uneven air flow over the windshield I had mounted on each bike.

Basically, it was not the bike in any case with me. In one case, the previous owner did not care for the tires properly, allowing uneven wear. With the Honda and Yamaha bikes, it was something that I did not mount properly that caused the issue. In all three cases... HUMAN error.

[DragonLady58]

Weeeeeell, I worry about loosing my tire pressure while riding at 70 mph, so I use a tpms....
Don't worry about a wobble until one pops up. If you wanna worry, worry about people texting and trying to make you into a hood ornament.
My 2001 Nomad is rock solid at all speeds, hands on the bars or not....as are the Vaqueros. Ride and enjoy your like new ride....
Some people worry about the sky falling, don't worry about it till it does! Keep up on your main. schedule, check tire pressure often, keep all your filters clean and you shouldn't have any problems!
Its a machine, just like your car....shits gonna happen and things are gonna break, when it does, have it repaired then suck it up and ride!!!!

[yoda]

Been riding since 2006.

2006 GSXR 600 (sold)
2006 GSXR 1000
2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe (traded for the Vaquero)
2014 Vaquero
Not to be nit picking, but if you have ridden the other bikes to the same extent you are riding the Vaquero, in the past 11 years you have ridden a total of 2750 miles. That is not really enough to be considered an experienced rider. Not a negative, but it does explain why you have some of the questions you do. Read the book, Proficient Motorcycling, take the experienced MSF course, and practice what you read/learn. 2500 miles is a good month of riding for some folks, and my wife and I generally do close to that in a week or so during a summer vacation. My wife has ridden 50,000 + miles on her bikes in the last 13-14 years, and she rides less than I do. With miles, comes a better understanding of the bike's dynamics and nuances, and you will be able to identify what is a quirk and what is a genuine concern.

[recumbentbob]

I just couldn't resist.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNwQK_HIHRU

[Top Cat]

I was going to post that but Bob beat me to it.
That has got to sting with only a t-shirt on :wtf:
Especially the way the bike is pushing him down the road for awhile.

[smokier]

I cringed while watching...

[MAS Tequila]

It looked like the back end of that bike had already started before the video started.

That's not a front end wobble, that my freinds is an honest to God TANK SLAPPER.

The one I had started with the rear moving pout of alignment with the front.

My case was due to a sand drift in a curve, his looks like maybe a pothole or something.

But the rear wheel looked to come out of alignment, starting before the beginning of the clip.

[Sabre-t]

I saw an article where the woman who recorded this (and also helped to get him and the bike off the road) said that he got a wobble (tank slapper, whatever) 6, yes 6, times in 10 minutes before she started recording. She figured it was an accident waiting to happen and she wanted to record it in case he hurt anyone else when if finally happened. About 10 seconds into recording the 7th and final wobble started. He never once tried to slow down when the wobble (whatever) started. I hate to see anyone hurt, but it's his own fault.

It was in California and the guy got some serious injuries, though he was walking after the crash, and plenty of nasty road rash. Don't know the extent of any head injuries, but she said it looked very much like he broke his nose.

[DragonLady58]

OUCH!!!!! Thats the kinda crap that makes you wear leathers on hot days!
My skin grows back way too slowly these days to even watch that again!
I'm with MAS, started at the rear....didn't have both hands on handlebars.....not that it mattered.....
Look liked something came loose....or broke....
Thats the type of slapper that will cause you to start drinking....

[redjay]

Being as I am from the U.K this is what I know as a slapper :)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=slapper&page=2

A tank slapper is something completely different.

[recumbentbob]

Being as I am from the U.K this is what I know as a slapper :)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=slapper&page=2

A tank slapper is something completely different.


Really
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tank+slapper

[redjay]

Correct.

[Kopperhed]

Whats up everyone? I have a 2014 Vaquero I purchased last summer I have 250 miles on the thing because I'm contemplating trading it in after reading all these threads on front end wobble. Is this affecting all nomads/vaqueros/voyagers? Certain years? I don't want to be stuck with a bike that I'm constantly having to worry about.


nowhere near as serious as the V-Max "weave" at 120 mph :D

even though my Vaq had the hands-off headshake, it was still like a rock with hands on the bars & on the gas, to the point that I topped it out at 117 mph in 5th (not Ivan-ized, yet) with no shake or shudder or any hint of instability. The hands-off headshake is merely an indicator of a tire wearing funky or, more often than not, of your steering head bearings being in need of adjustment. After having the local Kawi dealer address the issue and coming up with blank stares, I opted for the All Balls tapered roller bearings, as have others. There are numerous other reports of 1700's NOT having this issue with the stock bearings. Mine did it with the original Bridgestone tire and the Michelin Commander.

....the old 1200 V-Max weave can be ameliorated with solid motor mounts, which the bike it was based on, the Venture, had.

[mike07nad]

I'm gonna guess that the original poster for this thread has now sold his bike after watching the video.

[dustbeard]

EDIT - I didn't realize this was the Nomad/Vaq/Voyager section of the forums but I'm on a Nomad 1500FI, if it makes much difference.

Did a forum search and am ressurecting this despite most the advice of "get out and ride and forget about the loss of control you feel in your front end!"

That aside, I'm experiencing a worsening wobble. When I bought the bike a year ago (about 24,000 miles) I noticed a bit with the windshield on and much less/almost none without, so I attributed it to that. However, I managed a nice 2,000 mile ride to Nashville and back in June without any issues, save a rear tire replacement when I found a bubble in it in the middle of Illinois.

Anyway, with that trip behind and just breaking 30,000 miles, I'm really noticing a troublesome wobble without my windshield attached. It comes whether I have two hands on the bars or not, and mostly from hitting simple bumps in the pavement. Up around 50+mph it's not there, so it's mostly below that riding around town that's an issue.

What can I look for in terms of maintenance? My tire has great tread still, but maybe it's out of balance now? Or perhaps check the pressure? Brakes biting on one side or something? I feel like the biggest deal might be the bearings, but without the low-ish miles on her that might be far fetched. Any advice is welcome, thanks.

[redjay]

Check that the steering head bearings are correctly adjusted and have no play.

[MAS Tequila]

When you say that your tire has 'great tread', I'm assuming you mean the front tire.

How is the rear tire?

Check for cupping, pressure, rear shock adjustments, wheel bearings.

Many times it's an issue in the rear of the bike that makes the front feel loose.

[dustbeard]

When you say that your tire has 'great tread', I'm assuming you mean the front tire.

How is the rear tire?

Check for cupping, pressure, rear shock adjustments, wheel bearings.

Many times it's an issue in the rear of the bike that makes the front feel loose.

Yes, I meant the front tire. The rear tire is new - put on the middle of my trip when I found a bubble in the previous tire on my way home. Perhaps I need to take it to my dealer here and have them inspect it to see that it was done proper like?

[ringadingh]

Ive tried everything possible to eliminate the wobble over the years, I found that a new front tire was the best cure for some temporary relief. Nothing else made a permanent difference.

[Snake Ranch]

Ive tried everything possible to eliminate the wobble over the years, I found that a new front tire was the best cure for some temporary relief. Nothing else made a permanent difference.

Is there a possibility there is an alignment problem with the wheels?

Meaning after the engine and rear pulleys are aligned, there is an alignment issue with the front wheel and the rear wheel.

Kinda seems all three are related.

If I remember correctly there was a fellow rider on this forum that reported he had a problem with his Vaquero drive belt rubbing heavy on one side. He had to shim the front cradle engine mounts by spreading the frame where it bolts together in the front, and shimming it to get more room so he could move the engine a certain way so the belt would stop rubbing one of the drive belt pulleys.

When these frames are welded up there are a lot of ways things can get out of tolerances.

Manufacturing gives plus or minuses on what they build, and it would be easy for different parts to be within tolerance but on opposite ends of the scale and create some unpleasant results.

Just food for thought.:tup::tup:

[warrbucks222]

4 street cruisers, 45 years, only wobble I got was my Nomad when original tires were worn out. Besides, who rides no-hands?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[ringadingh]

I doubt anything is out of alignment on my bike, like I mentioned with a new front tire I get a couple months of no wobble, then it starts very gradually, and as the tire wears it gets worse. Right now my front tire still has well over half the tread on it , yet it wobbles like crazy.

[redjay]

I doubt anything is out of alignment on my bike, like I mentioned with a new front tire I get a couple months of no wobble, then it starts very gradually, and as the tire wears it gets worse. Right now my front tire still has well over half the tread on it , yet it wobbles like crazy.

Just curious. Does your bike have OEM or Allballs steering head bearings ?

[ringadingh]

I think it has oem bearings from what I remember, they were replaced a few years ago, and retightened a couple times since trying to see if it makes a difference..

[Sabre-t]

I doubt anything is out of alignment on my bike, like I mentioned with a new front tire I get a couple months of no wobble, then it starts very gradually, and as the tire wears it gets worse. Right now my front tire still has well over half the tread on it , yet it wobbles like crazy.

Have you checked the run out on the rim? A slightly bent rim might not cause wobble with a new tire, but as the tire wears, it might. :hmm:

[pfrehner]

i have a 14 vaquero . replaced the original bridgestones at 10,000 KM with commander II. had a mild wobble on deceleration around 65 km/h. It got progressively worse.
took back to dealer after a couple months on the new tires and they took it for a ride. replaced the front tire. they said mine is the 3rd or 4th one they had to replace. supplier wouldn't admit there was a bad batch of commander II's but didn't have a problem replacing the tire.

new tire and no wobble.

[ringadingh]

Hopefully after your tire is 1/4 or more worn you still will be wobble free, mine always starts again after a couple months.

[mike07nad]

Hopefully after your tire is 1/4 or more worn you still will be wobble free, mine always starts again after a couple months.

Yep - I've shot a Wobble issue on 3 Voyagers.
Things I've found -
#1 - Very tire dependent on my bikes - Stock Bridgestone, Metzler ME888, Commander II, Elite 3. Best to worse on wobble. Never tried the American Elite on front.
#2 - New tires always feel better
#3 - Front fork Brace helps
#4 - All Balls tapered bearings FIXED the wobble for me.

The combination of Garry's fork brace, All Balls Bearings and Metzler ME-888 front tire is currently the smoothest wobble free 15,000 miles I've had out of the 100,000 miles I've put on Voyagers.

My suggestion to the original poster - Order those Bearings NOW for your winter project.