Front end wobble

oldbiker · 11-30-2007, 08:20 AM

Yesterday I was headed to town at about 35 mph and a little old lady pulled out of a side street in front of me. When she passed I threw up my hands as a gesture of frustration and noticed a bad front end wobble. The tire looks great I'm thinking bearings.

blowndodge · 11-30-2007, 10:32 AM

Have you checked for tightness first? With the front end fully supported and off the ground, the handbars should need some "encouragement" to move and not flop left to right easily. By that I mean if you move the bars either side of dead center the bars should barely move to the full lock posistion on its own weight. If if falls to either side quickly and hits the stops hard they are too loose.

oldbiker · 11-30-2007, 10:38 AM

Thanks Brad, I'll give it a try.

bobzinger · 11-30-2007, 11:32 AM

There's been a lot of talk about wobble. (see thread) Mine went away when I changed my front tire.

http://kawanow.proboards77.com/index...3106971&page=1

blowndodge · 11-30-2007, 11:57 AM

thanks bob.

donoller · 12-02-2007, 06:02 PM

front end wobble can be caused by a lot of things bad tires front or rear steerig head bearing or just the way the bike is loaded . goldwings have a lot of this

dantama · 12-03-2007, 03:23 PM

My first Nomad that I put 63,000 miles on had an endless cycle of that wobble. New tire no wobble, tire slowly gets cupped (run the palm of your hand back and forth over about 18 inches of tire and you can feel the cupping) and wobble returns. Do over, and over for 3 new tires.

Went from the Bridgestones to Avon Venoms and it probably takes longer to cup, didn't put enough miles on the Venom's to get cupped very bad. Don't know what would have happened with more miles.

blowndodge · 12-03-2007, 03:36 PM

Lots of good answers! Dan, my experience is that cupping is usually caused by underflated tires. Even marginally underinflated ones. As little as 5 lbs. I run my maxed both ends. 40 Front and 42 Rear. A good example to show would be if you took most of the air out of your front time and put you knee on it and leanded hard you'd see the tire flex inward bringing the sidewall edge inward as well. when your rolling down the highway this "flex inward" scrubs little "half disc marks" shallower going toward the middle of the tire.

dantama · 12-04-2007, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Lots of good answers! Dan, my experience is that cupping is usually caused by underflated tires. Even marginally underinflated ones. As little as 5 lbs. I run my maxed both ends. 40 Front and 42 Rear. A good example to show would be if you tood most of the air out of your front time and put you knee on it and leanded hard you'd see the tire flex inward bringing the sidewall edge inward as well. when your rolling down the highway this "flex inward" scrubs little "half disc marks" shallower going toward the middle of the tire.

I always kept a good eye on my pressure, but only ran 35lbs, I've only got 5,000 on this one, maybe I should try your higher rate.

pablo · 12-04-2007, 08:49 AM

Mine had bad front end wobble from day one with the stock Bridgestones. I put on a Metzeler front tire at about 10,000 miles and not a hint of wobble since. I just turned over 15,000 yesterday. So far, so good.

**ringadingh** · 12-04-2007, 09:41 AM

When I changed my front tire I noticed a slight wobble, it has increased to a bad wobble over this season. I am confident that when I replace my worn rear tire things should improve back to the way they were originally. I wonder if you replace both tires at the same time, would be the best way to avoid the wobbles, since mine only began when I replaced the worn front tire.

donoller · 12-04-2007, 06:54 PM

it is always better to change both tires at same time . the avons will not cup if you run 41 front and 42 rear stick like glue and very good in rain.also they have a new tire called cobra it should be at dealer s soon . how do i know this the 1800 gold wing is tought on tires and also bad to wobble at down speed between 40--45 ride safe

naugaman · 12-06-2007, 11:44 PM

I have never had the wobble on the front end. I ran the Bridgestone on the front close to 18,000 miles. I now have Metzeler on the front and rear. Still a smooth riding bike.

oldbiker · 12-09-2007, 09:27 AM

Hey BD, I cranked the pressure up to 40 psi in the front and the wobble went away. Thanks

blowndodge · 12-09-2007, 10:07 AM

Fantastic oldbiker! Some tire brands are far more sensitive to tire pressure than others and it's beyond me why that is. Just is... Ride safe!

11-30-2007, 08:20 AM	#1
oldbiker Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: la Fayette, Ga Posts: 472	Front end wobble Yesterday I was headed to town at about 35 mph and a little old lady pulled out of a side street in front of me. When she passed I threw up my hands as a gesture of frustration and noticed a bad front end wobble. The tire looks great I'm thinking bearings. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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11-30-2007, 10:32 AM	#2
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	Front end wobble Have you checked for tightness first? With the front end fully supported and off the ground, the handbars should need some "encouragement" to move and not flop left to right easily. By that I mean if you move the bars either side of dead center the bars should barely move to the full lock posistion on its own weight. If if falls to either side quickly and hits the stops hard they are too loose. __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
	0

11-30-2007, 10:38 AM	#3
oldbiker Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: la Fayette, Ga Posts: 472	Front end wobble Thanks Brad, I'll give it a try.
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11-30-2007, 11:32 AM	#4
bobzinger Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Livermore CA Posts: 1,334	Front end wobble There's been a lot of talk about wobble. (see thread) Mine went away when I changed my front tire. http://kawanow.proboards77.com/index...3106971&page=1 __________________ Life is Good! Eternal Life is better!
	0

11-30-2007, 11:57 AM	#5
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	Front end wobble thanks bob. __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005 Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

12-02-2007, 06:02 PM	#6
donoller Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: jackson tn. Posts: 555	Front end wobble front end wobble can be caused by a lot of things bad tires front or rear steerig head bearing or just the way the bike is loaded . goldwings have a lot of this
	0

12-03-2007, 03:23 PM	#7
dantama Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 0	Front end wobble My first Nomad that I put 63,000 miles on had an endless cycle of that wobble. New tire no wobble, tire slowly gets cupped (run the palm of your hand back and forth over about 18 inches of tire and you can feel the cupping) and wobble returns. Do over, and over for 3 new tires. Went from the Bridgestones to Avon Venoms and it probably takes longer to cup, didn't put enough miles on the Venom's to get cupped very bad. Don't know what would have happened with more miles.
	0

12-03-2007, 03:36 PM	#8
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	Front end wobble Lots of good answers! Dan, my experience is that cupping is usually caused by underflated tires. Even marginally underinflated ones. As little as 5 lbs. I run my maxed both ends. 40 Front and 42 Rear. A good example to show would be if you took most of the air out of your front time and put you knee on it and leanded hard you'd see the tire flex inward bringing the sidewall edge inward as well. when your rolling down the highway this "flex inward" scrubs little "half disc marks" shallower going toward the middle of the tire. __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
	0

12-04-2007, 08:49 AM	#10
pablo Advanced Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Huntsville, TX Posts: 571	Front end wobble Mine had bad front end wobble from day one with the stock Bridgestones. I put on a Metzeler front tire at about 10,000 miles and not a hint of wobble since. I just turned over 15,000 yesterday. So far, so good.
	0

12-04-2007, 09:41 AM	#11
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Front end wobble When I changed my front tire I noticed a slight wobble, it has increased to a bad wobble over this season. I am confident that when I replace my worn rear tire things should improve back to the way they were originally. I wonder if you replace both tires at the same time, would be the best way to avoid the wobbles, since mine only began when I replaced the worn front tire. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
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12-04-2007, 06:54 PM	#12
donoller Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: jackson tn. Posts: 555	Front end wobble it is always better to change both tires at same time . the avons will not cup if you run 41 front and 42 rear stick like glue and very good in rain.also they have a new tire called cobra it should be at dealer s soon . how do i know this the 1800 gold wing is tought on tires and also bad to wobble at down speed between 40--45 ride safe
	0

12-06-2007, 11:44 PM	#13
naugaman Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Vegas Posts: 280	Front end wobble I have never had the wobble on the front end. I ran the Bridgestone on the front close to 18,000 miles. I now have Metzeler on the front and rear. Still a smooth riding bike.
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12-09-2007, 09:27 AM	#14
oldbiker Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: la Fayette, Ga Posts: 472	Front end wobble Hey BD, I cranked the pressure up to 40 psi in the front and the wobble went away. Thanks
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12-09-2007, 10:07 AM	#15
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	Front end wobble Fantastic oldbiker! Some tire brands are far more sensitive to tire pressure than others and it's beyond me why that is. Just is... Ride safe! __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
	0

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