Handlebar wobble

[sc0ttie]

I ride my bike to work everyday, rarely going over 60 mph on my journeys. Yesterday I rode to my sisters in early morning and on a deserted bit of motorway I opened it up a bit, I noticed after about 80 mph the handlebars had a bit of wobble in them, as if they were shaking a few mm side to side fast. The faster I went the more I could feel it. After getting in to 3 figures I didn't like the feel of this wobble so i carried on with a more sedate speed. I also noticed taking my hands off the bars at about 50 mph made the wobble pretty noticeable. I had checked my tyre pressures before this trip when i filled up with petrol at the garage, the unit there said my tyre pressure was 28psi front and back. (getting the nozzle of that long metal air hose on my tyre valve at the front wheel was a but of a nightmare).
Anyone know what this wobble is about? I did try checking my steering head bearings recently with bike on centre stand and I didn't feel any play or notchiness.

[slappy]

Those tyre pressures don't sound right, I would have thought about 32 front, 40 rear, someone on here should know if those are right.
Also buy a tyre pressure gauge, those on garage forecourts are  notoriously inaccurate.

[Nightfury]

I run 32/42 psi. Pressures should also be checked cold not after being ridden to a filling station. Although it could be just at the end of your road for all I know!
The only time that I experienced what you are describing was caused by a cheap front tyre, had 1000 miles on in when I bought the bike. Changed front and rear for pr3s and the 'wobble' went away.

[sc0ttie]

I didn't realise that, I always thought around 28 was ok for the front. I will inflate my tyres more tomorrow 40 or 42 at the rear sounds pretty solid, I will try that out though, might improve my fuel consumption. Not that it has been high, but it might make a difference. The garage is 200 yards away from my house yeah, end of the road then down the hill, tyres would still be very cold.


Also the bike has Michelin tyres on it.

Does anyone know if any of the garage brands have better air line connectors than the Esso ones? I spent a few minutes being a contortionist trying to get that connector to seat on my front tyre valve at an angle that would inflate! 

[darrsi]

Crikey, 28psi would feel like a flat tyre to me, no wonder it was wobbling.


I run 36f/40r.


If you persevere with the air nozzle you will eventually find a position where it works best, but i always have one of these in my bike jacket just in case, but i'm fortunate to have air lines at work so have never really needed to use it yet.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-45-Degree-Angle-Tyre-Valve-Extension-Motorbike-Adaptor-Motorcycle-Car-Bike/221803407632?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D34278%26meid%3D721c6f4365ac4b9e90da9683d7db42d3%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D221292032255

[Bretty]

My bike has always had a wobble if you take your hands off the bars between 30 and 60mph. On 3 different front tyres. I seem to remember reading (on here?) that it was common on the fazer.

With my hands on the bars there is never any wobble at all.

Have you got weights on the ends of your bars? My bike came with them on.

I would always check the tyre and wheel are balance before id consider changing a tyre. Balancing is pretty important on a bike.

[darrsi]

My bike has always had a wobble if you take your hands off the bars between 30 and 60mph. On 3 different front tyres. I seem to remember reading (on here?) that it was common on the fazer.

With my hands on the bars there is never any wobble at all.

Have you got weights on the ends of your bars? My bike came with them on.

I would always check the tyre and wheel are balance before id consider changing a tyre. Balancing is pretty important on a bike.

Weights on the ends of the bars are to stop the ends of the handlebars from vibrating through your hands.

[His Dudeness]

Uneven tyre wear, low tyre pressure, damaged wheel rim, unbalanced wheel, dodgy rear shock and I think dodgy headstock bearings can cause a wobble. There's probably more reasons. Think this has been debated on here before and the general consensus was that most fazers have a slight wobble above a certain speed but it should be easily controllable with a bit of pressure on the bars

[Punkstig]

/\ yep, loads of reasons for this, adding a top box too!

[trudd]

It would be worth checking the swingarm bearings for play as well.

[HarryHornby]

If you've got an FZS600 they wobble at 40mph, so that could explain the lower speed wobble.  Not normal at higher speeds, what's already been said is all good advice, deffo stick some air in the front.