Guest Delta22 Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Ok here goes. My front end wobbles like crazy on heavy deceleration. I've got an 05 vfr800 non abs. If Im going pretty fast and then let go of the throttle and lightly hold the handles , the front end will wobble back and forth hard and fast. Unless Im holding the grips tight. Why's this happening. Help!? It's still ride-able. Just concerned that its gonna cause me to wreck. Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted June 16, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 16, 2013 In no particular order: 1. Low/flat front tire. 2. Scalloped/worn front tire. 3. Loose axle retaining bolts. 4. Bad wheel bearings. 5. Worn/maladjusted steering head bearings. How many miles on the bike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 There are roughly 35000 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Havagan Posted June 16, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 16, 2013 Add poorly set up suspension to that list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Lol. So now what? I don't know how to do/fix any of that except may check the tire pressure and take the wheel off to go get it balanced. Other than that. I'm spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted June 16, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 16, 2013 My best guess would be that the steering head bearings are shot. It's not a super tough job to replace them, but not a job that can be done with a hammer and a pair of pliers. Easiest way to check is to put the bike on the centerstand and block up the bike so the front wheel is off the ground and the handlebars/forks are free to turn from side to side. Then move them from lock to lock and I think you'll find that they want to stick in the center, almost like there's a detent holding them there. There even may be some play if you move the forks forward and backward. While the front end is off the ground check to see if the front wheel spins freely with no notchiness from the bearings. If you find anything amiss It needs to be fixed. Loose steering head bearings will only get worse and lead to very imprecise steering or a tank slapper in a worst case scenario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Ok will deffinetly try this. But what do you mean move the wheel from lock to lock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Ok will deffinetly try this. But what do you mean move the wheel from lock to lock? left/right as far as it will turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 I'd say try to figure out what's wrong(as much as you can) just so you'll learn something, and if you want to tackle some of them with the help you can get here, do it. Or if someone on here that lives near by might help you, that's always nice....... BUT.... In the end I'd take it to a dealer and tell them what you suspect(it'll also give you some I know a little credit), reason is I'd suggest Having the front forks taken apart and cleaned and have "ALL" fluids replaced(Fork oil / brake fluid / clutch fluid / engine oil change w/filter.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer njcop Posted June 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 17, 2013 Delta it's prolly a cupped tire. Try new tires first. Mine did the same thing, replaced tires and voila! No more shakey shakey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 This is one of those times that I'll recommend taking the motorcycle to a shop. You could take it to a Honda dealer, or you could ask some dismounted sportbike riders where they take their bikes. If it's a tire, the shop will sell ya one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Mine has always done that. Good bearings, bad bearings, new tyres or shagged tyres. I have dropped my front triples an inch and raised the back at least an inch, so I have put the bike in an attitude it was never designed to be in. But it turns now, so I just don't take both hands off the bars. In your case, I would be a weeks pay that your head bearings are poopy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Cogswell Posted June 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 17, 2013 I have 2 sets of wheels, 1 with Michelin PR2's, about 4,500 miles, the other set with PR3's, about 4,500 miles. I put the 2's on for shorter day rides and use the 3's for long haul trips where I'm more likely to hit rain or bad wx for which I prefer the 3's. Both wheels are completely straight and in balance running 36 psi. I put the 3's on and I get the head shake. Swap back the 2's, no head shake. While mechanical issues can cause head shake, tires can definitely do it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Africord Posted June 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 17, 2013 While my best guess is that the collective wisdom shared is correct, there is one other condition that I have seen cause this problem. A front tire with a continuous center groove in combination with rain grooves in the pavement. I'm running PR2s and don't have this problem. But I did have this problem with a previous bike and tire replacement cured it. I've never been to Corona so I don't know how they build roads out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Ok. This is all awesome info for me to try and digest. Another thing I noticed yesterday while riding is that it only happens on deceleration. And not when using brakes. And if I squeeze the clutch it seems to go away. So whil down shifting hard it's there but if I throw the clutch in it goes away. Does this change anything? It's never wobbled while crusing or accelerating. Whatya think now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FJ12Ryder Posted June 17, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 17, 2013 I don't think that changes much. When you pull the clutch in you are just coasting and not decelerating near as much, and applying the brakes would kind of act like a stabilizing influence so you steady things up. IMO it's just a matter of eliminating the possibilities to find the culprit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veefer800Canuck Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Definetly need to check all the items listed, not just the tires. If only to rule them out for peace of mind. It WILL be one of the things already mentioned though. There's only so many things that comprise the front suspension and steering, and they've all been listed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Again, if you aren't sure what you're looking at or looking for, perhaps you should take the bike to a shop. If you are confident that you can diagnose worn steering tube bearings etc,. fine, but I get the sense from your posts that you aren't very familiar with mechanical contraptions. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted June 18, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted June 18, 2013 Again, if you aren't sure what you're looking at or looking for, perhaps you should take the bike to a shop. If you are confident that you can diagnose worn steering tube bearings etc,. fine, but I get the sense from your posts that you aren't very familiar with mechanical contraptions. Just my 2 cents. +1 take to a shop and get it check out .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itchybro Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I've got an issue similar and I've done the "steering head check", the rim seems fine, pressure is 35lbs, but the tire seems a touch cupped. Wobble is at low speed thankfully. Seems to be fine at speed. After the recent purchase of the bike and tag (tax/title OW!) I'm a bit skint to be buying new skins so, I'll be making due for a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDO-VFR Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I'm going to say 99.5% probability it is a worn front tire. How many miles on yours? Unless you have been brutally doing wheelies it won't be steering head or wheel bearings.. Oh yeah... Hang on to the bars dammit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer IntAceptor Posted July 12, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted July 12, 2013 Generally speaking, if a heavy motorcycle like the VFR uses ball head bearings and the VFR does, there can be shake. I had that problem with my ST1100 and until I replaced the head bearings with taper rollers, the shake was there. A new tire will often help the situation only to have it return as the tire wears a bit. The shake sort of creeps up on you as the tire wears down. If you want to make it a thing of the past, replace the ball bearings with taper rollers. I have never had a worn tire cause shake after I put in taper rollers. I suggest to the OP to take it to a shop and have them do the job if there is any hesitation to do the job himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoOp Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 My 5th gen had a little shake on any tire with more than a few thousand miles on it untill I swapped the bearings for a tapered set. ST1100s and GL1800 do it too. it will make the steering a little heavier but not in an unpleasant way, just adds a little substance to the front end feel. That said, I left mine alone until my bearing developed a perceptible notch and needed to be replaced. It never got bad enough to be dangerous even with a much more aggressive setup then OEM. Just a little shimmy here and there, and only with my hands off the bars, which I dont really do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MaxSwell Posted July 15, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted July 15, 2013 I've experienced the wobble on two 5th gens. First on an '01 at roughly 50k mi. Dealer first said a lot of VFRs do that; don't worry, keep your hands on the bars. After a while it was getting worse. Brought it up again with the dealer. He put it on the side stand, had someone push down on the rear to raise the front wheel, and turned the wheel side to side. There was a distinctive notch or detent feeling with the wheel roughly centered. I had tapered roller bearings installed (this about 75xxx mi) and that cured the problem. Second '01 same symptoms at 25xxx mi. Installed tapered rollers again. Problem solved. I've had a cupped front tire on one of there same machines (I do not recall if the vibration was different from head bearings) but the dealer could see the cups on the tire and the obvious solution was to replace the tire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer BusyLittleShop Posted July 15, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted July 15, 2013 You might have experienced a deceleration shimmy and it's normal...some bikes may shimmy decelerating through the 45 mph range... keepingyour hands on the bars should arrest most of the front end shimmy...some bikes shimmy more than others and it's no big deal with yourhands on the bars in the critical speed range... your bike should beimmune at speeds above 45 mph...Deceleration shimmy is chiefly the product of non OEM or a wornfront tire... it ain't the product of tire cupping... but low pressure orloose steering head bearings defeat the tire's corrective efforts...because every bike has this instability... it is held in check bydamping forces created mainly by the tire's self-correctingtendencies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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