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09-18-2017, 01:25 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 101
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Handlebar shake
My front end wants to shake if I take my hands the grips. This morning I hit a small pothole and the bars started shaking and I had both hands on the grips. Tire pressure is good. I got a fork brace from Garry. I think will have it professionally installed . Should I have bearings changed at the same time? Bike has 18,000 miles on it. Is there anything else I should do?
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09-18-2017, 02:34 PM | #2 |
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Sounds to me like your steering stem bearings need to be tightened.
At 18,000 miles i would say they need to be greased and torqued.
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09-18-2017, 05:20 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada
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Its a common issue with a lot of these bikes. Usually a new tire helps for a while, when I replaced the steering neck bearings it didn't help at all.
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09-18-2017, 08:17 PM | #4 | |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Palmyra, Pa - Near Hershey
Posts: 426
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I had the Shakes
Quote:
(the following is MY EXPERIENCE, Your Mileage May Vary) On my 3rd and current Voyager 2014 with 43,000 miles on it. #1 Tightening the Bearings helped but did not cure it. #2 Adding a Garry Brace Helped but did not cure it. #3 Changing the Fork Oil Helped but did not cure it. #4 At the beginning of this year I had the ALL BALLS TAPERED Bearings installed. !!! The Combo of All Balls, Garry Fork Brace, 5 heavier on Fork Oil and a 1/2 used Metzler 888 front tire CURED MY WOBBLE. I have now worn out the Metzler 888 and have installed a Dunlop American Elite. - It's a different tire from the Metzler The Dunlop has a more "knobby tread" than the Dunlop. But it does not have the Wobble.. Hope that helps. |
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09-18-2017, 08:20 PM | #5 | |
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Location: Palmyra, Pa - Near Hershey
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What Bike do you have
Quote:
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09-19-2017, 01:18 AM | #6 |
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Marietta, GA
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I didn't have the wobble, but adding the fork brace, upping the fork oil weight, and changing to All Balls bearings in the stem made a huge difference in the way my bike handles. Twisties were fun before, but they are a lot more fun now. There is just too much flex without the brace, and the suspension is too mushy with the stock weight oil.
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09-19-2017, 08:18 AM | #7 |
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Tennessee
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sorry I didn't specify - it's 2010 Nomad.
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09-19-2017, 12:31 PM | #8 |
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Don't take your hands off the grips, then! (I joke) Sounds like steering stem bearings need to be adjusted.
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09-19-2017, 02:45 PM | #9 |
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09-20-2017, 08:14 AM | #10 | |
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Quote:
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09-20-2017, 11:58 AM | #11 |
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Location: Eastern Connecticut
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I only started to notice this on my bike after i had my first tire change. And under further inspection the shop has my drive belt much to tight. The bars "wobble" when i am slowing down to a stop under engine braking and taking my hands off the bars. I feel its the belt putting to much tension on the rear wheel causing the front of the bike to wobble back and forth. Does this make sense?
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09-20-2017, 01:16 PM | #12 |
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Not really.
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09-20-2017, 06:32 PM | #13 |
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Piedmont OK
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You can do what you want but until you change the bearings the wobble will come back. I changed mine last winter and added heavier fork oil. All is good.
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09-20-2017, 06:55 PM | #14 |
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09-20-2017, 08:00 PM | #15 |
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All Balls tapered rollers. I didn't go up in oil weight, but i did install Racetech springs & Gold Valves, after I had the local dealer check, adjust to spec then re-adjust, the stock neck bearings. I had the "no-hands" shake with ths stock tire & the Commander....no more.
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