Author Topic: Excessive Vibration from front end (Read 7911 times)

S_Kisby · « **on:** December 06, 2005, 05:29:47 PM »

Hi
Possibly a simple question.... I have an 02 1200 with only 1500 miles on it. I have notices a lot of vibration issues and have tried several products to calm them down. I recently noticed that if I let go of the handlebars they seem to shiver & shake (best description I can come up with). I have never seen this on a bike before & have no clue as to the cause....HELP!

Wooddog · « **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2005, 08:33:54 PM »

I have a similar problem. If I let go of the handelbars for just a few seconds the front end goes to wobbling, at certain speeds its worse than others. As long as I have at least one hand and a little bit of pressure on the bars you dont notice anything. I had this happen on a Honda 750 of mine several years back, and so I bought a new tire and it solved everything. I think thats whats wrong on the Bandit, but since I am so cheap and I figure I can get at least another 7000 miles out of this front tire I am just going to live with it unless it gets worse. If I could feel any wobble with my hands on the bars I would definitely buy a new front tire. Can you see if the front tire is cupping or wearing unevenly? if so after making sure that every thing is tight, I would say its your tire.

Red01 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2005, 08:36:46 PM »

Only 1500 miles? I'm guessing you still have the stock front tire then - and it is a Michelin Macadam 90X? If so, the tire is probably cupping... that's about when those start to cup. Replace it with a Michelin Pilot Road (which will go well with the rear Mac90 - which isn't a bad tire - just the front 90's suck) and you'll be happy.

Or if you're like me, you'll just put up with it until it wears out and replace both tires.

solman · « **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2005, 10:59:32 PM »

I had the same problem once on my CB900F. Whenever I got up in speed, it would start to wobble. I changed the front tire and fixed it.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2005, 05:13:50 AM »

Quote

I have an 02 1200 with only 1500 miles on it. I have notices a lot of vibration issues and have tried several products to calm them down. I recently noticed that if I let go of the handlebars they seem to shiver & shake (best description I can come up with). I have never seen this on a bike before & have no clue as to the cause....HELP!

This is an extremly common problem with B12's fitted with Macadams.

Simple answer, get rid of the Macadams now and put on just about any other tyre and your problem SHOULD be solved.

Or you can do what I did, put up with it until the tyre was just about due for replacement, and put on just about any other tyre. Personally I use a Metzler M1 on the front. But as I said, just about any tyre, without the centre line tread, should fix the problem.

Daytona · « **Reply #5 on:** December 08, 2005, 01:12:33 AM »

That happened to me with conti front, i uped the air and rode it till worn out. I now run the Shinko's 009's with nothing but praise for em! Front has 8k rear got 7k! The front will last another rear, no cupping! and all for less than $155.00 for both to your door!

S_Kisby · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2005, 07:16:04 PM »

I guess next question is....
Metzler z6 or Pirelli Strada's?

Red01 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 09, 2005, 09:16:23 PM »

Whichever one you can get the best deal on.

Personally, I like my back tire to have tread grooves across the center. Makes me feel better in the rain and it's easier to see when they're worn out, so I wouldn't choose either one. I can't recall reading any bad reviews of either the Z6 or the Strada (just complaints about how reading the TWI's on the Z6's and how a lot of folks didn't know the tire was worn out until cord started to show).

FWIW - I've been happy with Michelin's Pilot Roads. I'm on my 2nd front & 3rd rear PR.

Jacknife · « **Reply #8 on:** December 13, 2005, 07:23:47 PM »

Well I like the Z6, its what I change to. And here it the UK I've had no problems with there being no tread over the mid section of the tire. Wet or Dry.

Red01 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 13, 2005, 09:31:46 PM »

I keep hearing that the Z6 is a great rain tire. Supposedly because the front tire channels the way for the rear? (Though that would only work going straight.) I still don't see how it could be a better rain tire than a similar tire with tread across the center.

The thing that makes me most leary about the Z6 is how many people I've seen posts from that discovered their Z6 rear was due for replacement when cord started to show. At least with a tread pattern that crosses the center, it is plainly obvious when you're getting close.

KX5000 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2005, 12:23:48 AM »

Daytona, which conti front did you have? I just got the road attacks put on and haven't been able to ride much since. I hope they dont cup on me.

Daytona · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2005, 01:33:45 AM »

Quote from: "KX5000"

Daytona, which conti front did you have? I just got the road attacks put on and haven't been able to ride much since. I hope they dont cup on me.

Not to worry it wasn't the attack! I have heard nothing but good stuff about those.. It was a too low of air pressure thing that got away from me! My fault not the tire...

Elmojo · « **Reply #12 on:** March 02, 2006, 11:45:15 PM »

This is just a quick addition to this post:
I had the same problem with my '02 b12S.
I followed the consenus and got a set of the Shinko 009's.
Headshake gone...for a while.
Now I have about 2K miles on these rubbers and the headshake has returned, but not quite as bad as before.
I get no shake above ~55mph, but anything below that gets progressively worse down to about 20-ish, then smooths out again.
I heard someone mention a while ago that it could be a steering head bearing issue, but I haven't been able to confirm/deny it.
Any ideas anyone? I really hate riding with my hands on the bars, what a drag!

PS. Don't misunderstand, I love these Shinko's. They flat rock in wet or dry and wear like Levi's, plus they're cheap as grade 2 dirt.

Later!

Elmojo

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #13 on:** March 03, 2006, 12:23:04 AM »

Elmojo.... I have the Shinko 005 Advance on my front and there is lots of headshake going on from 40 - 53 mph. It's by far the worst of four front tires I have had on (Mac 100 & 2 Avon 45's). My steering head bearings don't seem loose at all - no play or clunk or rough spots... but I'm probably going to re-adjust them for grins. One thing the factory manual says is there should be some tension on these bearings - using a spring scale the bearings should be tightened so it takes and initial pull of 7 - 17 oz. before the bars move. I've not seen this mentioned in any steering head bearing threads but might as well give it a try. The headshake gets downright scary at times.

I am pleased with the Shinko tire except for this headshake problem. The 009 rear goes on tomorrow. Looking forward to trying that out.

aussiebandit · « **Reply #14 on:** March 03, 2006, 01:33:19 AM »

I was talking to the guy at our local tyre shop lately and he said that the problem with the B12 front end wobble is a problem with the steering head bearings and it's not just B12's that experiance this.

He said that you can check, tighten, grease the bearings to your hearts content, but it won't make a scrap of difference. But if you REPLACE them, then the problem usually goes away.

The reason why a different tyre 'fix' the problem, is that, quite obviously, different tyres have different contact characteristics and therefore some tyres will 'hide' the problem.

When I mentioned Macadam 90x and 100x he said, and I quote "I wouldn't fit a Macadam to the front of any bike, not unless I really hated the bloke.....on the rear their great"