Author Topic: head shake (Read 5415 times)

snofrog · « **on:** June 08, 2005, 06:16:25 PM »

this bike has never had a wobble in it`s life untill yesterday and today..tire is at the right pressure every thing seem`s fine cept for the shakes. ideas???????

Red01 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2005, 08:55:14 PM »

Have you lost a wheel balance weight?
Is your front tire cupping?
Damage to the wheel or a brake rotor?
How's the condition and adjustment of steering head bearings?

snofrog · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:56:18 AM »

Quote from: "Red01"

Have you lost a wheel balance weight?
i`ve looked and there are no clean spotz or anything like that that would indicate a missing weight

Is your front tire cupping?
no actually it look`s great for a 8000 mile tire

Damage to the wheel or a brake rotor?
like i say nothing visible

How's the condition and adjustment of steering head bearings?

up on the center stand with front tire in the air it is still smoooth and 0 play

DaveG · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:57:43 PM »

it's the front tire.

almost 100%sure.

had the same problem at about 3,000km.
switched to MEZ4 and no more shake at 10,000km so far.

these tire also do not seem to follow road grooves of bridge gratings.

RUSS M8 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2005, 05:20:16 AM »

Just make sure all nuts and bolts are tight!
It could be something simple, that you can't feel just by shaking it.

Lightman · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2005, 07:18:09 PM »

I have had the same problem, mine is a 2002 1200S,I have changed the tires and there still is a shake, I have had it checked out and according to Suzuki as long as I keep a good grip on the handlebars everything should be OK, they say it's a combination of the tires and the way it is built, I don't buy that, it didn't do it before so why now. There has to be a cause and I would really like a solution. I am now trying the Dunlop 208's. Any one have suggestions?

snofrog · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2005, 09:14:35 PM »

i have a new set of tires on the way . i will update when i get them on

Red01 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2005, 09:36:59 PM »

Quote from: "Lightman"

I have had it checked out and according to Suzuki as long as I keep a good grip on the handlebars everything should be OK, they say it's a combination of the tires and the way it is built, I don't buy that, it didn't do it before so why now. There has to be a cause and I would really like a solution.

Tires can be a cause... for instance the Macadam 90X tires that came as OE on early 2G's (most likely, your '02 had 'em) are notorious for causing mild head shakes. If your wheel is balanced, your wheel & steering head bearings are good and the rotors aren't warped, it pretty much leaves the tire as the only other culprit. The 2G's steering geometry is fairly quick (quicker than the 1G) and therefore more suceptable to shake if all is not perfect.

When you installed new tires, did they balance them statically, or dynamically (on a high speed spin balancer)?

Lightman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 24, 2005, 02:13:16 AM »

Good Point Paul, I will ask them what type of balance they did.

2005B12S · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2005, 11:18:39 AM »

5 years is plenty enough time to work the steering head loose. That would be the first place I would look. If your tires were excessively worn/out of balance, you would see it at all times, noy just when you let go of the bars. Make sure the stem nut is to torque spec.

BTW, I have a 2005 B12 with the fork tubes raised 1.5in to mount clip-ons. Even with the quickened steering, the front end is rock solid. Bandits are not set up very radical as far as rake/trail- ever ridden a TL- headshake is not normal. Good Luck, Ed.

2005 GSF1200SZ
1983 GS750ED

snofrog · « **Reply #10 on:** July 02, 2005, 02:21:53 AM »

i got the new tires on and NO SHAKES

i did however go through the front end with a fine tooth comb as far as nut`s and bolt`s but found nothing . Mark

ray nielsen · « **Reply #11 on:** July 02, 2005, 03:56:29 PM »

Sometimes the head shake is caused by the REAR tire. As the tire wears the tread contact patch "wobbles" from side to side as the tire rotates. That effectively causes the long lever (from the rear axle to the steering head) to cause a "tail wagging the dog" motion.

One way to check this is to modify the rear tire pressure to see what effect it has. Usually higher pressures minimize tire flexing and the shake speed changes to a higher speed.