43 replies to this topic

[mk2wilson]

I'm probably half way between colombia, sc and greenville, sc and all the sudden my bike has developed a wobble. It feels almost like I an on a metal grate bridge or something. Any ideas on what I can check while at this rest stop? I have a few tools but not even sure what could be causing it? Any ideas?
Josh

[PanAmerican]

I'm probably half way between colombia, sc and greenville, sc and all the sudden my bike has developed a wobble. It feels almost like I an on a metal grate bridge or something. Any ideas on what I can check while at this rest stop? I have a few tools but not even sure what could be causing it? Any ideas?
Josh

It's some sort of wheel problem. Check for a flat tire. Put the bike on the center stand and grab the from wheel - is there a lot of for and aft or side to side play? Try the same with the back wheel. See if ther is play in the fork. I'll try Google if there is something else ...

[Bungie]

Start with the obvious. Check your tires and air pressure. If their okay, get your bike up on the center stand and have somebody sit way back on the bike to get the FRONT end up in the air. Grab the bottom of the forks and try to move them front to back. If their is any noticeable play, your steering nut may have come loose.

[mk2wilson]

I checked tire pressure it's good. I font think it's s bearing issue cause I can push the bike and it seems fine. I will t try to get the front tire off the ground and go from there.

[PanAmerican]

Do you see evidence of your front wheel having lost a wheel balance weight?

[PanAmerican]

Does one of the front brake rotors look bent?

Edited by PanAmerican, 30 March 2012 - 05:00 PM.

[mk2wilson]

It doesn't look like I lost a weight. These are new tires with only about 1000 miles on them. I'm going to take my time, but try to make it to greenville and get it to a shop first thing in the morning.

[MrTwisty]

Is it in the front end or the rear? It could be a loose steering head nut or a loose axle nut.

[Surly]

It doesn't look like I lost a weight. These are new tires with only about 1000 miles on them. I'm going to take my time, but try to make it to greenville and get it to a shop first thing in the morning.

This would be my starting point. Check every nut and bolt the tyre fitter touched.

Ride safe. best regards
Surly

[Silverbullet]

What Surly said. I had a noise in the front once after getting new tires for a trip and getting about 500 miles from home. When I applied the brakes to stop and investigate, what was bad turned to horrible. It turned out apparently my right front caliper bolts were not tightened down, one bolt was gone and the other was just hanging on. Nobody but me touches my wheels, ever again.

More on topic, is it possible the tire itself has gone bad, as in how a car tire feels when a belt seperates?

[rideon67]

I'm probably half way between colombia, sc and greenville, sc and all the sudden my bike has developed a wobble. It feels almost like I an on a metal grate bridge or something. Any ideas on what I can check while at this rest stop? I have a few tools but not even sure what could be causing it? Any ideas?
Josh

Try Foothills Yamaha/Honda just off I-85 on route 153. It's about 10 miles from Greenville going towards Atlanta. They've helped me a couple times on "roll-in issues". Coming from Columbia, the toll road is the shortest way, but it's desolate at night if you have to stop.

[madmike2]

Front wheel bearing?
It's been known to happen.....

[mk2wilson]

What Surly said. I had a noise in the front once after getting new tires for a trip and getting about 500 miles from home. When I applied the brakes to stop and investigate, what was bad turned to horrible. It turned out apparently my right front caliper bolts were not tightened down, one bolt was gone and the other was just hanging on. Nobody but me touches my wheels, ever again.

More on topic, is it possible the tire itself has gone bad, as in how a car tire feels when a belt seperates?

I looked over everything the best I could on the side of the road and nothing jumped out at me. I'm not sure that it's not the tire. It's not to bad until you get up to highway speeds, but then the bike tracks all over the road. I made it to the greenville area though. I didn't have anyone to help so I put the bike on the center stand and lifted the front end and checked for play the best I could and didn't notice any. I have to be back in charleston on sunday, so I'm hoping I can get something figured out tomorrow.

[mk2wilson]

Front wheel bearing?
It's been known to happen.....

I thought the same thing at first, but if it was wheel bearings wouldn't there be other signs? I had the bearings go out on a bike once and it made a god awful noise and you could feel resistance just trying to push it. Could the wheel bearing be bad without having signs like that?

[Bustanut joker]

Everyone keeps pointing to the front...After seeing mine an' Andys rear shock linkage and the wear on the pins that mount it I'm suspecting it might be back there.

IIRC, someone across the pond a few years back had a bearing failure that caused nasty handling. Might wanna give that area a good looking over

[1911]

I live between Columbia and greenville. 11:53 pm-just got home and looked in on the forum. 864-908-6109 if I can help.

[RaYzerman19]

You might want to also check the rear shock that it isn't leaking or lost its damping ability, or try putting it on the hard setting. How many miles on the bike?

[Bungie]

You said you recently changed tires. That'd be number 1 suspect. Check the beads, give the tire a spin and look for any irregularities.

[yamafitter]

I believe that a lost balance weight will show up as more of a vibration than the wobble being described. A bad wheel bearing may not make any noise or show any resistance while just pushing the bike around. The best way to check has already been discussed in earlier posts.
A bearing failure in the rear suspension components could also be at fault.

[03HiYoSilver]

I checked tire pressure it's good. ..

Did you check the Rear Tire Pressure?

When the Tire Pressure is low in the Rear, it affects the Front Feel/Handling bigtime... that's what happened to me to my surprise.

Good Luck with your fix.