Handlebar shake after new tires

[Sodge]

Replaced stock tires on my I/S. Still had good tread but they were 8yrs old. Bought new E3's front and rear and new valve stems from local Honda dealer(60miles away). Rode it home and felt a slight shimmy in the bike when I was almost home.  Called dealer a few days later and he said that Valk wheels balance almost perfectly shouldn't be a problem. Didn't get a chance to ride again until last wkend. I rode her up to about 60mph and let go and there is definitly a shimmy there.  HERE'S WHAT I NEED HELP WITH...Called dealer again today told him what I had done. He tells me 1. I should never ride without holding on to handlebars 2. If I do, as I decelerate they front end will always shake. But funny thing to me it didn't shake with my old tires on there. ??? Also, they will be happy to ride it for me, they won't take thier hands off the bars and if they remove the wheels and rebalance them and they don't need any adjustments I will have to pay the full labor charge... ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO APPROACH THIS or is there a break in period for these tires???

[JimC]

Sodge,
I had the same problem when I first bought my bike. Attached is one of many threads that deal with shimmy, wheel hop, etc. (check the board search feature)

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,4944.msg35715.html#msg35715

I started that one, I had the EXACT issues that you are talking about. When all was said and done it was a bad tire. First dealer did not want to talk to me about it because they did not sell it to me. When the second dealer put it on his balance bar you could see with the naked eye that is was out of round as it rotated. It ended up being more than 2mm out of round, I'm guessing due to a bad belt.

Try jacking front wheel off the ground, place a straight edge loosely against the front edge of the front fender and rotate the wheel. If you slowly raise the straight edge you will be able to see if you have a high spot or not. If the straight edge does not ride continually on the tire it is bad, the tire should be perfectly round. If yours is as bad as mine was you will be able to mark the high spot with a marker and check for the low spot and you will get an idea how bad it is. No ammount of weights will stop an out of round tire or a tire with a bad belt from bouncing.

My tire was also a E3 and Dunlop did replace it, but I had already replaced it with a Metzler because that was all the dealer had in stock at the time.

[Sodge]

Thanks JimC I'll check that today when I get home.

[mikeb]

im agree with jim c and while you have the front end off the ground check for any sloppyness in the head bearings while your at it..

[DFragn]

im agree with jim c and while you have the front end off the ground check for any sloppyness in the head bearings while your at it..

I first had that problem 10 years ago with the first change out of tires. Both Avon & Dunlop replaced their tires with new because I insisted and my Honda mechanic confirmed it was the tires. For another 50k miles it never ceased and I found myself just accepting it.

It gradually increased at lower speeds and became a near full tank slapper at 70 mph +. With half life tires still in place I pulled the front end apart and checked the torque of the steering stem. It was light by about 2 lbs.  

I then inspected the bearings and they seemed fine, but I replaced them anyway. I seated the bearings at 65 lbs. and backed off to 12 several times then double checked my final torque at 12lbs. It was much better, but would stilll give trouble at higher speeds [80mph+]. So I went back in and increased the spec'd torque value by 2 lbs.
Perhaps my torque wrench is inaccurate, I don't know. But I had no hunting or tankslapping after that. Other then a swingarm bearing issue later on.

I would allow a warranty tire replacement first.
Then If it's still there check the stem bearings for wear and proper torque with an accurate torque wrench. You'll never feel an over/under torque value by lifting the front end and rotating lock-to-lock. And a spring scale is inaccurate because of your control cables applying resistance.
If that pans out ok it's time to do the same with the swingarm bearings. Any movement with the swingarm will translate for the rider to the front end even if only slight.

For DIY's this will require special Honda lock nut sockets for both ends. You can't properly torque these locknuts with a screwdriver and mallett.

[GREENDRAGON]

I just got rid of my E3. Never did like it since day1. Had a shake also. Argued with the dealer about balancing, rebalanced several times. Never did get rid of the shake completely. I will never use another E3.  Now running darkside rear and cobra bias ply on front. Best ride I have ever had.

[DFragn]

I just got rid of my E3. Never did like it since day1. Had a shake also. Argued with the dealer about balancing, rebalanced several times. Never did get rid of the shake completely. I will never use another E3.  Now running darkside rear and cobra bias ply on front. Best ride I have ever had.

That's why I learned to mount and balance my own. I don't quit until they're balanced as perfect as a static balancer will allow. And, if used properly is very accurate. I go so far as to spin the tire on the rim if the heavy/light marks don't balance. More often then not I can get it spot on balance sans weights.
Dealers acceptable balance margins can be high as a couple of grams. In car tires [on cars] you'll never feel a gram or 2. A bit different on a bike.

I've been using E3's in conjunction with my rear TripleTred and never have had an issue with bar shake. Not due to balance anyway. Some believe a fork mounted fairing can cause head shake. I disagree. Not a consistent shake at least.

[Capt. Morgan]

I also had the "shimmy" Tried the "beads" and that took some of it out. Started messing with the air pressure. Put 42lbs in front & rear and now at 90 mph I can let go of the bars again. So since it is the cheapest, try different pressures before you start tearing things apart and replacements.

[Spirited-6]

Replaced stock tires on my I/S. Still had good tread but they were 8yrs old. Bought new E3's front and rear and new valve stems from local Honda dealer(60miles away). Rode it home and felt a slight shimmy in the bike when I was almost home.  Called dealer a few days later and he said that Valk wheels balance almost perfectly shouldn't be a problem. Didn't get a chance to ride again until last wkend. I rode her up to about 60mph and let go and there is definitly a shimmy there.  HERE'S WHAT I NEED HELP WITH...Called dealer again today told him what I had done. He tells me 1. I should never ride without holding on to handlebars 2. If I do, as I decelerate they front end will always shake. But funny thing to me it didn't shake with my old tires on there. ??? Also, they will be happy to ride it for me, they won't take thier hands off the bars and if they remove the wheels and rebalance them and they don't need any adjustments I will have to pay the full labor charge... ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO APPROACH THIS or is there a break in period for these tires???

Guy, I read all the advice given and thought, this is not your "problem" it is the Dealer. I would be setting on his door step and not move until he corrected the problem. You stated the bike did not shake with old tires, with less than , what 3,000 miles ? They have not done install correct or not lined up forks correctly, or what ever. I`m sure you paid much "bucks" to the Dealer, get what you paid for.  

[Sodge]

UPDATE:  Took it to the dealer today. Waiting on the guys to get back from lunch, I'm talking to an older guy who rides a ST. We talked about ridn for a while then start talking about tires. I tell him bout my problem and he something similar a few years ago, thinks it was with Metzlers, anyhow he tells service about it a few times and they put him on brand new tires and covered it under warranty. He says these guys will take care of you and was on his way. I feel reassured
Service tech comes out to ride it. I tell him he'll feel a hop or bounce between 35-45 and 50 and up a shimmy in the bars. He's back in about 5 minutes and says he doesn't feel a thing-rides "fine" to him. I wait for service manager to come back to ride it. I look around in parts for a few minutes, come out and catch him going into his office. I ask him to ride it and he said he already had. ??? It was moved, so he did ride, how far he rode I don't know.
ARE YOU SITTIN' DOWN...He told me all he felt was the road. 9 out 10 bikes in the showroom would do the exact same thing. I mentioned it didn't do it with the old tires. His response--tires get softer as they age so older tires are going to feel smother. Also that if I did want them to check balance we would have to do that another day because they were booked. Its an hour and 15 mins one way and they told me when to be there and I was there.
Just venting here guys but what a shiddy experience

[JimC]

Time for a new dealer,

The dealer that warrantied my tire was not the dealer that sold the tires to the previous owner. The dealer that installed the tires gave me the same story. Find another dealer that sells E3's and take it to them. Any dealer that sells them can warranty them. All it took was their word on the phone with the Dunlop factory rep, I overheard the phone conversation the dealer had with the rep, it took about 3 minutes, that told me that they have a problem and only handle the ones that complain.

Could you tell if the tire was out of round yourself?

Jim

[Sodge]

No, not that  I could tell. Put it on jackstand and used a ruler. Checked front and back several times.

[PAVALKER]

I had a set of E3's and never did like them.  The front tire was bad from the get go and wore out the same time as the rear ... at 8k miles.  I was happy to be rid of em, and the Avon's were a true blessing.  You could try Dyna Beads on that tire by putting 2oz in yourself, but I doubt that would help those E3s.  JMO.