Handle bar wobble!

[RSO]

My Valk has only 2k miles on it. Purchased brand new out of the crate just 3 months ago. Love this bike!

I did noticed that when hands off the bars and at speeds lower than 60 mile an hour, I get a bit of wobble in the steering. Now I don't make a practice of not holding onto the bars but I just wanted to see how tight the steering was compared to my other bikes (05 CBR600RR & 06 Shadow 1100). Nice flat even pavement and the Valk has more handle bar wobble when applying little or no pressure on the bars. I just accepted it because the Valk has such light steering. Running 36 psi front and 41 psi rear tire. Rear suspension currently at 8 clicks but had same issue when running 18 clicks.

Then on my last mountain ride with many twisty, noticed that when making lower speed left turns at around 25-40 mph I get a slight vibration in the left handle bar. Right turns no vibration. So off to the dealership to have it checked out. I explained the situation and they checked the tires, tire pressure, balancing, forks, and steering knuckle; told me everything is as it should be. Hmmmmm

I didn't notice it at first but it is now starting to bug me. I guess if my other bikes did the same thing I wouldn't have a gripe about it, but they don't.

Anyone have the same experience or have thoughts on the matter?

[Shrubbo]

The last time I had a small wobble in the bars only noticeable when hands off went away when I changed tires. With the tires I have at the moment the bars don't move at all.

I am no expert by any means but your description to me points to a tire problem. Re-read the I am no expert part of that sentence first but that is my opinion

[Jess from VA]

That symptom is almost always a front tire.  (With the low miles it couldn't be shock bushings)

The complaints about stock tires on the 1800s here are ..... many (though I don't recall wobble being one). 

If you're not over max PSI printed on the sidewall, add air up to that (but not over).

[hubcapsc]

My 1800 Valkyrie has an unbalanced front wheel. On the last tire,
I balanced the wheel before I put the tire on. It took a TON of weights
to do it. Fixed the way the front felt, though...

-Mike

[Jambriwal]

My Valk had the deceleration wobble also. From 45 MPH down to 30 , no hands. Some bikes are prone to it like Gold Wing, Valkyrie VTX 1300 due to Ball bearings in a plastic race in the steering head. I posted it on another page ( steering heaf bearings) yes i misspelled it. A worn tire will make it noticeable but it can come back when the next tire wears.
My Valk now has tapered roller bearings  in the steering  head , same tire no wobble.
I did a couple of other bikes over the years, always an improvement in feel and steering.

[Kidd]

well , not to brag  , my  'kerry    has no wobble and I often remove my hands from handle bars when I coast to a red light  , anywhere from 70 mph down to 20 mph , so , you should expect this of your bike , too .

[Moofner]

The motorcycle safety guy in me boggles at the idea of taking both my hands off the bars.

The super wuss in me is too scared to try so I've never noticed if there is a no handle bar wobble.

I imagine some dyna beads would take care of any imbalance issues?

[RSO]

Thanks all for the comments. I agree it is probably the front tire or the balancing of it. I will first try increasing the tire pressure. If no change, I will take it in to get rebalanced and test. Glad I am not alone .

Moofner; Love the lights!

[The emperor has no clothes]

The motorcycle safety guy in me boggles at the idea of taking both my hands off the bars.

The super wuss in me is too scared to try so I've never noticed if there is a no handle bar wobble.

I imagine some dyna beads would take care of any imbalance issues?

It's all in what you are comfortable with. There is no good reason to let go of the bars. That said, I've done it with every bike I've owned over the last 45 years. There is something liberating in riding "no hands" . Although I don't do it very often any more.

[hungryeye]

If you bought your bike while it was still crated it tells us that the bike was lashed down with even more pressure on the front tire than uncrated. Up to 3 years on the same spot on the tire may leave a real crappy spot on the tire. Not visible to the naked eye. Just a thought...

[RSO]

If you bought your bike while it was still crated it tells us that the bike was lashed down with even more pressure on the front tire than uncrated. Up to 3 years on the same spot on the tire may leave a real crappy spot on the tire. Not visible to the naked eye. Just a thought...

Yes, very good observation. Well since the tires don't last long anyway, I will find out when changing tires for the first time.

[Robert]

Some have had problems with the OEM front tire itself, mine is very smooth also at all speeds. Especially since I replaced the front wheel bearings with ceramic bearings. I use the Michelin tire, balancing beads and of course the bearings.

Moofner:
 I must admit today I was coming to a stop and wanted to readjust my hands so I took them off the bars for a few moments while dropping down from 60 and no problems at all.

This will raise some questions    but in the morning sometimes I will take my hands off the bars just a bit before making the turn into work. I make the same motion as Zeus in the picture from Real Steel, below. Of course if anyone saw me they would question my sanity but what a blast. It feels so good sometimes driving to work on the bike and its cool and just happy for another day, to be able to ride to work every day. Then put my hands back on the bars turn into work into my own spot, get off and gentlemen start your engines, LOL.

[Jess from VA]

If your bike is all set up right with good balanced tires, shocks (and bushings), steering head bearings, it should motor down the road just fine with no hands.  Road conditions, wind, curves, elevations and traffic can make it a bad idea though.

I do it from time to time to rest my hand (with the throttle lock), and I do it from time to time to check that everything continues to be in good neutral balance.  You can even steer the bike a bit pushing on the highway pegs and shifting weight on the bike (body english).

The couple times it began to wobble a bit at slower speed, my front tire was nearing the end of life.  

[RSO]

Update:

Honda replaced my factory front tire with the same brand and model. Covered under warranty. Results; no more wobble! My first visit they checked everything and found nothing out of spec. They (Honda dealership) then rebalanced the front tire. I took it out and had same wobble at low speeds and left turns at around 45 mph. I had mentioned to the dealership that here on the forum it was suggested that the front tire might have a flat spot from sitting in the crate for 2 years that was not visible by the naked eye. A week later I got a call from the dealer saying that Honda would replace the front tire. Went in for the 2nd visit and bammm!

Problem solved. Hungryeye thanks for the suggestion. 

[hungryeye]

No probelmo, just shows that every $2 response counts, 2 cent  responses  went away with inflation....

[Bighead]

Update:

Honda replaced my factory front tire with the same brand and model. Covered under warranty. Results; no more wobble! My first visit they checked everything and found nothing out of spec. They (Honda dealership) then rebalanced the front tire. I took it out and had same wobble at low speeds and left turns at around 45 mph. I had mentioned to the dealership that here on the forum it was suggested that the front tire might have a flat spot from sitting in the crate for 2 years that was not visible by the naked eye. A week later I got a call from the dealer saying that Honda would replace the front tire. Went in for the 2nd visit and bammm!

Problem solved. Hungryeye thanks for the suggestion. 

Glad your problem is resolved.....just a note here I have had the same symptoms fom a cupped rear tire. At speed no problem but low speed or slowing to a stop obvious shake in the bars.