Hello all, I had some new tires mounted on my new to me 2001 ST1100. The bike had some really old tires on it when purchased and they had hardened and were not safe to ride on. The bike rode fine before getting the new tires mounted. I went with the OEM tires. The local shop said that when he mounted them, the back went on fine with no problems and balanced just fine. He indicated the front tire gave him a little more problems and he had to add some weight to the front to get it to balance. I didn't notice any big issues right after picking it up, but within a 100 miles or so of riding it, I noticed that the front had some head shake when I took my hands off the bars at low speeds, and right at about 35mph it feels like the front end is bouncing up and down. I took it back to them and he took it for a quick ride. He said he didn't feel the head shake, but did feel the bouncing while decelerating. He said he thinks its possibly the front forks that may need to be rebuilt. I think its the extra weight he needed to balance the front tire as it wasn't doing this before the tire change. What do you guys think? Also, he told me to put a few hundred more miles on it and then bring it back for him to look at.
Bounce in front end after new tires mounted
- Thread starter Canyon63
- Start date
First of all, did you take your hands off the bars (a questionable practice at anytime) with the old tires on? A deceleration wobble has been discussed on this and other forums for at least 25 years and some attribute it to the OEM ball bearings in the steering head, others blame tires, etc. How much weight is added to the wheel? Adding weights to balance is quite common actually, but you shouldn't accept a tire that takes more than 4 ounces to balance the wheel. I highly doubt a normal amount of wheel weights would cause the bounce, unless it was a crap balancing job.
How many miles on the bike? That would help with the question about fork bushings.
New tires often will feel quite different from old worn tires, but yours were exceptionally old too. I would take the guy's advice and put 100 miles on them before questioning it again.
How many miles on the bike? That would help with the question about fork bushings.
New tires often will feel quite different from old worn tires, but yours were exceptionally old too. I would take the guy's advice and put 100 miles on them before questioning it again.
Do you know how to check the steering bearings for looseness or notching?
When I got one of my ST's it had the apparently popular BT045 rear tire on front. It didn't headshake but it steered like crap. When I put a correctly mounted and balanced G547 Excedra on it it started headshaking. I checked the headstock bearings and they were loose. Once properly adjusted the G547 no longer caused the bike to shake its head. I never checked the headstock bearings with the old tire because there was no apparet problem to solve. Clearly it was loose then, but the old tire didn't care.
Long way of saying I think @Bush is on to the solution. Another possibility if it truly is bouncing, is that the beads are not properly seated. There is a witness line that should be apparent on the tire just above the edge of the rim. If it goes in and out of visibility, the bead is not seated properly.
Long way of saying I think @Bush is on to the solution. Another possibility if it truly is bouncing, is that the beads are not properly seated. There is a witness line that should be apparent on the tire just above the edge of the rim. If it goes in and out of visibility, the bead is not seated properly.
Maybe you lost a weight. Ask him to re-balance it.
And that's after making sure it's not out-of-round, which you can do on the center stand with a rearward weight, like a person.
And that's after making sure it's not out-of-round, which you can do on the center stand with a rearward weight, like a person.
yeah, when you change a tire and something new starts happening the first thing to check is the tire, since its the variable that changed. But I'd agree with the premise that some tires will be more sensitive to headshake than others, and it could also indicate that a steering stem bearing adjustment is in order as well. Last time we went through this discussion in the end the poster replaced the tire with something else and most (but not all) of the headshake went away.
First off, get rid of the wheel weights and replace them with installing 4oz. of Ride-On in each tire, Then air them up to 42psi. If a bit of headshake still occurs, replace those round ball type steering head bearings with tapered roller bearings. Myself, BTDT in both cases....issue totally resolved! BTW, majority of reputable bikes shops use Ride-On for wheel/tire balancing, not 'old school' wheel weights
. Also, you can check RideOn.com for verification of its qualities.
. Also, you can check RideOn.com for verification of its qualities.
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Some things you can check.
1. Direction of rotation - there is an arrow on the sidewall, check that it is pointing in the direction of rotation
2. Colored Dot - on sidewall should be aligned with tire valve.
3. Fork Alignment - Loosen (do not remove) your front wheel axle pinch bolts, sit on the bike and bounce the front end hard several times. Re tighten bolts.
4. Steering Head Bearings - raise the front wheel slightly off the ground, slowly rotate the handlebars lock to lock and feel for any notch, usually near center, then standing in front of bike grasp fork legs and pull push back and forth checking for any click or back and forth play.
1. Direction of rotation - there is an arrow on the sidewall, check that it is pointing in the direction of rotation
2. Colored Dot - on sidewall should be aligned with tire valve.
3. Fork Alignment - Loosen (do not remove) your front wheel axle pinch bolts, sit on the bike and bounce the front end hard several times. Re tighten bolts.
4. Steering Head Bearings - raise the front wheel slightly off the ground, slowly rotate the handlebars lock to lock and feel for any notch, usually near center, then standing in front of bike grasp fork legs and pull push back and forth checking for any click or back and forth play.
This takes a deft touch to feel and is best done with the wheel off, as the weight of it severely dampens any play that otherwise might be felt.
Having been ahhhhhhhh the subject of less than exemplary workmanship on cars and bikes on more occasions than I care to discuss, I trust very few mechanics when things go wrong. Since I once experienced said bouncing of the front wheel at speed, and since I know that particular bike tire was way out of balance, this is what I would do. I'd pull the front wheel, rig up a makeshift way to support it (or borrow a friends hrbor Frt tire balancing jig, and check the balance myself. IIRC, there is a test to see if the head bearings are properly tight for 1300's so there should be one for 1100's. Aside from that, you can sometimes feel loose bearings by grabbing the lower forks and trying to move them fore and aft.
There is a problem solving principle called Occam's Razor. It boils down to the simplest solution is most likely the correct one. You have two possible solutions here, the tire and the bearings. The first will be easiest and cheapest to explore.
There is a problem solving principle called Occam's Razor. It boils down to the simplest solution is most likely the correct one. You have two possible solutions here, the tire and the bearings. The first will be easiest and cheapest to explore.
If he changed the tyre and it feels different/wrong, then it's the tyre.
Yes other things may need attention, but with regards your issues it's the tyre. Or possibly wrong fitment of the front wheel and/or tyre.
FWIW.
Upt'North.
Yes other things may need attention, but with regards your issues it's the tyre. Or possibly wrong fitment of the front wheel and/or tyre.
FWIW.
Upt'North.
Yesterday, after completing installation of new PR4GTs on my 01 ST, went for the test ride.
After reading numerous post about front wheel steering wobble, bad tires, bearings, alignment, really was curious how my adventure at changing the tires would work out.
It went very well. The test ride results completely surprised me. No wobbles. No vibrations nor oscillations in the handle bars.
Smooth from start, to 75 mph, and back to full stop. The tracking was magnificent. Engaged the throttle lock, rode with both arms outstreched. Wow. Straight as an arrow, hand off bars. In the cornering the bike steered effortlessly through the turns.
The Michelin tires are awesome. The bike now rides better than ever. I wore the Harbor Freight gloves, kept my hands clean. Didn't spill any blood this week. I used the Honda shop manual and the common service manual for references. Armed with knowledge from forum members suggestions and technical articles, well, this was pure nirvana.
Thanks for the great ride everyone.
After reading numerous post about front wheel steering wobble, bad tires, bearings, alignment, really was curious how my adventure at changing the tires would work out.
It went very well. The test ride results completely surprised me. No wobbles. No vibrations nor oscillations in the handle bars.
Smooth from start, to 75 mph, and back to full stop. The tracking was magnificent. Engaged the throttle lock, rode with both arms outstreched. Wow. Straight as an arrow, hand off bars. In the cornering the bike steered effortlessly through the turns.
The Michelin tires are awesome. The bike now rides better than ever. I wore the Harbor Freight gloves, kept my hands clean. Didn't spill any blood this week. I used the Honda shop manual and the common service manual for references. Armed with knowledge from forum members suggestions and technical articles, well, this was pure nirvana.
Thanks for the great ride everyone.
