ST1300 Headshake

Interesting topic…on my 94, I had changed the head bearings to the tapered roller type. I was running a Shinko Verge on that bike and had the above headshake (despite the bearing change). I experimented by taking the front wheel off my 2000 and put that on the 94…this was after several adjustments of the steering head bearings that did not eliminate the headshake (making them a bit tighter, 1/8 turn by 1/8 turn). Headshake gone. I’ve since changed to the Avon Spirit on the 94 (both front and rear). No headshake. Sometimes it is a tire, and many here swear by Shinko tires (which is fine). The 2000 has Metzeler Z8s on it (that bike never had a headshake and I had the tapered bearings installed when the bike was pretty new when I read about the issue on the old Steiner Fremme site, then re-installed new ones at 50K miles 2 years ago- still all good, but the races had slight wear marks in them). I will likely stick to the Avons on my 94 as they have been wearing very well and the bike handles and rides fine.

As a postscript, I originally had a Verge on my 94 (with the roller bearings), had the headshake, switched to a Pirelli Angel GT (headshake gone), then Z8s (no headshake), then the Verge as above with the tapered bearings multiply adjusted (with headshake). I had the advantage of a second ST to change the wheel and tire as an experiment, which proved the flaw. The only other thing I noted with the Shinkos (on the ST), is that they required quite a bit of balancing weight (2 oz on the front wheel)- now I have a single 0.25 oz weight up front with the Avon tire.

I run Shinkos on my Silverwing scooter…no issues at all. Sometimes it’s just a bad tire out of a batch made. Those (on the scooter) are wearing extremely well (but it’s a much lighter bike) and the handling and rides fine is very good.
 
I'm going to have to disagree with Erdoc48 opinion.
You state that despite the bearing change, it did not eliminate the headshake, then go on to say that changing to a different tire corrected the problem.
The headshake I've seen with Shinko tires has not been because of bearings, or type of bearings, or bearing adjustments, but rather how the tire was installed on the rim.
I've removed this "headshake" after installing Shinko tires on several different bikes, by simply removing the tire, and CLEANING all the rubber debris and crap from the tire, then using a proper TIRE PASTE, and not soapy water.
These tires are very sensitive (stiff) to seating on the bead correctly.
If the rims were not cleaned, and the tire was seated, you'll often hear SEVERAL loud pops as the tire struggles to seat the bead (indicating that the tire is fighting to go on correctly) etc.
When a rim is cleaned properly, and the correct tire paste is used, the tire should only pop ONE time per side to seat correctly.
And before everyone starts pointing out that it was corrected with a different brand of tire, many tires of much softer, and easer to seat, than the stiff sidewall shinko tires.
Just my experience with these tires so far.
 
^^ Understood. Just telling what I experienced. Doesn’t necessarily mean my assertions are correct. I’ve installed a few tires in the past few years and have always obtained a good 2 pop mounting on the bead. So, I’m aware of what to listen for when mounting the tire.
 
Understood, just didn’t want the OP thread to turn into a tire or bearing thread.
After speaking with him, I gave him a couple suggestions to check/adjust some stuff.
If it works he’ll post the results.
 
I have always been a Michelin tire man. I have consistently found that when Michelin Road tires get to the last 1/3 of their life, low speed head shake always appears. This disappears entirely when a new tire is mounted. Just switched to Avon Spirit STs for the first time, will see if they do the same at end-of-life.
 
Jjonahjamison said:
I have always been a Michelin tire man. I have consistently found that when Michelin Road tires get to the last 1/3 of their life, low speed head shake always appears. This disappears entirely when a new tire is mounted. Just switched to Avon Spirit STs for the first time, will see if they do the same at end-of-life.
Click to expand...

What do you think of the Avon Spirit ST?
 
So I checked the rear shock. Looks good and tight. I set it in the middle. The preload I turned as recommended in stock position (few turns from softest point). Cleaned disks and brake pistons.
It shakes a bit less but still there. The front tire is at about 50% so will wait until I'll change it and hope the shake will go away. Maybe Avon the next time instead of Shinko.
 
Sorry - this is a favourite hobby horse of mine.
Check that your front wheel has been installed correctly ie the correct sequence has been followed.

When I say 'check' - I mean do it again.
If the correct sequence is not followed, it is possible for everything to be tight, but the front wheel is still able to slide side to side on its axle.

Useful link here

I don't know if this causes the symptoms that you describe, but a wheel that wanders around on its axle isn't going to improve handling.
 
Thank you for the suggestion and the videos. With all do respect jfheath, I can't count how many times I've installed the front wheel and never had the shake at 40mph. In addition, it didn't happen right after the installation but after about 6-7k miles on a tire.
 
FastST said:
Thank you for the suggestion and the videos. With all do respect jfheath, I can't count how many times I've installed the front wheel and never had the shake at 40mph. In addition, it didn't happen right after the installation but after about 6-7k miles on a tire.
Click to expand...
That comment sounds like you were running an under inflated tire, and have some cupping/feathering going on.
Have you checked your air pressure gauge with a good quality one (or several) to make sure you really are running the correct psi?
I find digital ones can give false or Inaccurate readings as their batteries get weak (just like guitar tuners).
Post a picture up close of your front tire.
Also, you said your rear shock feels tight?
What does that mean to you?
If you unscrew it all the way, the start turning it in, counting the clicks, how many clicks before you feel resistance?
Set in the middle means nothing if your fluid is low or empty.
 
Igofar said:
That comment sounds like you were running an under inflated tire, and have some cupping/feathering going on.
Have you checked your air pressure gauge with a good quality one (or several) to make sure you really are running the correct psi?
I find digital ones can give false or Inaccurate readings as their batteries get weak (just like guitar tuners).
Post a picture up close of your front tire.
Also, you said your rear shock feels tight?
What does that mean to you?
If you unscrew it all the way, the start turning it in, counting the clicks, how many clicks before you feel resistance?
Set in the middle means nothing if your fluid is low or empty.
Click to expand...
Ok so from all the way to the left whe turning clockwise it starts resisting near the 3rd click.

Here's the tire.
 

Attachments

  • 20251003_153049.jpg
    20251003_153049.jpg
    99.7 KB · Views: 22
  • 20251003_153039.jpg
    20251003_153039.jpg
    101.5 KB · Views: 22
  • 20251003_152740.jpg
    20251003_152740.jpg
    102.5 KB · Views: 22
FastST said:
With all do respect jfheath, I can't count how many times I've installed the front wheel and never had the shake at 40mph. In addition, it didn't happen right after the installation but after about 6-7k miles on a tire.
Click to expand...

I don't think the frequency of carrying out a job had anything to do with following the correct procedure. I've encountered plenty of people who have assumed that they were doing something correctly. But the problem is that people don't know that they don't know. And I don't mind asking a question like that. But if you are sure, then that's that possibility eliminated. I'll bow out.

6-7K on a tyre ? If it was my bike I know where that problem would be - it would be due to the bits of thread and steel sticking out of the rubber. I only manage 5K on my tyres !!
 
Sounds like your preload adjuster is almost full, and that shouldn't cause any issues. Set the adjustment on 7-12 clicks in from fully open and see is that helps.
The next thing I would do is to remove the front tire, break the bead, clean the rim and area where the bead sits, the use some good quality tire paste instead of windex or soapy water, then seat the bead again.
You should only have one loud pop per side, if your hearing several, it means the tire is struggling to seat and will cause balance issues.
 
FastST said:
What tire do you use, or are you dragging the knees? I normally do 10-12k. You can see from above, the tire is still at like 40-50%
Click to expand...
No, far from it. I live on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. My riding roads are relatively narrow and twisty. Lots of blind bends lots of ups and downs. Road surfaces are typically tar and chippings. Loads of grip if the chippings are still attached. But riding is typically start/stop in places - traffic, blind bends, blind summits. Get your knee down on some of these roads and your head will be banging against the dry stone walls. It doesn't stop some riders doing it, but the statistics are pretty grim.

As a measure, reported average fuel consumption on the dash is around 8 miles. per litre. On wider, faster sweeping roads where a constant 60mph (national speed limit) is possible it is up between 10-11 miles per litre. Also we ride two up with luggage - so we are at the maximum load of the bike.

I'm not a speed freak, opportunities to get past slow moving traffic in the dales are infrequent, so when they present themselves I use the acceleration to its full - so that cannot help.

To give a flavour of the nature of the roads - the start of the tour de france cycle race was here in 2014. The worlds best cyclists who are used to riding 100-200 miles up big mountains in the pyrenees, mis-judged the gruelling effect of the undulating routes. I have never seen such excellent cyclists look so completely shattered at the end of a race as they did after those two days in the Yorkshire Dales. One short section of about 30 miles follows the river wharfe as it rises from 230ft in Ilkley to the point where the roads start climbing seriously at 740ft. So 510 ft height difference for the river and the road is not much higher than the river at each end of that 30 mile stretch. That is a gradient of 0.3%. with no serious hills. But it undulates and has a total ascent of 2390ft.

It would be nice to find out what milage I'd get on smooth tarmac without the undualtions. Something like the roads that we traveled in Spain, France and Portugal. On my first 1100, I'd get about 12,000 miles - but they were the Exedra tyres crossply. The BT020s dropped that to about 8,000 miles and the ST1300 dropped it again to 5,000. That first drop has to be the tyres. The second drop is probably my riding and (ab)use of the extra power and acceleration.
 
Igofar said:
The next thing I would do is to remove the front tire, break the bead, clean the rim and area where the bead sits
Click to expand...
I guess it's the last attempt to negate it. If not that then this + a new tire
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom