My handlebars shudder when I ride - Revision history

Bokonon at 05:48, 28 January 2012

2012-01-28T05:48:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:48, 28 January 2012
Line 4:		Line 4:
	At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:		At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:

	*~~[[Steering head bearing replacement\|~~Steering head bearings]] (too tight or loose, or worn out)		*Steering head bearings (too tight or loose, or worn out)
	*Tire wear or pressure		*Tire wear or pressure
	*Alignment of front and rear wheel		*Alignment of front and rear wheel

Bokonon: Undo revision 12248 by Bokonon (talk)

2012-01-28T05:47:52Z

Undo revision 12248 by Bokonon (talk)

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:47, 28 January 2012
Line 4:		Line 4:
	At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:		At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:

	*Steering head bearings (too tight or loose, or worn out)		*[[Steering head bearing replacement\|Steering head bearings]] (too tight or loose, or worn out)
	*Tire wear or pressure		*Tire wear or pressure
	*Alignment of front and rear wheel		*Alignment of front and rear wheel
Line 15:		Line 15:
	To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.		To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.

	To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride.		To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride. For detailed directions on this procedure, see [[Steering head bearing replacement]].

	Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.		Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.

	If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.		If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.

Bokonon: Reverted edits by Bokonon (talk) to last revision by Hickman71

2012-01-28T05:42:53Z

Reverted edits by Bokonon (talk) to last revision by Hickman71

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:42, 28 January 2012
Line 4:		Line 4:
	At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:		At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:

	*~~[[Steering head bearing replacement\|~~Steering head bearings]] (too tight or loose, or worn out)		*Steering head bearings (too tight or loose, or worn out)
	*Tire wear or pressure		*Tire wear or pressure
	*Alignment of front and rear wheel		*Alignment of front and rear wheel
Line 15:		Line 15:
	To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.		To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.

	To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride~~. For detailed directions on this procedure, see [[Steering head bearing replacement]]~~.		To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride.

	Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.		Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.

	If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.		If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.

Bokonon at 05:41, 28 January 2012

2012-01-28T05:41:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:41, 28 January 2012
Line 4:		Line 4:
	At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:		At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:

	*Steering head bearings (too tight or loose, or worn out)		*[[Steering head bearing replacement\|Steering head bearings]] (too tight or loose, or worn out)
	*Tire wear or pressure		*Tire wear or pressure
	*Alignment of front and rear wheel		*Alignment of front and rear wheel

Bokonon: /* What if the steering head bearings are bad? */

2012-01-20T21:57:02Z

What if the steering head bearings are bad?

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:57, 20 January 2012
Line 15:		Line 15:
	To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.		To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.

	To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride.		To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride. For detailed directions on this procedure, see [[Steering head bearing replacement]].

	Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.		Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.

	If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.		If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.

Hickman71: /* What if the steering head bearings are bad? */

2008-06-09T19:32:15Z

What if the steering head bearings are bad?

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:32, 9 June 2008
Line 15:		Line 15:
	To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.		To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.

	To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use ~~the~~ spanner wrench ~~from the tool kit~~ (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride.		To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use a spanner wrench (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride.

	Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.		Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.

	If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.		If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.

Bokonon: My handlebars shudder when I ride. moved to My handlebars shudder when I ride

2008-05-17T19:34:15Z

My handlebars shudder when I ride. moved to My handlebars shudder when I ride

← Older revision	Revision as of 15:34, 17 May 2008
(No difference)

Bokonon at 14:57, 31 May 2006

2006-05-31T14:57:50Z

New page

[[Category: Controls & Cables]]
====What should I check for this problem?====

At low speeds, this is normal, but at high speeds, not so much. Here are some things to check:

*Steering head bearings (too tight or loose, or worn out)
*Tire wear or pressure
*Alignment of front and rear wheel
*Bent triple clamps or forks

====What if the steering head bearings are bad?====

If the bearings are too loose, you get a wobble. If too tight, then when going around a long curve, the bike wants to turn, then straighten and repeat rather than taking a smooth arc. If there's no wobble, then tightening the bearings probably won't make much difference; people have ridden with marginal bearings for quite a while.

To adjust them and look for worn bearings, put the bike on the centerstand, and put something under the engine to get the front wheel off the ground. First, try to move the fork legs forward and back, if there is any movement at all, the steering head bearings are loose.

To tighten them, loosen the top nut that is between the fork legs behind/below the ignition. Under that and under the top clamp is another nut with a slotted head. Use the spanner wrench from the tool kit (or a hammer and punch) to tighten this lower nut one tooth at a time. Tighten the top nut before checking the forks again. Loosen the locknut, then tighten the bearings until you can feel a noticeable tightening, then back off a bit, tighten things back up, and go for a test ride.

Once the forward and back movement of the forks is fixed, then you should check for flat spots and over torqueing. Move the handlebars left and right. There should be no difference in the pressure it takes to move them as you go from left to right. Worn bearings will often have a spot right in the middle that the bars want to stay in. Overtightened bearings will not move smoothly.

If you can't find something in between the loose and tight adjustments that feels right, then you need new bearings. Bearings shouldn't go bad for a long time, even with heavy loads put on the bike.