Front end wobble

[Guest]

Girlfriend is complaining her YBR is unstable during cornering. Used to be on right corners alone, now it's both sides.

Here's what it isn't to do with (because I've swapped parts with spares to test);

-Front wheel

-Front tyre

-Forks

So now I'm thinking head stock bearings. The wheel can't be pushed back and for that and there's no clunking noises as you go over a bump but when on the Cstand, the bars can front end moves to the right with the smallest amount of pressure but left is stiff.

Thoughts??

[Tango]

Sounds like the steering head bearings have flattened a bit.....you get a spot ( usually in the centre) where it likes to be and it takes a bit more effort to move it off that spot. If you move the steering very slightly to either side does it have a tendency to try to centre itself?

[Tango]

Another thing to check is the steering lock. We had this on Mandy's Speed 4 after we'd changed the top yoke and swapped the ignition switch over. Because the ignition switch was very slightly too close to the headstock the steering lock pin was catching .....which made it slightly more difficult to move the bars from the straight ahead position.....It was surprising just how much this messed up riding the bike. We just slackened the bolts holding the ignition switch and moved it away from the headstock......which sorted the problem.....

[Guest]

Hi guys, I've just had exactly the same issue on my brand new CBR, especially when pulling off and immediately turning right..turns out it was the steering head bearings.. Although it's been rectified by Wigan Honda, I often get a shuddering if I break hard or hit a pothole..its like I've swapped one problem for another lol

[Tango]

Hi guys, I've just had exactly the same issue on my brand new CBR, especially when pulling off and immediately turning right..turns out it was the steering head bearings.. Although it's been rectified by Wigan Honda, I often get a shuddering if I break hard or hit a pothole..its like I've swapped one problem for another lol

Welcome to TMBF mate. ......

Sounds like the steering head bearings were too tight to start off with, so they've slackened them, but gone too far.....

[Stu]

Phil I would start with the head bearings

Was it a new front tyre you tried? or a used one? if used then that could have the same affect even if it was fine on another bike

[Guest]

I think I will go down the path of head bearings... Sounds like the most plausible cause now.

The other tyre was used also but only done around 2k of its 8k life.

Never done the head stock bearings before... Do I need any special tools to get them out / in?

[Stu]

The other tyre could still be at fault too highly unlikely though

head bearings are pretty easy to do the hardest part is getting the inner race off the lower part of the stem! I have had to resort to cutting them off before but you have to go really really careful so you dont damage the stem cutting most of the way through then cracking it with a hammer and chisel is the way to go for stubborn ones!

first try other methods to get it off use cutting as a last resort

the outer races just need to be knocked out with a drift

when fitting the new outers use the old outers over them to knock them in with

[Guest]

Okie dokie. Cheers

[Guest]

On second thoughts... Decided since it will only take an hour to get to the bearings... To see if they just need re-greasing.

So all being well I should be able to get them out daily easily...?

If I can't then it will be a case of getting new ones and using the ol' brute force method.

[Stu]

ah hour!!

what you messing about at

it should be really easy to remove clean up and re grease don't forget to tighten them as per the manual

[Guest]

Ok I'll check out the book on how to tighten them

[Tango]

Just change the bl**dy bearings ya tight g*t....

[cockercas]

Just change them or your doing a job twice.

[Guest]

Lol...

*Potentially* doing the job twice

Based on the symptoms I believe a clean and regrease is all that's needed. I could be wrong and I may have to do it twice... But saves me 20 quid if I don't and it's only a few hours work so it's not a huge drama.

But yes I agree... It's probably a better time saving exercise to change them.

[Stu]

please dont turn this in to another I told you so thread

I would do things the way you are doing

[Guest]

Lol... I'll report back as usual