Head shake/tank slap on a 955i

[Roadinator]

Back at this again, as it seems to be getting worse.  Checked the front end again and the only thing I can feel is a slight sticking/lumpy point right in the middle of moving the handlebars left to right (of course while the front is in the air).  I'm guessing bearings can wear in a certain spot and riding straight seems to be the easiest place for wear.  Is this common?

Will order an All Balls kit unless someone has recommendations.

[Mustang]

you need Steering head bearings ..................All Balls is your cure .

There's a thread in the Girly How To's to Guide you thru ..............

[metalguru]

While you have the front end apart may be advisable to check the wheel balance too.

[lukeman]

I realized upon closer reflection that the previous owner never balanced the wheels, I used some dynobeads front and back and headshake is completely gone at high speeds!

[blacktiger]

I agree with all the above posts. Just to say the Tiger955 should be one of the most stable bikes on the road. You shouldn't be getting any head shake at all.

One thing no-one has mentioned........The fork legs should be flush with the top of the top yoke. If someone/PO has dropped the yoke down the legs you'll have steeper geometry which could be part of your problem exacerbated by notched head bearings.

[Roadinator]

I was going to take a pic of the top of the forks in the tree.  They are not flush, but close and to me one looks a couple of millimeters different, but I could have had too many beers when looking at it.  Will snap a pic and post.  Guess I should get the front wheel checked for balance, although it has weights and the front tire is only a year old with about 5k on it.  It doesn't look like it is cupping (sp?).  I was surprised on how much flex the front forks have in them when yanking on them, but I remember watching Isle of Mann videos of the super slo mo lift off the ground and back down again and surprised to see the forks twist and move when they hit pavement again.  I think I will also do the fork oil and led lights in the dash. Just need to save a little money and make some time.

[Bixxer Bob]

Fir what it's worth, I never had weave with my old  rear shock, with or without luggage. With the shortened Hagon on the back and the front lowered by 10mm I now have a slight high speed weave but only with the luggage fitted.  I suspect I need a bit more preload.

[John Stenhouse]

The instability seems to be down to the top box, mine does it when I've got all the luggage on, take the box off and it goes

[Bixxer Bob]

Maybe with the luggage John, but not on its own.  I use my 50l Givi all the time with no probs.  In fact the 'Bird seems better with it on; something to do with me leaning forward and airflow off my back I think.

[John Stenhouse]

Ah, I've never ridden it like that so I wouldn't know. I'll have to try that now to add to the experiment. Funny you should mention the 'Bird as my ST1100 does the same with luggage and top box but never gets to the weave stage just feels a touch unstable.

[Chris Canning]

I can make any of my bikes do(weave at high speed) all you have to do it take a couple of turns off the preload,where it gets complicated just adding preload will cure the weave but you'll end up with crap suspension,more preload means more compression and rebound to control it you'll end up with a pogo stick otherwise,of course you will also get some input from dropping the forks through yokes anything between 5/10mm.

Where it gets even more complicated if you end having to put too much preload on and having to add the extra compression and rebound to control the spring the shock gets hot and bothered very quickly,thats when you realise you have the wrong spring and need to go up one or more,The Ohlins on my 1100s has a spring one up from stock and it's never been enough and I've way too much preload etc a must for this winters list.

When I test rode a 1050 sport the other week told the sales guy just crank the preload up mate which he did,the suspension was crap but it steered like a mini moto.

[NortonCharlie]

I had a bad front Tourance tire, if I had my hands off the bars and throttle around 35-40 MPH the front end started wobbling like crazy.  There was a bad bunch of tire made but those should have been gone years ago.  The steering head bearings sound like they need replacing anyhow, while it is tore down may as well change the fork oil.