Head Bearings??

[Timbox2]

Just started to notice a tendency for the bike to follow tramlines etc a lot more than it did, also there is a bit of a shimmy on the bars if I take my hands off, thing is with the front of the bike in the air I cant feel any play and it all feels smooth??

Whats the general concensus chaps, cheers

[Mustang]

how's your front tire ? that's where I'd start

[Chris Canning]

Tim

Even got a laser cut spanner,If your passing

[ChazzyB]

What Mustang says, sounds like front tyre. Probably.

If your head bearings are loose, you will usually get juddering when braking hard. That will make nice dents in the races, over time. Notchy head races can be hard to feel, if you've not felt them before. Front wheel off the ground, then really, really lightly and very slowly, move the bars a little side-to-side around straight-ahead. If you find a point where the bars want to stay, or feel a little like the effort just changed a fraction, you've got a notch. It might not be at straight-ahead, if your wheels have been out of line at some time. It's common. A little out on one rear wheel adjuster makes a big difference at the front over the length of the bike.

Mine had a notch, and it wasn't at straight ahead, either. A notch will make the steering itself feel shit at the turn-in. It's OK once in a bend. The way the front end moves when turning in, takes you through the notch twice. My Tiger was transformed with new head bearings.

[Timbox2]

New pair of Conti Trail Attacks 1700 miles ago, it does sound a bit like ChazzyB explains though, at 7 years and 48k I wouldnt be that surprsed.

[Timbox2]

Tim

Even got a laser cut spanner,If your passing

Thanks for the offer mate, not due up your way at the moment though, I have a lot of very thin Park Tool spanners from my MTB spannering days, looks as though one of them might fit.

[NKL]

There has been a lot of chat about that sort of thing on the GS forum for those tyres, although thats what I've been running and not had any problems, I would check tyre pressures, and have a play up or down a few psi.
Have to say tho' I have been really impressed with the trail attacks, grip well wet or dry, much more stable in bends than the Anakees I ran before and seem to last for ever, for road use I can't see me using anything else

[ChazzyB]

I have a lot of very thin Park Tool spanners from my MTB spannering days, looks as though one of them might fit.

38mm, from memory. I took a hacksaw to an old cycle spanner and managed to make one. Triumph say you need two; one to hold the adjuster and the other to pinch (torque) up the locking nut. At £22 a pop each??? FFS!

When adjusting (bars are off) and tweaking the adjuster nut has just got rid of the play, lift the top yoke up and use a big adjustable on the lock nut.

Works for me. ;-)

[Mustang]

New pair of Conti Trail Attacks 1700 miles ago, it does sound a bit like ChazzyB explains though, at 7 years and 48k I wouldnt be that surprsed.

one of my steamers needed headstock bearings at 48k , it's not uncommon . mine you could easily feel the notches .

as far as tires go some will shimmy as they wear , even with only 1700 on em

[metalguru]

All three tigers I have had have needed the headraces doing and all but one had under 20k on them.

[NKL]

Replaced mine at the 24k service, but they were slightly notched at 11k when I bought it.

[Timbox2]

oops, silly twat admission coming up. :oops:

forgot to mention that yesterday I had all three boxes on and fairly full of kit, forgot to put a bit of extra preload on the Wilbers,

I spend £800 on the f...ing thing and then forget to use it properly  :lol:

2 turns on the preload and its rock solid again

[metalguru]

oops, silly twat admission coming up. :oops:

forgot to mention that yesterday I had all three boxes on and fairly full of kit, forgot to put a bit of extra preload on the Wilbers,

I spend £800 on the f...ing thing and then forget to use it properly  :lol:

2 turns on the preload and its rock solid again

                               DOH

[NKL]

Yep, that'll do it :roll:

[KuzzinKenny]

:lol:  :lol:

Thats a bit like yer bike won't start and you go through every bloody thing except the kill switch, Doh !!  :lol:

anyhoo !! MOT day today and i got them to check and a half the headstock and the swingarm !!    everythin passed with flyin colours, its what i would expect as its only done 2K since the last one  :roll:  :oops:

KK