Front End shake...? Any ideas? - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

Timesh0cked · 06-21-2005, 12:55 PM

Hello all, i'm new here to the board and very impressed with all the friendly suzuki riders here, so hello everyone!

Anyways i gotta little problem with my bike maybe someone here might have had before. It's a 94 Kat 600 if it matters, when i reach speeds around 45+ MPH and let go of the handle bars, the front wheel starts to vibrate immediately? If I do not grab the handlebars within a second the bike will for sure go down. I'm pretty sure the forks arent bent, i've jacked the bike up and cannot feel anything loose? No humming from bearings. If i let go at any speeds below 45 everythings just fine with perfect control.

. Well any suggestions are greatly apprectiated, although I understand it could be many things. Thanks -Josh

SuzukiGirl1 · 06-21-2005, 12:57 PM

Yikes! That is very scary!

I don't have any advice for you, but welcome to the board from one of the "nice Suzuki Riders" around here!

bat4255 · 06-21-2005, 12:59 PM

Check the rear shock settings, it may be too soft.

Check you tire pressure, it should be to spec.

Check the steering head for play, this is very critical if you you don't have a steering damper. If you do have a steering damper (it works like a small shock) it may need to be replaced.

Hope it helps

Timesh0cked · 06-21-2005, 01:07 PM

One of my buddy's suggested the damper, but they also said it should not shake the entire front end as bad as it does. Oh yah, not it does not currently have one.

rappidrabbit · 06-21-2005, 01:14 PM

TimeShocked from the nicest member of the board... agree with Bat4255...

themeatmanlandry · 06-21-2005, 02:27 PM

Is your front tire worn? Cupping in the front tire will cause that. Else, maybe steering head bearings?

<im thinkin its the tire>

Superbird · 06-21-2005, 02:45 PM

ya a bad tire would do that to you.

**inspiron** · 06-21-2005, 03:54 PM

Gotta agree with the meatman, it's most likely coming from the tire. Have you maybe lost a weight? (they are usually glued to the rim).

I would have a shop take off the tire and check that it's balanced properly.

When I took my bike in for service today, I mentioned to the mechanic that I'm getting some vibration when braking hard with the front brakes, most noticably when I'm doing over 80kmh and do a hard braking. The result ... both of my front discs are slighly warped (seems to be a common problem on the GSX 1400). He's seeing if Suzuki will replace them under warranty (the bike is 22 months old), otherwise I'll be forking out about CHF 800 to replace them...

Timesh0cked · 06-21-2005, 04:22 PM

Well I looked for a missing weight (my rim is rather dirty so i would assume a more clean spot would reveal something like that) I'm not getting any vibration when I apply brake though, so thats good(rotors are EXPENSIVE I've found out) The best thing i can think of is just to take the bike in and have it professionaly analyzed. I really apprecieate all the help from you guys though! Thanks!

themeatmanlandry · 06-21-2005, 04:32 PM

Again, cupped tire? You can tell that by looking at the tread . . . if it is worn more in some areas than others, that could be it.

Timesh0cked · 06-21-2005, 04:41 PM

I looked at the tire, i would say its got about 60-70% Tread left, looks great other then a little dry cracks on the sidewalls. I can't see any cupping.

themeatmanlandry · 06-21-2005, 04:45 PM

10-4

**87gsxrnut** · 06-21-2005, 05:09 PM

Bent wheel(s), bent triple, bent forks, bent frame, or combination of those. BTW, you most likely WON'T be able to see that with the naked eye. Wheels could be out of alignment. Swingarm bearings could be toast, or steering head bearings/triple clamp could be worn/loose. There might not be anything bent, but maybe the front end wasn't assembled quite right/correctly at some point (there is a way to do this on the front end to allow the parts to seat correctly before torquing down), allowing parts to be off enough to cause those problems.

Also, are your front AND real wheel BOTH bias play or BOTH radial? If you have one bias play and one radial, look out. AND as mentioned before, suspension adjustments can cause some of those problems as well.

Looks like you have some detective work to do.

- Nut

**87gsxrnut** · 06-21-2005, 09:11 PM

After some more thought, bad balance on one tire or both. Also, wheel bearings could be worn too.

- Nut

06-21-2005, 12:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
Timesh0cked Newbie Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: '99 VLX 600 Shadow, '94 Katana 600(project) Location: Livonia, MI Posts: 6	Front End shake...? Any ideas? Hello all, i'm new here to the board and very impressed with all the friendly suzuki riders here, so hello everyone! Anyways i gotta little problem with my bike maybe someone here might have had before. It's a 94 Kat 600 if it matters, when i reach speeds around 45+ MPH and let go of the handle bars, the front wheel starts to vibrate immediately? If I do not grab the handlebars within a second the bike will for sure go down. I'm pretty sure the forks arent bent, i've jacked the bike up and cannot feel anything loose? No humming from bearings. If i let go at any speeds below 45 everythings just fine with perfect control. . Well any suggestions are greatly apprectiated, although I understand it could be many things. Thanks -Josh

06-21-2005, 12:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
SuzukiGirl1 Moderatrix Joined: Mar 2004 Bike: 2004 SV650S Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 2,700	Yikes! That is very scary! I don't have any advice for you, but welcome to the board from one of the "nice Suzuki Riders" around here! __________________ SuzukiGirl '04 SV650S, Yellow...lovely!!

06-21-2005, 01:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
rappidrabbit TurtleWax Taster Joined: Feb 2005 Bike: Suzuki C-50....2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 580	TimeShocked from the nicest member of the board... agree with Bat4255... __________________ My cat is meaner than yours

06-21-2005, 02:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	Is your front tire worn? Cupping in the front tire will cause that. Else, maybe steering head bearings? <im thinkin its the tire> __________________ Go to hell

06-21-2005, 03:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
inspiron Muscle Biker Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: Blue Suzuki GSX 1400 (2003) Location: Canton Basel-Land, Switzerland (47.4493, 7.76536) Posts: 12,072	Gotta agree with the meatman, it's most likely coming from the tire. Have you maybe lost a weight? (they are usually glued to the rim). I would have a shop take off the tire and check that it's balanced properly. When I took my bike in for service today, I mentioned to the mechanic that I'm getting some vibration when braking hard with the front brakes, most noticably when I'm doing over 80kmh and do a hard braking. The result ... both of my front discs are slighly warped (seems to be a common problem on the GSX 1400). He's seeing if Suzuki will replace them under warranty (the bike is 22 months old), otherwise I'll be forking out about CHF 800 to replace them... __________________ There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe blog: gsx1400

06-21-2005, 12:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
bat4255 Squirrel Target Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: Burgman 650 K3- 29,100 miles as of 10-20-08 Location: Dodge Co. Wisconsin Posts: 663	Check the rear shock settings, it may be too soft. Check you tire pressure, it should be to spec. Check the steering head for play, this is very critical if you you don't have a steering damper. If you do have a steering damper (it works like a small shock) it may need to be replaced. Hope it helps

06-21-2005, 01:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
Timesh0cked Newbie Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: '99 VLX 600 Shadow, '94 Katana 600(project) Location: Livonia, MI Posts: 6	One of my buddy's suggested the damper, but they also said it should not shake the entire front end as bad as it does. Oh yah, not it does not currently have one.

06-21-2005, 02:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Superbird Banned Joined: Jan 2005 Bike: 2003 blk/silv GSXR 600 Location: Barksdale Air Force Base Posts: 455	ya a bad tire would do that to you.

06-21-2005, 04:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
Timesh0cked Newbie Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: '99 VLX 600 Shadow, '94 Katana 600(project) Location: Livonia, MI Posts: 6	Well I looked for a missing weight (my rim is rather dirty so i would assume a more clean spot would reveal something like that) I'm not getting any vibration when I apply brake though, so thats good(rotors are EXPENSIVE I've found out) The best thing i can think of is just to take the bike in and have it professionaly analyzed. I really apprecieate all the help from you guys though! Thanks!

06-21-2005, 04:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	Again, cupped tire? You can tell that by looking at the tread . . . if it is worn more in some areas than others, that could be it. __________________ Go to hell

06-21-2005, 04:41 PM	#11 (permalink)
Timesh0cked Newbie Joined: Jun 2005 Bike: '99 VLX 600 Shadow, '94 Katana 600(project) Location: Livonia, MI Posts: 6	I looked at the tire, i would say its got about 60-70% Tread left, looks great other then a little dry cracks on the sidewalls. I can't see any cupping.

06-21-2005, 04:45 PM	#12 (permalink)
themeatmanlandry Happy-ass Lunatic Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 2002 Bandit 600S (Black); 2006 GSXR750 (Black) Location: Memphis Posts: 11,423	10-4 __________________ Go to hell

06-21-2005, 05:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
87gsxrnut Ho Dog Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 867-5309 Location: Terror Lake Posts: 4,224	Bent wheel(s), bent triple, bent forks, bent frame, or combination of those. BTW, you most likely WON'T be able to see that with the naked eye. Wheels could be out of alignment. Swingarm bearings could be toast, or steering head bearings/triple clamp could be worn/loose. There might not be anything bent, but maybe the front end wasn't assembled quite right/correctly at some point (there is a way to do this on the front end to allow the parts to seat correctly before torquing down), allowing parts to be off enough to cause those problems. Also, are your front AND real wheel BOTH bias play or BOTH radial? If you have one bias play and one radial, look out. AND as mentioned before, suspension adjustments can cause some of those problems as well. Looks like you have some detective work to do. - Nut __________________ Person or person's unknown.

06-21-2005, 09:11 PM	#14 (permalink)
87gsxrnut Ho Dog Joined: Dec 2003 Bike: 867-5309 Location: Terror Lake Posts: 4,224	After some more thought, bad balance on one tire or both. Also, wheel bearings could be worn too. - Nut __________________ Person or person's unknown.

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