Problem with steering | GTAMotorcycle.com

Problem with steering

Cowmooflage

Well-known member
So there's a problem with my steering where it's wobbling (feels like the steering is gonna fall off or something, but the nuts are screwed in tightly on the handlebars - so it can't be the handlebars) and not staying straight when I let go of the handle bars (it should stay straight if everything is in its place). I'm trying to diagnose what's causing this to happen, based on some research this is what I found ...

a) something wrong with bearings (it may be loose?)
b) forks might be bent
c) forks are not aligned
d) rim is bent - might need weights
e) something is wrong with the tire

If anyone else could give me an opinion on this, that'd be great!

edit: I am going to Ted's this weekend (via CAA) this weekend, but I just wanna know what might be wrong and what kind of damages I may be looking at financially.
 
Last edited:
Take it to an expert. Any proper diagnosis requires actually looking at the bike and possibly making some measurements and doing some tests.
 
If it's a bearing problem, I can most likely fix it, but yes, I'm going down to Ted's on Saturday ... I just wanna know ahead what it would be.
 
Absolute first things I would eliminate based on your description would be the wheel bearings and steering head bearings. This is fairly simple to do, if you can get the front of the bike off the ground. With that kind of front end problem, unless you're comfortable repairing it yourself, you might as well take it to a mechanic to diagnose it because they're probably going to be fixing it anyway. It also sounds dangerous, so if you plan on riding any more this season I'd take care of it ASAP.
 
If the front tire is off the ground does the triple tree have any play other than left right steering? As in you can feel some forward back? You mentioned that everything is really tight. I once over torqued the head nut - the on to of the triple. It had the interesting effect of making the steering tighter - which causes you do not be able to make the fine micro adjustments while riding in the straight line. That resulted in the bike wobbling because the adjustments had to be more forced - because of the tighter steering. Basically over correction.

Once I torque it correctly - it steered fine - loosened it up.
 
I haven't touched the bearings on my bike.

I had a low side last week, and I fixed most of external damages like cosmetics and changing the shift lever, replacing the mirror, etc ... so the reason why it's wobbling is from my low side, but what's causing it? It shouldn't be over correction as I hadn't touched anything with the steering ...

The handlebar nuts are screwed on tightly, but everything else I listed, I haven't touched and was wondering if it could be any of those.
 
It's new information that this symptom started after a crash ... would have been nice to have that in post #1.

Something's bent, or the forks are twisted in the triple clamps, or something of that sort.
 
What bike is this? Make / Model?

Low side might have caused the issue...
 

Back
Top Bottom