December 4th, 2013, 06:42 PM | #1 |
Jedi on Two Wheels
Name: Cameron
Location: Kent Island
Join Date: Nov 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250r (Slightly Modded) Posts: 489
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Handlebars wobble
So I noticed today coming back from getting my food on my lunch break, that after around 40mph, if I took my hands off the handlebars they would wobble. As soon as I put a light grip they would stop. Now, I know the simple response would be "Don't take your hands off the bars, duh."
Is this something I should be taking a look at when I get my bike back? My bike is being inspected about 16 miles away from home. And won't be ready until tomorrow. Only thing I could come up with through google was tire pressure or tire wear (but both tires should have around 3k left). Anything else I should look into? Or is this normal? Like I said it doesn't happen below 40mph. |
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December 4th, 2013, 06:47 PM | #2 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
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I won't mention tapered bearings.
I don't think I've ever took both hands off... I ride one handed a lot though. There is at least one thread around on the subject, somewhere.
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December 4th, 2013, 07:02 PM | #3 |
That's me!
Name: TJ
Location: Ames, IA
Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r (Tis blue), 2008 CBR600RR Posts: 454
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More often than not it's from the "simple things" like tire pressure, but one maintenance item that will cause that is loose steering head bearings. My 250's been doing that for a little while now I just haven't gotten around to tightening it. Maybe I'll do a write-up on it seeing as it is relevant to all 250's.
Last futzed with by VeX; December 4th, 2013 at 07:10 PM. Reason: misspelling |
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December 4th, 2013, 07:08 PM | #4 |
Jedi on Two Wheels
Name: Cameron
Location: Kent Island
Join Date: Nov 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250r (Slightly Modded) Posts: 489
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Oh okay, well as long it wasn't anything too serious.
The bike I have was babied by the OG owner and well-taken care of by it's 2nd owner. But I still had a laundry list of stuff I wanted to do, regardless. I'm hoping to: - Clean the carbs - Clean the airfilter/box - Fresh Brake Pads - Rejet (not sure if was done to account for aftermaket slip-on) - Adjust valves - Change oil & filter - Change tires in the spring. So if there was anything else, I figured I'd add it to the list. Ill write down to check the bearings too. I usually keep both hands on there haha, I only did it out of curiosity. |
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December 4th, 2013, 07:19 PM | #5 | |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
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Quote:
When checking out your bike always start with the simplest thing like saves ya time and money I've heard tires out of balance, and something about the bar end weights as well... That's about the only 5 answers I can think of Tire pressure Tire wear Tire balance Bar weights Head bearings
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December 4th, 2013, 07:38 PM | #6 |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
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http://www.ninjette.org/wiki/Front_End_Wobbles
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=121404
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December 4th, 2013, 09:12 PM | #7 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Jim
Location: NJ
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300, KTM EXC610SMR Posts: 913
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If you want to fix it, and your tire isn't cupped causing this wobble, read here;
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=119551 The stock steering bearings on these bikes are a joke. It seems a matter of pride to deny that in this forum for some reason. I don't get it. Add "All Balls" steering bearing to your list IMO. My kids 2012 250 had steering bearing failure at around 800 miles as I recall. I fought to find my wobble for several hundred miles if not 1000. Tightening them won't fix it. They are super cheapo and the races will probably be badly scarred if they were loose. There are pics at the Ninja 300 sight of bearings at 1000 miles with trashed races. They can't function correctly like that, no matter how tight you turn the collar. Even at their best, they don't give good control and location of the steering stem. Inferior loose ball bearings as opposed to the proper caged balls or the tapered roller bearings. Garbage. |
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December 4th, 2013, 09:25 PM | #8 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
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We really do have crappy head bearings
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December 4th, 2013, 11:13 PM | #9 | |||
Jedi on Two Wheels
Name: Cameron
Location: Kent Island
Join Date: Nov 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250r (Slightly Modded) Posts: 489
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
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December 5th, 2013, 06:00 AM | #10 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
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December 5th, 2013, 07:42 AM | #11 | |
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Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
The lesser mass of the front wheel-steering system of a bicycle makes it less likely to happen, but is still possible, like for any oscillating system (the steering system and the contact patch of the tire act like a pendulum). It happens to airplanes too, a rapid oscillation being called flutter of the lifting and control surfaces. These oscillations of the handlebars are the reaction to an off-center disturbance. They can die out by themselves or they can grow stronger (resonance = tank slapper), depending on the natural frequency of the system. If still interested, check these out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resonance http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...t=tank+slapper
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Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
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December 5th, 2013, 12:10 PM | #12 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Jim
Location: NJ
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300, KTM EXC610SMR Posts: 913
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Expanding on that previous post, if the steering bearings don't securely locate the stem, those oscillations are amplified. The "loose" balls don't cover the area equally, rather they randomly fall where they may around the race, and independently of what the top or bottom ones are doing.
It is as if they designed this bike to wobble. It is the perfect storm. Tiny fork tubes, poor bearing choice and a good amount of vehicle weight. Flex away! |
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December 5th, 2013, 02:10 PM | #13 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
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That's what she said! Lol too easy!
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December 5th, 2013, 05:22 PM | #14 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
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December 5th, 2013, 05:26 PM | #15 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Jim
Location: NJ
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300, KTM EXC610SMR Posts: 913
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Loose balls = a wobbly stem!
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December 5th, 2013, 05:30 PM | #16 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
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Goal: Shake A Million Hands | Look through the corners | Track Day Prep | Closest track? | The Mid-Ohio School |
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December 5th, 2013, 05:54 PM | #17 |
ninjette.org member
Name: Jon
Location: California
Join Date: May 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Ninja 250 Posts: 151
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I got sucked into this thread at work and lost about an hour. The breakroom is cold...
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December 5th, 2013, 06:00 PM | #18 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much.
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it wasn't lost, was spent researching
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December 5th, 2013, 06:05 PM | #19 |
Certifiable nontundrum
Name: Harper
Location: NC Milkshake stand
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I don't want no wobbly stem, an mine hasn't wobbled yet thankfully!
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December 5th, 2013, 06:26 PM | #20 |
ninjette.org sage
Name: Jim
Location: NJ
Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 300, KTM EXC610SMR Posts: 913
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You have much stem stabilizing experience?
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December 5th, 2013, 08:51 PM | #21 | |
Daily Ninjette rider
Name: Hernan
Location: Florida
Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.
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Quote:
I had a 150 cc motorcycle that was a nightmare regarding steering wobbling. At times, I couldn't control the thing even with both hands on the handlebar. I tried everything that I knew back then, all resulting in no improvement. I finally found out that the balls of the steering bearings had made little craters on the tracks. The weight of the bike made the balls try staying in those craters, fighting the normal steering adjusting oscillation. It was funny to see how the whole steering tried to adopt those fixed positions when left alone (it looked like something magnetic), while the bike was on the center-stand with the front wheel in the air. Once I replaced those bearings by new ones, the whole problem disappeared.
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Motofool .................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí |
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