Shaking them handlebars

Coolbpf · July 14th, 2012, 10:54 AM

So... I was riding the other day. I stupidly forgot to zip one of my jacket pockets and thus I zipped it up. I needed both hands so, since zipping up my pocket is quite obviously more important than driving the bike (sarcasm), I took them off the bars. after like, .5ish of a second the handlebars started shaking, almost like speed wobbles. I was only doing 35 though! I read somewhere that this means the bike's frame is bent or something? It's never been in a serious crash before

Is it bad that they shook so violently, so quickly?

xSean13 · July 14th, 2012, 11:02 AM

Could have been some crappy pavement?

cuz · July 14th, 2012, 11:06 AM

Link to original page on YouTube.

Alex · July 14th, 2012, 11:37 AM

Front End Wobbles

My pre-gen and new-gen both have this behavior as the tires wear.

alex.s · July 14th, 2012, 11:49 AM

yeah it doesnt do it with brand new tires... once they have a few K on them they do it

Motofool · July 14th, 2012, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

........I read somewhere that this means the bike's frame is bent or something?

Is it bad that they shook so violently, so quickly?

Just wrong information.

It can become bad if you fight it or brake and the oscillations become so strong that you could loose control.

As stated above, it is characteristic of these bikes and it worsens with high speeds; hence, keep at least one hand on the bars.

dirty nasty · July 14th, 2012, 02:12 PM

I can take both hands off my bars and I have absolutely zero shaking issues.

LoneRonin · July 14th, 2012, 03:54 PM

use to happen to me all the time on my last set tires, since getting Pilot Powers put on it never happened again. Now I can comfortably cruise handsfree from 100-5kph...

Coolbpf · July 16th, 2012, 10:05 PM

Okay thanks. The scooter demo is exactly what happens. The tires both have 1.4k miles on them, so they're fairly newish. Oh well, as long as my frame is fine or whatever I don't care. riding with no hands isn't intelligent anyhow.

espacef1fan · July 17th, 2012, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolbpf

Okay thanks. The scooter demo is exactly what happens. The tires both have 1.4k miles on them, so they're fairly newish. Oh well, as long as my frame is fine or whatever I don't care. riding with no hands isn't intelligent anyhow.

Check to see if the tread is "cupped".

Google "motorcycle tire cupping" for more info.

NDspd · July 17th, 2012, 05:59 PM

That happened on my new-gen in the same situation all the time. I usually have one hand always on, never know when something will jump out at you.

RiderOnTheStorm · July 17th, 2012, 06:31 PM

Maybe I am way off here, but isn't this normal motorcycle dynamics? I read in the Proficient Motorcycling book by David Hough (highly recommended read!) that the bike "rolls ever so slightly from one side to the other as it balances itself, sort of like a clock pendulum. This self-balancing act is more obvious at slower speeds because the front tire requires greater steering input at slower speeds to get the same effect." (p52)

If there was something severely wrong, wouldn't you feel it with hands on the bars too?

Motofool · July 17th, 2012, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiderOnTheStorm

Maybe I am way off here, but isn't this normal motorcycle dynamics?

It is normal dynamics for any mass able to oscillate around a fulcrum that has a lever respect to that center of mass.
It happens in cars, in bicycles as well as in control surfaces of airplanes (flutter).

Link to original page on YouTube.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_wobble

The contact patch of our front tires is aft the steering axis; hence, there is a lever.
The proper (regarding intensity and timing) sideways force over that patch can become an amplified oscillation around that axis.
Our hands and forearms act like shock absorbers of those oscillations.
When they are not sufficient, steering dampeners are used.

What the book refers to is more related to the stability generated by the gyroscopic effect of the wheels and tires.

July 14th, 2012, 10:54 AM	#1
Coolbpf Limp Noodle Name: Tyler Location: Missouri Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250, Fastest Red money can buy Posts: 212	Shaking them handlebars So... I was riding the other day. I stupidly forgot to zip one of my jacket pockets and thus I zipped it up. I needed both hands so, since zipping up my pocket is quite obviously more important than driving the bike (sarcasm), I took them off the bars. after like, .5ish of a second the handlebars started shaking, almost like speed wobbles. I was only doing 35 though! I read somewhere that this means the bike's frame is bent or something? It's never been in a serious crash before Is it bad that they shook so violently, so quickly?

July 14th, 2012, 11:06 AM	#3
cuz cuz Name: Israel Location: Houston (me) Galveston Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 09 ninja 250r Posts: A lot.	Totally reminded me of this. Link to original page on YouTube. Link to original page on YouTube. __________________________________________________ THE GOOD LIFE

July 14th, 2012, 11:37 AM	#4
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Front End Wobbles My pre-gen and new-gen both have this behavior as the tires wear. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

July 14th, 2012, 11:49 AM	#5
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	yeah it doesnt do it with brand new tires... once they have a few K on them they do it __________________________________________________

July 14th, 2012, 03:54 PM	#8
LoneRonin ninjette.org sage Name: Jason Location: Mississauga Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 09 Ninja 250r Posts: 634	use to happen to me all the time on my last set tires, since getting Pilot Powers put on it never happened again. Now I can comfortably cruise handsfree from 100-5kph... __________________________________________________ ”Any man dies with a clean sword, I’ll rape his f*ing corpse!”- The Hound

July 14th, 2012, 11:02 AM	#2
xSean13 ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Sean Location: Middle TN Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250r (sold) / '03 CBR 600RR Posts: A lot.	Could have been some crappy pavement?

July 14th, 2012, 02:12 PM	#7
dirty nasty ninjette.org sage Name: Karl Location: MA Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2000 Kwak Ninja 250 and 1998 Yamaha YZ400F Posts: 534	I can take both hands off my bars and I have absolutely zero shaking issues.

July 16th, 2012, 10:05 PM	#9
Coolbpf Limp Noodle Name: Tyler Location: Missouri Join Date: Jun 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2006 Ninja 250, Fastest Red money can buy Posts: 212	Okay thanks. The scooter demo is exactly what happens. The tires both have 1.4k miles on them, so they're fairly newish. Oh well, as long as my frame is fine or whatever I don't care. riding with no hands isn't intelligent anyhow.

July 17th, 2012, 05:59 PM	#11
NDspd 1/4 English, 3/4 Kick Ass Name: Jeremy Location: Dayton, OH Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2002 Triumph Speed Triple 955i, '05 Suzuki SV650S(retired), '11 Ninja 250R(sold) Posts: A lot.	That happened on my new-gen in the same situation all the time. I usually have one hand always on, never know when something will jump out at you.

July 17th, 2012, 06:31 PM	#12
RiderOnTheStorm ninjette.org member Name: Brian Location: El Paso, TX Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Blue 08 250 - Blue Magic Posts: 162	Maybe I am way off here, but isn't this normal motorcycle dynamics? I read in the Proficient Motorcycling book by David Hough (highly recommended read!) that the bike "rolls ever so slightly from one side to the other as it balances itself, sort of like a clock pendulum. This self-balancing act is more obvious at slower speeds because the front tire requires greater steering input at slower speeds to get the same effect." (p52) If there was something severely wrong, wouldn't you feel it with hands on the bars too?

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