head wobble

[hickeybond]

hi everyone! just sold my beloved 1500 wing..i just bought my 4th 1800..i picked up a 2001 red wing from the original owner..only 11,000 miles on her..ok, it does have a front end wobble. one of my three other 1800's had this also. checked air pressure..tires are good. what is the best way to rid this wing of the wobbles? thank you scott

[cihilb]

With only 11k miles, the steering head bearings should not be worn yet. I had this problem on my 2004. I re-torqued the steering head bearings and the problem disappeared.
You can try increasing the front tire pressure to about 40 lbs. It may help.
As far as the tires being good, a lot depends on the brand of tire and the scalloping of the tread. Some are more prone to this problem.
If it only does this when you let go of the bars, just don't let go.

[hickeybond]

thank you sir. i will try all the things you mentioned

[cihilb]

thank you sir. i will try all the things you mentioned

Tightening the head bearings is an involved procedure. It is not hard, but it does take time and patience. You need to follow the procedure correctly. You will also need the proper socket/sockets to use on the castle nuts and a good torque wrench.

[dtcad]

If, it was my bike, I would inspect the tires for cupping or other odd wear patterns. If good, then the pressure. 41 rear, 38 or 39 front. If thst didnt help, then raise the front wheel off the ground. Rotate the wheel back and forth to see if there is any lumpy feel in the headstock bearings. If good pull then push the forks front to rear several times to see if there is any indication of slack in the bearings or fork sliders. If all so far is good, next I would loosen up the front wheel axel and remove it. Check it to be sure it isn't bent. If good, clean the fork axle hole area where the axle is clamped by the pinch bolts. Be sure there is no grease or dirt in the holes. Clean the axle where the fork clamps ride on the axle. Be sure it is free of grease and dirt. Reinstall the axle following the step by step instructions in the manual. Be sure to bounce the suspension and check the left fork alignment before tightening the left fork axle pinch bolts. Also check the headstock fork pinch bolts to be sure they are tight. Hopefully some or all of this will fix it.

[hickeybond]

thank you very much for the help