I have an 06' CBR 1000 and I have always noticed ever since I got this bike that the steering is way more sensitive than my old bike...and today whenI was riding I was stretching my back out and when I let go of the handle bars I was going about 60 or so, the handle bars started to shimmy, or shake back and forth real fast, kind of like the starting of a speed wobble, and when I go to grab them it settles out....I also noticed that this only happens if i'm going at least 60 mph or faster....but I don't think this is normal...do any of you guys have any ideas so what might be wrong???? please let me know thanks!

 

That's what you get for letting the bars go while going 60 mph or faster.

 

Yeah, but regardless of that...if you let the handle bars go at any speed they shouldn't start to shimmy? or atleast I wouldn't think so...my ZX-6R didn't do that i know for sure....I don't understand what is causing the instability

 

Check for uneven wear (cupping) to your front tire.

 

most likely it's been layed over before and fixed and either had some rotor or fork damage thats not aligned properly

happens quite often

 

I checked the front tire and it doesn't look like that it has any cupping, but yes it has been layed over at very slow speed on right side before I bought it...the damage was very minimal because most of the bike fell on the guys leg instead of the ground so the only damage was the a small scrap on the back tail and the right rear peg was scraped but other than that the bike looks great....but I did just notice when I stand in front of the bike and lock the front wheel with my leg and try to turn the handle bars, it seems, that I can turn them alittle bit while the wheel is not moving...but its not like sloppy or anything like a wheel bearing it seems like it might be in the forks, i don't know

 

something is probably loose but maybe wheel is not balanced? thats why a lower speeds its ok but at higher speeds its more sensitive.

 

The HESD (Honda Electronic Steering Damper) is supposed to take care of that. It works so well that you can actually hit one of the handles while not holding on and the wheel straightens itself out. Other possible causes are improper fork settings, different fluid levels in the forks (are your fork seals leaking?), improper tire pressure, etc. The balance of the wheel has nothing to do with wobbling, only hopping. But regardless, the HESD is supposed to eliminate head shake.

 

My 06 started doing that when it was layed down on the highway. Not a tremendous crash, but it hit the ground hard and slid for a good while. I never did find out what it was (because a couple months later, she was totaled anyway). But from the people I talked with, it was either wheel balancing, or the front end was slightly off balance from the crash.

If yours is really as bad as you say it is, then you definitely need to take it in to a trusted dealer/shop and have it fixed ASAP. That is no where near normal and can be potentially dangerous if it's something loose or about to fail.

 

yeah, something is tweaked or very loosesomewhere. Like already said, the HESD takes care of headshake at speed. So, either yours is not working, or or something is really, really wrong.

as you said, even if there isnt a steering damper on a bike, it still should not shake like that.

Find a way to get your front end off the ground. Raise your front wheel a few inches from the ground. Loosen up all the bolts on your triple tree. reset your forks into the triple tree. This is also a good time to make sure your wheel is tight.

the only problem with buying a bike that has been over is you have noway of knowing how bad it was. It could have been a really bad spill and the guy just replaced the majority of the parts. then, with most of the parts fixed, he can then say oh, it was just an easy lay over.

If you do end taking to a dealership to have them look at it, make sure to have them test the HESD.