Just so this shows up in the future in google "motorcycle steering bearing wobble"

So I put new stearing berings in my F2, specifically I went with the nice tapered ones. The bike was fine, but then developed head shake durring light braking as they became loose. I got back to the nut above the top bearing, and sure enough it had come loose and settled a bunch.

Anyways, I tightened it down a good ways, then reassmbled the bike and left my friends garage. On the ride away the bike had a gentle sway to it, the equivelant to what many of us do when putzing down a long straight highway to avoid boredom. At first I thought it was me, but then it became clear after a while the bike was swaying.

Tire pressure hadn't changed since it road better before, but in putting the top triple tree on and everything I worried the forks may have come out of alignment, with one being higher than the other. So, I took the beast and got both forks all the way out to the retaining clips, ensuring they're as close as I can get them without measuring.

This somewhat helped the issue, however the bike still feels like it's tracking random cracks in the road at random, where before the bike felt quite stable.

I managed to find on a FZ6 forum via google searching that this supposedly is usually linked to over tightening the steering bearing. Anyone have any experience with this? Think it's the case?


Anyways, just wondering if anyone has experience with replacing their steering bearings, developing a sway / wobble, and then alleviating the problem.

Thanks,
Jesse

 

I'd say the bearings aren't tightened down enough - they settle quite a bit and it takes time..............just tighten them again..........and check the rest of the bolts holding the bars etc aren't loose........
Check the wheelbearings and axle are OK.

 

We did tighten them down quite significantly hence I'm blaming them. We tightened them down as they'd settled from the first install very notably, with the retainers having become finger loose. When it's loose, it doesn't cause a sway, it causes mild but clinky headshake under light braking.

 

The sway is caused my your head bearings being too tight and restricting small steering motions. This causes your steering to be a little slow and the bike will weave.

If the bearing races were in stalled properly, they do not "settle"

You headshake is caused by something else, cupped tires, worn wheel bearings, soft rear spring (not enough weight on the front), etc.

Good luck hunting!

 

Yeah they were too tight. Not sure what caused the settle-ing that you say doesn't happen. Perhaps it just wasn't tight enough the first time. Either way, it's gangster right now.