Hi guys,I have a problem I really can't find,at around 90mph front or bars really gets out of shape,so much so I'm scared to run her up to test I thought it was gonna kill me,since rebuild,I went on a1000mile in 30hrs trip as close to 90mph cruising as I dare with front end vague shit roads and V light on most of the time(too hot ,no faults) I can keep up with a group of Harleys,so embarrassing,I've fitted tapered head bearings front wheel bearings,fork seals genuine oil set to my weight,I didn't find any problems with old bearings as they where put in with new tyres !!swing arm bearings feel fine as do rear wheel bearing but I change them anyway ,not swingman,I took the wheel for balancing for fun and you can see the wheels not true,bike has never been on the floor so I'm miffed how did it happen,and the stupid question is,would this cause my front end woes,also stripped and rebuilt rear shock filled with mogul gassed with nitrogen at 150psi,now a confession as those in the know might have the answer,IF I have my son on the back 30kg. No problems ,if someone can advise I need straight line top speed stability on really shit roads better suited to a bmw gs1200 ,there are no curves so I don't need the handling round curves,many thanks ,ps I used a map from buelltooth and its really good

Hi wheels not true- or tyres badly fitted or warped due to poor storage or manufacture,
I would check rims as well as tyres, bulge in tyre,
tyre pressures ?

Head bearings too tight

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Yeah ! Thanks for replies there's some really bad spelling in my post sorry,here's the solution ,,took the wheel to a wheel guy to get it trued up,(fucked up my new paint ,thanks) as I was checking the wheel I noticed the tyre direction was wrong this is after you lay the wheel on the tyre in the correct position for the monkey to fit it,he also asks what direction ? I really didn't feel the need to doubt he'd do it wrong,(pirelli dealer) as a result begrudgingly fitted a steering damper for safety on my trip,came home pulled everything to bits change everything for laughs and because I've got so much spare money to waste NOT plus I need to repaint the wheel it now balanced up with 10 gms instead of the 60 , I suppose the moral of the story is check the monkey

I'd be surprised if a tyre on the wrong way around would cause a weave. A lot of racers on a tight budget reverse their tyres to get a bit more life, especially if they ride a circuit that wears the tyre more one side than the other. I once emailed Avon to ask if a reversed tyre would do any harm ( in the dry) because the tyre I fitted to my T140 looked shite when fitted the correct way around. Like Gus said, I'd be looking at head race bearings being too tight.

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Thanks Adam,I'd never experienced this before it's like a heavy strong weave,I thought this has to be the reason so I'm just getting it back together to test it ,I'm using tapered roller bearings in the head,so you can't torque it as they are to tight and it all swings nice and smooth nothing untoward ,I trust myself to set them up but any extra advice is welcomed maybe I'm missing something,I couldn't get my torque wrench to work anti clockwise but again common sense is applied if you go to tight it will grab,nip and lock is what I do,if you know different ?? Please tell ,many thanks for a reply though,we learn everyday

I've never used a torque wrench on head bearings (or the rather silly procedure with Spring balances that Buell specify) just an arm calibrated light 'nip' especially for taper rollers. A good tugging on the fork bottoms tells you when there's no play and make sure the forks flop to each side without cables etc. I'm not suggesting my method is correct, but it works for me

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me too

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Are you setting the head bearings with the wheel and forks in ? They will act as a big pendulum masking over tightness try adjusting them with just the yokes on till the play goes but they're still smooth. The reverse of this usually masks knackered standard xb head bearings. Just my two penneth worth.

No,I always like extra work I can give stuff a clean ,those forks come with me at shower time and the wheels I set up yokes only,and yes Adam I have the same elbow as you and its always served me well. !!! Thanks for your pennies though

Ok guys problem solved the bottom bearing fitted on without force so it wasn't tight on the stem,I used bearing seal loctite bolted it up overnight to cure now it's strong,I also in my wisdom(stupidity) I put a 1.5mm bush under the base bearing,I don't know ! why but it caused the base bearing to rock on the ramp on the shaft,it was all my own doing ,everything is good now ,I was the monkey,thanks guys,I actually met a guy from Australia who's very well connected to moto gp ,I took the yikes and bearings to him he sussed it immediately ,I think he's a genius

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Roll 'em tight and keep 'em hot, Ribi

Steve

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Back on the road again!

Hi Steve I'm not sure I follow you,do you mean bearings or Bush ?? But while I'm here I remember why I put slim Bush spacers in head bearings ,,,because the original buell ones that look like a wheel bearing has in inner lip !!