Front end shimmy

[drodg]

I could be imagining this but my R1200RT seems to have a slight front end shimmy. I have never noticed it before and I put a new set up Conti Road Attacks on about 500 miles ago. I have noticed a light shimmy in the handle bars that doesn't feel like a tire out of balanced or a brake rotor shimmy. Any suggestions? Thanks

[bross]

Sorry to state the obvious, but you've checked your tire pressure? Maybe lost a wheel weight? Look for any residue like double sided tape etc. where a weight may have been. Checked your steering head bearings?

[drodg]

I checked no loss of wheel weights and I am running right at about 38psi. I thought the same thing yesterday that I might be running too low of air pressure.

[black99S]

do you notice the 'shimmy' when following cube vans or in turbulent air behind vehicles? Is the 'shimmy' gone when you are in clean air?

[bross]

do you notice the 'shimmy' when following cube vans or in turbulent air behind vehicles? Is the 'shimmy' gone when you are in clean air?

Minivans are the worst for turbulence. Staying loose on the bars while you are being buffeted about?

 

Did it start as soon as you put the new tires on?

[drodg]

This has nothing to do with the vehicle in front of me. I have had the bike for a few year. This is a shimmy when I am all by my lonesome. I agree minivans and SUV's are the worse!

[JustKrusen]

Sometimes it just is the tires. I've gone through about 8 set on my Wing. It seems like every other set has a slight shimmy to them at around 35-45 mph. Except one set of Metzelers had a terrible wobble to them from day one.

[drodg]

I was riding Monday and I thought have I had this before or is it just my imagination. It's very light and not that annoying but it must be the tire change and I am wondering if anyone else has noticed this on Conti Road attacks?

[JustKrusen]

Actually I put Contis on my RT at about 9000. It had a very slight shimmy for a while. Now at 12,000 it seems to be gone. I had Pilot Roads on before and there was no shimmy or wobble.

 

Do you feel it all the time or at low speeds with your hands off the bars?

[bross]

I was riding Monday and I thought have I had this before or is it just my imagination. It's very light and not that annoying but it must be the tire change and I am wondering if anyone else has noticed this on Conti Road attacks?

I just installed a set of RoadAttacks this spring, replacing the OEM Z6's and so far nothing but great feel and handling. I really like the RA's better than the Z6s. Not that the Z6's were bad but there's just something about the RA's that feels so much better. They just seem to tip in easier and where I point the bike it goes. It's like it's steering itself. I have gotten way more confident with the RAs than I ever was with the Z6's. This is my first "sporty" bike coming from cruisers so I'm still learning to trust the bike and tires when leaning but I must be getting better, on our lunch time ride with a co-worker yesterday Tim said after coming through a tight set of 40-45MPH "S" curves: "You better not lean that thing over any more, your jug was only about an inch off the ground!"

 

So no I have nothing but good things to report about the RAs.

 

Does it happen on all roads? I had a Yamaha cruiser that just drove me nuts going through the one town on my way home. It used to feel like the wheel was way out of balance or round. The handlebars would literally be moving up and down probably a half inch. I had it to the dealer several times and had both wheels balanced numerous times, had them replace the fork oil with heavier oil, checked everything and they could never find anything wrong when they rode it. Turns out it was the new pavement going through that town, I don't know if the bike had the exact same wheelbase as the packer that packed that stretch of new ashphalt or what but when I took a backroad home it stopped doing it. Sorry not much help, but maybe it isn't the bike maybe it's the road surface.

[drodg]

Actually I put Contis on my RT at about 9000. It had a very slight shimmy for a while. Now at 12,000 it seems to be gone. I had Pilot Roads on before and there was no shimmy or wobble.

 

I had Bridgestones before and I never noticed it. It seems to happen more at 45-60 and I can see the handlebars like shimmy back and forth if I take my hands off the bars. I can feel it also.

 

Do you feel it all the time or at low speeds with your hands off the bars?