Front wobble at high speed cornering

L6BUSA

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Hi guys , seeking help here as my last resort .
Recently changed the front tyre(S23) & i notice at high speed corners(180-210kmh) my front end feels light and wobble on the mid of leaning . I frequently take the same road back & used to execute the corner smoothly at same speed & same body position . Pressure were 36/39 cold always . Front wheel bearing looks good torque up to specs , new front tire were install properly with aligned marking , balancing were done twice . Cant really think of an answer . Could it be fork , rear suspension , steering head bearings or steering damper ? Appreciate anyone's help !
 
Hi guys , seeking help here as my last resort .
Recently changed the front tyre(S23) & i notice at high speed corners(180-210kmh) my front end feels light and wobble on the mid of leaning . I frequently take the same road back & used to execute the corner smoothly at same speed & same body position . Pressure were 36/39 cold always . Front wheel bearing looks good torque up to specs , new front tire were install properly with aligned marking , balancing were done twice . Cant really think of an answer . Could it be fork , rear suspension , steering head bearings or steering damper ? Appreciate anyone's help !
.........so the wobble started when you changed tires to the S23?

I believe you have your answer....... @jellyrug and a couple others have expressed having issues with their S23s....
 
Hi guys , seeking help here as my last resort .
Recently changed the front tyre(S23) & i notice at high speed corners(180-210kmh) my front end feels light and wobble on the mid of leaning . I frequently take the same road back & used to execute the corner smoothly at same speed & same body position . Pressure were 36/39 cold always . Front wheel bearing looks good torque up to specs , new front tire were install properly with aligned marking , balancing were done twice . Cant really think of an answer . Could it be fork , rear suspension , steering head bearings or steering damper ? Appreciate anyone's help !

The forks and rear suspension Do work together, as in, one does effect the other, however, you say nothing changed but the tire.
Is the air temperature the same as with the previous tire?
Is the ride time before the tire shakes the same? Because not only the temperature of the tires makes a difference, but also the temperature of the fork and shock oil.
Usually 20-30 minutes of average riding, in fair conditions, will warm things up into better handling.
Could you possibly be riding a little faster on new tires?
Even a small amount faster can be enough to lift the tire or upset the front end at speed.
If the tire was not balanced correctly, or was defective, you would have a shake at certain speeds, even on smooth roads.
Steering head bearings should be noticeable if they were they cause, as the bars would rattle or clunk over bumps, but, not impossible, they do wear out(what is the bike's mileage?)
You can easily test the steering bearings.
With the bike in 1st gear, engine running, clutch pulled in, and the front brake firmly held, ease out on the clutch until it begins to engage, then pull the clutch lever back in. Do that a few times.
If the bearings are bad, you will feel, hear, and sometimes even see the frame push and rock the forks and bars.
If you do replace them, as it is basic maintenance eventually, tapered bearings are recommended, vs the stock ball bearings, as the tapered bearings will help the bike track better.
As a for a steering dampner, yes they can help, and are good to have.
They personalize the feel of the bars resistance, and they can calm headshake.
They also will Not prevent a tank slapper, and you need to be sure that your bike's suspension is set up correctly before adding an aftermarket dampner, or at least with it turned to it's least resistance.
A steering dampner can be a nice improvement, and it can mask an incorrectly set suspension.
I would measure the fork height in the triple-clamps to make sure they are both the same, assuming so there is no issue, but their height is adjustable, so you can speed or slow corner tip-in by doing so.
If you are over 200 pounds wearing riding gear, then you are too heavy for the fork springs, and need heavier ones for your weight.
Suspension sag needs to be 30-35mm for aggressive riding, with 35-40mm working well, but the softer ride giving less control at higher speeds under most conditions.
Make sure that the chain is not too tight either, because if it is, it limits the range of travel for the shock, which can make the ride feel rigid or very bumpy.
That is usually felt through the rear of the bike too, but again given that the front and rear suspension Do directly effect one another, under the right conditions, vibrations or harshness from a tight chain could possibly be felt through the front end as well.
If the tire vibrated badly at the same speed on a smooth road, even a high speed(which is not uncommon), that would of course point to the tire or balance.
If the tire itself is not the same make and model, it's weight will not be the same, and can require a suspension adjustment.
The suspension, as it is now, may need slightly less compression or more rebound in the forks regardless.
I would go over the bike with a torque wrench, check your suspension settings, note where they are, and pick One setting at a time to make minor adjustments to.
 
The forks and rear suspension Do work together, as in, one does effect the other, however, you say nothing changed but the tire.
Is the air temperature the same as with the previous tire?
Is the ride time before the tire shakes the same? Because not only the temperature of the tires makes a difference, but also the temperature of the fork and shock oil.
Usually 20-30 minutes of average riding, in fair conditions, will warm things up into better handling.
Could you possibly be riding a little faster on new tires?
Even a small amount faster can be enough to lift the tire or upset the front end at speed.
If the tire was not balanced correctly, or was defective, you would have a shake at certain speeds, even on smooth roads.
Steering head bearings should be noticeable if they were they cause, as the bars would rattle or clunk over bumps, but, not impossible, they do wear out(what is the bike's mileage?)
You can easily test the steering bearings.
With the bike in 1st gear, engine running, clutch pulled in, and the front brake firmly held, ease out on the clutch until it begins to engage, then pull the clutch lever back in. Do that a few times.
If the bearings are bad, you will feel, hear, and sometimes even see the frame push and rock the forks and bars.
If you do replace them, as it is basic maintenance eventually, tapered bearings are recommended, vs the stock ball bearings, as the tapered bearings will help the bike track better.
As a for a steering dampner, yes they can help, and are good to have.
They personalize the feel of the bars resistance, and they can calm headshake.
They also will Not prevent a tank slapper, and you need to be sure that your bike's suspension is set up correctly before adding an aftermarket dampner, or at least with it turned to it's least resistance.
A steering dampner can be a nice improvement, and it can mask an incorrectly set suspension.
I would measure the fork height in the triple-clamps to make sure they are both the same, assuming so there is no issue, but their height is adjustable, so you can speed or slow corner tip-in by doing so.
If you are over 200 pounds wearing riding gear, then you are too heavy for the fork springs, and need heavier ones for your weight.
Suspension sag needs to be 30-35mm for aggressive riding, with 35-40mm working well, but the softer ride giving less control at higher speeds under most conditions.
Make sure that the chain is not too tight either, because if it is, it limits the range of travel for the shock, which can make the ride feel rigid or very bumpy.
That is usually felt through the rear of the bike too, but again given that the front and rear suspension Do directly effect one another, under the right conditions, vibrations or harshness from a tight chain could possibly be felt through the front end as well.
If the tire vibrated badly at the same speed on a smooth road, even a high speed(which is not uncommon), that would of course point to the tire or balance.
If the tire itself is not the same make and model, it's weight will not be the same, and can require a suspension adjustment.
The suspension, as it is now, may need slightly less compression or more rebound in the forks regardless.
I would go over the bike with a torque wrench, check your suspension settings, note where they are, and pick One setting at a time to make minor adjustments to.
Lots of great sage advice and guidance however, I still say it's a fault with the tire because it just started after changing the tire.....

I also recall it was a Michelin PR6 not an S23 that @jellyrug had issues with......right jelly?
 
Lots of great sage advice and guidance however, I still say it's a fault with the tire because it just started after changing the tire.....

I also recall it was a Michelin PR6 not an S23 that @jellyrug had issues with......right jelly?
Yep, mine is stable, just pulling left when I let go of the bars. Decided to live with it. It appears Michelin has addressed that.
 
I've seen tires mounted with the arrow pointing in the wrong direction and what drives me nuts is they don't align the dot on the tire with the valve stem and add more weight :banghead:
 
I've seen tires mounted with the arrow pointing in the wrong direction and what drives me nuts is they don't align the dot on the tire with the valve stem and add more weight :banghead:

The direction arrow really on matters in the rain, as street tread is designed to shed water, but I get what you're saying about doing it right.
 
Appreciate the advice guys , i still couldn't decide where i should start . However , im starting to see quick wear on my rear slightly to the right from mid of tyre . I'll probably start looking into the rear suspension since the issue i am facing was front end getting light & wobbling left to right in mid corners , causing more weight to go back and lifting the front end at bends .
Mind sharing the best suspension rebound settings ?
FYI
Weight - 100KG
Tyre pressure - 36F 39R
Full stock except for R77 exhaust
Bike is NOT vibrating . issue is only front feels light , wobble left & right at high speeds cornering (180-200kmh)

IMG_6051.webp
 
Appreciate the advice guys , i still couldn't decide where i should start . However , im starting to see quick wear on my rear slightly to the right from mid of tyre . I'll probably start looking into the rear suspension since the issue i am facing was front end getting light & wobbling left to right in mid corners , causing more weight to go back and lifting the front end at bends .
Mind sharing the best suspension rebound settings ?
FYI
Weight - 100KG
Tyre pressure - 36F 39R
Full stock except for R77 exhaust
Bike is NOT vibrating . issue is only front feels light , wobble left & right at high speeds cornering (180-200kmh)

View attachment 1695978
Good looking bike.....I still say it's a flaw with the front tire if that's the only thing that has been changed and the bike handled fine before....
 
Will still look into all the advice given , slowly from the lowest . Thanks man <3

Start with about 3 threads visible above the top lock ring on the rear shock for preload.
Compression and Rebound 12 -18 clicks/half-turns counter clockwise, from fully soft.
That will get you in the ballpark.
 
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