Discovered disturbing thing today!

On a whim, I lightly let go of both bars and gently hit the rear brake at about 25mph. Suddenly my front end started wobbling something fierce and it took me pulling in the clutch to get it under control!

I can't feel any wobble with my hands on the bars. What's up?

 

Check the tire pressure in the front tire. I had the same thing a few years ago. Aired up the tires, problem gone.

 

well that's an easy fix: don't do that again.

 

Tires are old, bigtime chicken strips. But what actually causes that? You guys with new tires, try it and see if you have wobble too. Just don't actually let go of the bars...

 

"Cupped" front tyre, worn steering head bearings and or rear top box fitted are all regular causes of this . All VFR's do it to some extent.

 

Get some new tires!!! A blown out tire SUCKS. and a wobble REALLY SUCKS! None of my bikes have a wobble with or without hands. The one that did now has new tires.

 

what year is your bike?
Happened to me too. A cupped front stock dunlop. new Metzler front tire, problem solved. Hands or no Hands. I know its foolish (stupid) to take your hands off the bars. but I do it on occasion. Have been since I was riding bicycles as a kid. check your tires first

 

I could make the bars shake coming down hill on the rear brake with hands off the bars. Nothing violent, but the bars jiggled at a frequency relative to the front tire rotation...slower as the brakes slowed the bike. The front stocker Dunlop had 8600 miles. The front tire had plenty of tread life, but there was definite steps between the leading and trailing edges of the tread shoulders. The rear was just out of spec, so I got new shoes.

I bent on the Mich. Power Road 2's yesterday. No more jiggles. They're scrubbed in for the weekend. Hopefully the weather holds.

Nozzle Notes: I didn't see the hands-free jiggles as an issue, but wanted to match the front and back rubber so I gave the French some of my hard earned dollars in an attempt to assist Nicky Hayden's tire performance in next year's motoGP championship :thumb:

 

I take both hands off the bars often for picture taking. You get some funny looks from cars etc. when you are hands off takin' pics at 75mph but no wobbles...I also have new conti's on it.