Wobble at high speed

[Goo]

I've been finding that my F650GS twin steering starts to wobble at above 85-90mph. Is this at all normal, bearing in mind I have TKC80s fitted? I can't tell if it's wind making my arms wobble the handlebars (!?) I _think_ it's less evident when I lean down behind the fairly small windscreen I have.

Any thoughts??

 

[Dave Ett]

Not sure the TKC is rated to go that fast is it?

I'm amazed you can go that fast in a straight line with those on actually, so yes I suspect its normal...

 

[Bury_Dave]

I think they are 100mph rated but i never took mine above 90 and then only occasionally as they made the bike feel very light at that speed.

Up to 80 and never a problem. Mind, my bike is an F800GS.

They are, after all is said and done, nobblies

 

[Goo]

Thanks for that - confirmation much appreciated!

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

anything over 80 on mine and it wobbles like buggery

 

[Big Den]

Mine was rock steady with knackered head race bearings but wobbles now with new bearings in, been re-torqued and bit better. On Trail attacks, may be the topbox has a part to play aswell as i have never tried it without

 

[MikeMike]

Interesting, when the insurance ok'd the replacement of both my dented rims, the local dealer put in new steering head bearings (which led to some real high stakes drama when they failed to torque the upper pinch bolt that goes crossways in the upper triple tree and it came loose and jammed my steering on a Mexican mountain road) and they also put a Conti Trail Attack on which I didn't want on the front wheel but they said that was all they had and I could walk if I wanted to because that was what they had and couldn't say when they could get me what I wanted.
So new head bearings and Conti Trail Attack gave me a weave. Nothing uncontrollable but certainly there at anything cruising above 140kmh.

 

[chrisjk]

Certainly the TKC 80s will make the bike feel like that (at least, my F800 does) and extra weight like a box on the rear will aggravate it. I recently switched from TKC 80s to Conti Trail attacks as I have more or less stopped using my bike off-road and there is a noticeable improvement in high speed steering.

 

[Dave Ett]

I've found the trail attack to be the most amazing road tyre at all speeds, so I'd be surprised if that was the cause of weave and not the head bearings (or something else entirely).