Hi all. My first post. Is is normal for the fjr1300 steering to shake (handlebars move side to side) if I Take both hands off steering? I know it's not recommended but it happens immediately if I do. I'm pretty sure the demo bike stayed rock solid. I mentioned on 1st service they said they would check to no avail???
2014 fjr1300
renegade
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I take it that you must do some maintenance yourself since it sounds like you plan to take to a dealer only for the valves. If I'm correct in my inference and you plan to do things like oil, final drive, plugs and TB synch, then torquing the steering head bearing is a simple job. You will need a 36mm socket, torque wrench and a Yamaha specific claw wrench. You can get the wrench on eBay or since I'm right down the road you can borrow mine (assuming you're still up here in MT). PM me if you want to use it and we'll figure something out.
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1,187 Posts
My 2014 had the shakes from new.
Rode the bike home from the dealers, 500kms and torqued up the head bearings.
Did improve for awhile, but gradually worsened as the front Angle GT tyre wore funny.
Watched the bike being assembled at the dealer and they do not check the head stock bearings.
Swapped out to tapered rollers and now not even a hint of a problem.
Can ride no hands not a prob, no deceleration wobbles.
Rode the bike home from the dealers, 500kms and torqued up the head bearings.
Did improve for awhile, but gradually worsened as the front Angle GT tyre wore funny.
Watched the bike being assembled at the dealer and they do not check the head stock bearings.
Swapped out to tapered rollers and now not even a hint of a problem.
Can ride no hands not a prob, no deceleration wobbles.
Yep, what Ken said. My '07 always got the shakes as the front tire wore until last summer when it would not go away. New roller bearings did the trick.
Re-torquing the bearings is a simple job, give it a try. What you got to lose? The frustration that comes through your post is understandable but take comfort- you are certainly not alone. This problem has been addressed and solved many, many times over.
Re-torquing the bearings is a simple job, give it a try. What you got to lose? The frustration that comes through your post is understandable but take comfort- you are certainly not alone. This problem has been addressed and solved many, many times over.
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225 Posts
Thanks for the offer. I did see the You Tube one how to tighten the steering head. I really did not want to have to go that deep so soon after getting a 2013 with 10k miles on it. I do some wrenching myself but when it comes to this I would want a dealer behind it. I am not in Montana now ( in Arizona for the winter ) but I do appreciate the offer. It seems like a very common yet odd phenomena on this bike. Too many options. Tires, bearings, etc. Why would the headstock need to be re-torqued so frequently.?? I've had many bikes but this is a weird problem. I have the Bridgestone GT's that were made for this bike and they have about 3000k miles on them with no odd wear evident and plenty of meat left. Strange.
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95 Posts
So glad i logged on to see this post.
My 14 AE did it from new at 40mph. Still does it today after 3 services and 16,000 miles on the clock. I never thought to mention it to the Stealer.
Will give them a call.
My 14 AE did it from new at 40mph. Still does it today after 3 services and 16,000 miles on the clock. I never thought to mention it to the Stealer.
Will give them a call.
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1,187 Posts
The head bearings are "supposed" to be re-torqued at the first service.
Suggest try another dealer or better still do it yourself.
Yamaha just went cheap and stopped using tapered roller bearings a long time ago.
For $45.00, it's the best money you can spend on the bike.
Go online and look at some engineering sites, look at the various bearing applications.
What Yamaha installs is a joke, not fit for purpose.
Suggest try another dealer or better still do it yourself.
Yamaha just went cheap and stopped using tapered roller bearings a long time ago.
For $45.00, it's the best money you can spend on the bike.
Go online and look at some engineering sites, look at the various bearing applications.
What Yamaha installs is a joke, not fit for purpose.
$30.95 http://www.bikebandit.com/aftermark...teering-stems-bearings/all-balls-motorcycle-steering-stem-bearing-kits?m=145141
$33.56 http://www.allballsracing.com/ymmsearch/index/searchfromhome/
$30.99 http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/21652/i/all-balls-steering-stem-bearing-kit?WT.ac=SLIsearchand https://www.jakewilson.com/p/1828/5...86/All-Balls-Steering-Stem-Bearing-Kit?term=all balls steering stem bearing kit
You get the idea. Well worth the cost. I was surprised by the "cheapness" of the OEM bearings when I loosened my steering stem and balls from the bearings hit the floor. Literally. Plink times six. Very disheartening.
$33.56 http://www.allballsracing.com/ymmsearch/index/searchfromhome/
$30.99 http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/21652/i/all-balls-steering-stem-bearing-kit?WT.ac=SLIsearchand https://www.jakewilson.com/p/1828/5...86/All-Balls-Steering-Stem-Bearing-Kit?term=all balls steering stem bearing kit
You get the idea. Well worth the cost. I was surprised by the "cheapness" of the OEM bearings when I loosened my steering stem and balls from the bearings hit the floor. Literally. Plink times six. Very disheartening.
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95 Posts
I just need to find an equivalent supply in the UK
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251 Posts
My 2015 ES does the exact same thing between 40-45mph. I only have 4000 miles. It can't be felt if I keep my hands on the bars. Also tried it a 70 mph and she is rock solid no hands? I will mention it at my next service.
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421 Posts
Phil, Surprised to see you over here. did you get a FJR?
Be prepared to hear "it's normal" or "it's the tire" or ... or ... or ... The only thing that finally eliminated the wobble for me was new steering bearings. I replaced mine with tapered rollers.
Did you know this discussion has been going on since at least 2006? Yep, it's always been a problem. Generation after generation the saga continues....
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648 Posts
Yep, did it on the 06 and does it on the 14. Ya know, I run the H--L out of mine in the twisties and if I keep my hands where they are supposed to be, no problems. My point is that it isn't something you have to park the bike and go replace the bearings immediately. New tire fixes it for a few miles but it always comes back. Tightening the steering head is similar, OK for a while and then it comes back. I'm not sure if it is the difference between roller and ball bearings or that Yamaha just put crap bearings in. Triumphs had a similar problem and it was IMO crap bearings. Not all "ball" bearings are the same.
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193 Posts
I've had plenty of bikes do that including my 2014. I figure it's the shoddy Bridgestone on the front that's cupping.
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132 Posts
front end wobble during decel with hands off the bars is pretty normal behavior for ANY motorcycle. If the rider keeps hands on bars, there is no wobble. On previous bikes I've owned, I've spent considerable time trying to iron out the wobble, because I often like to sit up in the saddle during a decel to a stop, and do NOT appreciate having the bike go into a wobble. My "fix" always has been to put a hair more torque onto the steering stem bearings, than called for in the spec. On my 2007 Venture, the spec torque is so low that I seriously doubt it is a correct spec. To end the Venture wobble I had to increase torque around 100% (can't recall the exact torque numbers just now). My 2014 FJR doesn't seem to have much of this problem, yet, so I have gone through the new-bike re-torque and scrupulously used the spec torque.
I don't think there is any danger of damaging bearings by adding a bit more torque. Even with double the torque on my Venture, the bearings never had a problem in the years I owned the bike. If you go a bit too far with the torque, however, the steering will be too tight to permit the front end to follow the road, and the bike will be hard to control.
I remember my 1971 BMW R60/5 had a large hand-operated nut on the steering stem, so the rider could adjust the steering tightness on the fly. Once, I snugged it down a bit too far while doing 70 mph and almost crashed, the bike didn't want to respond to my steering inputs at all. After that, I treated that big nut with a lot of respect!
I don't think there is any danger of damaging bearings by adding a bit more torque. Even with double the torque on my Venture, the bearings never had a problem in the years I owned the bike. If you go a bit too far with the torque, however, the steering will be too tight to permit the front end to follow the road, and the bike will be hard to control.
I remember my 1971 BMW R60/5 had a large hand-operated nut on the steering stem, so the rider could adjust the steering tightness on the fly. Once, I snugged it down a bit too far while doing 70 mph and almost crashed, the bike didn't want to respond to my steering inputs at all. After that, I treated that big nut with a lot of respect!
They can be a pain. But I went into the job thinking of taking my time and doing it right. No pounding races in, no pounding bearings on (leads to breaking them), no half-azzed installation. Everything was done by hand- sanding, polishing, measuring. Everything. Yes, it took longer than some who have done it but I know it's done right.
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My FJR is the only bike I've ever owned that had/s this front end wobble. That's at least a dozen bikes- Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki included- since 1976. As mentioned earlier, a new front tire would make it go away for a little while but it always came back.
Riddle me this Batman: what if "hands on bars" only stops the bars from shaking? What if the wheel/tire/fork assy still wants to shimmy-sham down the road? What's that do to the fork seals/internals? Maybe that's why Mammy Yammy rebuilt my forks TWICE on their dime to get the leaks to finally stop, eh? Yes, no, maybe; h3ll I dunno. But I do know this- a front end wobble is not any more normal on a bike than it is in a car or truck. I understand if you are willing to accept it as such. I am not. For $22 (bearing set) and a few hrs of my time (it's winter, I ain't riding anyway) my wobble and leaking forks are gone.
Mine was the oem tire. Idexpect it to be that or bearings not properly torqued
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