Front wheel shimmy

P

paned*expressions

New member
I have a 2006 Suzuki C90T. Today I was coming down a hill coasting and took my hands off the bars to relax the hands...yes, I know I shouldn't do this. Almost immediately, the front end began to wobble or shimmy. I tried this several times and discovered that slowing into about 45 mph is when the shimmy begins. If you let it go, it gets progressively worse. I only have about 2500 miles on the bike. Any ideas what could cause this? It is not noticeable with even the slightest grip on the bars.
 
Possible air pressure. This same sort of thing was happening to me aswell at speeds under 50, I checked the air at it was only at 10psi. Scary! Now I check it every other week.
 
Typical behavior for a C90/LC1500.

Well known.

All usual suspects for such behavior come up with a goose-egg.

Best I can think....and I'm NOT a qualified technician. Just a regular Joe. Harmonic vibrations from the huge pistons in the jugs?
 
thanks for the input....I saw another thread on the forum about this after I asked the question that gave similar feedback. I talked to my dealer who called Suzuki tech. After they told me the bike wasn't designed to be ridden without hands on the bars, they said try increasing tire pressure as was suggested here, check the steering head and the torque on the swing arm pivot. We'll see.....
 
Well thats what THEY say. I'd find another dealer. The stock steering head bearings are crap. you can upgrade to better ones. Mine does not shake at all with my hands off the bars. I have been running 38lbs in front and have no cupping. IF Your front tire is cupped then you may be SOL. I will be changing the bearings during the winter because its just a matter of time before the stock ones go. JMHO. :)
 
Thanks, I will ask more questions about the steering head bearing upgrades. I have a couple other dealers close and i will talk to them also. Off for a ride through Yellowstone Park this week. I increased the air pressure and will just have to keep the hands on the bars!
 
moorefore, I don't know where he got "typical behavior" for C90's, but I have an '07 C90T, and the only time it has shimmied is when the tire was low. I have 18,500 miles on mine now, and low front tire pressure has been the only culprit. I've heard a lot about the head bearings being crap, but I still haven't changed mine, and I don't have a shimmy. Check the pressure first!
 
i have an 07 and it shimmied on deceleration since new . between 40 and 30 mph. itried air pressure chaanges front and rear. dealer says same thing ,don`t take hands off of bars.now after 6000 miles they say its cuz of tire cupping. also have valve tick that they cant hear?????????????????
 
I have an 06 C50t with 11k. Talked to my dealer they said bearings in the head were loose. Serviced and adjusted them, that helped. Now new front tire took care of the rest of the shimmy/wobble. Have the tire balance checked. Mine threw a wieght and had a wear pattern in it before i got home off my yearly road trip.
 
Do you have spoke wire wheels? Mine acted like it was out of balance since new. Two dealers said it was OK. I finally took it to Wheel Works in Garden Grove, CA, and they trued up the spokes. Now a cup of coffee would not spill. If you have that problem from day one, make the dealer fix the spokes.
 
Back
Top