Odd wobble in front end of 12GS

[sit]

Okay, my first real odd thing with the GS.

I put new tires on it about 2700 miles ago, Conti Trail Attacks. No issues with that, went on fairly well and did a 1800+ mile ride with them with no issues. That was a month or so ago. Have not had any issues or anything with them, the front still looks new!

So last week on my way home from work I was adjusting my visor when I noticed the bike had an odd wobble in the front end. Both hands back on handlebars, I could not feel it. Take both off and it was very noticible as the handlebars wobble back and forth quite a bit, but bike tracks straight. It is like the bike is trying to a very tight weave or cone pattern. Messed with it a bit more and it seems to happen only between 30-40 mph. Of course I can only see it as bike is slowing and I let go with both hands. As bikes slows through 30 mph, it goes away. With both hands on handbars, cant feel it. Through curves etc at 35 or so, no wobble etc.

Is this maybe a bad front tire or ???

 

[cjack]

Hmmm...this used to be standard on airheads and K100 bikes some years ago. I haven't had it since the K12RS or the K12S bikes. It used to be a somewhat natural oscillation which was worse with a little cupping on the front wheel and was always worse on smooth roads. We used to deal with it by adding a tiny bit of drag in the tapered roller fork bearings. With ball joints, I can't say. I have heard of too tight ball joints causing a low speed weave, but not a too looseness maybe causing a wobble.
Anybody with similar data?

 

[Polarbear]

MY GSA too;

'07 GSA here and I have noticed the same thing. Almost excatly as yours. My tires are Battlewings(BS) and one set of metzlers and now I'm at 42000 miles. I think its the tires, as they wear. I have thought my shocks are getting tired too, but have no data to back that up. It seems to have a LOT to with road surface on mine, because its not always present. I am ready to buy some new shocks, but these stockers are still working fairly well. Anyhow, the shaker in the front end is very tight and not a tank slapper, or I would be at the dealer, digging deeper. Tire's(balance), I say. Randy PS; this is fairly well known that tires will lose their balance as the tire wears, so this phenom may well be a factor on our bikes. Tire Beads anyone?

 

[sit]

This happens with on any road surface I ride, to include some that have been paved within the last week, nice and smooth. The tires have less than 3000 miles on them and the Conti Attacks embosed in the tread is still there, no wear. Tires still have their weights on them and I do not see any damage or weird bulges in the tires.

Conti responded to the my email today and basically said to take the tire back to the dealer to so it can be inspected. The writer of the email said they has never heard of a problem like this before with one of their tires. Both of my previous Tourances did not have this issue.

I have gotten a number of people telling me to send the rim to Woody's to be trued. Still under warranty, so gonna take it to BMW first, but doubt that will do any good. Before I spend $200 plus at Woody's, I am gonna put a new front tire on it that is not a TA that I have in the garage. I have all next week off, so will do that one day to see how it does. It is a more aggressive tread pattern than the TA's, but for a quick test ride, I should be okay and be able to see if the thing still wobbles. If I have to have the rim worked on, so be it. But if another tire I already have cures the issue, that is they way I will go and then work with returning the TA's maybe for some Anakees.

 

[WeazyBuddha]

and?

Did you figure out the problem?

 

[sit]

Not yet is the short answer. I had a problem with my other tire so was not able to mount it to rule out an actual tires vs rim or bike issue. BMWOR did help out and checked the rim for me and balanced the tire on their machine to double check that. Wobble is still there though. The bike just feels unsettled. Not unsafe or dangerous, but unsettled. I have noticed that with "hands off" the bike tracks to the right. I can control it with how I sit but under normal riding it goes right regardless of which part of the lane I am in.

 

[LDHunter]

I know three GS owners that have had a similar problem recently and all cured it by changing tires.

So far my 12GS hasn't given me any similar problems.

$bob$

 

[sit]

I think that may be what it boils down to. The local shop wants $45 just to test ride the thing. Think I will put the$45 towards a new mount/remount bar for my tire changer and try to find an old worn out tire to use to see if wobble goes away.

 

[gfspencer]

I know three GS owners that have had a similar problem recently and all cured it by changing tires.

So far my 12GS hasn't given me any similar problems.

$bob$

My problem was not cured by changing tires. BMW tried that. Then they changed the front shock . . . twice. BMW finally changed the wheel*. They said that something happened during the annealing process. What? I don't know. But a new wheel fixed the problem.

*wire wheels

 

[sit]

Was finally able to change out my front tire today. The TA had just over 3,400 miles on it. Put new tire on, and a quick spin later, the wobble and unsettle feeling the bike had is gone. Replaced the rear TA also and moving on. Won't get TA's again.

 

[RobStar]

Of course the manufacturer "has never heard of this before"; it's called risk management. "Take it to a dealer" so the mfr can pass on the responsibility on to the dealer. Either way the mfr just mitigated their responsibility to some degree should anything catastrophic ever happen.

RobStar