I think my front wheel on my 2005 XL1200C may have a slight wobble. When I let go of the handle bars there is a slight wobble (not going to fast) but goes away instantly when I reach touch the handle bars. What could this be? Spokes? I remember get a familiar feeling on the front on my sport bike when the rear was out of aligment.

Has anyone used this product - SPOKE TORQUE WRENCH?
Maybe we can get a group buy going.

http://www.fasstco.com/html/wrench.html



Thanks,
Dragonsoni

Jack the bike up, rig up a stationary object pointed at the wheel edge, then spin the wheel. See if it is actually the wheel out of true or not. If it is out of true, you really should take it back to the dealer and have them true it up. However, chances are (from what you describe) you just need to check air pressure. I like to run 40 psi in the front of my custom and it eliminates the exact problem you describe.

Has anyone tightened a spoke by sound?
:doh

Has anyone tightened a spoke by sound?
:doh


I used to all the time with dirt and street bikes way back in the olden days. :wonderlan

I think my front wheel on my 2005 XL1200C may have a slight wobble. When I let go of the handle bars there is a slight wobble (not going to fast) but goes away instantly when I reach touch the handle bars. What could this be? Spokes? I remember get a familiar feeling on the front on my sport bike when the rear was out of aligment.

Has anyone used this product - SPOKE TORQUE WRENCH?
Maybe we can get a group buy going.

http://www.fasstco.com/html/wrench.html



Thanks,
Dragonsoni


I do not know a thing about this tool, but I do know that my bike which is the same year was doing the same thing. I took my bike back to the dealer and made them fix it. The actually got me a new wheel.. I do not know if this helps or not??

Does anyone torque their spokes?

If so, how?

I just clang a screwdriver around the spokes. they should all make approximately the same sound when you tap them. If one of them sounds different ('duller') than the others, it's probably loose. However, lacing rims is a mystical art, best left to the pros.

I just clang a screwdriver around the spokes. they should all make approximately the same sound when you tap them. If one of them sounds different ('duller') than the others, it's probably loose. However, lacing rims is a mystical art, best left to the pros.

It's not all that difficult to lace wheels. The service manual provides excellent instructions on how to lace wheels. Truing the wheels takes a bit more time and patience. But, it is not too difficult if you don't try to rush it.

I kind of look at lacing and truing my own wheels like packing my own parachute.....I'm not gonna do it because I don't know what the hell I'm doin', and that's one of those things that if ya screw it up, it can kill ya quick, and it will almost always hurt..

I do want to watch the mf'r that does it while he does it, tho...:smoke

There is only one right way to true up a laced wheel, and that is in a truing stand. Tightening spokes to some arbitrary "ping" or torque value will ALWAYS result in an out-of-true wheel. You gotta mount the tube and tire, inflate to pressure and then go around and set the spoke nipples one at a time until the damn wheel is round and true. It's an art of sorts, and not something that can be done in 10 minutes.

My dealer has a guy that does it right, and my wheels run true with ZERO shake or wobble at any speed. And it costs 1 or 2 hours of labor to get it done right. You can go on the cheap or you can get a good mechanic to do it right.

I had the same "Slight wobble when let go of handle bars" on my 05 custom right after I bought it new.there"s no way I was going to let this fly, so after checking torque values on all the front end parts twice, sitting on a milk crate looking at it for an hour and being pissed for a week about it, I finally adjusted the air pressure in the front tire and the problem vanished. moral of story "Keep it simple stupid":doh I suppose I could have bought it back to the stealer but I just don"t trust strangers with my stuff, only to have them give the bike back a week later with the old "we could"nt find anythig wrong with it"