Bike has the shakes....

[Hfab5]

I know that I need a new front tire, and probably a fork rebuild, but this bike has the shakes. It rides good(to me) though it does have a slight wobble to it, or should I say a "light" feeling in the front end while riding. Now I had this bike up to 80 mph and it went straight down the road, but still that feeling on the bars. Going around corners(at speed) demands attention. The feeling I'm talking about is like when you're riding a fast bike hammering it(racing)and you get that "feeling" right before it pulls the front wheel off the ground. Also when its on the centerstand, if I shake the bars, the front end wobbles. The whole front of the bike shakes. I know that the front tire has a little spring to it and you can see that when it moves but I don't see anything else loose. What should I look for? Thanks for any help!

[dingy]

Steering head bearings and/or tightness.

 

Wheel bearings.

 

Fork Bushings.

 

Swing arm bushings will also affect handling but not make front end loose.

 

Tire pressure.

 

Fork cross brace tight.

 

Gary

[OB-1]

Weak rear shocks could also be a cause of heaving or Po-Go stick sensation during high speed corners.

[allwx]

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try new air pressures in my forks and rear shock. Since the bike was new I've maintained them at 5 psi front, 45 psi rear. Just before a ride from Albuquerque to Red River, I dropped the forks to zero and the rears to around 10 psi. I was amazed at the difference in the ride. I didn't like it, and put air back in the next morning before riding back home. The lower pressures made the bike ride noticeably lower, and handling became remote, bouncy, where before it was taut. I gave it 200 miles to get used to, but I never did. Apparently, shock pressure really affects handling a lot, and it might take a long time to experiment with various combinations between front and rear to find what is right for me.