When I'm driving down the road and I hit a bump with only one hand on the handle bars, the front end starts shaking like crazy until I grab the bars with both hands. If I'm riding with both hands doesn't do it. Any ideas?

Is your steering nut torqued correctly? Don't know how many miles you have but it could be worn baerings or they need grease. Check everything that could be loose.

Hey Musky, I've about 30,000 on it, do you know what the torque is supposed to be?

Check you tires closely. Make shure they are not cupping.

Ok, I'll check in the morning.

do you know what the torque is supposed to be?

Pretty sure it's 94 ft/lbs. You can lift the front of your bike and see if the bars flop real easy to the side. And try and pick up on your forks and see if there is any movement. There just shouldn't be any unusual movement. And BamaStar is right about the tires. If they're cupping it can cause the front end to do strange things. I've had that happen on other bikes.

At 94 ft lbs you would not be able to turn the handlebars.

If you have the 'special' tool the instructions in the manual will lead you through the process. It's 37 ft lb to set the bearings and then 3 as the final setting.

Without the 'special' tool .... with the wheel staight ahead, tighten the nut a little and let go of the forks. The forks should flop to one side but not so hard that they bang against the stop but not to slow.

Doc

At 94 ft lbs you would not be able to turn the handlebars.

HOLY CRAP!!! Thanks Doc! That ain't the number I meant to type at all. Back to therapy . Man, they side I was cured.

Sorry EJ. That was the torque for a different steering part I looked at once.<br><br>Post edited by: Musky, at: 2006/09/29 23:27

Doc, I checked the tire, it is fairly new and not cupped. When I lifted the front end, it flopped to one side and banged pretty hard. I do not have the &quot;special toool&quot;, so how would I go about tightening it? Thanks

If you want to come over you can borrow mine. Bring some Boddington

Raise the front end (a lift helps ) until wheel is just off the ground.

Remove top triple and lay bars/triple assembly over tank (towel helps )

Remove the washer (has long prongs on it that fit into the slotted nuts), the top nut and rubber washer. Each point of the slotted nut is rasised so just note whether if faces up or down (I believe it's down but could you post to remind me).

Put a spot of whiteout on the bottom nut and the frame (for reference). With the wheel staight ahead, tighten the nut 1/4 turn. The nut should not be on too tight so you can use a pipe wrench, strap wrench, or a hammer and punch.

Let go of the forks and give them a little, light push. The forks should fall to one side but not so hard that they bang against the stop but not to slow.

The forks must fall to one side or the other by themselves! You don't tighten the shit out of the nuts.

As you're already halfway there, it would also be a good idea if you first take take the lower nut off, lower the forks until you see the bearing and grease the top and bottom bearings. I this case you need to tighten the lower nut very snugly, back it off and then do the above. You need to snug the bottom nut so that the bearings seat fully.

Reverse to install. Once you have the bottom nut on, grab the front forks and give them a hard yank up (without pulling the bike off the lift to check if everyting is tight.

Test drive by going around the block, hitting a few small potholes..

The above part is critical to your safety so be sure of your work.

Doc