Low speed wobble

[mark seeker]

On my Honda CB190X i've noticed a wobble appears at very low speed (2-8mph), this happens if i'm solo or with a pillion and happens if I have luggage (top box) on or not. With a pillion and luggage, its very noticeable below 8mph, the handlebar tries to move from left to right (if that makes sense), as soon as i'm above 10mph or accelerate with ambition, you don't feel it at all. I've added the total weight of the bike and we are below the recommended total weight.

Every since I've had the bike, on a reasonably long journey (30 minutes +) I would get the slight numbness in my hands from the vibration, I put this down to being a single cylinder bike but I'm now wondering if this could be a tired wheel bearing or something else?

The bike has done just over 17,000 miles, it is now 5 years old.

Any thoughts would be appreciated before I go to the shop to get their paid for 'advice'...

[trickywoo]

Headstock bearing maybe.

If that’s fine check front wheel bearing.

Could also be funny wear on the front tyre.

[Rick448]

I’d start with head bearings as above and also make sure tyre pressures and condition is ok. I had similar on an old CB500, a new front tyre sorted it.

[mark seeker]

Many thanks for the feedback, I did check the tyres earlier and they did seem a little low, I'm trying to find the correct pressures and i'll take them back to that. 25PSI does feel low.

I just googled headstock bearings and I'll give them a check later to see if there is any play in them.

Thanks again

[OutInTheShed]

The correct tyre pressure may vary according to the specific brand and model of tyre fitted.

This kind of problem s likely to cause strange tyre wear as much as be caused by it.
I would check the wheels for run-out and eccentricity. Both wheels.

As well as the steering head bearings, look for play in the swing arm bearings

Check the ride height at both ends, perhaps a spring is weak or a preload is badly wrong.

Any deviations from standard, like heavy bar end weights?

Wheel Alignment. I once rode a bike with the front wheel offset a few mm to one side. That had a low speed weave, cured with a few washers and a file.
Maybe a missing or wrongly placed spacer. rear wheel at an angle due to chain adjusters?

Wrong tyre profile?

Bent forks?

A lot of bikes will weave if you decelerate from say 40 with your hands off the bars.
I suspect something has changed to exaggerate that and lower the speed at which it happens.

[mark seeker]

Ok, thought I'd give an update here as its a strange one, shortly after this post I had the headstock bearing tightened as they were (apparently) loose and replaced both tyres (Michelin Pilot Street 2), I also replaced the front and rear wheel bearings, in honesty the bike was pretty much sorted but the minute I added any weight (3-4kg) to the top box it started to not like / wobble at low speeds.

Cutting a long story short I got a puncture a couple of months back and couldn't find anywhere with Michelin Pilot Street 2 in stock for my size, so I went for Pirelli Diablo. Somehow this has completely stopped any low speed wobble, the bike is far keener to turn in now too. I remain unclear how they've made such a difference but it is like riding a new bike.

Appreciate everyone's help on this.

[sixor8]

Motorcycle tyres are more liable to 'warping' or distortion than car tyres, especially if stored incorrectly. It's possible that the previous tyre was not quite 'true.'

[Tango13]

The other problem with tyres is you can have two different manufacturers making tyres supposedly of the same size but the reality can be totally different regarding width and profile.