Front End

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Ray,

Thanks for the offer. Snowing today (YUCK) no test rides. I should have the new bearings in tonight. If the wheel fails the pencil test again. I will most likely go to the motorcycle salvage yard.

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New Bearings

Seems like there is an improvement. The handlebar vibration at 70 mph is now almost non existant. Braking at 50mph is still bad / bouncing.

Pencil test indicated things are good/straight. I had a small hunch that would be the case.

Front pads and rear shocks will arrive on Monday. I think all the problems will vanish after those are installed. Oh, noticed the right side caliper bolt is bent. Will replace bolt tomorrow.

[acof911]

Have you checked the brake discs for straightness? Mine were warped, I think from sticking calipers that overheated the discs.
I replaced the discs and now the brakes are nice and smooth - no pulsing at all.
good luck,
Andy

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Acof,

Did yours vibrate at all speeds or was there a specific speed and braking pressure that made it vibrate?

[acof911]

Vibration/pulsing of the front wheel, handlebars and brake lever when the front brakes were applied. Noticed it more slowing from high speeds and under hard braking. I also had uneven wear marks on the front discs where the brake pads were skipping over the warped section of disc every time the wheel went around.
During high speed braking it was more of a vibration, at slower speeds it was a pulsing. Turns out my steering bearings were also loose.
Fixing the brakes and steering bearings made a huge improvement.
Andy

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Sounds very simliar to mine. Went to the salvage yard and noticed all the wheels I tested were not perfect by just a little (some with obvious front end damage = big wobble). Then I rechecked mine and found it to be further off than most at salvage yard. My wheel and rotors wobble when testing with a zip tie (pencil). Dunno what I was thinking yesterday. I replaced the caliper bolts. That seemed to help just a little bit.

Sounds like you kept your wheel, and just replaced the rotors. Will the wheel straighten if I loosened all the rotor bolts and retorq? Should just go back to the junk yard and pull a wheel.

[acof911]

Will the wheel straighten if I loosened all the rotor bolts and retorq?

I really doubt it. When I replaced my discs I did keep the wheel but cleaned the mating surfaces on the discs and wheel really well to be sure of a good tight fit. If there are any paint chips or dirt between the discs and wheel it could cause the discs to run crooked. You may want to check on that as well.
Now you have me wondering just how straight my front wheel is, I will have to go out later to check it out and I will let you know.

Andy

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After replacing front bearings, brake pads and rear shocks the vibration at 70mph has dissapeared.

Braking vibration still exists , but very minimal. Only feel it at 45-38. I think its a bent wheel. It doesn't bother me too much. This winter I may take it to the wheel repair guy or pick a used one.