Shaky handlebars!

[ardy3491]

Ok so i took my bike to get the front wheel balanced because the front was feeling a little bouncy and shaky. they balanced it but the handlebars are very shaky still. it happens mostly when im going 30-45 mph, it shakes a lot more when i close the throttle . it feels very unstable. Anyone know whats going on?

[Water Warrior 2]

First question. Are you new to bikes? Does this happen in all gears or just one gear? Is it an actually shake or more of a vibration in the bars? Do you have vibration dampners on the end of the bars? How old are the tires(both of them)? Are the tire pressures correct? How many miles on the bike?
Is the chain adjusted properly and what is the condition of the sprockets. This could be a source of vibration/shake if the chain and sprockets are done for and the chain is trying to climb over sprocket teeth rather than fit properly.
We need to generate more info to determine the problem rather than blindly guess. Oh, welcome to the forum, glad you found us.

[ardy3491]

Thanks for the quick reply. yes i am new. been riding for 2 months now. it happens in all gears.Its not just vibratons, its like as if the handle bars are wiggling. tire pressure is good, it has about 3400 miles on it, but the previous owner used it in his training class so its been used roughly. im pretty sure the chain is adjusted correctly but im not sure, im very new at this.

[Road_Clam]

Originally Posted by ardy3491

Ok so i took my bike to get the front wheel balanced because the front was feeling a little bouncy and shaky. they balanced it but the handlebars are very shaky still. it happens mostly when im going 30-45 mph, it shakes a lot more when i close the throttle . it feels very unstable. Anyone know whats going on?

This is a tell tale sign you have incorrectly adjusted steering stem bearings. Jack the front wheel off the ground grab the lower fork legs and see if you can feel slop moving the front end front to back. If you do you need to tighten up the steering bearing preload.

[ardy3491]

ok do i have to have a special jack or can i use something else. im very new to this stuff

[Road_Clam]

Originally Posted by ardy3491

ok do i have to have a special jack or can i use something else. im very new to this stuff

A flat "scissor" type jack is the best. You will need some small blocks of wood under the frame tubes so as to not bend or crush the exhaust pipe. You can also use a come-along fixed to your ceiling and lift the bike's frame somewhere near the front of the fuel tank. It takes a bit of ingenuity but you will figure it out... :2tup: