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Posted by 99tango
- December 17, 2015, 20:51:53 PMYou're the second or third poster mentioning a rear tire as a possible culprit. That just doesn't seem possible, plausible, or in any way conceivable. I know you guys didn't just make that up, and I don't think you had experience with head shake and just couldn't wait to yank your rear off and replace it. I also believe you guys know your stuff, and if I had heard that anywhere else I'd be inclined to call it a "rumor". 
Posted by JagLite
- December 17, 2015, 20:01:26 PMUsual suspects on every bike:
Steering head bearings/nut tension
Tires, front & rear
Wheel bearings, front & rear
Swingarm bearings
Loose fairing/windsceen on bikes with them
Posted by Troll
- December 17, 2015, 09:16:17 AMQuote from: redfish on December 16, 2015, 18:49:57 PMWill do, Troll.
Now about that grease fitting. Sounds like a great idea, but doesn't that grease eventually work its way out and create a mess, much like an outboard motor neck always does? Easy cleanup on an outboard motor, but would crud a bike up bad in all the nooks & crannies.
Haven't had a problem on mine since I did it. I would imagine the type of grease makes all the difference. The waterproof boat trailer grease stays put. Clean up is a minor issue, considering how much of a PITA replacing bearings is....
Posted by TS Tinker
- December 16, 2015, 21:49:16 PMI lived in Mobile for a while and if you had a carport it was a very high rent district. Forget about a full garage. I'm with Troll on the tapered bearings. That is the way I went. I had to replace the front tire as well the damage had already been done form the bad bearings.
Posted by 99tango
- December 16, 2015, 18:49:57 PMWill do, Troll.
Now about that grease fitting. Sounds like a great idea, but doesn't that grease eventually work its way out and create a mess, much like an outboard motor neck always does? Easy cleanup on an outboard motor, but would crud a bike up bad in all the nooks & crannies.
Posted by Troll
- December 16, 2015, 18:30:19 PMGet the "Allballs" set and use wheel bearing grease instead of the factory recommendation. I put my new ones in at 40,000 miles and just inspected them and repacked them at 102,000....I put a grease fitting in the neck when I did the bearings, and I pump the neck full of waterproof trailer bearing grease about every 5,000 miles, or twice a season. Just had to peek at them, just to be sure! 
Posted by 99tango
- December 16, 2015, 15:37:31 PMThe bike is an 02 with 23k miles. I've owned for only about 5 months and the head shake was first noticed about a month ago, but is steadily getting more noticeable. It only occurs during deceleration with no hands on the bars. At first I noticed a shake could develop decelerating down from about 30mph, now a shake can develop decelerating down from around 55. The front end feels looser than before, but that could just be my imagination, and as long as at least one hand is on the bars, there's no issue. I'd not like to replace the rubber since the tires have good tread, although the front Shinko is older and more worn than the rear Dunlop.
And Tinker, your remark; "Kawasaki's head bearings look like something out of a 30 pound bicycle. A Voyager I purchased with 21,000 on it had the same symptoms and the head bearing looked like a hand full of rust in a plastic cage." That's not good news!
Posted by TS Tinker
- December 15, 2015, 16:04:25 PMQuote from: redfish on December 14, 2015, 21:49:05 PMHow many miles on your scoot? Most call for servicing the head bearings between 15 & 20 thousand miles and almost no one thinks to do it. Kawasaki's head bearings look like something out of a 30 pound bicycle. A Voyager I purchased with 21,000 on it had the same symptoms and the head bearing looked like a hand full of rust in a plastic cage.My Drifter has developed a healthy head shake at any speed below 55. All it takes is a small bump or rough road and it develops. Both hands on the bars, it's controllable. One hand on, it's iffy, but DON'T let go with both hands even for a second. I know tires can cause this or a loose steering stem nut. Project fix won't be put off since it is getting worse every week. The tires seem fine with no excessive or abnormal wear or cupping, so a loose nut seems the most obvious culprit.
My question is; Are Drifter front ends more prone to wobble due to the oversize, heavier fenders? Seems all that mass up there could exacerbate the oscillations. Thoughts?
Posted by pcarrell
- December 15, 2015, 11:50:59 AMI've had the problem of the shakes due to both tires, and neck bearings, and at different times. In the past, tires have been the culprit. Change the tires, no more problem. Right now I have fairly new tires, but the neck bearings are going (one of my winter projects).
Posted by DC
- December 15, 2015, 11:29:35 AMIt was the neck bearings on mine. Replaced those and no more shakey jakes.
Posted by gdrudd13
- December 15, 2015, 09:53:43 AMQuote from: redfish on December 14, 2015, 21:49:05 PMSeriously doubt it. The fenders are plastic and really aren't that heavy at all. Especially not compared to every other component on the front end. If the parts on the front end are loose/worn, the problem would still be just as bad with no fender at all.My question is; Are Drifter front ends more prone to wobble due to the oversize, heavier fenders? Seems all that mass up there could exacerbate the oscillations. Thoughts?
Posted by chief
- December 15, 2015, 09:52:58 AMDon't think it is any more susceptible. The steering neck bearings and BOTH tires usually end up being the source. You can't always 'see' a problem in the tires. I had a moderately heavy wobble, replaced tires and it went away. Neck bearing maintenance in also important.
Posted by 99tango
- December 14, 2015, 21:49:05 PMMy Drifter has developed a healthy head shake at any speed below 55 during deceleration. All it takes is a small bump or rough road and it develops if you let go of the bars. Both hands on the bars, it's not noticeable. One hand on, it sometimes can be felt and is controllable, but DON'T let go with both hands! I know tires can cause this or a loose steering stem nut. Project fix won't be put off since it seems to be getting worse every week. The tires seem fine with no excessive or abnormal wear or cupping, so a loose nut seems the most obvious culprit.
My question is; Are Drifter front ends more prone to wobble due to the oversize, heavier fenders? Seems all that mass up there could exacerbate the oscillations. Thoughts?