Reply to thread

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Message: <blockquote data-quote="harper" data-source="post: 1450331" data-attributes="member: 88451">I have a new-to-me 2008 FJR. I have recently been fighting a problem with handlebar wobble which I noticed when I briefly took my hands off the grips at 30mph to tighten my glove straps. I found this oscillation at almost any speed on almost any surface if I removed my hands from the grips. The bike needed tires so I replaced them which made a difference but only reduced the oscillations and the conditions under which they would occur. I then began altering first the front suspension and finally the rear shock. Again, this seemed to move the problem around but not eliminate it.I researched causes of this problem on several motorcycle fora to determine if I needed to address the headset bearing or the wheel bearings next. During this I came across several posts that directly correlated top boxes to handlebar wobble on several different bikes of different sizes. I had never had a top box before this bike so I pulled it off and the effect went away entirely. I couldn't get the oscillations to start at any speed over any road surface.This raises a question: If I am riding with a top box and am damping the oscillations that are trying to form with my hands, is any damage being done to the front tire, the wheel bearing, or the headset bearing? I like the new convenience of having a top box but it is unnerving to take my hands off the handlebars and have that wobble start up. It's even worse if it's actually doing damage.</blockquote>

Verification