[MadMaxi]

The other day I was returning home from a morning jaunt and I noticed a slight vibration/wobble in the handle bars. I put the Burger up on the center stand and checked both wheels. I noticed that the calipers were ever so slighty moving back and forth and on close inspection the wheel seemed out of alignment. With the engine off I jiggled the back wheel and found there was a small amount of "play." What the hell? I've had three people look at it and I get a different answer from each mechanic. One says one of the bearings is shot. Another says the rim is bent. Has anyone had this problem? Any ideas?

 

[Brian]

...One says one of the bearings is shot. Another says the rim is bent. Has anyone had this problem? Any ideas?

A bent rim could cause wobbling when the bike was in motion, but if you can wiggle the wheel when it's off the ground that is not an indication of a bent rim. Go to a different mechanic, this one doesn't know his stuff!

If the wheel is loose as you describe, bearings are a leading contender.

There have been reports of loose front wheels attributed to a lose pinch bolt, but this is the first report I've heard about a lose rear wheel. Maybe some of the others have more info.

HTH.

 

[pauljo]

I'd suspect the wheel bearings. Several folks have experienced pre-mature bearing failure on the 650s. Apparently the OEM bearings do not seal out water very well, so if you rain ride a lot, or wash your scoot frequently, they can fail. Allwalk posted some information on a better bearing that he replaced his with.

Click here for more information.

 

[allwalk]

Hey MadMaxi PM me with some info and we can get together. Or you could drop by my place and I will take the wheel off myself and we can have look.
IF you can grab the back wheel and actual feel it move or wobble, than it is wheel bearings. If it doesnt wobble than put it up on the centerstand and start the engine. Let the rear wheel free wheel and you should be able to tell if its a bent rim or something. Unless you've hit some major pothole I'm suspecting the wheelbearing.

It would probably be best if I came to your house for inspection as you really don't want to be riding it untill the problem is diagnosed.

 

[Jim]

How many miles on it ?
At about 1,000 miles on my 650, my front axle became loose.
The loose front axle I had was caused by, improper assembly of the front wheel. The spacer (that looks like a hat) has 2 different diamaters, the put in on backwards, with the larger side against the seal. In time the seal was crushed causing the loose axle. The smalled diamater should go inside the seal, not on it. The rear is the same setup.

This is very rare but very easly checked.

 

[MadMaxi]

Thanks

The network comes through.

Come to think of it I have washed the bike quite a bit and I did spend two days in August riding in the rain. There is also an incredible amount of what looks like rust around the centre of the backwheel. This is most upsetting as the weather here is brilliant for a ride.

 

[allwalk]

Ya its wheel bearings Maxi. You've just described what mine looked like. You have a new PM with my phone number.......give me a call.
Have a look at my picture gallery http://burgmanusa.com/gallery/album29and look at the wheel bearing pics.