Excessive shaking of the headlight and instrument panel after tired change.

My son and I changed the tires on his bike over the weekend. Though Im a retired engineer, I got a call from my old company to work on a project for 6 months, so Im back to work.

I decided to get the tires changed on my KZ650 by a local shop. When I got back from work today, I rode the bike home and noticed the gauges and headlight shake when Im riding, something that was never present before. I told the shop about this and they said "when we changed the tire, we didnt at all touch the instrument panel of headlight. Yeah right! The bike is not like it was when I gave it to him. Now that area shakes, and its annoying.

I mentioned that I hadnt regularly rode this bike for 12 years, but maintained it while it was in the garage/barn. Its been quite some time since Ive wrapped my head around my 77.

What might have caused this "play" in the gauges and headlight now to where they bounce around at 60mph? From now on, I will never hand over my bike to have anything done. I'll do what I can myself.

Do you feel it in the handle bars? Would think it's tire blance .

Did they balance them?
Steve

Blue58 wrote: Do you feel it in the handle bars? Would think it's tire blance .

It was windy today so no way to tell. I will test again. Im so mad at myself for not doing it myself.

Check to make sure the tire is concentric to the rim. Most tires will have one or more thin rings molded into them near the rim so this is easy to check (see image below). If it is not concentric trying to balance it is not the solution. Ed

650ed wrote: Check to make sure the tire is concentric to the rim. Most tires will have one or more thin rings molded into them near the rim so this is easy to check (see image below). If it is not concentric trying to balance it is not the solution. Ed

From your description the only thing I gathered is to make sure that raised little lip youre pointing to with the arrow, goes all the way round the tire, which is probably not at all what you mean. There's just an arrow pointing to a rubber lip.

I googled and found this explanation:

"Use the tiny ring that’s molded into the tire near the bead, and check its distance from the edge of the bead flange. Check it in at least four locations, 90 degrees apart, and do this on both sides of the tire. The molded ring must be the same distance from the flange in all locations. If you can see a difference, the tire is not concentrically mounted."

Yes. Make sure the raised bead on the tire is the same distance away from thee wheel all the way around. If a section of is is closer than the rest of it the tire is not seated properly. Ed

Sometimes the vibration in the front is generated from the back tire. I'd check both tires.
Steve

SWest wrote: Sometimes the vibration in the front is generated from the back tire. I'd check both tires.
Steve

Exactly! Check both tires. Ed

As well as the above replies, the tyre should also be marked up for valve alignment.

kevski wrote: As well as the above replies, the tyre should also be marked up for valve alignment.

valve alignment?

This is the so called matching point, a red or yellow dot on the side wall of the tire.
The matching point is = yellow is the lightest/ red is the highest wieght unbalance on the tire.
Red should be a across from position for the air valve.
Yellow should be at the air valve position.