2000 saturn sc1 manual transmission is very bumpy (hop's)...is it normal?

when i shift it from 1st to 2nd, 2nd gear wants to hop or jolt sometimes until it gets up to speed...is that normal for a saturn sc1...it's only got 55K miles on it...Also, why would the steering wheel start wobbling a bit after I hit 65-70 mph ? A mechanic told me the tires do not need balance so what else could it be ?? Thanks