Bike set up advice after changing tires

[tonyd]

Ok so I had some new tires put on the Versys 650 last fall just before putting it up for the winter. Only rode it to work a few times after the swap but noticed that the steering is WAY slower going into corners and the front wants to drift exiting corners under any amount of acceleration. New tires seem have a much flatter profile than the Dunlops they replaced.

I was thinking I need to drop the front end a bit by sliding the forks up to put some more weight on the front end. Does this seem like the right direction to head in???

[TTD]

In addition to profile changes, some tires have different heights (diameters).

A good thing to do when switching tires is to take a measurement of your current setup. For instance, you could measure from the ground to the bottom of your forks (or swingarm) - and then duplicate this number when the new tire is on (or at least re-measure and then use that as a guideline if you don't like the handling on the new tire).

Given what you're saying, then dropping the front a bit (or raising the rear, if that's an option) would be a good start (assuming you verified tire pressures are good)

[tonyd]

Air pressure was good, but that is the feeling entering corners is just like having a tire very low on pressure.
The rear is up as far as it goes.

Now my question is what is a "little" or "a lot" when dealing with the front end?

[nhbubba]

What are the new tires? I noticed that my new Michelins have the opposite problem; they have a very tall profile and absolutely fall into corners. I'm told this is typical. After a couple hundred miles I started to dig it and don't want to go back.

I am considering trying to drop the front end on the 'strom to add to this effect myself.

[TTD]

Air pressure was good, but that is the feeling entering corners is just like having a tire very low on pressure.
The rear is up as far as it goes.

Now my question is what is a "little" or "a lot" when dealing with the front end?

A couple of mm's would be a good start. Can't go too much or you start having ground clearance issues - or you can start having your fender hit when the forks compress.

[fineout]

what tires are they?

[tonyd]

Pirelli MT60R

[CBR929RE]

those even look pretty square in the pic. like Tony said try like 2mm. make small changes

[OreoGaborio]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4s)

I'm with Tony. Drop the front end by pulling the Forks up in the triples a few mm. Take it for a spin and see how you like it. Pull em up a few more if desired but be cognacent of the fact that the further you go the less stable the bike will be (although with a bike like the Versys I'm sure you could go quite a ways before it became twitchy)

[Rada]

Another tool to help is to shorten your wheel base. This will only work if you can remove a link from your chain and slide the rear wheel all the way forward..
Sometimes you may need to mess with your sprocket combination to get this to work out for you.

I would try the forks first then shorten the wheel base.

[csmutty]

I don't know how the bike fits with the rider already, but couldn't raising dogbones be put in?

[tonyd]

29" inseam, I'll start with the forks.

Thanks guys. Few more weeks and I can get her on the road and see how it works out.