Bike Resisting Steering Inputs

[Billy]

Guys,

I helped a coworker over the weekend with some basic maintenance since he's new to motorcycles. After we were done he asked me to take it for a test ride to make sure everything seemed fine. He lives by Moody St in Waltham so I wasn't able to go faster then 30 mph so this was all low speed manuvering.

Immediately I noticed there was something wrong related to steering the bike. The best way to describe it was when I wanted to turn left or right, the bike felt like it was resisting my inputs on the handle bars. This caused a serious disruption in the balance of the bike.

The only thing I could think of that would cause this resistance is the stock steering stabilizer is junk. The bike is used and has been dropped (looks like from a stationary position because of how the scratches are on the faring).

I'm thinking I should just have him take it off and see if it makes a difference. He can also buy a used one off ebay but then he runs the risk of that one being junk as well. Does he really need it on the bike? It's an 05 GSXR 600. What do you guys think?

[rootkit]

How is the front tire? If it is really scalloped/worn it will cause that exact feeling.

[Billy]

The front tire had plenty of meat.

[highsider]

I had this same problem with my R1.

It was caused by the forks being set too high in the triple clamps. A couple of NESR folks helped me drop the forks about 2 inches in the triples, and everything was peachy again.

[Billy]

I had this same problem with my R1.

It was caused by the forks being set too high in the triple clamps. A couple of NESR folks helped me drop the forks about 2 inches in the triples, and everything was peachy again.

Thanks for the tip!

[RyanNicholson]

I know its probably obvious, but my front tire gets really low sometimes and if I don't make sure the pressure is right and go out and ride I get a feeling almost exactly like what you're describing.

[Billy]

pressure was good.

[legalspeed]

Does it resist when just sitting? If you have a head stand, throw it on and test, if not, just sit on it and test for resistance.

Check cables for restricting travel. Disconnect steering damper. If you still have resistance then you are looking at steering stem bearings.

[Billy]

It's only noticible when i'm moving, the faster I went the worse it got. When I'm sitting still it seems fine.

[Jim]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8330/4.5.0.131 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)

Is the steering damper centered? I installed mine once without checking that it was hitting the piston when I turned to the left. That wouldn't cause the resistance, but maybe the steering.

[LiononaLeash]

Rear tire is worn in the middle. My TLR does this(as I've noticed with other bikes too). When the rear tire profile flattens out in the middle from street riding, it does some things that make it resist steering input. My TLR steers about as good as a dumptruck when the rear tire profile has flattened out. ...And yes, the faster you go, the worse it gets.

1. The rear is now a little lower making the front end have more trail, causing more "recentering" force on the front wheel(shopping cart wheel effect), which to the rider feels like more pressure is needed to initiate the turn.

2. The tire profile in the rear is no longer nice and rounded, but kinda flat in the middle. The bike likes to sit and stay on the flatter worn profile and resists tipping for lean angle, since the whole of the bikes wieght needs to be "lifted" to get up out of the flat spot in the rear tire profile.

3. it also makes for sketchy changes in steering input as you travel across a "squared off" tire profile when changing lean angle. The steering pressure changes, the amount of contact patch changes suddenly as you increase lean angle.... etc....



Put a new set of tires on that sucker and she will tip in like a set of roller-blades.

I just put a set of tires on my TLR yesterday. Absolutely awesome feeling to be on nice rounded profile tires again. Very easy to ride.

[Billy]

Liona,

His rear tire is new, so I don't think it's that.

[LiononaLeash]

Perhaps the previous owner messed with the suspension ride heights on the bike. I would check the forks position in the triples against a service manual, and look to see if there is a spacer or something missing on the rear suspension making the rear lower than it should be.

I rode a friends ZX-10R where he removed a spacer in the rear to lower the ride hieght of the bike so he could sit with his feet flat footed on the ground. The thing did not want to turn anymore. He put the spacer back and all was better.


Forks that are low in the triples(extended downward, raising the ride height of the front end), slow the steering. Rear end being low will also slow steering. I'd check that stuff next.


If its something else, sounds like a question in the suspension corner is in order.

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8330/4.5.0.131 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)

Is the steering damper centered? I installed mine once without checking that it was hitting the piston when I turned to the left. That wouldn't cause the resistance, but maybe the steering.

was this steering damper number 3?

[Jim]

was this steering damper number 3?

i actually just bought steering damper #3 today. the stocker was cut off & tossed, the tank mount will be up for sale

[akira700]

I had this same problem with my R1.

It was caused by the forks being set too high in the triple clamps. A couple of NESR folks helped me drop the forks about 2 inches in the triples, and everything was peachy again.

Dropping 2" is ALOT. Could make it go from slow steering to dangerously unstable.

Do this in 5 mm increments if that is what you think the issue is.
Firstly take the damper off to rule that out.

[Paul_E_D]

What kind of bike/damper are we talking about?

[Billy]

05 GSXR 600. I think we're going to start with investigating the front forks and make sure they are properly positioned.

[13]

I dropped my superhawk years ago, it landed on the side mount damper and bent it. Felt just as you describe, but the bars would stick in whatever position I put them in. The bike would continue to turn with no input. Got scarier the faster I went. Disconnected it and it was all peachy again. It's worth a shot.
After I took it off completely because it wasn't needed.

[Jim]

billy if it ends up being a damper, i know someone telling a tank mounted damper off their gixxer

[CB750F]

ok now im no mechanic. but i rebuilt my 1979 honda cb750f myself .. well with a little help from the clymer lol. but to me and again im no mechainic.

1. front axle bearings could be shot

2. make sure the front axle is seated correctly to the forks.

3. lower fork caps that hold the axle in place need to be tightend equal amounts. 1 for 1
if one side is seated more"tighter"then the other it can cause the front wheel to have that feeling. by making the wheel slightly"crooked"

just my thoughts seeing i had not seen anyone mention these.

only reason im saying is when i reinstalled my front wheel from having the tires changed i just worked one side then the other. took it for a ride and had exactly the same results you had described.


good luck

[Billy]

I did some more troubleshooting on his bike and it turned out to be his tire pressure. Front tire was 18 PSI!!!! I should have checked it when I first worked on it but I was wicked tired and wasn't thinking.

[RyanNicholson]

I know its probably obvious, but my front tire gets really low sometimes and if I don't make sure the pressure is right and go out and ride I get a feeling almost exactly like what you're describing.

pressure was good.

glad you got it figured out tho, and it wasn't anything serious

[Jim]

I did some more troubleshooting on his bike and it turned out to be his tire pressure. Front tire was 18 PSI!!!! I should have checked it when I first worked on it but I was wicked tired and wasn't thinking.

good find billy. what pressure did you put it back up to? i think i run 32 PSI on mine

[Billy]

He said he checked the pressure and said it was good, so I didn't question it which i relayed that info here. I was under the asumption that his definition of good was 30 or above. Apparently he though 20 was good for street. I put it back to 32 and completely solved the problem.