Somethings loose? Kawasaki GT550

[Piercee100]

Did an oil change and general tidy up on my Kawasaki GT550 today and I've discovered something wrong but not sure what. My bike often feels like it has a flat tyre on the rear but is fine and yet often feels like the tyre is flat whilst going over man hole cover's and bumps. The rear shocks appear okay when I jump up and down on the rear end but obviously cant do that whilst riding and have played with the various settings but haven't really noticed any difference. I've checked the air pressure in my rear suspension and that's okay although I know nothing else about the oil inside. On my way to my lock-up I have to ride along an unmade road and the bike rattled horribly like its snapped somewhere and terrible rattling was felt through my feet especially, but all appears fine on the flat with no visible damage or leaks.

Could something have gone wrong with the rear shocks or should I be looking at swing arm bushes or something else???
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[ricklincs45]

What psi are you running in the rear tyre/are you checking the pressure regularly?

Could be that the damping has gone in the rear shocks - when was the bike last MoT'd? Tester should have picked that up, unless the units have suddenly failed.

Unlikely to be swinging arm bushes, if they were severely worn, you'd feel more of a side-to-side movement at the back of the bike.

Have you been around the bike and checked that all bolts/spindles/nuts etc are tight?

Rick
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Author '80 Bikes, and counting...' Currently getting frustrated with an MZ 125 TS.

[nightshaddow]

could be the rear wheel bearings, get the back of the bike in the air and grab the wheel at the 3 and 9 position and gently wobble, the wheel should be solid, if it moves and has play it is bearings

"edit" iirc the gt550 is a shafty, i dont know much about them but could part of the drive mech be broken
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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 100 MPH THATS IMPOSSIBLE Its chinese OFFICER."
Current rides CB 125 TDE(the next project) NS125RK ( now on the road ) CB125TDC (soon to be project 17) melody ( the nephews )

[Piercee100]

Wheel bearings seem fine and cannot feel any play anywhere. I'm running the rear end at about 15psi which I have been checking regularly and needs topping up once a month.

Bikes MOT is due 10th of January, which means I would have owned it a year in couple of months (MOT was a condition of sale). I've only really noticed this problem since it turned cold, couple of weeks at the most. I'm guessing its the oil in the shocks then.

I've Seen new Hagon replacement shocks for £129 but these are conventional shocks unlike the original Kawasaki air/oil Jobbies. Will these effect the handling, since its never been that great in the first place?
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[ricklincs45]

15psi?

Way too low - should be at least 26, possibly near 30.
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Author '80 Bikes, and counting...' Currently getting frustrated with an MZ 125 TS.

[Rob W]

[Stonefly]

15psi? seriously? it should be 36psi depending on what brand of tyres you have (ranging from 32psi to 41psi depending on tyre manufacturer
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Current......Kawasaki ZZR1200 C2H and Kawasaki ZZR600 E7
Previous....Yamaha FS1E, Honda SS50, Suzuki AP50, BSA Bantam D14, Honda CD175, Honda CB250N, Kawasaki Z250A3, Yamaha RD250E, Kawasaki Z400, Kawasaki Z500, Kawasaki GPz550, Honda NTV600, Kawasaki GT750, Kawasaki Z1000R, Kawasaki GPX250

[Paddy Blake]

I think he is saying 15psi in the shocks.

[Rob W]

[Paddy Blake]

As far as I remember you can adjust the swing arm bearings I think.

I haven't worked on one in about 15 years.

[doggone]

Also I wonder if the shaft is OK, will there be a universal joint in it?
I would think so to accommodate swing arm movement - and they don't last forever.
It would not be pretty if it suddenly lets go altogether.

[temeluchus]

[Piercee100]

The rear suspension is 15psi lol rear tyres are 37psi (Slightly larger than normal tyre fitted).

I'm pretty sure its the rear shocks after a test ride today. I'm going to try and change the fluid first and see how it goes since I think the cold may have affected it and no idea how old it is.
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Rides: Honda H100a (Retired), VT500e (Sold), Kawasaki ZX400 (sold), Kawasaki GT550 (Sold), Suzuki Inazuma (Daily), Honda CD185t (Broken), LML Star 2t (Last run edition).

[Paddy Blake]

[temeluchus]

[bikenut]

hi dude, what sort of rattling under your foot pegs??

tranmission dependant|??

under gaiter by engine the uj and pin can be seen, wobbly??

slide spline joint ( sprung loaded ) at final drive end ( no diff!! ).

swing arm bearing taper roller which are adjustable ( same gap each side ).

is it the stand??

seems as if back tyre flat, so bike wobbly on rough terrain, final drive unit loose??

see cmsnl for the exploded views.............

[andys675]

back shocks were always a bit crap on these, buy the hagons for a transformation
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Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.

[doggone]

There's cush drive rubbers when you take the wheel out too, I expect it they are pooped it will feel a bit odd.
I am surprised it is still apparently on original shocks so that's most likely and better for changing anyway.

[bikenut]

or it could be that the rear tyre has a "flat centre", which can make bike feel as if it has a puncture sometimes............crsacked swing arm??