Iffy handleing...

[mr.z]

I've asked a few people but i'd like to get some opinions here too... about a month or so ago i went to visit the lady friend about 100miles away, in the way i noticed the steering was "lighter" is the only way i can describe it, more susceptible to small adjustments.. anyways, i continued on my merry way and put it down to my imagination, on the way back it was the same, again though i was imagining it...

went to uni the next week, hmm still quite wobbly i thought, as if the tyres were down... so i stoped and checked them, under by1/2psi nothing major, no change to the handling, this is where the dumb ass bit kick in, when i get home i decide to put the pressures up to those on the sidewall, out for a ride, didn't make it much different, put them to normal pressure...
The wobbly feeling has got progressively more noticeable, the front wheel seems to wander a little, like its 2x as sensitive to steering inputs, but als when going over less even bits of the road is inclined to move itself a little more, i'm finding it difficult to describe, closest i can get is lighter and less stable, as if it could get a bit hairy at any moment and the front end might go off the wrong way, because i ride carefully anyway its manageable, if i were to push it i don't know what will happen...

The tyres are out of production, i have reason to believe they have been on at the least 4 years, theres plenty tread left but from the mot mileages and the tyres average mileage + the fact they have been discontinued for a while makes me think its them..
from what i have heard from my mechanic and the tyre place tyres can go a bit iffy when they have been on a long time or over/under inflated, when i say iffy become a vague...


What else could it be? because its second hand i have no idea whats been done to it unfortunately, could it be wheel bearings? the front fork seals were done recently but were fine for the last 3months or so, rear shock is in good condition... brakes were done recently but they are not binding afaik as they don't get warm after a ride (they were also done recently but were done after the handling oddness began).

If anyone has any idea what it could be or confirm its 99% the tyres that would be really helpful

Edit: Its a 1982 CX500 by the way 27k on the clock and probably due for some major work but not till i can afford it..

[Smoto Bob]

have you checked the bearings, wheel ones first but head race's while your at it.
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F'it DO WHAT EVER MAKES YOU HAPPY!!!!! Even if it screws over everyone else :p
Titz wrote: "..and my 3rd accident was when this police car....."

[mr.z]

The steering head seems fine (meant to mention that) no notchyness or anything, i wouldn't know how to check the wheel bearings to be honest

[mr jamez]

Just rock the wheel from side to side, there shouldn't be any movement. Probably in one of the faq's somewhere.

[mr.z]

[Smoto Bob]

lift the front wheel off the ground and take the wheel in you hand and try to wobble it. if there is play in the wheel bearings you will feel it. Also you can grab the forks while its up and check the head race bearings are tight. They would be check during MOT
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F'it DO WHAT EVER MAKES YOU HAPPY!!!!! Even if it screws over everyone else :p
Titz wrote: "..and my 3rd accident was when this police car....."

[mr.z]

well, they both seem fine :/ its buging me cause it could be serious and bite my head off at any time

[Sparks!]

Get a garage to check it, if everything is fine, ask someone else to ride it.

Last year I noticed my ZXR400 wasn't handling AT ALL right, had it checked, nothing wrong with it, mate rode it with me on the back and nothing wrong with it at all.

It was me, not sure why but I just lost my confidence for a bit, done some advanced training and was fine since then.

Just a thought!

Oh, then when I swapped the wheels it wasn't handling again, £10 and I had the wheels laser aligned by local garage and that solved that, also handled so much better after that, so maybe look into that as well?
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[mr.z]

I keep thinking "maybe its just me" i think i'm gonna have a long ride tomorrow and make sure i'm ridding smoothly, perhaps i'm just ridding faster i don't know...
But the handling does feel allot more flighty than it did though, i will get a mate to have a go and see what he thinks (sort of a mechanic, will definitely know if somethings off). also will go around all the relevant bolts and check they are all torqued up properly (i'd be quite freaked out if they are wrong though )
afaik the wheel alignment shouldn't be a problem as its shaft driven, no chain adjusters or anything (is that what you mean by laser aligned, or like balancing?)

[Kickstart]

Hi

I would doubt it is the tyres. Yes they can get dodgy with age, but a lot more than 4 years. I replaced some on my FZ750 which were over a decade old (it had been off the road for ages). Grip in the wet was really bad, but in the dry it handled fine.

I low front tyre pressure would normally make the steering heavier, but quicker.

I would first check all the bearings / bushes, but it sounds like you have done most of them at the front.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[mr.z]

I've just been informed the front "speedmaster" tyre is also known as the "Ditch master" and "Hedge finder" am goanna go in the garage and have a look for anything i might have missed..

One thing... if the brakes were binding would they

1: make it impossible/difficult to move the wheel
2: get hot after a short (2mile) ride
3: make no squealy noise, or squeal constantly?

Its the only other thing i can think of, they should have bedded in though by now i would have thought?

[Kickstart]

[mr.z]

Apparently they front tyre i have on is also known as

Hedge master
Skid master
And
Ditch master

when they wear a little too much they become difficult to manage, in fact the people on the owners club have been known to bin them instantly if they aquire a cx with them on.. soooo will be changing the tyres then at least! hopefully it will sort the problem out though.. will let you know..
thanks for the help guys..

[mr.z]

... been talking about it with some people on the cx owners club, most of the reckon the tyres but somebody did mention the adjuster for the bearings loosening off, there is an adjuster but where is it likely to be? i'm hoping this is not going to be a front end off joby but the symptoms sound very similar, i.e. the loose feeling steering...

Where is the adjuster likely to be? top or bottom of the yokes?

is it more than likely to be easy to get at?

this is the best pic i can get of some similar yokes...

https://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~noriba74/images/bike/cxyks.jpg
could somebody mark roughly where they would be? (unless they do stick out of the bottom)
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Kickstart]

Hi

Just under the top yoke there is the adjuster nut/s for the steering head bearings. Normally if they need adjusting then you will get a noticeable click when braking over bumps.

They can be adjusted without removing the front end. Often it is easiest to take off the top yoke to get more space, but often this is not required.

However they often develope play in one position, and this means the bearings are knackered. Replacing them does mean dropping the front end out.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[mr.z]

Hi all, though i'd let you know, got my new tyres the other day and went for a 90odd mile ride last night, the handling is 100% fixed, cornering is sooo much better than before and i (unwittingly) got to test them in the wet too around some pretty damn challenging roads (see the rideout thread).
So, it was the tyres after all, completely transformed the handling... amazing to see how much difference it makes

Thanks for the help and advice, learnt allot anyways even if it was not the problem this time it could be another time..
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<