Not sure about handling of 2016 Triumph Street Twin - SOLVED

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

I got a 7000 mile street twin.

Tyres are legal - romped the MOT with no advisories, but I'm inclined to replace them as the front has about 2mm and the rear maybe about 3mm of tread. I can't spot any weird wear patterns on the tyres.

What I don't like is the way the bike feels frisky over linear tarmak ribbons and even the odd painted arrow or centreline.

I've been riding my old cg125 for a year and that deals with the same road features more confidently. Nothing terrible happens on the Triumph; it doesn't jump off line or anything, but it makes me VERY aware of the road surface. I've only put 500 miles onto it since I got it so maybe it is just supplying plenty of feedback - don't know. I've obviously checked the pressures.

Any ideas? The bike came from one of my sons, so I can give it back to him if I don't like it.

Nobby the Bastard · Harley Gaydar Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Karma :

Being very aware of the road surface is a good thing. You've discovered a thing called 'feel'.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

owl · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Oct 2016 Karma :

Check the head bearings, my triple was a bit sketchy and wandered on the front end, turned out it had been over tightened at some point.
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Observation is the greatest source of wisdom.

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

owl · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Oct 2016 Karma :

Tankie · Crazy Courier Joined: 24 Feb 2017 Karma :

The interface between your arse and the road is the tyres,
check compatibility and overall wear,
as tyres wear their ride characteristics change , also as stated head bearings ,swinging arm bearings.
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Always learning, everyday is a school day

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

I had this on my VFR. I made sure the sag on the shock and forks was correctly set, and it went away. It does come back a bit if you load up the top box too much, but now it's generally good and certainly better than it was.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

Thanks for the feedback.

I'll take a look at the settings on the rear shocks and change the tyres for starters. Fri=om memory, I think the shockers on the back are on their softest setting.

MCN · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2015 Karma :

Tire Pressures.

Too high and it'll feel as though a crisp packet could throw you off.

And we call the strips of tar in the joints between the road surface Over-Banding.

https://www.instarmac.co.uk/overbanding-the-truth/

It throws the front tire aww ower the place. Just be conscious that it's there. Try not to focus on it or you'll miss more important s4it.

Aaaaaannnndddd Tarmac. (Tarmacadam- After the Scottish chap who invented tar based road covering.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarmacadam)
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

kgm · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Karma :

The borders roads, whilst epic, are pretty lumpy, undulating and covered in overbanding in many places so I'd expect some disturbance on most of those roads. You're also presumably going quicker than you would have been on the CG and so it'll have a more noticeable effect.

As you've already noted the tyres are getting worn. I've often found worn tyres tramline significantly more than fresh ones. Those would be my first port of call. 2mm, whilst legal, is pretty worn for me. I tend to change around 3mm as the degradation in performance is pretty noticeable by that stage, plus mine usually tend to be getting a bit square by that point due to my annoyingly straight commute.

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

kgm · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Karma :

I haven't tried that route, I'm normally in the area around the A701 and A708 or further west towards the Galloway Forest. There's so much good stuff around the whole borders area.

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

kgm · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Jun 2015 Karma :

Glad you got it sorted 👍

recman · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 Mar 2012 Karma :

I had some Bridgestone Battlax bt023 on my Street when I first got it.
They didn't last long.
The replacement PR3s have been excellent over the last 10k+ miles.
The rear is squaring somewhat but the front will probably last through another rear tyre.

LessIsMore · Borekit Bruiser Joined: 27 Mar 2014 Karma :

I think this is mainly down to effective tyre width, which is increased by squaring from wear. A CG has narrow tyres but when the side of the contact patch catches a ridge and rides up it, for a moment the bike wants to lean in the other direction, thus introducing a steering input. With a wider tyre, the bike wants to lean more because the contact patch is farther off-centre, although if it’s also heavier that will reduce the acceleration into the lean. But if the tyre is wider than the bigger bike is heavier, if you get what I mean, then the bike will weave more when it catches a ridge.

Of course different tyres with different shapes and stiffnesses will have an effect on all of this, so you can modify the behaviour by fitting different tyres as you have done.

BusterGonads · Trackday Trickster Joined: 18 May 2018 Karma :

Thanks for all the ideas you lot posted. Although this thread is from the end of April I thought I should supply the resolution. A lot of people find these threads from google searches months and years after they petered out and it is frustrating to find a thread covering your issue when you get to the end and there is no resolution.

Cheers.