Weird bike feeling...

[Rob W]

Morning all.

Just been out on my bike this morning, and noticed that when I wiggle the bars left and right a touch the whole bike seems to shudder quiet violently and feels really unstable. I noticed as I went round a roundabout it felt pretty weird, then as I was in a straight line I wiggled the bars about 10° if that, left and right and the bike just felt like it was gonna come out from underneath me. Feels like the front wheel isn't tracking the same as the back wheel. Could this be the tyre pressures? I haven't checked them lately so I wondered if it could of lost some air while it's been sitting. Pretty worried cos the whole bike just felt so unstable.

Cheers.
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Robby]

Check the tyre pressure certainly.

Also check axle bolts. Just try and undo them by hand, seeing as they can sometimes slacken off for no good reason. Particularly if you forget/ignore to put the R clip back in.

I'll get you one day Wozny.

[Rob W]

Well after my crash I had the wheel checked to make sure it wasn't buckled. Came back fine but maybe I should check the spindle has been properly tightened. Thing is I've been out on it a few times and it never felt like this so I just guessed it could be the tyre pressures. Seemed strange the way the whole back end was juddering for a second.


____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[JonB]

Happened to me once before, pumped up the tyres and everything was fine, could be as simple as that.
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Rob W]

Well, tomorrow when I'm "officially" allowed to be back on my bike I'll pop round to my dad's and get the pressures checked.

Cheers for the replies people .
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[stinkwheel]

[Rob W]

I reckon it is, one of the cats knocked our old slow cooker over in the garage and broke it right next to my back tire. Cleaned it all up the other day but there were small shards of it everywhere so maybe one of these mofo's got in there.
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Rob W]

Just out of interest, if it's not the tyre pressures, and everything seems done up, is there anything else that could make it do this?
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[mr.z]

It could be your tyres are old and knackered, it could be wheel bearings, it could be worn suspnsion bushes/bearings, could be quite a few things really... try pressures (they should be checked from cold, get yourself a halfords digital pressure tester, they are only £5) need checking quite often really..
____________________
>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[JonB]

[Rob W]

[mr.z]

no hopefully its not any of those!

I dont tend to check my prssures more than every couple of weeks, but should do it more often, 3/4 psi can make a massive difference to the handleing!

reflex - not meaning to sound patroniseing but, get your dad to show you how to check+adjust

tyre pressures - every couple of weeks/before a long ride/when it feels weird
oil - every week
chain (at least to check/lube it) - oil every time you go for a ride, check every week

Better to check too often because if your ridieng with no oil/flat tyres/about to snap chain, its very bad news in any case!

You need to know how to do these yourself really, standard bikery knowlage
____________________
>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Rob W]

I know how to do all that, I'm not a complete idiot (not saying you said I was btw).

Just if there's anything more serious, ie the bars are misaligned or the wheel is out I'm not that confident at checking this and making sure it is all perfect.
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[stinkwheel]

Trouble with supermotos is they are so forgiving on the handling that your back tyre can be nearly popping off the rim before you notice a big difference in handling.

I noticed mine getting a 'bit funny' at 80mph on the M6 a while back. Just a slight tendancy to crab a bit further when I changed lanes.

When I checked the pressure of my (by now very hot) tyre it was 15psi below the recommended COLD pressure.

Check the tyre pressure before you go out on it again, or at worst down the next filling station you pass (yes, your tyres would be warm, but if they are still down on pressure then they DEFINATLEY need topping up)
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Rob W]

Was just weird the way it went with only a tiny input on the bars. Other than that it seemed fine apart from that one corner where it felt a bit dodgy and didn't seem to straighten up smoothly as I came out. When I jiggled the bars the rear felt like a completely seperate entity to the rest of the bike, was pretty worrying to say the least so I just turned round and came back home, what with the roads being icy and not feeling 100% on it I didn't think it was worth the risk. Plus the fact if I dropped it on the left side, it's goodbye left arm.
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[NY_Sniper]

i learnt to check my tyres at least once a week or if the temps droped loads (bike was parked up 4 a while ) went to work on the bike went round a coner and hit a hole and thought wow that felt a lill squidgey rode down the road just coming up to work and then the frount end was everywhere shit myself bad was only doing about 20-30 i stoped and i was on the rims it had poped off the rim had to get a m8 to come pick me and my wheel up ( leaving the bike in work carpark ) had to get it pumped up. scary shit wen u aint expecting owt like it on ur normal comute to work

[Rob W]

Bought myself a digital tyre pressure guage today, checked the tryes and the front was 20PSI and the rear was 18PSI.



How much of a difference would this make to the bike, seeing as the reccommended pressures are 29 front and 32 rear. Felt completely different last time I rode it so I'm hoping that is all it was.
____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[stinkwheel]