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GS swings under me and around corners

Started by scotsman, April 01, 2012, 02:27:40 PM

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scotsman

So today after many many carb woes i got to take the beast for a 50-60 mile run. I went to take it around a corner, not to angled but the front started to wobble around the corner. Then during coasting i noticed that the whole bike was swinging left to right under me. Very weird sensation. Stock front all the way around. Tyres look to be good condition (not sure how long po had tyres on). It happens when im not braking, to me indicating its not a bad rotor or brakes.
It definitely feels like im going to lay it down around the corner. Everything  feel tight ie no loose hardware.

Whats the thoughts? Any help would be good, im a self admitted nOOb.
Work to ride and ride to work.
98 gs500e, stock 'cept jet, 10k

craigs449

Tire pressure?  Are the steering stem bearings in good shape and tight?  Also check the swingarm bearings to see if they are in good shape and tight.........
2001 Suzuki GS 500 "Commute Killer"
2008 Husqvarna 510 SMR
2002 Honda CR 250 "Project Pain-in-the-ass"
2001 Honda XR 50

Kijona

You can check the tire manufacture date.

Look on the sidewall - there will be a raised or indented area, with 4 numbers inside it - separate from everything else. Mine say "3601" which means they were made in the 36th week of 2001. Another example would be 2505 which would mean 25th week of 2005.

Mine are still fine...but then again they were kept inside and never let go flat or anything. And they're also Bridgestone Battlax tires which, as you may or may not know, are not cheap tires. The biggest thing to check for is cracking in the sidewall or along the treadline.

adidasguy

When Trey was feeling like flat tires or swaying back and forth... hard to hold a straight line...
It was bad steering bearings.  Ride 5 minutes and they'd heat up and start to get sticky.
Ride. Then stop and get it on the center stand. Have someone push on the back to get the front off the ground. How east does it turn? Is it smooth, jerky, sluggish or sticky feeling?

scotsman

Thanks for chiming in quickly, tires look a tad cracked, Prob time for new set. As far as the stem bearing adjustment goes ... I searched to see a howto but didnt see anything of substance, any tips. I have a feeling its the front .... As soon as you said that i had a dream bubble pop out of my head with a replay of how i got it started after three times off with the carbs. I tied a towrope to the handlebars and had the wife toe me and i bumpstarted it.
Maybe (gulp) happened then...



Work to ride and ride to work.
98 gs500e, stock 'cept jet, 10k

jacob_ns

Quote from: adidasguy on April 01, 2012, 03:24:08 PM
It was bad steering bearings.  Ride 5 minutes and they'd heat up and start to get sticky.

Steering bearings...heat up? I hope you mean wheel bearings because if your steering bearings have any heat to them at all something is very, very wrong.
1994 GS500E w/ ~43,000 kms as of July 2012

Funderb

QuoteSteering bearings...heat up? I hope you mean wheel bearings because if your steering bearings have any heat to them at all something is very, very wrong.

only if you have magic supergrease and your steering bearings are totally fricitonless. I dont think adidas means hot to the touch, but warmer than room temp, yes.
Black '98 gs500 k&n Lbox, akrapovic slip-on, kat600 shock, progressive sproings, superbike handlebars, 40/147.5/3.5washers

"I'd rather ride then spend all my time fiddling trying to make it run perfectly." -Bombsquad

"Never let the destination cast a shadow over your journey towards it- live life"

craigs449

Quote from: scotsman on April 01, 2012, 03:29:14 PM
Thanks for chiming in quickly, tires look a tad cracked, Prob time for new set. As far as the stem bearing adjustment goes ... I searched to see a howto but didnt see anything of substance, any tips. I have a feeling its the front .... As soon as you said that i had a dream bubble pop out of my head with a replay of how i got it started after three times off with the carbs. I tied a towrope to the handlebars and had the wife toe me and i bumpstarted it.
Maybe (gulp) happened then...

Not an adjustment.  Either the bearings are good or bad.  And, either the stem is tight or loose.  Put the bike on the center stand and have someone hold the rear down.  With the front off the ground, see if you can get any play out of the front end stem.  There should be no play in this area.  If there is play in that area, try to tightne the steering stem nut.  If it is tight and there is play, the steering stem bearings need replaced.
2001 Suzuki GS 500 "Commute Killer"
2008 Husqvarna 510 SMR
2002 Honda CR 250 "Project Pain-in-the-ass"
2001 Honda XR 50

mister

Front steering problems? Check Rear tire pressure first  :thumb:
GS Picture Game - Lists of Completed Challenges & Current Challenge http://tinyurl.com/GS500PictureGame and http://tinyurl.com/GS500PictureGameList2

GS500 Round Aust Relay http://tinyurl.com/GS500RoundAustRelay

adidasguy

Quote from: scotsman on April 01, 2012, 03:29:14 PM
Thanks for chiming in quickly, tires look a tad cracked, Prob time for new set. As far as the stem bearing adjustment goes ... I searched to see a howto but didnt see anything of substance, any tips. I have a feeling its the front .... As soon as you said that i had a dream bubble pop out of my head with a replay of how i got it started after three times off with the carbs. I tied a towrope to the handlebars and had the wife toe me and i bumpstarted it.
Maybe (gulp) happened then...

Tow behind  the car? Is that going to be on True-TV on an episode of "Worlds Dumbest Motoheads"? I love that series of shows of people doing dumb things. There have been a couple towing a bike with spectacular results (and not the good kind). I really love watching the motorcycle crashes of dumb people.

dropitlow88

Quote from: adidasguy on April 01, 2012, 10:53:47 PM
Quote from: scotsman on April 01, 2012, 03:29:14 PM
Thanks for chiming in quickly, tires look a tad cracked, Prob time for new set. As far as the stem bearing adjustment goes ... I searched to see a howto but didnt see anything of substance, any tips. I have a feeling its the front .... As soon as you said that i had a dream bubble pop out of my head with a replay of how i got it started after three times off with the carbs. I tied a towrope to the handlebars and had the wife toe me and i bumpstarted it.
Maybe (gulp) happened then...

Tow behind  the car? Is that going to be on True-TV on an episode of "Worlds Dumbest Motoheads"? I love that series of shows of people doing dumb things. There have been a couple towing a bike with spectacular results (and not the good kind). I really love watching the motorcycle crashes of dumb people.
hahaha i tried that once... had a 92 cr250r dirtbike, kick mechanism broke, towed it down the streets of alaska when i lived there. getting towed on a bike is NOT fun! lol

scotsman

i knew i would get a going over the second i mentioned that.. ... ha ha what can i say.. .. although in my dsfence i stole that trick from mondo enduro when he had a flooded engine. mine was on a private road however. dumb but effective. ......

Sent from my Triumph using Tapatalk
Work to ride and ride to work.
98 gs500e, stock 'cept jet, 10k

adidasguy

Quote from: jacob_ns on April 01, 2012, 04:04:44 PM
Quote from: adidasguy on April 01, 2012, 03:24:08 PM
It was bad steering bearings.  Ride 5 minutes and they'd heat up and start to get sticky.

Steering bearings...heat up? I hope you mean wheel bearings because if your steering bearings have any heat to them at all something is very, very wrong.

When the steering bearings are gone, they will heat up a little due to friction. That made them very sticky and sluggish on Trey. maybe I should say "get warmed up".

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