Oversteering ?

[Tralala]

Hi all

I am currently taking my driving licence and if all goes right i shouldt be riding legally 1. may   I have already bought the GS500e a year 00 model. On the driving school we use brand new GS500e model 04.

Yesterday i was polishing my GS and the weather whas to great, i decidet to try my GS on the road. The bike is running great, but when i make a sharp low speed right turn the bike is oversteering ? Not totally wild but enough to make it feel different, if i compare with the driving school bikes.

Any idea about this ?

[Stime187]

Oversteering?    From the car world oversteer is when the rear wheels (or wheel) comes around under power or otherwise... is that what's happening? If so, run me through exactly what steps your going through to make a low speed turn, also about what mph are you going? I'm no two-wheeled expert, but from what I've been around... motorcycles, everyday riders, and oversteer should not be mixing together...

Scott

[JamesG]

By "Oversteer" do you mean it doesn't turn fast enough (the car definition) or that it fall in and steers too sharply (what I think you mean).

The school bikes were probably GN125s or CB250s. Both of them are very lazy steering bikes. The GS is a totally different animal.  You'll get used to it.

[Tralala]

It steer to fast, like it will turn more than i will automatic. On the driving school we use brand new GS500e model 04, seem not to act like that.

/Tralala

[Lars]

Try using more throttle in the turns. After you steer in, open the throttle a bit more and the bike will stop falling sharper into the turn.  It will also feel a lot more stable  this way.

[scratch]

Your bike does not have the weight of the fairing over the front wheel. So, it feels lighter and is more sensitive to your steering inputs. Expecially, if you've been using more strength to push over into a turn a heavier bike.

[sanityfree]

doesn't that fairing only weigh like 2 pounds? the (listed) dry weight on my '00 is only like 3 lbs less than the '04 (f).

[Hi-T]

On low speed turns you'll have to muscle the bike more.  Throttle will always help straighten out the bike (When in doubt- gas it).  You can also try loading the outside peg more- lean away from the turn in low speeds (lean into the corner on high speeds).

[tkm433]

The profile of the tires can cause the bike to handle quicker or slower in turns.

Just because the tire is a 110/70/17 does not mean it will handle the same since some tires will have a different profile for the same size so if the o4 bike and your has different tires that could be part of the issue.

The air presure will do the same.

Tires that are not new and have mainly highway milage or not a lot of hard corning will wear in the center more and this will cause the profile of the tire to change.  The bike will turn faster once the tire lean angle casues the contact point to change from the flat center to the curved.  New tires having a rounder profile will not have this change in streering show up as quickly as a used tire.

Has any modifications been done too your bike such as a new rear shock from a differnt bike?  If so this could of raised the rear end of your bike a bit which would in turn make the bike steer quicker.

Are the forks mounted in the proper in the triple clamps?  Has someone before you lowered the front of the bike by allowing the fork tubes to run higher in the triple clamps.  On the GS I think at most this could be a 1cm but that would change the front head angle.

Has anything been done to the O4 bike such as new frot springs or differnt fork oil???  They might not be totally stock 04 GS500?

[Kerry]

My bet is on insufficient tire pressure.

Been there, done that when I bought my '96.  I couldn't believe the difference in steering compared to my '99, until I made it to an air compressor and checked the pressure.  The front tire didn't register AT ALL on my always-in-the-jacket-pocket pressure gauge.  

Filled 'er up, problem disappeared.  No wonder the PO didn't feel confident coming down the winding canyon near my home....

Did you already figure out the problem, Tralala?  If so, what was it?

[Tralala]

the tire pressure was about 20 psi, when i filled the tire up to 33 the problem was gone  

Anyway, i dont have this bike anymore the person i bought it of was willing to take it back. The reason for this was, that i found out that the GS hase been used on a traning course for driving student, and the bike then have been taked out for a total damage   Now i am ready to buy another GS from a girl with 800 miles on the clock.

I get it next thuesday  

/Tralala