Endless questions.

[Squoosh]

Hi!

I have posted here before a few years ago when i first got my GS.  It has been in storage off and on over the years, and coming back home and getting her running again, I have a few questions.

Issue #1

It feels recently (although i havent been on it for two years) that the front wheel is wobbling a bit.  If I take my hands off the handlebars they quickly start wobbling and would inevitably go nuts and make me die in about 1 second if I did not put my hands back on them.


Issue #2

My front and rear rotors (since I bought the bike in 2000) have always scraped against the pads audibly when I push the bike around in nuetral (i am sure when its running too, but I cannot hear it over the engine).  The pads probably have never been replaced with 9000 miles on the odometer (its a 1993 gs500e).  the pads however have a lot of life left in them, and I can't see how its possible to back the pads off of the rotors, it seems like they scrape by default.  How normal is this?


I would like to add that I have changed a few things from stock since I have owned it.  I have a Dunlop 140/70B17 on the rear wheel with very very minimal clearance, and a 110/8B17 on the front.  In order for the front wheel to even fit under the fender I put some perhaps 1/2 inch plastic risers under the plate which connects the front forks together.  I think I cut some holes in the fender in order to move them up a bit too, as well as longer screws.  The fender rubs a slightly sometimes but its not a problem.  These tires are pretty much in new condition but have some stress cracks in the side walls near the rims (probably from sitting around).

Could someone please tell me if I am a moron for the tires, if they are safe to ride on still, or if i compromised front wheel stability...why the handlebars will wobble out of control of not held firmly, and why the rotors scrape?

Sorry for the cluster of questions =)

thanks!

[Kerry]

The brake pads do scrape a bit "by default".  The sound it makes should be noticeable if you're listening for it, but not loud.

As for the "tank slapper" tendency of your front wheel, I'll leave that to the racers on the board.  I'd like to know more about what causes that kind of instability myself....

[tmckay]

On the question of cracked tires...

I just recently had some almost new tires develop sidewall cracking.  This is normal over time, but not for a few years.  In my case the shop said they would fail it at inspection as unsafe and they are helping me with a warranty claim since they were 10 months/3000 miles old.

The advice I got here was to replace them, warranty or not.

Trev

[The Buddha]

Neck bearings are likely cause of wobble... the rest as kerry said.
Cool.
Srinath.

[richard]

First thing I'd check if you haven't ridden for awhile is tire pressure... maybe you already have.

I spent a lot of time looking around trying to figure out why my front was wobbly (even found a wrench in the works, fixed) but it turned out to be low tire pressure. =]

[JLKasper]

I won't swear to this, but I've read it a long time ago in the service section of Cycle World...

When motorcycles are stored in one position for long periods, it's possible for tires to develop "flat spots" in areas where they sat on the floor; something about the nylon in the tire plies developing a "memory" if kept in one place for a long period of time, especially if the tire goes flat.  The alternative to remedy this problem is to replace the tires; rebalancing won't help.  Rayon ply tires won't exhibit this phenomenon, but these are very rare (some Metzelers and/or Continentals?). The supposed best way to store a bike for a long period is to get both wheels off the ground, or rotating them manually every so often.

[Squoosh]

My tires are to pressure, i checked that already. So it's not that..  It might be that neck berring then.  I did not know what it was called, but i noticed some looseness in that last time I was on it.

I dont think the tires have any flat spots.  Its been stored inside the house under pretty much the same environmental condition the whole time.  Tires are just cracked around the rims, and it happened the first time I let the bike sit over the winter.  The have about 3000 miles on them and look brand new otherwise =(.

No idea how to get to that neck berring btw, or where to get a replacement part.

[JLKasper]

The steering stem bearings can cause a wobble, and with 9000 miles it's about time to inspect them to make sure they're well lubricated and adjusted.  A couple of things you can check with the front wheel off the ground.  The best way is to set the bike on its centerstand, and use a small jack under the engine to raise it enough to get the wheel up.

The first thing you want to check if there's any slop in the bearings.  Grab the fork legs near the bottom and try to pull them back and forth.  If it's loose, the bearings need adjusted.

You're not out of the woods yet.  The second check, especially after adjusting the bearings (Clymer, Haynes, or Suzuki workshop manual required) is to feel for a "notch" when the wheel is straight forward, and you try to turn from side to side.  What happens is that the bearing race wears in that one spot when the wheel is straight ahead, forming small depressions that the bearing rollers fit into.  When you turn it, the rollers are reluctant to move out of its worn spot.  Time to replace the bearings and races when that happens.

The deal with the tire "flat spots" is when the tires don't move for a long length of time with weight on them.  It doesn't matter whether it's in a house, a garage, or outside.   After the tires are aired up, you usually can't see the anomaly, but you can sure feel it.  I would check the bearings first before replacing tires.