Hi guys,
here's the problem I have with my GS500: it won't go completely straight. When I'm riding and I let go of the handles - it always starts to go right. I can keep it straight if I use my body to put more weight on the left side but that's not the point. When I first got the bike it was going straight without problem. So my recklessness riding might have degraded it somehow.
When I put it it on the center stand I can push on the back to make the front end go up in the air. When I do that - the steering bar thing always drops to the right so I guess it's not balanced.
A mechanic once messed with my steering stem (I think that's what it's called) - I think he tightened it and that made the bike go zig-zag when trying to go straight - it sucked. So I had it loosened again.
Any ideas on where the problem might be originating and how to fix it? I'm not sure whether it's actually affecting my riding - I think maneuvering at slow speed feels funky but it might be in mind head.
Thanks guys!
I was gonna say that maybe it was tweaked but you mentioned it was fine before.
Check the alignment of your rear tyre as this will give the same effect.
Buy yourself a laser guide or use something with an absolute straight edge and check your chain alignment.
The steering on Spewey does the same thing when sitting on the centre stand, I put it down to the brakes, calipers, rotor, etc. being on the right hand side, and that slight difference in weight was enough to make it tip that way.
As for when you're riding, I haven't been silly brave enough to let go of my own form of direction at speed, so I can't say. Perhaps a worn tire could cause it? More worn on one side causing it to tip that direction?
Quote from: stoich on April 24, 2013, 02:40:09 AM
Hi guys,
here's the problem I have with my GS500: it won't go completely straight. When I'm riding and I let go of the handles - it always starts to go right. I can keep it straight if I use my body to put more weight on the left side but that's not the point. When I first got the bike it was going straight without problem. So my recklessness riding might have degraded it somehow.
When I put it it on the center stand I can push on the back to make the front end go up in the air. When I do that - the steering bar thing always drops to the right so I guess it's not balanced.
A mechanic once messed with my steering stem (I think that's what it's called) - I think he tightened it and that made the bike go zig-zag when trying to go straight - it sucked. So I had it loosened again.
Any ideas on where the problem might be originating and how to fix it? I'm not sure whether it's actually affecting my riding - I think maneuvering at slow speed feels funky but it might be in mind head.
Thanks guys!
set the stem nut preload according to the manual. do not run a too loose or too tight stem. it is deadly either way.
check your wheel bearings, front and rear.
loosen the triple clamp, one side at a time and bounce on the front end. if the slider goes up, just push it down again with a crow bar against the underside of the handlebars. make sure final set height is the same left and right.
check the rear wheel alignment via the string thing. a google search will return pictures, videos, and tutorials for aligning the rear and front wheels.
i'm betting on rear end alignment this time, like most times. :thumb:
In the USA? Could just be attributed to the center road hump from built-up pavements of the roadway over the years?
Ya road crown will get you everytime. Try doing it on different roads..
I'm in Europe, not the US. I really don't think it's the roads unfortunately. For one thing - I'm able to ride a bicycle hands free on the very same roads.
I did get both tires changed by a mechanic at one point (that was before I decided to start working on the bike myself). Is it possible that he somehow messed up wheel alignment or something like that when he was putting them back on?
Quote from: stoich on April 24, 2013, 09:40:19 AM
I did get both tires changed by a mechanic at one point (that was before I decided to start working on the bike myself). Is it possible that he somehow messed up wheel alignment or something like that when he was putting them back on?
Yes the alignment could be off, easy to check. Do a youtube search..
Ok, I found a bunch of tutorials online (including in the gstwins wiki) on how to measure wheel alignment. I'm going to do it first thing in the morning. One question: once you've found a misalignment - what do you do ? I can't seem to find information on how to actually adjust the wheel and the kind of tools I might need for the job.
Did anyone mention the steering stem bearings?
I had them go bad on one bike. After riding a few minutes, they warmed up and got sticky. Bike always wanted to turn - never go straight.
Put on center stand. Have a fat woman sit on the back or someone push down to the front wheel is off the ground. How easily does it turn?
Best to do this test right after riding when the steering seems the worst.
Quote from: stoich on April 24, 2013, 09:53:48 AM
Ok, I found a bunch of tutorials online (including in the gstwins wiki) on how to measure wheel alignment. I'm going to do it first thing in the morning. One question: once you've found a misalignment - what do you do ? I can't seem to find information on how to actually adjust the wheel and the kind of tools I might need for the job.
You need a 17, 22, and 12 mm socket. Look up how to adjust your chain, you will change the rear wheel alignment the same way.
Quote from: adidasguy on April 24, 2013, 11:52:22 AM
Put on center stand. Have a fat woman sit on the back or someone push down to the front wheel is off the ground. How easily does it turn?
Does it have to be a fat woman Addy? Will chunky suffice? :icon_razz:
Quote from: stoich on April 24, 2013, 09:40:19 AM
I'm in Europe, not the US. I really don't think it's the roads unfortunately. For one thing - I'm able to ride a bicycle hands free on the very same roads.
I did get both tires changed by a mechanic at one point (that was before I decided to start working on the bike myself). Is it possible that he somehow messed up wheel alignment or something like that when he was putting them back on?
yes, absolutely, yes.
between the first mechanic that over tightened your steering stem bearings, and the second that misaligned the rear wheel...
find new mechanics. you, the rider, are a pretty good choice, since your life actually matters to you. shaZam! mechanics will baffle with bullshit and attempt to cover up mistakes or lie. good ones accept defeat and admit faults.
read over this, or google "string thing alignment"
http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/sportryderswheelalignmentmethod.shtml
it's very simple, very correct, and can be accomplish with:
a piece of string
two sockets
two whatevers about the size of oil cans
-on the side of the road- if needed
i will be very surprised if the rear wheel is actually in line. another big surprise would be the stem bearings actually in spec.
do this before you ride.
One thing easy to miss when putting the front wheel back in is the floating spacer at the bottom of the right fork.
The bolt holding it needs to be loosened and often the end pried open a little so the spacer floats (moves easily).
after the wheel in in and everything tight you then re-tighten t he bolt clamping the spacer. That floating spacer allows the forks to align themselves. If forks not allowed to self align, there can be pressure on them (in or out) that makes the front end a little off and the fork seals and forks will wear out faster.
From personal experience, I'd bet on crappy steering bearings. The lower one in particular as it takes all the weight. The upper one just keeps things straight.
Thanks for the help guys.
It's actually worse than I though - I took the bike for a test ride today and it's doing a weave: when I just want to go straight it will go from side to side as if weaving through invisible cones. I can control it if I apply a bit of pressure on the bars but it's kind of scary to ride a bike that wants to weave on its own. I tried to do the string measuring today but I'm not sure I did it properly. I will try again soon.
Can anybody point me to a page that explains how to properly adjust the stem bearings ?
My bike did a crazy weeble-wooble if I let go of the bars when I first got it. It turned out the fork tubes were from different bikes and didn't have the same amount of preload in each side.
Quote from: stoich on May 01, 2013, 12:18:38 PM
Thanks for the help guys.
It's actually worse than I though - I took the bike for a test ride today and it's doing a weave: when I just want to go straight it will go from side to side as if weaving through invisible cones. I can control it if I apply a bit of pressure on the bars but it's kind of scary to ride a bike that wants to weave on its own. I tried to do the string measuring today but I'm not sure I did it properly. I will try again soon.
Can anybody point me to a page that explains how to properly adjust the stem bearings ?
the weave doesn't sound good at all. while i haven't experienced that, ever, on any bike, i'd definetly have a mechanic find the root cause at this point.
You don't adjust steering stem bearings --- probably they are worn out (at least the lower one that takes all the weight and stress).
Did you do the test for the steering bearings?
So I bit the bullet and took the GS to a mechanic today. I got encouraged because I say a GS500 in his shop already and thought this guy might know what's up.
So he looks at it real hard, gave it a test drive. He said the steering stem and wheel alignment seems fine to him though he didn't measure any of that - I just looked at everything closely.
What he did see is a bent fork. When I inspected it closely I think I saw it - one of the forks seemed to be at a slight angle - they are not perfectly parallel. So he seems to think that's where the weaving comes from. He said that can be fixed and I gave him the bike. He said he will pull the fork+rim apart and take it to a place where they fix stuff like that.
Secondly - he said my forks are really soft and I need to change the fork oil badly.
Does all of this make sense to you? And is chaining the fork oil hard ? Can I do it myself?
TY!
Fork oil is easy. More important you need new springs. The OEM's are no better than the spring in a ball point pen.
Get Sonics for abut $85.
Put in 15w oil. About $5-$10
New fork seals about $35
I would not repair a bent fork. Used ones are easy enough to find. A complete set of 2009's can be had for $250-$350. Just seap the springs (simple to do) and you're ready to go.
Used forks range from $50-$125 each depending on quality and age.
Getting a newer (08 or 09) set means seals are probably fine and oil & springs are easy to replace.
How did the mechanic check the steering bearings? Too many of us have had steering issues on older bikes and often it was the steering bearings. Those going bad makes the bike want to feel as if it always wants to turn. Did the mechanic get weight off the front and see how easily it turns? Did he loosen the steering stem bolt to drop the front an inch to look at the bearings?
Getting my forks straighten will cost about 70$ USD so it's cheaper. $250 seems kind of a lot especially since it will take time and money to get them delivered over here.
@How did the mechanic check the steering bearings? - well...
Did the mechanic get weight off the front and see how easily it turns? - yeah. He said bad bearings can be heard/felt when you do that.
Did he loosen the steering stem bolt to drop the front an inch to look at the bearings? - no. He seemed really certain it's not the bearings. I asked him repeatedly.
The guy also wanted 70$ to change the fork oil and the majority of that is for his trouble and not for parts. I guess that means he will not be chaining springs. Or he will be putting in cheap ones (I actually don't remember him mentioning springs at all).