Why does my bike...

[Triple]

...

[MILK]

Have you tried turning it off, then turning it back on? :lol

[Kerry_129]

First things I'd check:
- cupped/squared-off tires (particularly the front); can look fine at first glance, but cupping/feathering in particular can cause some very jacked-up handling
- steering head bearings; lift front w/ stem stand, feel for notchy or loose action when pivoting & pull wheel front-to-back, feeling for looseness
- wheel bearings; spinning freely?
- rear wheel alignment; adjusted chain or replaced tire recently? I think it would have to be off pretty badly to feel as you described, but it's worth a check

[karl_1052]

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/howto/string_align_motorcycle_wheels/index.html

Also check out some of these troubleshooting ideas.
http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0006_susp_trouble/index.html

It might be time for refreshing the suspension.
Get some springs set for your weight, and redo your front forks.

[BobTheBiker]

has your bike been crashed recently? if so, check all your suspension components, particularly the forks for bends/damage, along with the wheels themselves for bending.

how old are your tires? has it been lowered any? if it has, you may have to adjust the front forks a little to square them up in the triples.

[askmrjesus]

Sounds like steering head bearings, assuming your tires are ok.

You might also be low on blinker fluid.

JC

[pauldun170]

Turn the bars back and forth and see if you feel a "notch" in the middle.

Sounds like bearings.

[Tmall]

Your steering bearing can mess with how your ride feels. And since it is gradual, you don't really notice it.

Mine were clunking, I had em changed and the bike felt like I'd spent 2000 dollars freshening up the suspension, and I barely noticed since it was gradual. I just thought I wasn't feeling comfortable on the bike.

[marko138]

When my steering head bearings got loose it felt like a warped rotor when I'd hit the brakes hard.

[CrazyKell]

I had something similar happen on my first bike. It was the steering head bearings.

[Kerry_129]

Seems like a consensus! :)

If that's the case - www.goallballs.com (http://www.allballzracing.com)

Tapered-rollers are MUCH better/longer-lasting than standard ball-bearings (though torquing them properly is more critical to avoid causing too much drag).

[Amber Lamps]

I vote head bearings too...unless you swapped them during the front end replacement. If you have a way of lifting the front end without loading it, check the steering for smooth operation and play. If it's not that check the forks... my internals fell apart at the Gap due to incompetent service work. Triple check your damping settings and make sure they are equal. Also, are you sure that the forks have the same weight oil? With the cooler temps...

[No Worries]

...Also, the bike falls into left turns and resists right turns.

Ideas?

Rear wheel out of alignment, or front forks twisted in the triple clamps.

[Rider]

Are you sure the fork height is even? Same amount of fork on both sides showing above the triple clamp.

[lauralynne]

you need winter air in your tires.

[karl_1052]

Too much blinker fluid on one side?
Muffler bearings shot?

Just more things to check.

[101lifts2]

Have you tried turning it off, then turning it back on? :lol

LOL...yeah make sure it's off for at least a minute.

Triple CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE!!!

[derf]

Had the same problem on my last bike, one side of the tripple trees were loose, bike didnt want to turn one way and dove hard the other, I straightened the wheel between the forks and tightened the tripple tree and all was fine.

[marko138]

Because I obviously hadn't done this prior to posting this thread, I discovered upon inspection this morning that in fact I have no tires at all. To think I've wasted all this time pondering the possibility of worn or loose steering head bearings, when sparking and grinding on bare rims has been my problem all along.

Also, upon removal of the giant magnet attached to my left clip-on, my bike is no longer drawn so powerfully to the Earth's core while making left turns.
:lol: Glad you got it figured out.

[azoomm]

Because I obviously hadn't done this prior to posting this thread, I discovered upon inspection this morning that in fact I have no tires at all. To think I've wasted all this time pondering the possibility of worn or loose steering head bearings, when sparking and grinding on bare rims has been my problem all along.

Also, upon removal of the giant magnet attached to my left clip-on, my bike is no longer drawn so powerfully to the Earth's core while making left turns.

:lol: Well done.

But, seriously... figure anything out?

[askmrjesus]

Seems like a consensus! :)

If that's the case - www.goallballs.com (http://www.allballzracing.com)

Tapered-rollers are MUCH better/longer-lasting than standard ball-bearings (though torquing them properly is more critical to avoid causing too much drag).

I put those in my KTM, much better!

JC

[Kerry_129]

Yeah, 'specially in a dirt-bike, where the front gets hammered so much more.

Huh - my 450EXC had rollers from the factory though, I think (2003). Mighta been the p/o's mod though.


So triple - what have you done/found so far?

[askmrjesus]

Huh - my 450EXC had rollers from the factory though, I think (2003). Mighta been the p/o's mod though.


No, they were probably factory. My LC4 came with rollers, but the allballz are of a better quality, or so I was told.

JC

[karl_1052]

Yeah, 'specially in a dirt-bike, where the front gets hammered so much more.

Huh - my 450EXC had rollers from the factory though, I think (2003). Mighta been the p/o's mod though.


So triple - what have you done/found so far?

See his previous post, he removed the magnet and installed tires.:lol:

[askmrjesus]

So far I have parked the bike and driven the truck instead. Until the truck started fucking up and I had to resort back to the bike this morning.

Last night I propped up the front-end; no play in the steering, no side-to-side play in the front wheel. Re-torqued the steering stem nut, but it wasn't loose. It didn't occur to me until I got to work this morning to check for play in the rear wheel (especially since I adjusted the chain recently).

I haven't taken the steering stem apart yet to inspect the bearings. Perhaps I should, but it transitions from side to side smoothly and there isn't any slop.

Just a thought, did all wheel spacers get reinstalled properly, last time you got tires?

JC

[CrazyKell]

Check those bearings!