Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

very sensitive steering and balance

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
  • #1

    very sensitive steering and balance

    I have a '79 xs eleven special with saddle bags and trip trunk, ape hanger handle bars, i have tried changing handle bars lightening the bike i have new tires( less than 5000 miles) proper tire pressure but still have very sensitive steering and balance issues compared to any other bike i have rode. Is this normal for these bike, it seems like so much work to ride it. If it is not normal is there anything any one can suggest checking like steering geometry or anything else??

    thanks in advance
    eric
    Tags: None
  • #2
    You probably need the steering stem bearings replaced or at least re-packed with grease. That and a check of the swing arm bearings would be the first step. Tires would be #2, as the pressure CAN make a difference. Just 2 PSI high or low WILL change the handling of the machine.
    HTH
    Ray Matteis
    KE6NHG
    XS1100 E '78 (winter project)
    XS1100 SF Bob Jones worked on it!

    Comment

    • #3
      Had a similar problem recently. Turned out to be the front wheel bearings. Replaced them, $20 for the set, problem solved.
      2H7 (79) owned since '89
      3H3 owned since '06

      "If it ain't broke, modify it"

      ☮

      Comment

      • #4
        TC had always noticed his bike was quicker steering and such, and finally discovered that the bike had been damaged in a crash many years earlier when he'd T-boned a car. Look for damage where the triple tree is welded to the frame, and also along the top rail that the tank sits on.

        If there's no damage, it may be the tire if the rear swing arm is adjusted right. I recently got a new front tire (Bridgestone Battle Axe) and it has made my bike like that. Where before I could kind of go on auto-pilot and not pay a whole lot of attention, this tire demands much more attention and will follow ruts and such much worse than any other tire I've had. I'm hoping it's just the center of the tire being sharper at the middle of the tread that's causing it. I've reduced tire pressure in the front and it's helped, but that has made it more "squirrelly" when going hard into a corner. So.. just hoping it gets better over the life of the tire as it wears the center down.


        Tod
        Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

        You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

        Current bikes:
        '06 Suzuki DR650
        *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
        '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
        '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
        '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
        '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
        '81 XS1100 Special
        '81 YZ250
        '80 XS850 Special
        '80 XR100
        *Crashed/Totalled, still own

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by trbig View Post
          TC had always noticed his bike was quicker steering and such, and finally discovered that the bike had been damaged in a crash many years earlier when he'd T-boned a car. Look for damage where the triple tree is welded to the frame, and also along the top rail that the tank sits on.

          If there's no damage, it may be the tire if the rear swing arm is adjusted right. I recently got a new front tire (Bridgestone Battle Axe) and it has made my bike like that. Where before I could kind of go on auto-pilot and not pay a whole lot of attention, this tire demands much more attention and will follow ruts and such much worse than any other tire I've had. I'm hoping it's just the center of the tire being sharper at the middle of the tread that's causing it. I've reduced tire pressure in the front and it's helped, but that has made it more "squirrelly" when going hard into a corner. So.. just hoping it gets better over the life of the tire as it wears the center down.


          Tod
          Dude, you are way off base there tell me you aren't truelly that wacked to think that could be true
          "If A equals success, then the formula is: A = X + Y + Z. X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut." - Albert Einstein

          "Illegitimi non carborundum"-Joseph W. "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell



          1980 LG
          1981 LH

          Comment

          • #6
            Sorry to hear that, Tr...

            "I recently got a new front tire (Bridgestone Battle Axe) and it has made my bike like that."







            See, I knew something wouldn't be right about the front tire...
            Can I blame Cody for this problem, too? LOL
            '82 XJ1100J Maxim (has been sold.)

            '79 F "Time Machine"... oh yeah, Baby.... (Sold back to Maximan)

            2011 Kaw Concours 14 ABS

            In the warden's words from Cool Hand Luke;
            "What we have here is a failure to communicate."

            Comment

            • #7
              Sounds to me like your steering head bearing is too tight. Use the words 'steering head tight' in the search tool and follow a few of the leads. I'll bet you will recognize your symptoms. With just a hammer and a long slender punch, this is a very easy adjustment to perform.
              Ken Talbot

              Comment

              • #8
                tell me you aren't truelly that wacked to think that could be true

                Hate to say it... but some of the tires are more pointed in the center of the tread, giving you a much smaller contact patch. This one was more "V" shaped than round.. so yeah. I must be pretty whacked! (Has nothing to do with the tire though) And when the only thing you've done any fidderent is the tire.. what else are you going to look at? Before new tire.. fine. After new tire.. not so much. lol.

                Welcome to Whackville.

                Tod
                Try your hardest to be the kind of person your dog thinks you are.

                You can live to be 100, as long as you give up everything that would make you want to live to be 100!

                Current bikes:
                '06 Suzuki DR650
                *'82 XJ1100 with the 1179 kit. "Mad Maxim"
                '82 XJ1100 Completely stock fixer-upper
                '82 XJ1100 Bagger fixer-upper
                '82 XJ1100 Motor/frame and lots of boxes of parts
                '82 XJ1100 Parts bike
                '81 XS1100 Special
                '81 YZ250
                '80 XS850 Special
                '80 XR100
                *Crashed/Totalled, still own

                Comment

                • #9
                  Originally posted by trbig View Post
                  Hate to say it... but some of the tires are more pointed in the center of the tread, giving you a much smaller contact patch. This one was more "V" shaped than round.. so yeah. I must be pretty whacked! (Has nothing to do with the tire though) And when the only thing you've done any fidderent is the tire.. what else are you going to look at? Before new tire.. fine. After new tire.. not so much. lol.

                  Welcome to Whackville.

                  Tod
                  from the Mayor of Whackville himself
                  "If A equals success, then the formula is: A = X + Y + Z. X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut." - Albert Einstein

                  "Illegitimi non carborundum"-Joseph W. "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell



                  1980 LG
                  1981 LH

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    I did a threefer. I put a new tire on, and new bars (from buckhorns to Ltd bars), and bar end weights all at once. I will tell you that changed the sensitivity of the front end and balance a bunch.
                    2-79 XS1100 SF
                    2-78 XS1100 E Best bike Ever
                    80 XS 1100 SG Big bore kit but not fully running yet.
                    Couple of more parts bikes of which 2 more will live!

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      XS1100s are one of the most stable bikes ever built, so it sounds to me like you may have disrupted the yang when you changed the tire.
                      Fastmover
                      "Just plant us in the damn garden with the stupid
                      lion". SHL
                      78 XS1100e

                      Comment

                      Previous template Next
                      Working...
                      X