very sensitive steering and balance

[essteen]

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

[DiverRay]

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

[bikerphil]

Had a similar problem recently. Turned out to be the front wheel bearings. Replaced them, $20 for the set, problem solved.

[trbig]

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

[dpotter58]

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

[XJOK2PLAY]

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

[Ken Talbot]

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.

[trbig]

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

[dpotter58]

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

[Rasputin]

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.

[wa407mpp]

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.