My XS1100 wont turn. Plz Help

[jim_haley]

Hi everyone.. I have a strange problem and Im hoping that someone here has heard this before. My bike will not let me turn the handle bars while rolling and braking into a turn. If I do not use the front brake in the turn then I have no problem..I have checked all the cables and nothing is snagging. Could my problem be in the fork bearings? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jim

[oseaghdha]

...............................

Could my problem be in the fork bearings? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jim

Yep.
Don't drive it until you fix it.

[jim_haley]

Yep.
Don't drive it until you fix it.

Well I will head straight on over to ebay and find some...
Thanks

[vanhump]

Jim, You are not clear in the description. If you are goin into a turn at highway speed you dont turn the bar but countersteer.Just barly rolling at a slow speed, then turn the bars. Have you took an MSF?

[jim_haley]

Jim, You are not clear in the description. If you are goin into a turn at highway speed you dont turn the bar but countersteer.Just barly rolling at a slow speed, then turn the bars. Have you took an MSF?

No the problem is a normal low speed turn where you do literally turn the bars along with a slight lean like turning a right 90 degree turn. Example: when I turn right into my alleyway or my garage..Ive been a rider for about 6 years now and this is the first ive run into this.

[dbeardslee]

Jim - If you put the bike on the center stand, and stand on the passenger footpegs such that the front wheel is off the ground, will the handlebars turn freely or do they feel notchy? You should be able to nudge them slightly off of center and they should turn to either side under their own weight. If it doesn't either the locking nut is too tight or you have bearing issues.

The first thing I would do is make sure the front end is assembled and aligned correctly. The triple tree locking nut is only supposed to have about five foot pounds of torque - too tight and it will do weird stuff, but usually at high speeds. To align the front end, first place a small jack under the frame in the front to keep the bike from diving down when you do the next operation. Loosen the axle castle nut, the pinch bolts, the fender bolts, and the triple tree bolts. Make sure each tube is at the same height from the triple tree on top, and tighten the top triple tree bolts. Work from the top down tightening the triple tree bolts, the fender bolts, the castle nut, and lastly the pinch bolts. Take a look at your calipers after alignment and make sure you have clearance between the calipers and both sides of the discs.

It seems odd that it only exhibits the problem with the brakes applied. I would think if it was the steering head bearing it would do it all the time regardless of breaking, but who knows.

[thewiz]

Here's another test ...

for steering head beaings: With the bike on the middle stand, have someone sit on the passenger seat so that the front wheel comes of the ground. Grab hold of the front tire/rim and push it back and forth ... there should be NO play.

Also. what bike? Regardless, the gap in the axle pinch clamp should be facing to the rear ... means that you should close the gap with the front bolt first.

[DGXSER]

Whiz,

Close but on the specials there is only one pinch bolt. The back side is the fork tube.

[thewiz]

Since I sold my SF last month, DS ..

.... it's like my mind has gone altogether fuzzy on 'em. I've recently given some questionable advice on 'em, that's for sure, so I probably oughta' think twice about openin' my mouth ... lol. Case of 'Oldtimers', I think. Got it from Planedick, probably.

Of all my 11s, only one has been a Special.... was the nightmare, basket case from Hell. Wrecked it twice. Two motors. Fit my body type MUCH better any of the Stds. KInda' miss it in that regard. Is the bike in question here a Spcl? Dunno.

[DGXSER]

No problem

Heck I aint even old enough to claim oldtimers and it still hits me regularly.