forks "sucking in" with new tires

[ShootersHoliday]

Sorry about the odd title, couldn't figure out what to call it...

I got new tires put on as the old ones were uber dry rotted. However, when I picked up the bike their tech (who I trust) mentioned that when the cracked the pinch bolts to remove the axle, the forks "sucked in". He thought it was odd, but finished mounting the new tires. Everything inspected, and appeared good so off it went.

Now, at 50-55 I am getting a pretty interesting shimmy or wobble effect. I don't/haven't really gone faster, so not sure if it gets worse or goes away beyond that speed. I brought it back to him as I didn't notice it before the tire change.

He mentioned that it "appears" the spacer is wrong for the wheel/fork combo. Now, you all had mentioned the forks are different/wrong for the bike, and that obviously the wheel is off of a different bike. I meant to check the fork bearings as well, but didn't have time last night.

Any thoughts before I start throwing parts at it?

[ShootersHoliday]

fyi: I believe the front end is off of a Virago. At least the wheels appear to be

"stock" Virago front


my bike:

[ShootersHoliday]

now I just noticed the Virago only has a single disc brake, where as the 11s have dual... Then I found this pic listed as an 82 Xs11 Midnight Special. Same wheels, dual discs, and appears to be similar forks

[James England]

Are you sure that he didn't tighten up the axle clamp before tightening the main axle nut? Straight, undamaged fork tubes should be 'relaxed' when the axle is all tightened up ie they shouldn't try to be springing inwards or outwards. If the U shaped clamp at the bottom of the fork is tightened first, the big castellated nut on the other end will pull in the fork when tightened and result in the forks being under tension and being misaligned. The large nut should be tightened first, then the U clamp on the other side. That's certainly the case on the UK version of the XS1100

[crazy steve]

...now I just noticed the Virago only has a single disc brake, where as the 11s have dual... Then I found this pic listed as an 82 Xs11 Midnight Special. Same wheels, dual discs, and appears to be similar forks

Measure the diameter of your front rotors; they should be the same size as the rear (a bit under 11.75"). Yours appear smaller, and the bike that used similar but smaller front brakes is the Virago. And not all Viragos were single-disc; the smaller displacement models were, but some of the 1100 versions had dual discs. A lot of Yamaha parts appear similar, but that doesn't mean they interchange...

As to whether or not you have 'matching' parts, hard to say. That's the problem when a PO swaps parts around and you don't know what they did. In order to fit these forks to the XS triple trees, he may have had to use a non-stock combo, and that may explain the misalignment the tech noted. If you understand how to align/set-up a set of forks, it's possible to correct that (but may need custom parts), but the easiest way out is to get a set of the correct XS 'standard' forks.

The other problem you have is the leading axle forks/standard triple tree combo. This reduces your trail and makes the bike less stable at speed. To correct this, again, you need the right forks or need to swap to the 'special' trees. Swapping the trees will require mods to the headlight mounting or a complete 'special' headlight.

[latexeses]

Looks like you have a Special front end on your standard. Is that your transplant?

Something look odd. Those brake rotors look small. Not from a MNS.

[fredintoon]

Hi Shooter,
looks like you been seriously PO'd, WTF you really got there, eh?
Take bigger brighter closer pics of that front end to give my aging eyes a better look at it.
I'm told that '81 XS11s came stock with swirly mags so mebbe that's what those wheels are?
And yeah, do the axle nut up first, leave the pinchbolt loose and pump the forks up and down a few times to set the leg in it's natural position before tightening the pinchbolt.
~55mph shimmy can be caused by all sorts of things, not necessarily but definitely including an unbalanced new tire.

[bikerphil]

As for identifying which forks you have, measuring the upper stanchion tube diameter would be helpful. The XS11 uses 37mm.

[ShootersHoliday]

I'll post up better more detailed pics when I get home.

Heres what I know for sure about the bike:

80 XS11G (per the frame), it has the "stock" rear wheel setup. All drivetrain and engine appear to be stock and unmolested. The tank is a standard as well. and well now, I've chopped the rear end off.

It appears this was an original owner bike, a dealership picked it up as the PO had gotten very aged and apparently passed on. My friend (whom I trust completely) picked it up from the dealership in Montana. He had done nothing to it other than having the carbs rebuilt by a local shop he uses for all of his Harleys.

I am now playing the "what the deuce is this thing" game... Pictures to follow

[ShootersHoliday]

The other thing the tech (who mounted the tire) mentioned is that the brakes would rub on the caliper on the right side of the bike without compensating for the "suction" as he called it.

There is no rub while driving, so at least they aren't grabbing incorrectly...

[crazy steve]

As for identifying which forks you have, measuring the upper stanchion tube diameter would be helpful. The XS11 uses 37mm.

He appears to have a OEM standard tree set-up, so they're 37 mm, but which 37 mmm are they....

[XS1100 Newbie]

The right side fork sometimes needs to be moved a little to center the disc. This could explain the guys thinking about the forks. As in a lot of cases, the newer techs just don't know enough about the old bikes. I had the standard tree with Special forks for two years before we discovered it, and it rode just fine. I have since changed it, and like it better the way it was designed. I would look at the bearings in the tree. Take it apart, clean, inspect, reassemble, and torque.

[ShootersHoliday]

heres a link to my post in the chit chat section. It seems they are "standard" forks..

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showpost.p...6&postcount=67

[ShootersHoliday]

The right side fork sometimes needs to be moved a little to center the discnewer techs just don't know enough about the old bikes. I had the standard . This could explain the guys thinking about the forks. As in a lot of cases, the tree with Special forks for two years before we discovered it, and it rode just fine. I have since changed it, and like it better the way it was designed. I would look at the bearings in the tree. Take it apart, clean, inspect, reassemble, and torque.

That is exactly what he pointed out. The right side needed to be "shifted" in order to keep it from rubbing.

[fredintoon]

heres a link to my post in the chit chat section. It seems they are "standard" forks..

Hi Shooter,
um, no, your fork is an orphan.
The triple trees look to be off an XS1100 Standard but the fork legs, fork sliders, brake calipers & disks plus the wheel itself look to be off something XJish.
BUT WTF, so long as it rides nice?