| Author | Message | ||
     Lanretsr |
While driving home from school about two weeks ago a hit a pot hole while going around a corner big enough to send the bike air born a few feet to the right of my line. Lucky I recovered and drove off. Since then the bike has felt twitchy in the front end. It feels much looser in the neck and kind of bobbles when I hit a bump. I've taken the front end apart but I can't seems to find anything wrong. Does anyone have any ideas on what it could be? | ||
| Glitch |
Could be the wheel is out of true. Spin it and see if it wobbles, even a little. Could be the steering head bearings were knocked loose (make sure it's torqued to specs when you put it back together). Could be the wheel bearings took a bad hit. That's a start... | ||
| Blake |
"kind of bobbles" Please be more specific. Otherwise, that just sounds like you need a bit more rebound damping. | ||
| Jraice |
I'd check the make sure the wheels straight, check the steering head bearing resistance, check wheel bearings (all stuff that has been said) but once more. I'd look into the balance of the wheel. Possible that a weight came off? Should see the spot it fell of if thats the case. FWIW however I have hit some pretty hard bumps and never had any such problems... Any chance its in your head? | ||
| Sam_07 |
+1 on steering bearings and balancing the wheel Lift the front end and check for excessive play in the bearings by rocking the forks up,down,side to side. | ||
| Lanretsr |
The front end is apart. Wheel looks true, the axle doesn't look bent, I'm running dyna beads in the tire so I don't think its that. The wheel bearings look good, tight but able to rotate smooth along with the head bearings. But the head bearings do have up and down movement which I assume is ok since they are ball bearings. I'm think it might be the forks. I know its time to get them rebuilt since I'm over 10k and one has started to leak, but its very little right about the preload adjustment. I thought it could be in my head too but I've hit bigger bumps then this any never had any ill effect until now. Just riding around its has a lighter feeling in the front. The best way to describe what it feels like when I hit a bump is that the bike bottoms out now rebounds stops and then come up some more. I initially though the muffler was flopping around under there but everything is tight. | ||
| Glitch |
I know its time to get them rebuilt since I'm over 10k and one has started to leak, but its very little right about the preload adjustment. You knew this and still asked what might be wrong? I'm running dyna beads in the tire so I don't think its that. If it were me I'd dump the beads and get at least the wheel balanced. But, that's just me, I don't believe in such witchcraft. | ||
| Froggy |
If you are leaking fluid, the suspension isn't going to work correctly. As more and more leaks, the dampening will change and it will affect the way the bike feels. When you change the fork oil it will feel like a new bike, especially if you fix the leak. The dynabeads are a scam, but I doubt they are related to your issue. | ||
| Figitt |
I hit a dog back in the spring... a BIG dog (maybe 75LBS or more) and i was doing maybe 60mph at the time. Hit him straight on and didnt crash... It pushed the front wheel all the way back till it left rubber on the chin fairing and slid the clutch cable sheath up. (tire hit it) After lenthy inspections and steering head measurments, i found nothing wrong, and the bike handles just as new presently. There has to be some spring in the design somewhere, cause i found nothing bent or cracked. good luck. | ||
| Lanretsr |
Thanks for the help guys. Had my friend take a look at it to give me his opinion and he thinks it is the lower head bearing that's loose. Which brings me to my next question. Even though I already order the new bearings has anyone replaced the head or wheel bearings with taper rollers? | ||
| Swordsman |
Maybe when you slammed that pothole, you squirted an extra dose of fluid out of that leak, and now you're (even) lower on one side.  ~SM |
