Unstable Ride!!??

[Carbuilder]

I'm having this weird issue with my 88' GSX600, riding straight or in turns from about 40kph + up it feels like a wandering gyroscope. I don't know any other way of describing it. Like the front bars are gently being counter steered left & right, left & right ever so slightly.

I was thinking it was due to worn front shocks (because I've replaced everything else on the front end, All Balls steering head bearing set & wheel bearings) so this year I upgraded the front shocks with a set from a 92' GSX600 (rebuilt with new racetech springs, seals, bushings, pentosin CHF 11S oil ect...), low and behold the ride feel was exactly the same!!

My rubber is pretty fresh, a dynamic wheel imbalance maybe?? Not really sure what else would cause this. My initial thought was to add a steering dampener but from reading all the other posts about it, it's obviously not my solution.

I'd love to hear what you pros think!!

Peace!

[92xjunker]

Rear wheel alignment, bad rear bearings. New tires? Check condition, cupping, uneven wear.

[Kreylyn]

The rear looks lowered, way down.

That would certainly cause a problem if only the rear was dropped.

Krey

[KAT TOY]

did this happen before or after bearing replacement? if after are head bearings adjusted correctly?

[1999750]

I have had a similar problem ever since I started riding my GSX750F a couple of months ago. I have never felt secure, so I replaced the front fork seals, because one was weeping slightly, I have adjusted the front and rear suspension settings and checked the tyre (tire) pressures, all with very little success.

At slow speed turning onto a major road, the bike would seem as though it wanted to just drop and was so difficult to ride compared to the Kawsaki ZR750 on which I learnt. In the wet I nearly crapped myself. I have been so disillusioned with my purchase that I thought maybe the frame was bent and have been thinking about getting a different bike.

Fortunately, I read an article in a magazine on how to read Tyre dates and went out to my garage to do some investigative work. To my horror, I discovered that the rear tyre, a Michelin Macadam (I have since discovered some people call them crapadams) was 14 years old and the front one, a Pirelli Diablo nearly as bad at 8 years old. The bike has only done 16,000 miles, but it is 15 years old, so I guess the Macadam on the back was a part worn replacement put on by a previous owner. It is the OEM brand fitted by SUzuki and the part worn was probably taken off by a savvy owner.

Today, I decided that I would see if two new tyres would save my GSXF from being sold, so I had fitted a matching pair of Avon Storm 2 Ultra tyres. What a difference they have made. They have completely transformed the bike and I am now looking forward to many years of pleasure from what is now a great bike. So, the moral of the story is check your tyres and dates!

[Popeye2009]

Hi skidmark thats interesting about the tyres. How do tell how old they are?

Keith

[ZookRick]

The tire date code tells you when the tire was made, over time the rubber degrades from UV rays and such. A tire may LOOK as new with little wear, but that doesnt mean that much.
Found this with google:

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/riding/street/resources/tiredesignations.aspx

http://blog.unsafemotorcycles.com/2010/09/motorcycle-tires-age-matters.html