Why has cornering suddenly become so hard?

[6ft5]

Just a few weeks ago i started noticing that my cornering was suddenly not as smooth as it used too. Checked the tires pressures, checked the overall state of the bike and cant see anything visually wrong. Now it was 4-6 degrees in the morning so i initially though perhaps my shocks are not coping with the low temperatures, but then over the next days the climate improved and it got a bit warmer but still most times it feels like she does not want to go around the corner. I just don't understand.... any ideas on what to check, i am confused....

[Bikemad]

steering damper perhaps

[sil3nt]

Are you sitting on the bike correctly? I hear not facing forwards can make the handling go to shit.
http://photos.imageevent.com/motorbiker/newspics/borsay.jpg

[Banditbandit]

Check you have the right make of bike perhaps :devil2:

But maybe it is because you are thinking about it too much. I know when I think about what I am doing on a bike it all goes to hell ...

I tend to only focus on my lines and the throttle - everything else just happens ...

(Or maybe the bike is just affected by the cold weather - like the rest of us )

Or maybe it is the wear pattern on the tyres - this can happen when the tyres square off a little ... check you still have a nice round curve on the rear tyre (my fronts dish out on the edges but that hardly affects the handling) look for flat sections on the tyre which create a "bump" to lift the bike over the tyre when it is leaned ..

Here's what I mean .. the tyre on the right is the rear .. the bike would have to rise slightly as it was leaned to get over that squared off section .. affects the handling .. (I'm sure the "experts" will now go into great detail of what is wrong with that - I think the tyre in the pix may be flat too ...but they won't disagree that such a tyre handles badly ...)

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-tires/metzeler-lasertec/bridgestone-bt45-tires.jpg

[6ft5]

So forgot to mention, same bike for the past 2 years, feels really weird WTF

[6ft5]

Are you sitting on the bike correctly? I hear not facing forwards can make the handling go to shit.


thanks smarty pants, i was wondering why i had to look at the cars coming towards me ...:laugh:

[frogfeaturesFZR]

steering head bearings ?

[Ender EnZed]

Has the amount that you've been riding changed at all?

It can easily be the rider rather than the bike making things seem a bit off. A decent day in the saddle can make a noticeable difference for me if it's been a while since I've been out of town and off SH1/2.

[6ft5]

Has the amount that you've been riding changed at all?

It can easily be the rider rather than the bike making things seem a bit off. A decent day in the saddle can make a noticeable difference for me if it's been a while since I've been out of town and off SH1/2.

Thanks Enzed, you could well be right, i do commute everyday from Manukau to the city and back and don't have much time to smell the corners outside my beaten track. Perhaps I should back off this post and rekindle my love for rising by hitting the twisties and re-learn my riding style without pressure from anyone and just enjoy myself. If it all goes swell all good, if the problem persists well then perhaps there will a need to go visit a bike shop enthousiast to inspect the technical and rubber stuff.

Will get back to you all.:rolleyes:

[Blackbird]

Interesting comment about temperatures. I don't think my riding in colder temperatures is as fluent as warmer weather when I'm more relaxed. Do you reckon that's a contributing factor?

[Mo NZ]

Riding quicker??
Nah its your brain kicking in too much.
What with the cooler conditions and your extending riding experience and the what if factor maybe.

Seriously. Something may have changed, have another look at the bike and operation of the all the moving suspension and steering components.
Cracked frame?? swing arm bearings etc.

If it all checks out refer to option 2 +3.

[Oakie]

Check that you haven't lost any of the wheel balancing weights of your rim. I didn't think I would notice the difference but I struck the same thing as you all of a sudden and a look around shortly after showed a couple of the weights had flown off. Not saying that was definately the cause but it did happen at the same time.

[6ft5]

Interesting thought, I will check and see if all the weights are still there

[The Reibz]

You could always just change your fork oil. Not to hard a task and relatively inexpensive.
Prop the front wheel up off the deck and check that the steering head bearing isn't binding.

Could be that simple but then again it may not be...

[MD]

Tyre wear changes profile. You have not mentioned what brand you use and as someone else mentioned, tyres may have squared off from too much straight line riding. I find different brands react and respond differently as they pass the 75% worn stage. Bridgestones- dump them as some as they have done 200km or before first tank refill, before they dump you. Contis tended to let me corner hard until barely a sniff of rubber remained on sidewalls. Good stuff. I use Pilot Powers now which are equally good at not altering with wear how they feel as you lean into a corner.

[Howie]

steering head bearings ?

+1 on this. Check them out thoroughly. I had a set that started to delaminate the rollers when the bike was only 1 year old. Was like the bike wanted to not corner until you put extra effort in. Couldn't detect any looseness in them or feel any notchiness but eventually I pulled the steering head to check them as I had checked most other things.

[mossy1200]

Could be a brake piston not returning and pad dragging.
That would make it want to stand up in corners.

[sil3nt]

steering head bearings ?
+2 on this. My bike would feel like shit in the corners. Got them tightened and it was okish for a week or so then went back to shit. Had them replaced and it is now perfect. The old bearings were not even that old but I think the lack of decent suspension wore them out faster.

[nzspokes]

Get your tyres checked.

[AllanB]

Check your own tyres!

Odd it has happened so quickly - leads me to think of mechanical - steering head bearing failed, front wheel bearings (pop the wheel off and see how they spin) maybe rear wheel bearings. Check rear suspension mounts/links are tight - may be loose.

Or you are stressed. Have a pre-ride wank and head out relaxed .... :innocent:

[6ft5]

Right, all good suggestions so this morning I went to work as usual during cornering back to basics. Wide entry, scrub off speed, counter steer and eyes on the destination. Low and behold that went smooth (OF COURSE!)..... nothing wrong with the bike, everything wrong with me, so back to practice makes perfect and continue to do so until well forever i guess.

Thanks for all the comments and ideas much appreciated. Guess this forum worked for me, again !:msn-wink:

[Metastable]

....... Low and behold that went smooth (OF COURSE!)..... nothing wrong with the bike, everything wrong with me, so back to practice makes perfect and continue to do so until well forever i guess.

Good, the rider is usually the biggest problem or solution to a bike.

Having said that, if you find it still isn't behaving quite right in the corners the only other things to check are:

- Tires, pressures and profile
- Suspension.... could be a few things, Oil + N2 levels not up to spec in shock or forks... rear rebound too slow.... preload problems....spring too soft.... etc
- Probably not a big factor, but linkages should be lubed up too... including bearings.
- Worn head bearing can cause problems.
- Finally, if you have your tires changed or take off your wheels for whatever reason, rear alignment could be a problem. Also, if the front forks are not bounced (don't hold front brake) with the axle bolts untightened before tightening them, after you put the wheel back on, there could be a "twist" in the front forks. To fix this, just loosen the front axle bolts and bounce the front suspension without using the front brake.
- Well the frame could be twisted or cracked..... but you'd notice that one after a crash. :D

Happy riding.

[f2dz]

Get your tyres checked.

My guess too.

My bike handled horribly with incorrect tyre pressures, but you mention you'd checked those.

I just got new tyres fitted, same kind, but night and day by comparison in regards to how they tip in and generally feel.

Do your tyres have any flat spots anywhere?

[6ft5]

Thanks guys - no flat spots and am going back to basics. sight on the destination, wide entry, right speed, countersteer, lean in the bike and accelerate once the apex exit is in sight. That should do it. If not back to mechanics basics as mentioned by you all.

[Oscar]

+2 on this. My bike would feel like shit in the corners. Got them tightened and it was okish for a week or so then went back to shit. Had them replaced and it is now perfect. The old bearings were not even that old but I think the lack of decent suspension wore them out faster.

+3

The steering head on my 950 gradually went dogo.
I was blaming the front tyre as it felt like it was understeering...