[duncan427]

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Okay, even with balanced new front and rear tires, new fork seals and oil, wheels aligned in their cradles, rebuilt final drive, everything clean, tight, and straight. But what-the-heck! Just for the fun of it, I took both hands off the grips to see if the bike would cruise along hands-free. The bike would slowly just want to roll to the left and, well, want to turn left. No amount of rider repositioning changed it, it happens regardless whether I am accelerating, decel, or floating along, nor did anything else seem to effect it. Is there something I'm missing? My friends GL1200 does not do it. It's not a big thing, not a problem, but my technical mind NEEDS TO KNOW!

Oh, yeah, I get the whole safety-thing about riding without hands and don't do it otherwise. But thanks.

 

[wilf]

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Your frame or tripple tree may be tweeked.
Wilf

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

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Mine did that with Dunlop tires. No matter the model. A friend with an LTD said his does the same, only with Dunnies.

I'm OK with 'Stones and Pirellis and probably with Metzlers, although it's ben so long, I can't remember.

Alittle wander can be expected, due to road irregularities, but you should be able to correct for it with body english.

 

[englishted]

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Another possibility is worn steering bearings, the steering falling into a worn spot.

 

[Freddie Johnston]

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I'm thinking worn bearing I have Dulops on mine if it does wonder I can't tell.Have you checked that and have you had the back wheel off and made sure everything is in the right place?I bet it is some thing so simple you wouldn't believe it.

 

[duncan427]

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Yeah, new bearings front/rear. The rear end was recently replaced but this occurred even before all that. I have new Metzlers. The head bearings might be an issue, as might be the tree being tweeked. Hmm. Thanks for these thoughts.

 

[Ken Bergen]

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A misaligned fairing and or an unbalanced load can also cause the bike to drift.

 

[gumbyred]

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Having more weight in one saddlebag than the other would do that. Didn`t leave the bowling ball in one saddlebag after bowling last week, did you?

Tom Bishop
`98 S.E.

 

[duncan427]

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I considered the weight issue but everything is balanced 'cept the driver :headbanger:! I will look at the fairing more closely. Now, this is just a gentle and slow decision on the part of the bike to move left. I think the bowling ball would make it move a lot faster!! Thanks.

 

[wilf]

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so was this on a flat road or a road with a crown?
Just thinking out loud.
wilf

 

[HyperPete]

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(duplicate post)

 

[HyperPete]

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Uneven fork height in the triple clamp will also do this.

 

[SCB]

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wilf wrote:

so was this on a flat road or a road with a crown?
Just thinking out loud.
wilf

X2! I haven't experienced on the Wing but I've had it on other bikes. My truck, with large tires is really affected by crowned roads. I wonder if your 1200 would pull to the right if you ran on the other side of the center line.

Steve

 

[FeButter]

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HyperPete wrote:

Uneven fork height in the triple clamp will also do this.

Not likely.



Most likely the crown in the road.



Answer, Don't take your hand off of the bars.



It is very unlikely that any bike would track perfectly straightwithout the rider shifting weight right or left.

 

[duncan427]

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It occurs everywhere. The crowned road idea was also offered as to why the left side of the front tire wears unevenly; moreso than the right side. I can't imagine this unless the crown is more like riding along a speed bump!

I will check the fork height.

 

[wilf]

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Are you saying the left side of your front tire wears more so than the right. That would certanly be connected to the left wnder no?
Wilf

 

[FeButter]

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duncan427 wrote:

I considered the weight issue but everything is balanced 'cept the driver

What makes you think that the bike alone is balanced. Many motorcycles are not. The original V Max did not even have the front and rear wheels running in alignment from the factory.

 

[duncan427]

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Yeah, Wilf, that would make sense other than the fact that the wear on the previous tire was significant. Bike shop mechs said it was because of the crown. I thought I needed another mechanic. But this wandering is ever so slight, almost annoying when you just want to adjust your gloves while riding.

 

[fgh]

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I've heard that steering stem bearings that are too tight will cause wandering.

 

[lyleapgmc]

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What fgh said along with "notchy" steering stem bearings, very likely caused by the bearings being way, way too tight! There are visible marks in the old bearing races. They can be felt with a fingernail.

My 1200 required constant input to keep it within a lane. It would wander either left or right. It was very annoying.