Bike Pulls to left

[Dale2010]

Since new (I believe) my bike (2013) has had a tendency to lean to the left when riding at highway speeds and letting go of the handlebars. The problem seems to be worsening with age.
I'm about ready to install my third set of tires and I noticed that the front tire (Michelin Pilot 4 GT) has worn slightly more on the right side.
Any ideas of the cause? Is there a reasonable means to cure the problem?
The tires were balanced correctly when installed.

Thanks.

 

[Fred W]

Check that the forks and axle clamps arent holding the fork legs twisted in the triple clamps.

Also check that the fork legs arent slightly bent.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Are you carrying heavy stuff in one hardcase? I can't imagine it would really make a difference, but hey; trying to be helpful here.

The tire wear could be unrelated. There's a thread around here somewhere that talks about a rider's cornering preferences (I lean farther on right-handers, for example) making a big difference in front tire wear.

 

[deagle]

Mine pulls, I think left. Not horrible but not like I can put the cruise on at 83 mph (2014....ha!), take my hands off the bars, and just float down the center of the lane forever. I can do a quick adjustment of the helmet but then I have to grab the bars or go to the next lane. I just figured the road grade was the cause...or maybe I was fatter on one side.

 

[Uncle Hud]

The vlogger below doesn't have this problem, and seems to enjoy no-hands riding until the last few seconds of the video:



(Posted elsewhere, so I can't really take credit for finding it.)

Anyone going to admit to this? They passed a sign for San Clemente State Park, so there's a clue. And the overhead sign says SD Airport 39 minutes and Mexico border 54 minutes.

 

[sullivan]

Both of mine have always slowly veered. Not uncommon from what I've seen from other responses.

 

[NTXFJR]

Mine did it after I dropped it in the yard one day. I loosened the top triple tree clamps and aligned the front wheel as best I could while holding the bars straight. The bike tracked true again afterward in my case.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Mine had never done it hands free unless I wasn’t centered on the seat, or I had an uneven load in the cases. I did have a bias when I was hands on for a while. Turned out one of the bars was out of adjustment. Couldn’t see it. Couldn't tell through touch. But a hard look with a bright light showed a minute difference. Easily fixed in that case.

 

[NightShine]

I'm a big fan of "hands off" touring (yeah, I know. Perhaps not best practice

). On my past bikes, including my 05, I'd steer by just balancing for hours on end, when slabbing it. Have caught the amused attention of passing cagers on occasion, but none from LEOs (so far

But my 15es has pulled slightly to the left since new, and the only way I can continue my favorite pastime is by shifting inconveniently far right in the saddle. This has happened despite several tire changes, and riding with or without side cases. It's a subtle pull and requests to the dealer's service folks all come back "it's fine! no problem found."

But after a couple of weeks on the road, even this slight left pull is a annoying. I'm glad that someone else has run into this (not so lonely now ;-). And Fred and nxtfjr's suggestions are at least an avenue to pursue.

ymmv...

 

[Uncle Hud]

NightShine posted: I'm a big fan of "hands off" touring ...

So, is that you in post #5? Petaluma, San Diego; only 10 hours apart, and it's still California!

(Probably not you. The video didn't show the cleavage visible in your avatar.)

 

[Fred W]

Let me describe how I determined that my forks were slightly bent on my old 05, and how I adjusted them to get rid of the pull to one side:

What I did was to loosen the right forks clamp on the axle. I then bounced the bike up and down several times to allow the forks to find their own width on the axle shaft. I then measured with calipers how far the axle protruded from the right fork clamp.

Next I loosened one fork leg in the triple clamps and indexed the fork by 90 degrees. Tightened triple clamps, bounced and remeasured the protrusion.

Did that at all 4 - 90 degree positions of each fork leg, and I could establish and marked the orientation of each leg that pushed the axle out the most by rotating the inner left leg and the least by rotating the right inner leg.

Once I found those points I pointed them both bent backwards so the weight would help unbend the bent tubes a little and this allowed the bike to track straight again. Even if that doesnt completely balance it out, at least youll know which way they are bent and by how much and have something to adjust them against to try and get them equal.

Mine were bent because I had run into a deer with the front of the bike a few months earlier, but Id imagine there are all sorts of reasons why a fork leg would become untrue.

Hope that all made some sense...

 

[Dale2010]

Check that the forks and axle clamps arent holding the fork legs twisted in the triple clamps.
Also check that the fork legs arent slightly bent.

Thanks Fred. Visually, the forks look fine but as you suggested, there may be (have been) some minor twisting or movement somewhere? Is there a reasonable means of checking for minor (non-visible with wheel mounted) twisting in the forks?

 

[Dale2010]

Are you carrying heavy stuff in one hardcase? I can't imagine it would really make a difference, but hey; trying to be helpful here.
The tire wear could be unrelated. There's a thread around here somewhere that talks about a rider's cornering preferences (I lean farther on right-handers, for example) making a big difference in front tire wear.

A good idea. Actually, I had (sort of) been blaming the problem on a possible imbalance in the saddlebags content. However, I've completely unloaded the bags and the problem remains.

 

[art miller]

Just returned from a 2900 mile ride to British Columbia and Alberta. most of the ride was on non concrete. During the ride I frequently did the hands off maneuver for miles at a time. Often the bike tended to drift left and a slight lean right quickly corrected the direction. I believe the left drift is more to do with the crown on the road than anything else. Keep in mind, highways have a groove formed by auto and truck tires and we tend to find ourselves riding in the rights side of those channels. This is another observation from a dumb ass rider!!!

 

[Dale2010]

Let me describe how I determined that my forks were slightly bent on my old 05, and how I adjusted them to get rid of the pull to one side:
What I did was to loosen the right forks clamp on the axle. I then bounced the bike up and down several times to allow the forks to find their own width on the axle shaft. I then measured with calipers how far the axle protruded from the right fork clamp.

Next I loosened one fork leg in the triple clamps and indexed the fork by 90 degrees. Tightened triple clamps, bounced and remeasured the protrusion.

Did that at all 4 - 90 degree positions of each fork leg, and I could establish and marked the orientation of each leg that pushed the axle out the most by rotating the inner left leg and the least by rotating the right inner leg.

Once I found those points I pointed them both bent backwards so the weight would help unbend the bent tubes a little and this allowed the bike to track straight again. Even if that doesnt completely balance it out, at least youll know which way they are bent and by how much and have something to adjust them against to try and get them equal.

Mine were bent because I had run into a deer with the front of the bike a few months earlier, but Id imagine there are all sorts of reasons why a fork leg would become untrue.

Hope that all made some sense...

I'll have to work on that procedure for a while.

Perhaps, once I take the time to go through your procedure piece by piece (when I do my upcoming tire change), it will make a little more sense to me. Hopefully, you won't mind if I check back for clarification if needed...

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Dale2010]

Just returned from a 2900 mile ride to British Columbia and Alberta. most of the ride was on non concrete. During the ride I frequently did the hands off maneuver for miles at a time. Often the bike tended to drift left and a slight lean right quickly corrected the direction. I believe the left drift is more to do with the crown on the road than anything else. Keep in mind, highways have a groove formed by auto and truck tires and we tend to find ourselves riding in the rights side of those channels. This is another observation from a dumb ass rider!!!

Art:

I too played with that concept but it doesn't seem to hold in my situation. However, I know exactly what you mean and it definitely does affect steering/handling of the bike.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Dale2010]

Mine did it after I dropped it in the yard one day. I loosened the top triple tree clamps and aligned the front wheel as best I could while holding the bars straight. The bike tracked true again afterward in my case.

I dropped mine too plus it was knocked over once so this might be the problem. Now, if I can just figure out how to tell if everything is as it should be or what needs to adjusted.

 

[Dale2010]

The vlogger below doesn't have this problem, and seems to enjoy no-hands riding until the last few seconds of the video:

Mine does that too. Only problem is, I'm trying to go in a straight line. ;-0

 

[Mad German]

I read somewhere a while ago that shaft driven bikes have a tendency to pull to the left, assuming the shaft is on the left, due to the extra rotating mass. The FJR is the first shaftie Ive owned. My 08 will pull ever so slightly to the left from what I can recall, although Ive not tested it for a while. Ill see what she does this weekend when I ride a bit.