Steering Fall Away

[Scottieman]

Hi Folks, I’ve just bought a low mileage 2001 FJR1300 1st Generation. It’s in excellent condition and drives very well.

however I feel on the corners the fall away feels too quick. I have checked the torque on the head stock steering and it’s fine. 

I will be changing the fork oil and greasing the bearings when I can find an idiots guide on how to remove the fairing.

Perhaps it’s normal for this bike.  I’ve been used to driving Harley’s and Shadows and the like.  It’s been 30 years since my FZR100 exup.

 

[C&C]

The profile of the tires can also affect how a bike turns in.

 

[BkerChuck]

Definitely take a look at what tires are on the bike and the condition of them. Additionally depending upon which model of Harley Davidson you're coming from you're likely accustomed to a 19 or even 21 inch front wheel so the 17 inch wheels of the FJR will handle a lot different.

 

[RossKean]

As others have said, definitely check out the tires - profile, wear and inflation.

As much as anything, you may have to get used to a bike where steering is relatively "neutral".  Definitely going to be more responsive to steering inputs than any sort of cruiser.  Rake and trail of the FJR make steering feel much quicker but should not be to the extent of being unstable.

 

[hppants]

You don't have to remove the fairing to service the forks or the steering head bearings.  Not sure if you have other maintenance items to address, but wanted to point this out.

Good source of "how-to" resources here:

https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/maint.html

 

[Road_Runner]

I notice that all of the sport-tourers I have owned tend to "flop" when the sides of the front tire are worn.

 

[art miller]

Never ridden a Harley but had a BMW R1200C Montauk at one time and it sure handled cornering much more lazily than my FJR's. At very low speeds in parking lots and related conditions the FJR will easily take a nap if you are not careful. Do not make the mistake of quickly applying the front brake while in a very slow turn!!  

 

[Scottieman]

Art.....thanks for that. Funnily enough I nearly got caught out not long after getting the bike. I changed the front pads for a brand called “Braking”.... I then found it difficult to come to a smooth halt with these sintered pads they were Braking fine on the move but would snatch on very slow speeds. I complained to the company in Italy and they sent me a different compound....same brand. They were marginally better but still problematic. So I put my original ones on that came with the bike....wallah...problem solved. 

 

[Scottieman]

I thank you all for the input.....I liked the term “Flop” describes the situation I know as the fall away ....well. 

The front tyre fitted is Pirelli Gran Turismo.....I am a Scotsman retired and now living in Limassol in Cyprus. 

There is not much of a choice here for tyres but I know some Dunlops are available. Thinking about my problem a little more I checked the torque of the head bearing nut and it was over the 13ft lbs quoted in the manual but only slightly. I had this problem on a cruiser once and I just tightened up the bearing nut until I was happy.  The FJR tyre pressure is 2.5 bar and I’m loathed to increase the pressure which would reduce the tread meeting the road. I’m looking at changing the fork oil, which I’m sure has nothing to do with the problem but I’ll do it anyway as I’m sure it will need changing. It’s a pity there is not a fluid drain screw at the bottom of the forks like my Harley. . I’ll also look at greasing the steering bearings which I’m not sure can be done without fairing removal. Any pointers or diy info would be welcome. 

So far ...I’m pleasantly pleased with the bikes performance. As I’ve said it’s 30+ years since I last owned a sports bike an FZR1000 exup. It’s a whole book to explain the differences but I can see why this bike is so popular. My wife was not too pleased to say the least to see me back on a Sports bike albeit a tourer. I tell her as a Tourer its much much slower....NOT

I will still potter about with the Harley but if I want a wide smile I’ll climb aboard the FJR. ...Last year i was sitting at the port of Portsmouth in the UK waiting to board a ship to Santander Spain when I got talking to a dozen touring bikers on their way to tour Portugal......it’s all their fault.

i have owned bikes all my life starting with a Scooter at school, a Lambretta LI 150......then managed to secure a Triumph 650 Thunderbird T with a Swallow Fibre glass sidecar....in Scotland I could drive a big bike back then with a sidecar at 16 years of age.

Im gave up biking a couple of times as I got older and sold the bikes and the leathers and toolkits only to return a few months later. At 66 I wonder how long I can keep going. When the sun comes out on this sun kissed isle there is nothing better than to ride along with a smile on my face.

One again thank you to one and all......hopefully I’ll sort my problem .....I appreciate any help given.....why try to reinvent the wheel when there is a wealth of help and info given here.

 

[mcatrophy]

I would suggest a front tire pressure nearer 2.7 bar which is where most people run theirs. It may make the bike fall into corners a little more, but for overall handling it's much better. (For the Old School like me, 2.5 bar is about 36 PSI, 2.7 is 39.)

 

[RossKean]

I would suggest a front tire pressure nearer 2.7 bar which is where most people run theirs. It may make the bike fall into corners a little more, but for overall handling it's much better. (For the Old School like me, 2.5 bar is about 36 PSI, 2.7 is 39.)

I agree with Mcatrophy.  Steering is much more crisp at 2.7 or even up to 2.9 bar (up to 42 psi) in the front tire.   I usually run 40 to 41 in the front and 42 to 43 in the rear, measured "cold" before starting out - pressure will rise as the tire warms up.  Added bonus - tire wear will be much more uniform with reduced scalloping at the higher pressures.  While traction and contact patch may be slightly better at lower pressure, it certainly isn't usually a concern and the trade-off for better steering performance more than offsets this.

If you have a concern on the handling of your FJR vs "normal", the best thing to do is meet up with a local owner and swap bikes for a comparison.  I think ou just need to get used to the difference between this bike and your previous one.

 

[hppants]

Scottieman - I enjoyed reading your response, but as soon as I read "2.5 Bar", my first thought was "Your Attention Please, would McaTrophy please come to the information desk?". 

Hope you enjoy your FJR.  Post up a ride report if you care to.  Scotland/Ireland is a trip on my wife and I's (LONG) bucket list.  I might as well live vicariously through you.

 

[sullivan]

As Ross said, 2.5 is too low.  Don't forget suspension settings per "forum" f.a.q. as it helps the bike quite a bit, compared to Yamaha settings.