The bike likes to go left

[FJRAust]

Put your fat ass wallet in your other back pocket. Then it will go the other way.

I've already got 2 fat ass wallets cause I just can't get all that money in 1. I'm pretty even there.

 

[FJRAust]

My '05 does this also. Very slightly though. When I installed a throttle lock and could keep the enging pulling the drift was gone. This leads me to think that the rotating mass of the engine and drive shaft during compression breaking is the normal cause of this. Has anyone else tried this?
I think that it could be similar to watching a top fuel car torque to the side during a burn out or race start.

That's interesting maybe the rotation of the drive shalf is the cause.

Thinking of that the drive shaft would rotate clock wise relative to sitting on the bike. I would think that would make the bike right side heavy (just a theory)

The reason why the top fuelers twist is that the engine is longditudinally (noth south) in the vehicle where as a FJR being in line is considered east west. East west engine fitment verhicles therefore experience this trust towards the rear, makes it easier to stand them.

I have no formal training with engine dynamics but expect this would hold true.

 

[Lake Powell]

It's the coriolis effect, it would go to the right if you were in the southern hemisphere.

 

[FJRAust]

It's the Coriolis effect, it would go to the right if you were in the southern hemisphere.

Arr but I am..

The Coriolis effect theory is very inventive. Maybe it does play a roll.

found an interesting article on this

https://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/crls.rxml

Have a look at the avi.

https://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/m...fs/coriolis.mpg

But in my uneducated opinion I wouldn't have thought this would have had such a significant effect on the FJR

 

[FJRAust]

Thankyou all for your suggestions and comments.

I have not at this stage been able to put my finger on precisely why it does this,

Maybe the bike is bent or maybe the bike is just unbalanced.

I'm gone to start doing some more preventative maintenance on the bike soon (when those other 5 projects are done or the wife sees some progress),

Front wheel bearings are on the cards. If I find something resolves it I'll be posting the results.

 

[sirryan]

For what it's worth, my '86 connie did this when I bought it used. I lived with it for a couple of years and then after a long cross country trip, I decided to put progressive aftermarket front springs in the forks. When I pulled the tubes out of the shocks, it became apparent when I rolled them on a flat surface that they were bent. Someone must have run the thing into a curb or something. At any rate, I had them straightened (didn't think it was possible at the time) at Woody's Wheel Works in Denver and that bike never pulled again. I was very impressed that they were able to do this. You couldn't see a kink or anything in the tubes when they were through. Great work. This is worth checking, but you'd have to pull the fork tubes to do a good evaluation.

My FJR goes perfectly straight down the road (can actually check this quite well with the audiovox cc <_< ), but I have been through the steering head bearings and the triple clamp bolts.

Good Luck, and let us know if you're ever looking for a ride up towards Superior!

 

[Nuno]

Thankyou all for your suggestions and comments.
I have not at this stage been able to put my finger on precisely why it does this,
Maybe the bike is bent or maybe the bike is just unbalanced.

I'm gone to start doing some more preventative maintenance on the bike soon (when those other 5 projects are done or the wife sees some progress),
Front wheel bearings are on the cards. If I find something resolves it I'll be posting the results.

Reviving Old Post. New for me im having the same issue.

Any result or the bike still goes to the left?

 

[Old Guy]

Nuno, you son of a gun! I've been merrily reading along and finally discovered I'm reading a 7-year-old thread

 

[Nuno]

sorry ...

The posts are old the situation is new to me.
It is a current issue even more now with the lithium batteries with 3.8kg less than the OEM battery

 

[Old Guy]

sorry ...

The posts are old the situation is new to me.
It is a current issue even more now with the lithium batteries with 3.8kg less than the OEM battery

I was just messing with you. Good for you for searching first.

Since we're chatting, I think I may have had one or two bikes that would track straight when I let go of the bars, but my FJR doesn't. I think sometimes it could just be a tight cable or something of the sort pulling one direction or the other.

 

[user 8909]

Guys and galsThis is an odd question and one I hope isn't responded to with "SOUNDS BENT". (but maybe it is)

Riding my 2002 non ABS FJR with no paniers (saddlebags)

If I let the bars go (no hands mum) the bike heads left. I only have to lean slightly right or just touch the left hand grip and it steers nice and straight.

I've only owned the bike for a few months and have put near 2000km on it. At this stage there's no abnormal tire wear. The bike doesn't appear to have ever been down, it has the expected scratches etc of a 5 year old bike with 60 000 KM on the clock. But no nasty marke on the exaust cans, damaged fairing etc that you's expect from a significant accident.

It corners fine and stops in a straight line as far as I can tell.

I had wondered if it not having the ABS gear might put the bikes balance off?

Oh it's not camber of the road.

Is this typical of an FJR???

Any suggestions!!

Thank you

Sounds normal to me. Mine drifts to the left and back straight with a slight adjustment. You didn't make mention of any wobble which also makes me think that it is normal.

Being an 02, if anything I would suspect the head bearings especially if they have never been tweaked/adjusted. Wheel bearings when they go bad you will hear and feel it.

Next suspect would be tires, which I think is my case.

The below picture is something I've never seen with any other tire brands that I've had on this bike or any other for that fact, maybe some slight cupping but nothing like this. The tire is an Avon Ultra II.

This tire has 9K miles and was put on four months after I had my forks were rebuilt and upgraded by Traxxion.

Both Avon and Traxxion are aware of this but have not replied to my emails.

Since this tire was installed I could feel the tread pattern when coming to a slow stop, now, you can't let go of the bars without it going into a severe wobble....obviously.

So, that's why I say your drift to the left is normal and I really haven't had any motorcycle that didn't drift a bit.

https://i779.photobucket.com/albums/yy77/richarddacat/My%20FJR/P1040395_zpsaa6d18ce.jpg

 

[Nuno]

After many tests on the front suspension and verify of the rear bearings, noting have been found to justify the bike to lean left.

7.500 Km and pair of Pirelli Angel GT thrown way for a new set of Bridgestone T30GT, now all seems to be ok!


I guess the last trip of 4.000 km to the Pyrenees did some damage to the tires!
The final day was 1332Km to home.

Or maybe a bad batch of Pirelli Tyres

 

[Old Guy]

Just a thought ...

Imagine how much pressure is used to turn the bike. Now, on a level surface, centerstand the bike and raise the front wheel. Point it forward and let go. Does it stay there? If it moves a bit to the right, maybe it's countersteering itself. A tight cable, wire, or something could be pulling it very slightly.

 

[Nuno]

The mechanic tested all the possibilities in the front and rear axel and nothing found so decide for the tires! ( They don't have any visible deformation)

 

[Rider]

I recall a bicycle that did this.

Off center weight did not seem to cause it as the bike would lean away from the weight, causing an opposite turn effect that is then counteracted by turning the bars/wheel slightly in the opposite direction, resulting in straight travel.

What I did find is that the two wheels were not parallel to each other, and since more weight was on the rear, it seemed to dominate and result in a turn in the direction that the front wheel was slightly leaning (when back wheel was vertical).

By bicycle was visually bent and the consequence extreme, so the misalignment may be subtle and not at all visually obvious.

That is just a guess to the issue. It may in fact just be a crowned road, which in the states would result in a left turn...maybe try it on the opposite site of a safe road to do so.

 

[RossKean]

I had an odd situation on a previous bike. Persistent pull in one direction. Wasn't tires or road crown. Bike frame was straight and it drove me crazy. It turned out that the rider seat had a rubber support/bumper missing. I didn't really notice it sitting on the bike (until after I fixed it) but it caused me to lean just enough to one side to affect the bike's handling. Very strange and if someone had asked me whether this could have a noticeable effect, I would have said no.

 

[rbentnail]

FJR, Honda & 2 Kawaski's- what I've owned in the last decade. All move(d) left when I let go of the bars. Maybe one buttcheek is 4.263869 g heavier than the other, I dunno, but IMHO it's normal.

Ride more, stress less. Move along, nothing to see here.

 

[RadioHowie]

FJR, Honda & 2 Kawaski's- what I've owned in the last decade. All move(d) left when I let go of the bars. Maybe one buttcheek is 4.263869 g heavier than the other, I dunno, but IMHO it's normal.
Ride more, stress less. Move along, nothing to see here.

...except for a bunch of zombie-enablers!!

 

[1maxman]

Wow my '13 "pulls"left when I set the cruise (below 80 of course) and do my version of "look ma no hands" I thought it was me all along.

 

[user 8909]

"FJR, Honda & 2 Kawaski's- what I've owned in the last decade. All move(d) left when I let go of the bars. Maybe one buttcheek is 4.263869 g heavier than the other, I dunno, but IMHO it's normal.

Ride more, stress less. Move along, nothing to see here."

One side of a tire wearing excessively more than the other is not normal, stressing over it is meaningless unless the replacement starts doing the same.

Apparently my inquiries or rather complaint to Avon fell on deaf ears so I will ride more, just not on Avon's.