handling question

[g.s.john]

The rear of my 1999 1100 g,s. rises under braking there is no play in any bearings on the linkage or swinging arm not sure if the telelever will effect it as far as i can tell there is no play in the wishbone arm bearings where it attaches to the engine casings,any ideas

 

[motobiker]

you don't mention the rear shock at all...

sounds to me like that could be the culprit.

 

[John Armstrong]

Front brakes working?

 

[Ming]

Back end rising under braking eh ????

Perfectly normal for me

 

[trotsky]

Back end rising under braking eh ????

Perfectly normal for me

Yeah, been known, hasn't it

 

[g.s.john]

Yeah, been known, hasn't it

errr not quite as high as that

 

[g.s.john]

you don't mention the rear shock at all...

sounds to me like that could be the culprit.

i did not mention the rear shock oem unit 40000 miles it seems to be ok compression & rebound with panniers & camping gear ect seem ok no leaks,could it be a gradual decline in the performance over time that you just get accustomed too?

 

[g.s.john]

Front brakes working?

yes

 

[Packer]

If you have linked brakes it will hold the back down up to point but I think that yours is too old for that.

Is the rear brake working OK? It could be corroded especially with all of the salt at this time of year. If it is suspect it won´t hold the back end down and with all of the braking effort then coming from the front it will exaggerate the lift at the rear.

If you brake hard enough though you will find that they all do it.

Practice your Ming emulation technique

 

[PIGGLET]

i did not mention the rear shock oem unit 40000 miles it seems to be ok compression & rebound with panniers & camping gear ect seem ok no leaks,could it be a gradual decline in the performance over time that you just get accustomed too?

Yep, probably goosed. The back end rising slightly under braking is normal but if it seesaws up and down the I would be thnking about replacing it.
As you mention, the problem with suspension components is that they tend to go off gradually so you don't notice the impact on handling.

 

[typonaut]

Don’t all bikes lift on the rear as a matter of course under braking? I haven't noticed it as much with a GS, but my ST1100 Pan European does it noticeably when pulling up sharply at low speed (ie you feel the back move slightly to one side), because all of the weight/momentum moves onto the front wheel. You even get the same effect with cars.

 

[g.s.john]

thanks for all the input, spose i had better look at a new one or get a rebuild
i wager that which ever way it aint gonna be cheap

 

[motobiker]

It is possible to have the original shocks rebuilt for a fraction of the cost of an after market - from memory I'm sure I've seen £100 or thereabouts mentioned.

The alternatives are more expensive... its up to you to decide whether you can justify the cost.

I ummed and ahhed for months over this exact question and eventually bit the bullet and went for a new set of Wilbers front and aft. It was for me the right decision - the road handling of my bike was transformed.

Don’t all bikes lift on the rear as a matter of course under braking? I haven't noticed it as much with a GS, but my ST1100 Pan European does it noticeably when pulling up sharply at low speed (ie you feel the back move slightly to one side), because all of the weight/momentum moves onto the front wheel. You even get the same effect with cars.

Mine doesn't - well not to the same extent as any other bike I've owned anyway. When the Telelever was developed and was under test - the road testers freaked at the complete lack of front end dive - so BMW had to rejig the design to give some and front end dive = rear end lift. A properly set up oilhead beemer should squat under braking - well this is what mine does. with very little lift at the rear. This is my own perception - others may say its nonsense. (me no care - me loves it)

btw I'm always amazed by photos such as that above of a gs doing a 'stoppie' - it contradicts what I experience on my own bike - completely