Is it me or the bike?

[Gas'd Off]

Is the GS lopsided weight wise? Rolling down the hill t`other day, high gear, engine braking, I sat back letting my grip relax on the bars and I discovered that if I lift my hands off the bars completely I have to lean considerably to the left to remain going in a straight line. Are my forks bent or something? Or could it just be the heavy shaft drive on the right?
Whaddya reckon chap(esses)?

Luke.:sunshine

 

[riverking]

That'l probably be why helichopters ave a little fan at the back.

 

[The Mechanic]

Shaft torque reaction.

Try the same thing but do it in neutral, the bike should steer itself in a straight line...ish!

Just as these engines try to turn the bike against flywheel reaction when you blip the throttle, sitting astride the bike; so to the torque reaction from the engine via the shaft tends to make the bike want to lean on the overrun.

Personally I leave doing my hair until I've stopped so have no real reason to ride no handed

 

[Gas'd Off]

Personally I leave doing my hair until I've stopped

Is there another way to blow dry that I`m not aware of?


AND

Aaaahh, that it explains it. Thanks

 

[Gas'd Off]

No no no no. That doesn`t explain it!

I tried rolling down hill in neutral and I still have to lean off to the near side to keep a straight line!! AND I tried it with a very loose grip and the throttle holding steady on gentle incline. Same result...........have to lean left to to keep the bike going straight.

HELP, what`s wrong with it. Does anyone else experience this?

Is it broken?

Thanks in advance. Luke.

 

[cookie]

it should go straight. something is out of alignment IMO.

 

[trotsky]

Aaaahh, that it explains it. Thanks

No no no no. That doesn`t explain it!

Hmm, bit of a split personality thing going on here - does that mean that you stll have a problem but your evil twin skippy doesn't?

What way do you have to lean when you are going UP the hill (under power of course, you won't get far in neutral unless you take a LOOOONG run up)? Is this a silly road camber issue? Have you tried different hills?

I have no clue what might be doing this, by the way, just fancy seeing what you'll try out.

Seriously though, get the bike onto the flat in a car park and try pushing it along a stright painted line and see if it drifts off then. That should at least indicate if you have an alignment problem. A lovely assistant is usually helpful here to watch what is happening as you will be heaving and cursing a bit, and it's easy to push a little unevenly on the bars.

 

[Gas'd Off]

To clarify: I have to lean to the near side whatever the weather..........up hill down dale, throttle open or closed. When sitting normally I don`t notice anything, it was only when I tried the no hands rolling slowly down a hill t`other day that I noticed the effect.
Anyone got any suggestions for WHAT might be out of alignment? No chain adjusters! If something is bent, what might that be?

 

[Big Mikey]

Apparently the Bmw bikes with boxer engines are offset 5mm to compinsate for the lunge when you throttle the engine.

 

[Paul Narramore]

You really need to check the bikes alignment ie is the front wheel in line with the rear. Get an 8ft plank of straight timber, lay it alongside the bike with the bike on it's centre stand. Put a brick under the rear of the plank and another under the front of the plank. Rest the edge of the plank across the rear tyre, and alongside the front tyre. Make sure the front wheel is going straight ahead. Now as the rear tyre is fatter than the front tyre, there will be a gap between plank and front tyre. Measure this, then move plank and bricks to the opposite side. Measure again. The measurements should be the same.
I hope this makes sense.

 

[rdover]

Squared off tyre?
Bigger right bicep?
Dress to the left?

the reasons are endless!

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

Mine does this - hands off bars with the bike in gear and the bike leans (but doesn't steer) fairly heavily to the offside. Hands off bars, bike in neutral (fairly scary find a quiet road!) and the bike leans only very slightly to the offside, but hardly noticeable. It doesn't bother me anymore now that I've experienced the lack of lean when in neutral - and because it doesn't seem to affect the steering.


Some bikes have a spacer between the rear wheel and axle, some don't. Could this exaggerate the 'problem'?

pr0ne

 

[Gas'd Off]

ok then Paul. I`m off to find a plank then. See whether it`s the bike that`s squew whiff. Me tyres are on the verge of needing replacement! So that could be a likely culprit. I expect it`s something daft like I sit funny. I am interested to know if any others like Mr PrOne have noticed what their bike does under the same conditions.
Cheers for the advice I`m going to try dressing to the left today, see if that makes any difference

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

When you check your wheel alignment, don't be alarmed when you find that they ARE out of true!!

I'm pretty sure the rear wheel will be offset to one side (can't remember which, offside I think) to help counter-act the torque react...

Also, if your running tourances , I find they can square off considerably in old age, and the handling will never feel 'quite right' until you get a nice fresh round pair on!!

pr0ne

 

[Mouse]

Just for info, my 1200 runs dead straight when I take my hands off. That is, except when I have a fully loaded right pannier and no left pannier